The Best Axe For Splitting Wood | 5 Reviews & Buying Guide
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Do you know what’s not fun? Splitting firewood. Have you ever thought it should be easier, or at least a little more entertaining? The perfect log splitting axe can make the chore of stocking your woodpile fast, efficient, and safe.
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The latest edition to the world’s most versatile toolbox, axes are perfect for chopping wood and can provide warmth in a mountain cabin.
An ax is one of the most powerful tools humans have used since ancient times, both as an instrument of war and peaceful building. Nowadays, it’s commonly found at campsites or construction sites where people may be splitting logs into pieces with its sharp blade that allows for cutting through rigid materials like tree branches while also maintaining balance so you won’t lose your grip mid-swing!
What is the best axe for splitting wood is a question that comes up often. There are many axes on the market, and they all have their benefits to offer. You want a chopping axe with a sharp blade and one that is weighted evenly so it can glide through the log you need to cut up without too much effort. We will take a look at five of these axes in this article.
We will tell you about the benefits of each, and we’ll mention some of their flaws. By the end, you should have a good idea of which wood-splitting ax is best for you.
Benefits of Splitting Wood for Yourself
There are many benefits of cutting and splitting your wood instead of buying it at the store. Splitting your firewood is an excellent task to engage in during the early fall when there’s still enough light left in the day for you to go out and work around the yard or get in some extra cardio!
One of the primary reasons people buy firewood is because they are too busy to cut and split it themselves or don’t have enough time on their hands. If you’re in college, work full-time, or have small children to look after, you probably don’t have the time needed to cut and split wood. Many people would instead buy logs not to spend their entire weekend working around a pile of chopped firewood! However, you can save some serious money if you invest in an axe or hatchet and do some splitting of your own.
If you plan to use your wood supply for several years, you would be able to get years of use from the logs you have split. You wouldn’t have to regularly buy wood logs for your fireplace or outdoor grill because you will already have enough firewood aside for later use. Depending on where you live, cutting and splitting your firewood could save you quite a bit of money each month.
You also get to know the felling techniques as you split each log. This is great for people who want to learn more about cutting trees and how trees work.
For those that like being in nature, there’s no better way to do so than working with wood. It is not only therapeutic but goes hand in hand with providing for the needs of your family and friends.
Buy on AmazonAxes vs. Hatchets
Why should you purchase an axe? It’s because it can do more jobs than a smaller hatchet! Hatchets have thinner heads, so they are mainly used to chop off small branches around your home or garden. This is why they are called “bushes.” However, hatchets can still be used for splitting wood.
The best thing about an axe or a hatchet is that you don’t have to chop at your log very many times to split it in half! This makes storage more manageable because you have fewer bulky pieces of wood!
Comparison of our Favorite Wood Splitting Axes
CLICK on any image to see Ratings & Reviews on Amazon
Best Axe for Splitting Wood | Reviews
1. Gransfors Bruk Splitting Maul – BEST OVERALL
- This is the best chopping & splitting tool, made for felling and cutting wood.
- The Gransfors Bruk splitting maul axe is perfect for handling large volume log splitting tasks. It is forged and ground to a concave, thin blade with extensive edges at the bit. The axe cuts quickly and efficiently into the wood, making it great for knotty chunks of lumber that are too big to use a regular splitting axe.
- This axe was designed to work with precision for clearing forests. Its extra-long handle makes it easier to use with more efficiency in tight spaces. It comes sharpened and ready to start working!
- This Gransfors Bruk ax is an excellent general-purpose, everyday use tool for your wood splitting needs. Its weight and sturdy poll with beveled corners make this an easy-to-use ax.
- With a perfectly weighted head and sturdy poll, this maul is perfect for splitting wood. Thanks to the grooves found in its handle that help keep you a firm grip-made even better with the protective steel collar below the head, which will deflect blows from those logs!
2. Husqvarna 28 in. Steel Splitting Axe – BEST VALUE
- Meet the Husqvarna 28 in. Steel Splitting Axe is a premium 5lb axe head coated for easier cutting and improved durability! Youre going to love this axe because of its perfect balance and weight distribution, which means splitting becomes three times as efficient without the need to overwork your back. Plus, its explicitly designed for firewood (which is good news if youre intent on making yourself a cozy winter).
- The Husqvarna Splitting Axe is ideal for making quick work of chopping trees and splitting logs. The axe features a balanced weight distribution for efficient cutting and a fiberglass composite handle designed to reduce vibration and fatigue when in use. This means no more sore hands, forearms, or back just because you want easy log splitting. When people think about an ax, its often mistakenly associated solely with men, though, in reality, many women use axes too.
- A lifetime warranty stands behind the quality craftsmanship of each blade-safe steelhead, giving you peace of mind should any issues arise with your tool over time.
3. INTERTOOL 35-Inch Steel Splitting Maul
- Have you ever had a bunch of logs that needed to be split? Usually, this means going toe-to-toe with an awkward blade and risking being hurt. This steel splitting maul is perfect for heavy-duty tasks at home.
- Built with a wedged maul head to deliver tremendous striking force and control when splitting or chopping heavy timber. You can use the poll side of the tool for driving wedges and stakes while the blade has been sharpened and reinforced with heat-treated steel, which offers an anti-corrosive coating to keep it safe from rust and wear!
- Its efficient fiberglass handle absorbs impact shock and has grip-textured rubber for non-slip performance. The head to handle weight balance and shape is optimally designed to provide an increase in splitting force.
4. JXE JXO Camper’s Axe
- This axe is built for chopping wood and kindling, making it ideal for any camper or hiker. The convex grind blade has been designed to give you more one-strike splits, and the weight of just 3.13lbs makes this a versatile tool that's perfect for anyone who spends their time outdoors!
- The JXE JXO hatchet is a must-have for any outdoors enthusiast. Its shock-absorbing anti-slip grip means the labor wont debilitate your wrist or arm when chopping through resistant wood and felling trees. The cold-resistant ergonomic shaped fiberglass handle reduces the strain on your hand, making every swing more accurate and precise while reducing fatigue.
- This maul features a forged carbon steel heat-treated blade, which improves its density and makes the axe more durable. With a flat poll for starting cracks in wood or driving a wedge as well as a v-shaped head with an anti-stick coating to cleave just about anything in two, it would be hard not to find this practical tool helpful around camp!
5. Estwing Special Edition 26-inch Camp Axe
- If you're a camper and think it's worth the investment to have an ax that can handle some heavy stuff, then this is for you. Estwing Campers Axe combines features of both camp axes and hatchets into a name-brand solution for outdoor chopping needs.
- Forged steel construction gives you maximum strength and durability on the campsite or in your backyard for all-purpose camping or yard work activities - minus carrying different tools around depending on the need.
- The ballistic nylon sheath protects the hand-sharpened cutting edge from corrosion and allows for safe storage while making sure it takes up as little space as possible with its clever design. Made in America using only high-quality materials, this axe also features a durable yet comfortable genuine leather grip.
Video: Split Wood with an Axe
What is an Axe?
An axe is a tool used for splitting or trimming wood. You can swing it from one side with one hand or push onto the wood with two hands. An axe also has a cutting blade made of metal and an eye that helps keep the head in place.
The modern world relies on axes to do all sorts of things. Axes are used for cutting down trees, building structures, and carving wood, among other uses. The axe has many types, from small hand-held ones that can be easily carried around when camping or hiking up mountain side trails to larger, more powerful types perfect for chopping through thick tree trunks with a single swing!
The handle of an axe can come in many different shapes and sizes. It’s essential to find a maul with a handle that you are comfortable using because you will spend a lot of time holding the tool.
Axes are tools used for a variety of tasks. The steelhead and wooden handle are very common in modern axes, but you can also find plastic and fiberglass handles on many different types of axe heads. Axes come with short-handled models with one-hand use or larger ones designed to take both hands while performing various cutting chores like splitting wood, chopping brushwood, and clearing out undergrowth from forests.
Wood Splitting Axe Buyers Guide
Axe head
Axe heads are often made of steel or hardened metal alloy. A common material for ax heads is forged carbon steel due to its relatively low cost and sharpening ability. For high-quality axes, you will find axe heads made from high carbon or alloy tool steels that are used because they hold an edge well and can be sharpened quickly.
Good maul heads are tough and can hold a sharp edge for longer than other types of steel. They can also withstand impacts without breaking apart or becoming damaged in the process, such as dents. The shape of the ax head is usually symmetrical, so it’s ideal for splitting wood, and likely, it may have a protective coating such as paint or lacquer to resist rusting and make it easier to clean.
Handle length and weight
A splitting axe handle is typically made of wood or plastic, depending on the tool’s design and personal preference. Some axes are designed for one-handed use, while others have handles that you can grip with both hands to provide more force when splitting wood along its grain. A maul that’s efficient at chopping quickly must have a shorter handle which helps transfer more power to the head of the axe.
A good axe handle is solid and sturdy enough to sustain a lot of force without breaking apart from the head, especially after repeated chopping into very hardwood like oak or hickory trees. A longer handle can be more comfortable since it allows you to swing your body with every motion. However, this type of handle can also make it difficult to aim at specific locations on the wood.
Axe weight is crucial because it determines how much energy you can transfer into every swing. A heavy axe head with a long handle will provide more force than a lighter, shorter axe. Heavier axes are better for chopping through thick tree trunks or solid pieces of wood.
Type of handle (plastic, fiberglass, steel, etc.)
Axe handles may be made of a variety of materials. Fiberglass handles are pretty light but more fragile, so they aren’t recommended for heavy-duty chopping work. Steel and wood are the most famous axe handle materials because they can withstand different amounts of force depending on how thick the material is.
Materials used to make ax handles should ideally be strong and have a lot of “springiness” to absorb some force when you swing your axe. A good handle must also be strong enough to prevent it from breaking apart even after repeated use.
Fiberglass handles are not too popular, but they are used on rare occasions because they are usually made with two fiberglass sections glued together. The resin is molded around the axe handle, and they come in many different colors, such as blue, green, gray, orange, or white, depending on its manufacturer.
Length or thickness of the blade
The length and thickness of the blade are usually proportional to each other, so a long blade is typically thin while a short one is thick. The size of an axe depends on the kind of wood it’s designed to chop.
A long blade is better for splitting larger wood that has grown in lines or rings because it allows you to hit the same spot over and over again without having to adjust your angle. Short blades are ideal for chopping small pieces of wood because they can cut through chunks more efficiently with one hand.
Felling axes have longer handles with heads that have short blades. The long handle allows the person to swing more freely, and it’s easier to guide the blade of a felling axe towards specific targets on hardwood trees.
Buy on AmazonCost
A good splitting axe is usually priced more than $100, but it’s not hard to find an affordable wood-splitting axe for less than $50. Some axes cost way more because they have high-quality materials and features that make them ideal for commercial use or felling trees. The most expensive axes are likely to be manufactured in Europe, sold as collector’s items.
Some axes cost less than $50, but they aren’t recommended for heavy-duty work because the blade may break apart from the handle when used to chop through large pieces of wood. The best axe depends on how much you’re willing to spend and what you intend to use it for since different axes have different features and purposes.
Some axes are also designed to split specific types of wood like hardwood or softwood, but they can still perform reasonably well on any material. If you intend to split firewood with the axe, make sure that it has a blade designed to handle large amounts of pressure.
Buy on AmazonConclusion
Choosing the right splitting axe is an important decision. Factors such as cost, length of the blade, and handle type can all affect how easily you can split logs with your ax. Choosing a less expensive model may seem like it will save money in the long run, but if that low-cost model breaks after just one use, it would have been better off purchasing something more durable at a higher price point.
A good rule of thumb is to purchase what you need from a reliable manufacturer who has spent time researching which materials work best for axes designed to chop through different types of material (hardwood vs. softwood).
When you know which type of axe to buy, it’s essential to consider your needs because they can vary widely. A homeowner who chops firewood for their home may have different needs than a landscaping professional or a farmer looking to chop down hardwood trees on their property.
Our Best Overall pick went to the Gransfors Bruk. This maul is made with curved metal tubing and forged metal parts. It has a heavy-duty stature to ensure you have enough power for every swing, ensuring little wood goes wasted. The poll is deliberately designed to be broad and protruding so that it doesn’t get in the way when using this axe to drive your wooden wedge through the split you create. With such an easy-to-use design, cutting wood becomes a breeze–especially for those who need to chop through knots quickly.
The Best Value award went to the Husqvarna 28 in. Steel Splitting Axe because it’s perfect for splitting larger firewood and appeals to a genuine outdoors person. Made of premium 5 lbs steel coated to improve cutting, you will have balance and weight distribution with the handle made of fiberglass composite. This axe also comes with a lifetime warranty that shows how trustworthy it can be!
Here are some other articles you may like:
How To Sharpen An Axe in 5 (Easy) Steps
9 Different Types of Axes – Which One Is Right For You?
6 Best Felling Axes to Help You Chop Down Trees Quicker
Here are our favorite Pulaski Axes
CLICK any image to see Ratings & Reviews on Amazon
| Image | Model | Price | Walts Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
Top  | Barebones Living | Click Here | 4.8 / 5 (Best Overall) |
  | Council Tool | Click Here | 4.6 / 5 (Best Value) |
  | Collins | Click Here | 4.3 / 5 |
  | Truper | Click Here | 3.9 / 5 |
  | Nupla | Click Here | 4.0 / 5 |
When I’m not testing and reviewing tools, you’ll find me in front of a hot BBQ, cold drink in hand, cooking up something big, and spending quality time with my wife and two boys. I’m also often found in my workshop working on my next project!
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