Electric log splitters are a great choice if you want a log splitter that you can use both indoors and outdoors without worrying about unhealthy levels of carbon monoxide buildup. The ability to safely use an electric log splitter indoors is especially nice for folks who live in colder regions but may not have the space for a large cache of firewood and need to split firewood on an as-needed basis.
Another reason electric wood splitters are worth considering is that they are more eco-friendly than gas log splitters - definitely something to keep in mind for those times when you find yourself caught up in a log splitting marathon.
When you've decided that you want to go with an electric wood splitter, you should carefully consider how much wood you anticipating splitting with your new electric log splitter - or any log splitter, really - before you pull out your wallet.
Remember Goldilocks? The same principle works for log splitters: You want equipment that will be able to keep up with you, with a little wiggle room to handle more work on occasion, but you don't necessarily want to get the biggest, shiniest, most powerful log splitter if you're not going to get your money's worth out of it.
There are 3 Main Categories of electric log splitters, each with its own level of durability - Consumer Grade, Prosumer Grade and Professional Grade ...
Consumer grade electric wood splitters are designed for people who plan on splitting logs for a personal stockpile (home, camping, etc.) but are not meant for heavy use.
These are the most inexpensive models and can easily take care of the occasional weekend of splitting wood. Consumer-grade electric log splitters usually have small wheels for easy relocation, are often portable enough to toss in the trunk for camping trips, and can typically handle logs that are up to a foot long.
Best For Individuals Who: Enjoy camp fires when outdoors, have a wood burning fire pit at home, appreciate being around a cozy fireplace / wood burning stove during cooler months, or are casual woodcrafters.
Consumer Grade Electric Log Splitter to Consider: 5 Ton Electric Log Splitter from Dirty Hand Tools.
Prosumer grade electric log splitters are more durable and can handle larger log splitting jobs.
These electric wood splitter models can exert up to 22-tons of force for those heavy-duty jobs while still having the convenience of being powered by an extension cord. The pivoting frames mean that your electric log splitter can be easily towed between outdoor work sites as needed.
Best For People Who: Have jobs that require occasional log splitting, are DIY / handyman focused and do a lot of home projects, or are serious woodcrafters.
Prosumer Grade Electric Wood Splitter to Consider: 10 Ton Dual Action Electric Log Splitter from Boss Industrial.
Professional grade electric wood splitters are designed for people who regularly split logs as part of their profession.
These are the most expensive models and can be difficult to find at your local home improvement store. In most cases, professional-grade electric log splitters can only be ordered through the manufacturer or through specialized online distributors - good thing you found us!.
It's very important to understand that the motors in professional-grade electric log splitters may be too powerful for standard outlets / extension cords. You may need a specialized outlet that provides a minimum of 240 volts of power with a circuit breaker that can handle electric current of at least 25 amps.
Also, if you need to take your wood splitter on the road, most p-grade electric log splitters can be towed… but only if you don't exceed 35 miles per hour at any time.
Best For Individuals Who: Split logs on a large scale for extended periods throughout the year for their profession, for additional income (ie: selling firewood by the cord), or use firewood as a major power source.
Professional Grade Electric Wood Splitter to Consider: 22 Ton Horizontal Vertical Electric Log Splitter from Swisher.
Overall, the most important factor that you need to consider when looking for an electric log splitter is the anticipated workload your electric wood splitter is going to be handling. If you intend to put your log splitter to serious use, don't skimp on a model that is meant only for occasional use or you will be sorely disappointed.
On the flip side, I've seen people spend much more than they needed to on a log splitter that'll just end up sitting under a tarp 364 days out of the year… before it's eventually sold to someone who truly needs it.
I personally have a prosumer-class model because I do enjoy working on projects that require split logs when I get home from my day job. However, I just couldn't justify the price of a professional grade model despite how amazing they are. My advice is to compare models only within the class that best fits your needs. If you do this you can be sure to find the electric log splitter that is just right for you.