Best Log Splitters

Operating XM-380 is actually pretty easy. Plug it in, turn it on and then place a log on top of the bar. To start the ram you have to push two levers at once. And this is actually a safety measure. The idea behind this is that you will have both of your hands full and they will be nowhere near moving parts or splitting log. When you release them, the hydraulic cylinder moves backward allowing you to take out what's left and put the next one. Another safety feature is that there’s a plate near the handle assembly that protects your hands from shredded wood.

A small pro-tip: you can still use one hand with spread fingers to push two levers at once. But remember, if you ever have to hold the log during operation, never hold it along the splitting line.

Upon having this Powerhouse XM-380 at your disposal, you will be able to supply yourself with a great amount of firewood in no time. Nuff Said.

But always remember about basic safety measures when working with dry wood: wear long-sleeved shirts, but avoid loose-fitting clothing. Get yourself a pair of thick gloves, like this Wells Lamont leather gloves, that will prevent getting splinters into the skin of your hands. We want also recommend buying safety glasses, like these Dewalt, that will shield your eyes from any parts of wood that are burst into fly when the log splits. Such equipment is a must in any handyman's inventory.

Controls are performed via the handle that can be put in one of the three positions: forward, stop and reverse. With stop option, you can more efficiently and faster split shorter logs without waiting for the ram to return all the way back.

It comes as no surprise, that the portability is the key feature of this log splitter. Despite its weight, we’ve found it easy to roll around with only one hand – possibly, due to large 10" never-flat wheels. So, if you want to chop logs right in the forest or in the garden far from electricity supply – that’s the thing. Our team also noted that a low bar makes it easier to put heavy logs on it.

You might find it easier to work with a chainsaw or a log splitter in earmuffs. If you were looking for a pair, check out these electronic Howard Leight earmuffs, that will protect your ears on-site from a loud noise, yet stop sound dampening when the ambient sound is quiet and safe for hearing.

After you plug WEN 56206 in a socket, the ram pushes the log onto the wedge only when you push both the control lever and the button on top of the engine unit at once. If you stop holding one of them, the ram stops. And if you release both controls, the ram returns to the starting position.  It's a nice safety measure designed to keep your hands away from the splitting logs.

This electric log splitter will not take much space in your warehouse or garage, due to compact dimensions. As you might have already noticed, there are two rubber never-flat wheels to help you move it around. The two handles on the other side also work as a support when you put it down on the ground.

WEN Products company has already been in the business of electric equipment for more than half a century. Its R&D team helped implement the electrics in many tools for daily use and construction instruments, such as chainsaws, power jigsaws, knife and wet wheel sharpeners, and many others. Since then, they have sold more than 50 million products worldwide. Therefore, buying WEN tool, you can rest assured that you are getting a quality device.

The user manual has a detailed instruction on how to change the hydraulic fluids, that we've mentioned above. That is why you may even do it all by yourself. So just in case, here they are:

• Hydraulic oil AW ISO 32 for the temperatures above 40 °F.
• Automatic transmission fluid DEXRON-VI for up to 40 °F environment.

 To further decrease the time for splitting the wood, you can additionally buy the wedge with two blades on the sides. Such cross-wedge is used for splitting a log into four. We’d also like to recommend using smaller and softer types of wood with such blade, as a log surface meets with a bigger plane of contact, requiring more force to be split.

Watching the logs split with ES7T20 was pretty satisfying and the only real drawback is that it might be too loud when you don’t wear earmuffs. Otherwise, it’s a solid log splitter, and using it, you will quickly fill your storage with nicely chopped small pieces of firewood.

Here is the 4-way cross wedge by Boss Industrial for splitting logs into 4, that we were talking about.

And also check out this nice rack for storing firewood by Landmann. You can get the one with or without a blanket for keeping it dry in case you decide to assemble and keep the rack outdoors.

Meet the Logger Joe. This tool can chop 18" logs for you with its 10-ton hydraulic pressure just fine. That is a great result, considering it is a manually operated mechanical log splitter. That’s right, it has no engine to automatically chop-chop the lumber. With this LJ20M model, you can forget about unwinding extension cords across your yard or the nasty smell of burnt petroleum from gas log splitters.

Furthermore, the log cradle has two metal brackets on each side to keep the log straight, while you are slowly pushing ram forward by moving the two handles back and forth in a manner that is very similar to cross-trainers. The special valve is used to release the pressure from the hydraulic cylinder. After that, the ram automatically moves backward to the starting position.

While this log splitter has a lower ramming speed than models with electric engine, you get more power in a pretty compact body. This Logger Joe seems to be the lightest model in this review. At less than 90 lbs. it’s easy to pick it up all by yourself and put it in the trunk of a car. The whole splitter length here is exactly 41.1", although it might look larger on the photo. There are two small wheels on the same side as cylinder. And on the other side of the wedge blade, there are two spreader bars that serve as handles to pick one side up and roll it to the storehouse. The cradle's top surface is low to the ground, so you won't have to pick up heavy logs too high in order to mount them on the splitter.

Considering this all, we can readily recommend this low-cost log splitter by Snow Joe for elderly people. It will also be ideal for country houses without access to electricity or simply when you don't need that much logs to split and want just a handful supply of firewood to light up your fireplace a few times on cozy winter holidays.

The Logger Joe requires little-to-no maintenance. Keep it clean and store in dry places. Refill the hydraulic fluid when necessary. But still, it's recommended to grease the moving parts from time to time. No fancy oils here - use WD-40.