In your opinion, what's better a hydraulic foot log splitter or an electric one?

Question

I don't have any experience with wood splitters and would like to know the pros and cons of the above splitters.

Also, do I need a 5-ton, 7-ton or 10-ton? I'm looking to split logs that would be no more than 12 inches across.

Thanks for any insight you might be able to give me.

Answer 1

an electric one is a whole lot *faster*, but a hydraulic one is a whole lot *safer*, which is especially important if you have young children around, or teenagers that will operate it.



aside from that, i'd go for an electric one if you are going to be doing a lot of splitting at a time. if not, a 10-ton hydraulic one will suit just fine (the higher the ton, the easier the operation).



we have a 10-ton hydraulic one, in which my husband and 16yr old son take turns splitting about 10 pieces every few days.

Answer 2

Hi Lisa b,



This is Ricks Picks. I work in the Garden Department for The Home Depot. I have had the opportunity to use electric log splitters and hydraulic ones. The small 5, 7 & 10 ton electric log splitters are nice for small, straight logs but as you know, logs can have curves and knots that make it hard for the under powered electric splitter to get through. It is not much fun to have to use the 10lb sledge hammer to “unstick” a stuck log. One of my neighbors had a small 10 ton electric splitter. To avoid having the machine get stuck, I noticed that he would always take smaller bites which in turn produced thinner split pieces of wood.



When it comes to log splitters, bigger is definitely better, to a point. To get a feel for what will work best in your situation, I recommend that you rent some different strengths of log splitters to see what will work best for you. That is what I did. Since you may never know what type of wood you will run across, it is best to have a log splitter that will go through most 25in long logs without getting stuck.



Check out your local Home Depot to see if they have a Tool Rental section. Some of The Home Depot stores carry a nice gas powered, 30 ton compound splitter with a 13hp Honda engine. Very nice! After renting it a few times and having my neighbors come by and seeing how easily the 30 ton compound splitter went through all types of logs, I ended up ordering one for one of my neighbors! Ariens is another good quality log splitter which is currently available on The Home Depot web site.



http://www.homedepot.com/Outdoors-Outdoor-Power-Equipment-Chipper-Shredders-Log-Splitters-Log-Splitters/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xg1Zbxag/h_d2/Navigation?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053



In the Ariens model of log splitters I favor the 211cc (13.1hp) 34-ton model. Having one that is a "tow behind" makes it easy to move around or to take out to the site where the logs are. To be able to convert cc’s to hp, use the formula “15cc’s to 17cc’s = 1hp”, with the average being about 16cc’s to 1 hp. That will give you an idea of how to compare the engines that list their power in cc’s rather than in hp.



I have also rented the 20 ton splitter but found tht it did get stuck on some of the more difficult pieces with knots and curves in them. The type of splitter that will convert from a horizontal to a vertical log splitter is also a convenient to have since some of those 12 inch diameter logs can be difficult to lift onto the splitter cradle. Having the power to go thru a log without getting stuck will also allow you to have the correct size of split wood. If you have a splitter that is under powered then you have to take smaller bites thus giving you a smaller split piece of wood. Take some time to try out the different types of splitters that are available to rent. When you do decide on the model you prefer, you may have to assemble the unit if you buy it new and have it shipped to you.



Have fun with your new project. Let us know what type of splitter you end up with. Be sure to take some pictures of your new toy also!



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Ricks Picks

Answer 3

Hydraulic is better hands down..electric are not worth the money.