Can I use a commercial log splitter for my household needs?

Yes! A commercial log splitter is great for landscapers and professional wood harvesters, but it is also perfect for home use if you have hardwood trees or large-diameter trees that would be impossible to split with a residential splitter.

How do I move a log splitter?

All of the splitters that we reviewed come mounted on wheels for easy portability and have hitch mounts to attach to the back of a truck.

What types of wood can I split?

Log splitters can split both softwoods and hardwoods, although hardwoods may require a splitter with a higher force rating to get through. Be sure to check whether the wood type and diameter of your logs are compatible with the force of your splitter. Also make sure that the logs are small enough to fit in the cradle of your splitter. If you need a more compact tool to split woods with, you should consider splitting ax or maul for your purposes.

What type of oil should I use for a log splitter?

Log splitters typically use non-foaming hydraulic oil or transmission oil, although it is important to check the manual of your particular splitter to see what types or specific brands of oil the manufacturer recommends.

How often do I need to change oil?

How frequently you need to change the oil in your splitter depends on how heavily you use it. Commercial users who are splitting wood to sell firewood typically change the oil once per year, while home users who are splitting wood only for personal use may only need to change the oil once every several years.

5 Best Commercial Log Splitters (Summer 2024)

Users love this commercial log splitter from Swisher for its ease of use. The 14.5-horsepower, Kawasaki V-Twin engine is capable of putting out 34 tons of force, so you never have to worry about whether the splitter has enough power to push through your logs. The cradle is also large enough to fit 24-inch diameter and 24-inch long logs – essentially, if you can pick it up, the cradle can fit it. For those logs that are too large to pick up, the splitter can switch over to vertical splitting with just a minute of adjustments and has a beam lock to improve safety and security when operating in the vertical orientation.

Users loved the electric starter on this splitter, although it is worth noting that Swisher does not include a battery so you’ll need to add this to the overall cost of the splitter. Swisher does not specify a cycle time on this splitter, but the two-stage, 22-GPM pump is on par with splitters rated for roughly 10-second cycle times – faster than even a pair of operators can keep up with.

Swisher also includes a four-way wedge with the splitter, which is extremely useful when you want twice as many smaller pieces of wood rather than large logs. Users especially liked the small lift next to the cradle, which collects split logs at an easy height to grab without bending over rather than allowing them to fall to the ground.

Users did not encounter any issues with the durability of this splitter, but several wished for a longer warranty than the two-year policy provided by Swisher considering the high price of the tool.