UK’s best log splitters: Heavy duty electric, petrol, and manual log splitters reviewed for home and commercial use

The Lightweight 5 Ton Fast Electric Hydraulic FM5 takes my top pick for log splitters in the UK this year based on a balance of reliability, price, robust build, manufacturer after sales care, warranty, safety, and crucially: ability to split logs for a standard home fire place or wood burner.

Before I talk too much about the performance, here’s a look at this log splitter in action:

As you can see in the video it’ll go through knotty wood pretty easily. They recommend going for a bigger model is splitting hardwood but softwood or green don’t present a problem at all. I appreciate this isn’t the longest or worst you’ll come across but it handles itself very well with anything up to 30cm long or 30 cm wide. But, remember, what it gives up in power it makes up for in weight – just 32kg. You won’t be finding that much power and reliability in a moveable package easily. What’s going to excite you is just how easy it’ll move. Simply grab the handle and lift it onto it’s rear wheels which are large enough for any ropey workshop floor, and even outdoors if the weather is right for a power lead… Here’s a look at this super design:

If you need more than that you’ll need to go with the next model up which is the review below. However, for a log burner or open fire it’s pretty much bang on the money and why I’ve rated this the best log splitter in the UK for us householders.

A big positive is the recoil speed (and the fact it’s automatic) and from a safety perspective pretty sensible to use. I’m not sure holding the power button down and hydraulic level to activate it is necessary at the same time but it definitely means you can’t make an easy mistake with a lapse of concentration.  It’s a nice touch that the spares are pretty easily accessible from Forest Master too. This much pressure, eventually things give up. Talking of which, you can rely on these guys for the warranty which is a standard year and you have the right to return within 30 days but check that as it could change at anytime.

Pros:

• Still well enough priced to justify over buying pre split logs.
• Very powerful for 2200 Watts – a real 5 tonne log splitter.
• 30cm log width

Cons:

• 30 cm log length might be slightly too short for you.
• Not the most powerful electric log splitter
• Don’t like the power button position

I really love this log splitter but when I first reviewed it we could get it for about £350 – the exchange rate has dived, and inflation has set in, hence the new price. But even after all this time of using it you’ll quickly forget the extra you’ve paid. My mate’s had his longer than mine – nearly 3 years and still going strong! If you can’t stomach the price change than have a look at the Forest master Manual Heavy Duty Log Splitter Fast 10 Ton splitting force DUO10T as this is still cracking value but the problem is, being manual, when you compare the amount of effort, you’ll just dust off the cobwebs and pay up. I did. 😀

The Heavy Duty Electric Log Splitter is much like the best pick, except it’s more powerful and on a stand (which I am a keen fan of). The stand is a nice touch. Granted you can bench mount the FM5 but you simply cannot put a price on easy roller wheels for the stand which come with a brake for stable use too. You can’t put a price on moving to the wood pile when the time comes. Here’s a picture of that:

I’ll go on a little after the video about some of the things I like and don’t:

Now remember, its 47cm log cut length so vastly superior to the top home model. And it’ll also cut 40cm width logs. However, having the longer table only benefits you if you’ve got longer logs! I found reload time considerably longer so not worth the money unless you really need the power and length. However to counteract that argument there is a mechanism to adjust how far back the ram can go. This certainly is easy to change position if necessary:

Forest Master have fitted their heavy duty log splitter with a powerful 2200 watt electric motor that is capable of 7 tonnes of splitting force.
The motor is also meant to be energy saving and doesn’t use electricity when not in cycle.

Like the manual log splitter from the same manufacturer, this electric log splitter has the dual blade ‘Duocut’ feature so it can split any type of logs to a maximum size of 430mm in length. This dual blade action makes it great for cutting through knots and it does so with ease.

Pros:

• Easily powerful enough for all home use
• Nice stand with wheels moves about the workshop great
• Very safety two handed operation. Ensures safety.
• Excellent value for money

Cons

• More expensive than the first model
• Wheels won’t move over rough ground as easily
• Longer table means longer recoil time if you have small logs mixed in

The Handy THLS-6G Electric Log Splitter crept onto the list for a couple of good reasons. Firstly you can’t find a sub £300 electric log splitter with a 52cm splitting table anywhere in the UK easily. It’s also really portable and easy to move about the garden on these nice big wheels. The cage is a nice safety touch too if you’re into that. Some won’t like it but I do. Here’s what you can expect power wise and I’ll go through some key points after the video demonstration:

It’ll handle 25cm width logs which means it gives up a little in width to my top pick when compared with the best log splitter in the electric category, but the additional length more than makes up for it. Basically, if you have longer, more slender logs you will take this model. If you need more powerful I’d probably have a look at the THPLS8TE as it’s a vertical cutter with much more horse power.

You can pick the length of ram needed with the ram stopper (same as 7 tonne heavy duty in this review above). This is much needed with a 52cm table you’ll waste far too much time not setting that correctly. I would highly advise trying to cut your logs similar in size to help with the time.

The ram is automatic release. A common feature these days but worth pointing out. The cage (safety guard) to me works both ways in terms of safety. From my perspective, if you’re eager to get a shift on putting hands inside that cage while ram is coming back is a hazard. I’d rather not have the cage myself but that is certainly not safety advice. Always follow the manufacturer to ensure safe use! At about 1:25 on the official video above you’ll watch the chap put his hands in the cage before the ram has retracted. It’s served him well as he’s still got the fingers to prove it, but wouldn’t be my first move if splitting many logs however careful he clearly is about it! I wonder if we will see an update to the video should the old boy read this 😀

Overall a good buy rating and especially if you want to cut a decent length.

Pros:

• You don’t need to be strong to move this about the garden
• Plenty of cut power up to 25cm logs in width
• Very sensible price for 52cm log length

Cons:

• 25cm may not be enough in width
• Some may not like having a safety guard

Prices at sensible money, the Longmaster foot operated model is probably the best choice for a cheap log splitter that works pretty well. All they had to do with this foot operated log splitter was NOT call it heavy duty and expectations would have been managed resulting in a much higher rating around the net. It is certainly the diamond in the rough for a light weight foot operated manual log splitter choice.

As the name suggests, this log splitter is operated manually by foot. You can adjust the height (at least 33cm) and then you simply push down hard repeatedly with your foot until the log splits. One step of the foot is supposed to exert a force of up to 1.2 tons of pressure and the manufacturers say that it can split seasoned and green wood logs and at a maximum size of 45.7cm in length and 25.4cm diameter.

I found that it handled soft, freshly cut wood easily enough but hardwood was a lot more of a struggle and required a fair bit of elbow grease. The build quality is ok but not great. The log splitter’s frame is made from heavy duty steel and feels sturdy but some parts of it like the ratchet, and the hinge that holds it in place, don’t seem to have been made to the same quality. Then again, for 50 quid you expect a few little annoyances, but it still makes we wonder about this log splitter’s lifespan. 
The frame folds away for easy storage and at just under 10 kilograms it’s as easy as a log splitter could ever be to carry around. There isn’t one easier in the UK to my knowledge.

The Logmaster foot operated log splitter is very easy to use and maintain. A little anti-rust machine oil on the working parts from time to time should suffice.
This log splitter needs to be placed on a flat, hard surface to work properly and it will do a decent job, but it will struggle with logs with knotted growths and get stuck and have to be prized off the blade.

Pros

• Simply, easy to use design
• Cheap log splitter
• Works well on most logs
• Light enough to be carried around

Cons

• Some parts make me question it’s durability
• Can’t split knotted logs
• Requires a fair bit of man power

The Logmaster foot operated log splitter is decent enough tool if you’re only using it occasionally and splitting soft or seasoned wood. Knotted, or hardwood logs will be too much of a task for it though.

The Swedish log splitter for AGMA is for sale on Amazon priced pretty well. 
This manual log splitter works in a different way to our previous review, which was foot operated.
 Instead the Swedish log splitter requires you drill a hole of 12cm deep and 8cm from the edge, into a base log (it’s a one off don’t worry). Then you insert the guide rod into the hole. This needs to be perpendicular to the ground to aid the support of the guide rod or it might unbalance.
You lift the handle of the splitting wedge and place a log under it. You then lift the striking weight and release it so the wedge embeds itself in the log. 
Finally you lift the weight again and throw it down to split the log. Repeating the final step as many times as necessary.

It’s a very simple device that works very well in most cases and only really has problems splitting knotted logs. The splitting action of the device is a bit slow and time consuming but it certainly will split much more when compared to the Logmaster foot operated manual log splitter.

The dropping ‘hammer and wedge’ splitting action is a great idea and is much safer than using an axe.
Precision is another thing the Swedish log splitter has going for it as the design allows you to adjust and decide exactly where the log will split. There is also a feature that lets you cut kindling.

Pros

• Easy to use
• Very safe
• Splits very well
• Saves on manual labour

Cons

• Requires some precise setting up
• Slower than using an axe

Safe and easy to use, the AGMA Swedish manual log splitter has a nice labour saving design, but does require some precise setting up and is rather slow in operation. It’s only not the best log splitter in the manual category because of the absolute tank below 🙂

For sale sensible money, the Forest Master log splitter is actually quite expensive for a manual device and getting into the realm of entry level electric models. For the price though, you get a lot of splitting power. Before I get into what I really think, here’s a look at the performance. As you can see, for big logs it’s a yes rating and the best log splitter as far as manual versions go in the UK:

Using a Hydraulic lift jack, this log splitter is able to produce 10 tonnes of force and can be used too split logs up to 51cm long and 30cm in diameter.
It can split logs both vertically and horizontally.

The twin ‘Duocut’ blade design optimises the performance of this manual log splitter by using two blades instead of one. The Duocut blade works with the Forest master’s stationary blade to comfortably split even knotted wood at a decent pace.
The stationary blade is also adjustable and you can set it to start splitting immediately rather than waiting for the weight to drop like the Swedish Slitter we just reviewed.
As mentioned, this machine can be used either vertically via a foot pump, or horizontally through the use of hand operated levers.

The Forest Master manual log splitter is easy to set up using an Allen key, and has a nice safety feature in the shape of a safety valve. This works to stop overloading and damaging the machine.
The overall quality of the log splitter is good with most parts being made of strong steel.
One thing I will say is that you have to read the instructions carefully as misuse can bend the cradle that holds the logs in place. I feel this could have been avoided by the manufacturers with a few adjustments.

I used it vertically, and splitting wise- it worked very, very well. However I had to hold it at the top to keep it stable, a small complaint. I know but something I feel could have been avoided. Then again, I guess you’re trading mobility for stability.

Having no need for electric, you can carry this log splitter out to the timber rather than the other way around. The machine is still a little bit heavy and awkward and I think Forest Master should have put some thought into fitting some heavy duty wheels for it to get about on, which would have made things much easier.

Pros

• Splits incredibly well
• Dual blade system
• Can split knotted logs
• Hydraulic system works well and reduces manual labour
• No power cord so can be moved around

Cons

• In vertical position, needs to be held to stabilise.
• Could do with some heavy duty wheels.
• Misuse can damage some parts easily so instructions must be followed.

The 9 Ton Vertical Logsplitter from Titan Pro is our choice for best priced petrol log splitter as it comes with a number of features that justify the price. Here’s a look at the performance before I get into any detail:

First of all, it is petrol powered which means no power cords, so you can take this log splitter out to where the wood is and get splitting. The 6.5HP engine helps to produce 9 tonnes of splitting force which is more than enough to tackle all types of logs up to 104cm in length. The noise isn’t bad either surprisingly for such a powerful petrol log splitter. It’s filled with oil and ready to go.

The adjustable height stopper for the ram is a game changer. You won’t waste time if you’ve got shorter logs to cut.

Like most electric and petrol log splitters these days, it has built in safety features such as requiring you to have both hands on the controls and out of the way of the moving parts or the machine won’t work.

This model has the added features of guards covering your hands on the handles and the splitter returning to the starting position if the handles are released. The logs are also held in place by toothed grippers that are built in to the hand guards.

Pros

• Adjustable splitting height
• Excellent safety features
• Fast splitting
• Mobile
• Will split any logs

Cons

• Expensive compared to Electric models
• Produces fumes and emissions

If you’ve got some heavy duty, high volume splitting to do, this petrol log splitter is your best option. However, it might be a little outside of some customer’s price range. It can cut a massive width log with ease.

That review brings to a close our article and reviews on log splitters in the UK. We have similar articles on this site for all kinds of gardening tools that are just as informative, so be our guest and take a look if you require information on lawnmowers, pressure washers, chainsaws and many more subjects.

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