Working up a sweat in the yard while chopping through a pile of wood with an axe the old-fashioned way is utterly idyllic. For most of us, it’s a task we’d much rather avoid because it leads to weary arms and a stiff back.
A log splitter is what you need if you’re tired of cutting wood by hand. If heavy-duty splitting is required, a gas-powered splitter is an ideal option. Here are our top selections for the best gas log splitters if that sounds like something you could benefit from.
Buying a Log Splitter:
Log splitters can be advantageous to genuine wood fire enthusiasts in several ways. It assists in converting undesired backyard wood waste into useable firewood and is necessary if you have enough seasoned lumber to launch a full-fledged firewood business. Conversely, you might enjoy having a practical tool to split kindling near your fireplace.
It doesn’t look like a standard tool to use a log splitter. However, according to Vince Christofora, proprietor of Woodstock Hardware in Woodstock, New York, log splitters, also known as wood splitters, are gaining in popularity. He speculates that this might be due to the rising cost of firewood and the increasing desire to produce their own.
According to Christofora, a log splitter can be a priceless tool for anyone with a lot of logs to split and is entirely over the romantic idea of swinging an axe.
When selecting the best log splitter, consider the following:
You can’t get around the fact that it takes a lot of work for one person to cut your firewood. Even with powerful log-cutting tools, the work is increased rather than decreased. The advantage of using a commercial log splitter is that it allows you to work independently and makes the task faster, more productive, and more efficient.
A hydraulic model, for instance, accomplishes that. In the absence of one, a woodcutter places the log, swings a maul at it to chop it (often requiring multiple swings and repositioning the wood), then sets the maul down to place a new one. It requires a lot of work and time.
At least half the time is saved by including one of the best wood splitters in the process. Said the operator pulling a lever while positioning the log. A hydraulic piston needs around 14 seconds to push the log into a fixed wedge and then return to the ready position. These machines also get stuck infrequently, exerting 12,000 to 70,000 pounds of force. They can split logs that would be impossible for hand tools to split because of their twisted or elastic grain. Ultimately, they enable you to work more quickly and forcefully while using wood that would otherwise be wasted.
Commercial log splitter types:
The most popular splitters are discussed here, along with their best uses.
Splitters for horizontal positions:
The majority of commercial log splitters used in business settings are horizontal splitters. Commercial splitters of this kind cradle logs in a horizontal dividing position, which makes it less practical to split larger logs unless the splitter has a log lift, which, happily, most do. The bulkier logs are lowered onto the cutting area with a log lift.
Splitters for gas:
Gas-powered and having greater splitting force than other wood splitters, commercial-grade splitters are the norm. They are more powerful, have a higher log capacity, split heavy logs more quickly than other splitters, and can be towed for more straightforward transportation around a job site thanks to their wheeled construction.
Motion Splitters:
Logs may be split with kinetic splitters significantly more quickly than hydraulic splitters—typically in under three seconds. These tools split wood using kinetic energy stored in the flywheel mechanism. As a result, less hydraulic equipment will need to be maintained and require fewer hydraulic parts.
Hydraulic Splitters:
They pressurized fluids to power wood-splitting equipment in hydraulic splitters. Although they need more upkeep than kinetic machines, they are still the most popular wood-cutting machines on the market.
Log Splitter with a Half Beam:
Although a half-beam log splitter is less potent than a full-beam splitter, it is smaller. The hydraulic cylinder and hydraulic component locations, which are on the shorter beam, are significant variations.
Splitters for Full-Beam Logs:
A full-beam log splitter offers more stability when towing than a half-beam splitter, aside from the factors already discussed. Because of this, this type is more widely used by professionals that need to transport their wood splitters to various areas.
Top 10 Best Log Splitters List:
1. Sun Joe LJ10M 10-Ton Hydraulic Log Splitter:
Although using an axe to split logs by hand is time-consuming, motorized log splitters are undoubtedly more expensive. With the Sun Joe LJ10M Hydraulic Log Splitter, however, you can split a lot of firewood, save a lot of money, and even get an arm workout if you’re willing to put in some physical effort and aren’t in a rush to split an entire woodpile. Hydraulic power, not gas or electricity, is used to operate this machinery. It is easy to use. A log up to 18 inches long and 8 inches wide should be placed halfway into the cradle. Then, start pumping the two handles back and forth.
Up to ten tonnes of driving force are produced by your efforts, which push the log against the tool’s blade and progressively split it along the middle. Turn the reset knob to reset the spring after you’re done. You are now set to split up again! The Sun Joe Log Splitter has two wheels for simple maneuverability and is made of durable steel for years of use.
2. Compact Horizontal Gas Log Splitter by Champion, 7 Ton:
This can be the best option if you require a small, portable, valuable log splitter to avoid manually splitting logs with an axe at home. It is driven by a Champion 80cc 4-stroke engine, which enables the splitter to exert a seven-ton force.50 lbs, it is made to handle. This is adequate for most residential uses.
This splitter is solid and long-lasting; it has a cast-iron sleeve and a hardened steel wedge that will allow you to use it for many years. It also contains several safety measures, such as air cooling and an automated engine stop when the oil level is low. A maximum of 19″ in length and a maximum of This splitter should be high on your list of options if you want something mobile and very effective but not the essential choice if you require a heavy-duty machine to split lots of massive logs.
3. Performance Built Commercial Log Splitter:
This 27-ton Performance Built model is a great compact splitter for anyone with limited storage space and a tighter budget. The sheer price and size of most commercial log splitters on the market can seem intimidating for anyone just starting in the business or who needs one for lighter use.
Even though this Briggs & Stratton engine is one of the smaller commercial splitters on the market, and this log splitter is only 91 inches long and 51 inches wide, it still has enough power and can cut in both vertical and horizontal directions.
For anyone who has to use it to stock up on firewood, it’s a significant investment. However, one buyer who commended how well it starts and operates added that this splitter easily outperforms their 20-ton splitter. Additionally, they offered helpful advice to level it “on a slope to prevent hydraulic fluid from running out.”
4. Fiskars 378841-1002 X27 Super (36″) Splitting Axe:
Purchasing a log splitter doesn’t have to break the budget for those prepared to put in a little more work. The Fiskars Splitting Axe weighs just 5.85 pounds and is 36 inches long, making it one of the most manual of all wood-splitting alternatives and suitable for taller users. The best part is that it is reasonably priced.
The Fiskars axe is entirely manual, but thanks to its cutting-edge bevel convex blade, which is also easier to remove from the wood if the split is imperfect, it concentrates splitting power with each swing. This balanced axe is made to multiply striking strength and speed of swing. To lessen hand fatigue, it has a textured, non-slip grip.
5. NorthStar 37-Ton Horizontal/Vertical Log Splitter:
This unit from NorthStar is an upgrade if you still require more than 25 tonnes of splitting power. With a 37-ton splitting power, you can work with logs up to 25″ long and 16″ wide.
It is a three-way splitter, but you may split logs into four pieces with an adapter available separately. Working with larger pieces of wood, especially vertically, gives you greater versatility because it works in both vertical and horizontal positions.
It contains several advantageous features that keep it in good operating order. For instance, the engine automatically shuts off when the oil level drops to prevent the engine from harming itself.
It also has a helpful auto-idling feature that saves fuel while extending the engine’s life.
This splitter is durable, dependable, and made to last. It works effectively and is designed for the domestic user who must cut up a sizable number of massive logs. If that’s what you’re looking for, this splitter is worth looking into.
6. CountyLine 25-Ton Log Splitter 126151799:
You’ll appreciate the CountyLine 25-Ton Log Splitter, powered by a 6.5 horsepower Kohler engine, if you frequently work with reasonably large logs, cut a lot of firewood each season, or want a robust machine and big enough to get the job done without hesitation. It may be towed wherever you need to work by your car or truck using its 8-inch wheels.
A large piece of wood, measuring 36 inches in diameter and 26 inches in length, can be split using this gas-powered log splitter. You can quickly go through the wood pile thanks to the tool’s exceptional 11.5-second cycle time, and depending on your demands, you may use it horizontally or vertically.
7. DK2 log splitter:
In under one second, our DK2 log splitter boasts the fastest cycle time of nearly any other comparable machine. This kinetic log lift may be used on any terrain; it doesn’t require a flat surface to cut through logs swiftly and effectively.
It has a sizable steel worktable that is very practical while you are working and an eight-inch steel wedge that can be expanded for more excellent stability.
“I’m thrilled with the cycle time and the power,” said one happy customer. I successfully split oak and ash. The table is a nice feature because it eliminates the need to stoop to pick up the wood after each split.
8. KABIN Kindle Quick Log Splitter – Manual Splitting:
Consider the KABIN Kindle Quick Log Splitter, which weighs about 12 pounds, measures just 10.25 by 9 inches broad, and is 15.5 inches tall when storing a massive log splitter is not an option. With its modest size and portability, this manual splitter is ideal for camping vacations or for the backyard to split small logs with a mallet or sledgehammer.
The strength tripod of the Kindle Quick is made of solid cast steel, and it has a sharp wedge blade in the center that divides firewood in half while using less force to split it.
9. YardMax splitter:
This YardMax splitter is the only option for anyone who has to split logs with a three-foot diameter. This splitter’s full-beam construction utilizes hydraulic fluid, and its air-cooled, four-stroke characteristics increase engine longevity.
It can split wood in two ways: horizontally for pieces of medium to large size and vertically for heavy parts.
One customer said, “As for splitting, we were amazed at how it splits the oak wood like butter.” For our first use, we cut roughly four cords of wood, and it barely slowed down on one log. We were astounded when we noticed that it had cut straight through a large knot.
10. Power King Gas Splitter:
This Power King 42-ton kinetic gas log splitter can chop up those logs six times faster than a hydraulic splitter, completing the operation in a fraction of the time. One of the fastest wood splitters on the market is this one.
Its hardware, which includes a cast-iron cylinder sleeve, fuel filters, and excellent fuel consumption, gives it a three-second cycle time. This machine has an option for a folding hitch, auto-braking technology, and all-terrain tires for maximum portability.
One happy customer said, “It is powerful and quick.” I appreciate how the shelf can catch each broken piece and prevent me from bending over each time.
Power Through Log Cutting With A Gas Log Splitter:
The greatest gas log splitter you choose will make the process simple and quick, whether you need to chop up logs for your fireplace or split logs on a larger scale. Although numerous options are available, any of the splitters in our review will enable you to complete the task if you are still determining where to look.
