Well, let’s assume that you already know what a log splitter is. We will dive deeper into different types of log splitters later on this page. The days of axes are over. I mean, the technology has made everything so easy and so comfortable that spending money for an axe is going to be wastage of money. Regardless you are someone from the countryside who needs to split logs on a regular basis, or you are doing that for an adventure, the best log splitter will make your l201ife much easier. Now the vital question is what is the best log splitter? There is no single best product when it comes to a power tool.

The tool that can meet your requirements with the best value for the price should be the best for you. There are some really expensive models with some fancy features. But spending money for the fancy features that will actually be of no use is completely wastage of money. There are two things you need to consider; one is what you ‘want’ and another is what you ‘need’. There is a clear difference between these two. The first thing you have to know is why you are looking for the best log splitter. Define your need very clearly. Most of the time it is found that you are ready to pay extra for some really “industrial” features those will be of no use at your home. Here we will try to suggest some good quality log splitter that will genuinely be the best log splitter for you.

Best Log Splitter

While looking for the best log splitter in the market, you will simply get confused. To get over the confusion, it is important to do a lot of research. But our experience and research says that most of the customers don’t tend to spend time on researching online.  Trust me, end of the day, this time will pay you back. Anyways, we have spent a lot of time to research and then come up with a shortlist of products so that you can easily choose the best log splitter for you. We tried to present the whole thing with help of attractive visuals so that the process of choosing the best log splitter gets much easier. One obvious question that we have been always asked by our visitors, that is why they are going to trust our review. We will rather inform you the way of our shortlisting and this will help you get things clear.

The most important thing we consider is the utility vs. price. Our products are not the premium log splitters on the market. But they can be the best log splitter for many of you. Ask me why? Well, as we have once said earlier, spending extra money for some fancy features that will not be of any use, is a wastage of money.  And this purchase can never be the best purchase. We went through some primary database of consumers and then made a list of what actually most of the clients need. Considering all those, which product is giving you the best value for the money you are paying? We have spent hours and we went through almost 90% products that are found in the market. Then we came up with this shortlist. Each of them is the best. Now what you have to do is to find the best log splitter that particularly meets your requirements.

Boss Industrial EC5T20 | 5 Ton Electric Log Splitter

Highlighted Features:

• Features durable 1.8 HP powerful electric motor
• Single-handed operation with automatic ram return feature
• Portable design and lightweight construction can fit in the track of most cars
• Split logs up to 20.5 inches in length, and the maximum diameter of 10 inches
• 2 years residential warranty, 180 days commercial warranty

Boss industrial is a popular name in American household for a pretty long time. Superior product quality and amazing customer service has made this manufacturer an outstanding supplier of electric log splitter. If you are looking for the best electric log splitter in a budget, this is going to be the best log splitter. This is just perfect for home use. With the powerful 1.8 HP motor, Boss industrial EC5T20 electric log splitter can split logs with maximum force of 5 ton. The motor works at the speed of 3400 rpm. The maximum length of the lumber should be 20.5 inches to be used in this log splitter. The maximum log diameter should be 10 inches.

We always recommend log splitters with a dual-handed operational system for safety. This one is not one of them. Boss industrial EC5T20 has a single-handed operational system, but good part is, it has automatic ram-return. Automatic ram-return assures the safety, so this is not a deal breaker. Considering many direct customer reviews, we found, if you are looking for an electric log splitter that needs less maintenance and want to use for residential purpose only, boss industrial EC5T20 is more than perfect. Looking about drawbacks, we found few negative comments as well. But that complains were specifically about that certain unit of product that the clients have received. This might be an issue with the quality control or other transportation. Other than that, boss industrial EC5T20 is the best log splitter for home use that is available in a pretty affordable price.

WEN 56206 | 6 Ton Electric Log Splitter

Highlighted Features:

• Comes with reliable and powerful 2 HP copper-wound motor, that uses 15 amp household current
• Features two-handed operation to assure the safety
• Built-in log guide keeps logs on track
•  Maximum log length 20.5 inches and maximum diameter is 10 inches
• Solid construction and portable design with comfort grip handles and 6 inches tires
• 2 years of limited warranty

Portable design, unique performance, and affordable price, these three features have made this Wen 56206 a great tool and one of the best log splitter tools in the market. This log splitter comes with powerful 2 HP motor that can apply up to 6 tons of force to split the logs. The maximum length of the lumber should be 20.5 inches and the maximum diameter should be 10 inches. The dual-handed operation is featured here for the safety purpose. If one hand is removed from the handle the ram will stop working. And it will prevent serious injury. No toxic gas or no fume is made so that the environment remains clean and fresh.

The construction of this electric log splitter is very light and portable. Looking at the drawback, this has 25 seconds of cycle time. That is pretty slow. The other log splitters, for example boss industrial EC5T20, they are faster. If slow performance is not a problem for you, this is a good purchase. The 6 feet cord is not good enough to perform the operations smoothly; you might need to have an extension cord. The customer satisfaction is very impressive. The combination of all these assures its place in the list of the best log splitter.

Powerhouse XM-380 | 7 Ton Electric Log Splitter 

Highlighted Features:

• Comes with 3 HP powerful motor with maximum 3500 RPM speed that can apply maximum 7 tons of force on the lumber
• Hydraulic and portable electric log splitter
• The maximum length of the lumber should be 20.5 inches and the maximum diameter should be 10 inches
• Two-handed operation assures safety
• 5/6 seconds of cycle time
• Auto retract ram system
• 30 days replacement warranty

Powerhouse XM-380 comes with a powerful 3HP motor that runs on 2500 watts. This can apply a maximum force of 7 ton and split the log very quickly. A very important feature that makes this electric log splitter stands out is the impressive cycle time. This can very quickly split logs with a 5/6 seconds cycle time. And that makes it one of the best log splitter tools for home users.

You can cut the lumbers of maximum 20.5 inches length and 12 inches diameter. This electric log splitter features automatic ram return system and dual-handed operation. The light construction has made this log splitter portable and it has 2 tires to move easily from one place to another. 30 days of unconditional replacement warranty assures the quality of this great log splitter.

Talking about drawbacks, the owner manual is not up to the mark. It is poorly described. The wheel size of this log splitter could be bigger. And it consumes more electricity to run, then other log splitters. But those are really deal breakers. A very important point here is, the price is relatively low. But if you are looking for the best log splitter for commercial use, do not go for this one. For home use, this will be pretty good for a long time.

Sun Joe LJ10M Logger Joe | 10 Ton Hydraulic Log Splitter

Highlighted Features:

• Features powerful hydraulic ram builds up to 10 ton of driving force
• Maximum log length of 18 inches and width 8 inches
• Features log cradle to prevent the split wood from falling
• Durable and sturdy steel construction
• Comes with full 2-years warranty

This is the only manual log splitter that we review here on this page. When your budget is completely strict and you don’t need to split a big amount of logs, you can go for this. The construction of this manual log splitter is strong and sturdy with the material steel. Manually operated 2-speed pump can apply maximum 10 tons of force to split the lumber of maximum 18/ inches length and 8 inches width.

The lightweight construction has made it a popular log splitter among those who actually have no issue with manual energy. But this is not the best log splitter for the aged people. And of course, since it is a manual log splitter, it needs more time to complete the job than any electric log splitter.

Boss Industrial ES7T20 | 7 Ton Electric Log Splitter

Highlighted Features:

• Comes with 2 HP powerful motor, 3500 psi hydraulic pressure, 7 tons of splitting force
• Operates on 15 amp regular home current
• Strong and sturdy 7-inches steel wedge
• The maximum length of logs is 20.5 inches and diameter is 10 inches
• Single-handed operation with automatic ram return
• Easy push-button start
• Comes fully assembled
• 2 years of residential warranty, 90 days of commercial warranty

Boss industrial ES7T20 is one of the best log splitter machines that you can choose for your home use. Even for commercial use, this is very popular. This is a great combination of sturdy design and great performance. Comparing with other log splitters, boss industrial ES7T20 is a very efficient log splitter which requires very less time to complete the job.

The powerful durable 2 HP motor can work pretty good in 15 amp home current, although this works better with 20 amp current. This can apply 7 tons of force to split the lumber. The maximum long length is 20.5 inches and the maximum diameter r should be 10 inches. The single-handed easy operation has an automatic ram return system to assure the safety. The 7 inches steel wedge can be sharpened and it operates in two-way style. But this cannot be replaced.

Talking about drawback, this is not for them who are looking for the cheapest log splitter. Sure it’s not the cheapest, but this will offer you a great value for the price you are paying. When the budget is not strict, go for this great electric log splitter. Also if you are looking for logs with greater length and bigger diameter and for commercial use, you should look ahead for some more powerful model that we will discuss later on this page. Other than these, for long time home use without facing any trouble, this is arguably the best log splitter on the market.

Boss Industrial ED8T20 | 8 Ton Electric Log Splitter

Highlighted Features:

• 2 HP powerful motor features easy push start button
• 8 tons force, 3000 psi
• Runs on 15 amps current
• Maximum log length 20 inches, maximum diameter 10.5 inches
• 5 inches cylinder bore
• Single-handed operation

Boss Industrial ED8T20 has a powerful 2 HP motor with an easy to push button. This can apply a force of 8 ton to split the log of maximum length of 20.5 inches and diameter of 10.5 inches. Although the manufacturer mentioned the highest length is 20.5, even lumbers of 24 inches can easily fit in this great log splitter. This is not the best log splitter, just because of the price. The price is not the cheapest, but if you are looking for the best log splitter for home use and consider the greater value for the price, this is undoubtedly one of the best log splitters.

It has a bidirectional setup that refers to two-way splitting capability. This is a very handy feature that makes this electric log splitter stands out. In this process, you don’t have to wait for the ram to return back to the position. The machine split one log on one side and in this meantime, the opposite side of the ram gets ready for another log. The construction of the body and the components are sturdy and professional grade. This electric log splitter tends to be a bit heavier than the other models, but it has high-density rubber and steel wheel for portability.

Talking about drawbacks, this lo splitter makes little noise during operation. SO you may need to have ear muffs. Comparing to the other electric log splitters, the price is relatively high, but it has some unique features. Even if you are into commercial use, this will be of great utility. So you can see, the drawbacks are not deal breaker. If budget is not a problem, you should go for this one for a long trouble-free experience.

Champion 90720 | 7 Ton Gas Powered Log Splitter

Highlighted Features:

• Gasoline powered 7-ton compact log splitter
• Portable designed, convenient to handle and never-flat tires
• A quick cycle time of 20 seconds for efficient performance
• Comes with a skewed wedge for improved splitting
• Low profile design and integrated log cradle to easily handle heavy lumbers
• Can handle logs of up to 19.3 inches length
• 2 years limited warranty, Lifetime technical support

This is the first gasoline-powered log splitter we review here. This is a great and efficient log splitter for home use. Before purchasing this you need to know that this log splitter will only split logs lengthwise, with the grains only. It needs to keep at least 7 feet clearance from anything that can catch fire and at least 3 feet clearance from anything, to assure enough cooling. Compared to other gas powered log splitter this is pretty affordable. But we suggest electric log splitter for home use because they require less maintenance. Champion power equipment 90720 log splitter is something that you need to handle very carefully. This has a good cycle time of 20 seconds that makes sure that the job will be done quickly.

Champion No.92221 | 22 Ton Gas Powered Log Splitter

Highlighted Features:

• Gas powered log splitter
• 22-ton performance
• 4”×23” Hydraulic cylinder
• 14 second cycle time
• 1 year limited warranty

If you need a commercial log splitter or a heavy duty log splitter, this gas-powered Champion No.92221 log splitter will be the best log splitter for you. This dynamic log splitter is equipped with a hydraulic cylinder that can handle 22 tons of lumbers with maximum efficiency. This log splitter is powered by Champion 196cc OHV engine with cast iron sleeve.

This heavy-duty log splitter is designed to be solid and sturdy and able to handle a huge load with efficiency. The customer satisfaction is incredible. But if you are looking for the home use, better go for some electric log splitter that requires less maintenance.

Champion 100251 | 25 Ton Gas Powered Log Splitter

Highlighted Features:

• Gasoline driven log splitter
• Both horizontal and vertical operation- easily switch between positions
• Towable – 2-inch ball coupler, DOT approved wheels
• Efficient performance with 12 seconds of quick cycle time
• Can handle logs of up to 23.8 inches and 100 lb in weight
• 2 years of limited warranty, free lifetime technical support

This is another gas driven heavy duty log splitter. Solid and portable construction has made it one of the best log splitters for those who have been looking for the best log splitter for commercial use. We totally do not recommend you this if you are looking for a log splitter for home use.

This is a dependable log splitter when you have a huge amount of lumbers to split. This is capable to perform 300 cycles per hour that is pretty quick. It can handle large pieces of woods of up to 23.8 inches, and 100 lbs in weight. It features integrated log cradle and log catcher. This is powered by 224cc Champion single cylinder OHV engine with a 0.9 gal fuel tank.

Swisher LSRB87528 | 28-Ton Gas Powered Log Splitter

Highlighted Features:

• 75 gross torque 190cc Briggs and Stratton Engine
• Both Horizontal and Vertical splitting position
• 28 tons of splitting force
• 6 HP motor at 3600 rpm
• Vertical beam lock for enhanced security while splitting on the vertical position
• Features direct drive to reduce the number of moving part
• 5 Gallon Poly Hydraulic Tank

This is a heavy duty popular log splitter and it provides maximum splitting performance with 28 tons of pressure. This is very strong and dependable log splitter for a large amount of wood. The cycle time is pretty low and that makes this log splitter very efficient. While looking for a gas-driven log splitter for the commercial project, this is one of the best log splitters.

It can work both horizontally and vertically, with the same pressure. The maximum lumber length is 24 inches. It features a vertical beam lock that assures security while splitting logs in the vertical position. It also comes with integrated log cradle. Talking about drawbacks, this one is a bit heavier for a gas log splitter. As we have mentioned earlier, do not go for a gas driven log splitter if you need it only for home use. It needs lots of maintenance and professional handling.

Types of Log Splitters

There are mainly three different types of log splitters. They are the manual log splitter, electric powered log splitter and gas powered log splitter. The last two are hydraulic log splitters. If you want to dive deeper you will find some other variations like machine mounted hydraulic log splitter, kinetic log splitters; but they are not major categories. We will discuss three major categories here.

Manual log splitter

A manual log splitter does not have its own power source, rather you have to use your manual force to do the work. You may ask, well, if I have to use the manual force then why should I spend money on a log splitter, I could have an axe for this task. The answer is, a manual log splitter gives you better control over the tool and it is safer than the axe. Also, it needs less strain to use. If you are tight on budget and need to purchase something pretty much affordable then a manual log splitter will be the best option for you. A manual log splitter can be very lightweight. The only drawback is the strain and the time. It takes pretty long to get the logs ready. So this is not the best option, of course, it can get really tiring. And especially when there is a huge amount of logs, a manual log splitter is not suitable. Most of the buyers prefer hydraulic log splitters for better performance and comfort.

Electric powered log splitter

This is the most convenient type of log splitter. If you want to use the log splitter at home, an electric log splitter is the best option. As it runs on electricity and it generates no harmful fumes, you can use it indoors. This is very convenient to use during bad weather. If in case you need to use it outdoor, you will need to have electric power supply out there. Most of the models are designed to be used with a standard 120-volt outlet, so you can easily use it with the household voltage. Electric log splitters are cheaper and lighter than the gas-powered hydraulic log splitters. Electric log splitters are cleaner and they require less maintenance. This is the best option for home use.

Gas powered log splitter

When it comes to pure power, this is the best option. Since you don’t need to have any electrical power source, you can use it anywhere you want, even far from home. Gas powered log splitter can be bulky and really powerful. If you need to split a huge amount of logs, this is the best option to choose. Gas powered log splitter is a bit difficult to use. But when you need really powerful log splitter, you should go for a gas powered log splitter.

How to Choose the Best Log Splitter

A log splitter is a long-term investment. It makes the task of splitting woods much easier and safer. While looking for the best log splitter there are certain factors that you need to consider. You should know about the power tool carefully and should know the functionalities to get the best out of it. Most importantly you have to decide the type of log splitter. A manual log splitter is an affordable option, but if you need to split a huge amount of wood, the manual one is never the best option for you. For home use, we recommend electric log splitters. One very important tip for you, since we have enlisted the best log splitters here, almost all of them are powerful, well constructed and all the basic features are nearly the same. If all the products are same, how can you find the outstanding log splitter?  You need to focus on the smaller details. These details features will finally find out the best log splitter for you. Let’s have a look.

The right size of the log splitter

When you are looking for a heavy duty power tool, the most important feature you need to be careful is the size of it. As we have told earlier in this page, that what you ‘need’ and what you ‘want’ might not be same. Especially if you are the first time buyer, this will cause serious confusion. Look, if you are looking for a tool to split your log for commercial use, then you will need a fast and powerful log splitter that has industry-level expertise. And that will require you a big powerful log splitter. On the other hand, if you are looking one for your home use, a manual log splitter or electric one with less tonnage will be the best Los splitter for you.

Sometimes the first time buyers prefer higher tonnage than the lower ones because they cost almost the same. On the first sight it might be considered as a great bang for the bucks, but no my dear.  A super-fast, hefty splitter with aggressively fast cycle time will not be of any use but create trouble for you, if you don’t really need that. So the first and foremost is to properly aware of the need. Ask yourself, why you are going to purchase a log splitter and be honest with your answer. Otherwise, you will be in big trouble.

Log length and diameter

This is a very important measurement that you need to check before choosing the best log splitter. It determines the wood size that you can put on the tool. The manual log splitter can split logs of any length and any diameter, while the electric and gas-driven log splitter can handle lumber of certain length and diameter. This is wise to purchase a machine that can take somewhat more than your actual requirement. For a regular homeowner, 20×12 inches size should be pretty good. Some high-end models of log splitter can handle up to 25 inches.

Tonnage (Splitting capacity)

This refers to the amount of force that your best log splitter can apply. The tonnage requirement actually depends on the length and the hardness of the lumber. The greater thickness or greater diameter requires more capacity to split the log. Most of the electric log splitter has 4-7 tons of capacity. The gas driven hydraulic log splitters have more tonnage capacity. Here one important thing, you need to know, that a manual log splitter can offer 10 tons of force, but the force required physical labor. This is the least expensive options, but you need to keep in mind, the full force should be manually produced.

Motor power

This is a feature, which is particularly related to the electric log splitter. If you are considering purchasing an electric log splitter, then you must be considering the horsepower, amps, ram etc. If you need speed and reliability look for bigger power. A 2 HP motor can be good enough for an average amount of splitting at home. If you have bug amount of wood to split, go for 3.5 Hp or even higher.

Cycle time

This determines how efficient the log splitter is. Cycle time refers to the time the ram takes to reach back to its initial position after a split. A log splitter with faster cycle time can handle a large amount of lumber in less time. You must not ignore this feature because some less expensive models will offer you higher tonnage and that will fascinate you easily. Once you purchase that and find that the tool is not working very slowly since they have longer cycle time. For a smart operation, the best log splitter for home use should have at least 15 seconds of cycle time. But there are some really high-end models, they offer you cycle time of 3-4 seconds, pretty impressive or? Yes very impressive, but this is going to cost you a bit higher than average.

Construction

Best log splitter should be made of toughest materials to handle hardwood splitting job pretty smartly. The most popular material is durable and sturdy steel. There are other construction features that need to be covered as well. Some log splitters are vertical, some are horizontal. For larger logs, the vertical log splitters are perfect. Some special models of log splitter can be set both vertically and horizontally. The height adjustment is another handy feature. This is needed for faster and simpler guided operation.

Safety

Safety is one of the most important features that needs be to taken care of while you are talking about a power tool. Hydraulic log splitters should have a dual-handed operation. In some log splitters, there is single-handed operation. The dual-handed operation makes sure that the hands are at a safe distance when the ram is moving or the splitting process takes place. But you can consider of purchasing a single-handed log splitter as well if that has automatic ram return system. You should also consider having an overload reset button. This prevents damage to the electric unit. We recommend products from reputed brands because they always focus on details and thus provide their client with some really great products.

Now to make this long story short, there are some basic requirements that your best log splitter must have. The power, capacity, construction, cycle time are few of them. And the details construction and other small but important features make the real differences, for example, the single-handed operation or dual-handed operations. There are some other important issues. One of them is the warranty. When a manufacturer offers you a longer warranty, it means the manufacturer stands for the quality of their product. That assures you that you are getting a quality product. The price is probably the most important, in general. Well, yes, but we did not mention is above. Because we know this needs not to be mentioned. You will always look for the best log splitter in your budget so that the bank is nor broken. This is the wisest decision if you can get the best value for the product you are purchasing. Do not spend higher for some fancy features that are not going to be of any use in future.

Final Verdict

Spending for a power tool is a big investment. You are not likely to change the log splitter soon after purchasing. So you have to spend some time on research to find out the best log splitter for you. Few important tips you should never forget. Firstly, be honest with your needs. Second, try to get the best value for the price you are paying. Third, do not spend extra money for some fancy features that will be of no use in future. Forth, if budget is not very strict, try to purchase the best log splitter from any reputed brand, to assure the quality for a long comfortable and trouble-free use. Fifth, make sure that safety features are there. Well, all the measurements have been checked? Yes? This is the best log splitter for you. Smile now