Log splitters: the best manual and electronic devices to prepare winter firewood

Your mind might automatically jump to axes when you think about chopping wood, but there are plenty of other tools offering an easier and safer way to cut up logs. We’ve rounded up the best splitters on the market, from cast iron splitting heads to electronic machines, which do all the hard work for you.

Whether you’re stocking up on kindling and logs for your fireplace or plan to crack out your pizza oven, barbecue or fire pit, these contraptions should help.

For more advice, check out our guide on how to chop wood and kindling, and the best tools.

The best log splitters for safe, simple wood preparation

Kindling Cracker Firewood Splitter

If you’re nervous about using a blade or just want to make log splitting as stress-free as possible, try this smart tool. Thanks to its central, cast iron head inside a sturdy frame, it eliminates the need for any moving blades.

Just place your log inside the upper ring and hammer it down through the splitting head using a blunt tool or another piece of wood.

Unlike other log splitting devices, this one is made entirely from cast iron, so it’s a solid bit of kit and should last for decades. Just touch it up with a new lick of paint to keep it looking its best.

Forest Master Lightweight Electric Log Splitter

A clever little machine like this hydraulic log splitter could save you a lot of time and energy. As it’s designed to split logs, as opposed to cutting them against the grain, it's a relatively quiet, slow-moving machine, so there’s not much mess or noise.

The 2,200 watt motor creates five tonnes of force to carefully press the log through the orange blade at the end of the machine over nine seconds.

Designed to split soft logs up to 30cm in length and diameter, this Forest Master tool is ideal for anyone with a fireplace or wood burning stove.

Kindling Cracker King Firewood Splitter XL

Measuring 43cm in height and 22.8cm across, this manual Kindling Cracker can handle slightly larger logs than other designs on the market, like the brand’s more compact 33cm model.

It also comes with an attractive pattern across the blade and frame.

As an added bonus, the solid cast iron construction and chunky 26cm-wide base should keep the frame stable as you’re splitting your firewood.

Clarke 5 Tonne Horizontal Electric Log Buster H5

• Buy now from Machine Mart (£322.80)

If you’d like to invest in an electric log-splitting device but are nervous about safety worries, try this model from Clarke. It comes with a mesh guard cage to protect against splinters.

This log has five tonnes of splitting force and is ideal for cutting wood up to 52cm long and 25cm in diameter.

The Handy 6T Electric Log Splitter with Guards

• Buy now from Wickes (£299.00)

Complete with a 3cm-wide hydraulic ram, steel splitting wedge and 2,200W electric motor, this sturdy log splitter can offer six tonnes of force. Use it to cut logs up to 52cm in length and 25cm in diameter.

As with all the best log splitters, this one comes with a protective guard and tray to keep you safe while preparing logs.

Mitox 66 LSH 6.5 Tonne Electric Log Splitter

If you suffer from back pain or you prefer to work standing up, this Mitox log splitter could offer a solution. It comes with a stand to raise the height of the cutting device, as well as a safety cage to keep large splinters away from your face.

Thanks to the 2,200W motor, you’ll get an impressive 6.5 tonnes of force; enough to split logs up to 52cm long and 25cm wide. Plus, this model comes with a 5m power cord, giving you more flexibility when it comes to setting it up in your garage or garden.

Roughneck Wood Grenade Splitting Wedge

If you do prefer to chop wood by hand, a splitting wedge could save you a lot of time and effort. This one has a sharpened point, to help you stick it into the log, as well as a diamond-shaped cross section, which splits apart logs efficiently.

Just strike it with a sledge hammer or splitting maul to prepare your wood.