Best Axes For Splitting Wood 2022 – Reviews & Top Picks

Helko Werk Vario 2000 Ax on wood

An ax is a single of the most versatile instruments for building, camping, survival, and for taking pleasure in your mountain cabin retreat – you are going to undoubtedly want some wooden for a fireplace when the nighttime chill settles in. But even though most axes can do a suitable job of chopping wood, some axes are particularly good at splitting wood due to their designs and balances.

Today, let us get a seem at the greatest axes for splitting wooden. These equipment are especially made for excellent stability and blade form, giving excellent electricity and effectiveness when you carry them down on their targets. Let us get commenced.


A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2022

Rating Image Product Details

Best Overall

Winner

Fiskars X27 Super Splitting Ax
Fiskars X27 Super Splitting Ax
  • Has special beveled edge to reduce drag
  • Excellent cutting blade
  • Handle has texture to reduce slipping

  • Best Value

    Second place

    Estwing E30FF4 Fireside Friend Ax
    Estwing E30FF4 Fireside Friend Ax
  • Has a splitting maul on the other side
  • Made of durable steel
  • Handle reduces shock

  • Premium Choice

    Third place

    Helko Werk Vario 2000 Ax
    Helko Werk Vario 2000 Ax
  • Has specially designed head for cutting
  • Excellent chopping power/balance
  • Handle feels uncomfortable

  • Husqvarna 576926701 Wooden Splitting Ax
    Husqvarna 576926701 Wooden Splitting Ax
  • Comes with leather cover
  • Very durable ax head
  • Has durable and comfortable handle

  • TABOR TOOLS J55A Splitting Ax
    TABOR TOOLS J55A Splitting Ax
  • Very excellent balance and heft
  • Good handle
  • comfortable
  • Handle absorbs shock
  • The 10 Best Axes for Splitting Wood

    1. Fiskars X27 Super Splitting Ax – Best Overall

    Fiskars 378841-1002 X27 Super Splitting Ax

    If you require an exceptional all round log-splitting device, the Fiskars X27 Super Splitting Ax is your greatest bet. While it’s a little constrained in its use (it’s not really good if you’re on the shorter aspect because of to its length and harmony), it is phenomenal for splitting common for more substantial sized logs and is designed for utmost effectiveness.

    To this end, it has phenomenal harmony and a excellent electrical power to weight ratio, even with weighing only 5.eighty five kilos. The textured grip can make it effortless to maintain a maintain of the ax even if your palms grow to be sweaty from lots of exertion. Swing the ax once in a extensive arc, and any fire-appropriate log will split in two.

    This is also partly simply because of the head’s double convex blade condition. In easier terms, the blade’s wedge has a sharper and wider angle that grants it further slicing electrical power. Moreover, the beveled head design and style implies the blade will not very easily get stuck in a piece of wooden, so it is easy to maintain swinging with out wasting a lot more vitality.

    Eventually, it’s a phenomenal ax for splitting wooden. Individuals who just need an ax for hearth wooden or expert loggers alike will uncover this instrument to be excellent.

    Pros
    • Has special beveled edge to reduce drag
    • Excellent cutting blade
    • Handle has texture to reduce slipping
    • Good power-to-weight ratio for easy swinging
    • Long-lasting edge
    Cons
    • Not ideal for shorter users

    2. Estwing Fireside Friend Ax – Best Value

    Estwing E30FF4 Fireside Friend Ax

    The Estwing Fireside Pal Ax is a single of the very best axes for splitting wooden for the funds. It’s very affordable and is perfect for hobbyist woodworkers or folks who just need to have to chop up some firewood for the winter season months. It is a little ax around the length of a forearm, so it’s mostly ideal for chopping smaller parts of wood. The hand-sharpened ax head is made of strong American metal for extended-time period toughness.

    Far more importantly, users will enjoy the shock reducing grip that will permit you chop loads of wood parts ahead of tiring out. The ax is weighted heavily on the head’s aspect to make swinging down even less difficult, and it arrives with a nylon sheath for storage.

    But which is not all. The ax also will come with a splitting maul on the other facet of the cutting-edge. The maul can also help you split via specified types of wood when a clean lower isn’t an alternative.

    Whilst it can not break up greater wooden pieces, it’s a ideal hand ax for several and an excellent choice for budget-minded shoppers.

    Pros
    • Has a splitting maul on the other side
    • Made of durable steel
    • Handle reduces shock
    • Comes with a nylon sheath
    • Good balance
    Cons
    • Not good for larger wood pieces

    3. Helko Werk Vario 2000 Ax – Premium Choice

    Helko Werk Vario 2000 Ax

    The Helko Werk Vario 2000 Ax is pricey but properly worth it. Handmade in Germany, this large-obligation wooden splitting ax characteristics a well-created splitting wedge that enables it to reduce via greater and longer wood pieces with extraordinary precision and electrical power. The long take care of, although creating it harder to use for shorter folks, assures that every single swing provides tons of force to chop via wooden in a single strike.

    The head is made of substantial carbon steel (larger carbon typically interprets to greater sharpness), which also makes certain that the reducing head will not get caught in a wooden piece. The deal with, in the meantime, is created of American hickory wood that is concluded with linseed oil. This guarantees that the deal with seems wonderful and feels sleek to the touch. We only desire it was a little much more textured to eradicate the possibility of slipping.

    The ax also arrives with a entire-grain leather sheath for security and storage, in addition a bottle of protective oil for the ax head. All in all, this 8.five-pound ax is a fantastic option for woodsmen or large-obligation woodworkers who need to have one thing tough-core and extended-lasting to chop by way of wood pieces for years to arrive.

    Pros
    • Has specially designed head for cutting
    • Excellent chopping power/balance
    • Handle feels uncomfortable
    • Comes with sheath  and protective oil
    • Head doesn’t get stuck in wood
    Cons
    • A little long for shorter folks
    • Handle is a bit too smooth sometimes

    4. Husqvarna Wooden Splitting Ax

    Husqvarna 576926701 Wooden Splitting Ax

    The Husqvarna Wood Splitting Ax is significantly more reasonably priced than the very last, and it is thirty inches long: thus, it is very best used for little to medium-sized logs relatively than greater pieces. The toughness of the head, although, is perfect for chopping through thicker wood pieces so prolonged as you use a two-handed grip. The head is secured to the picket deal with to steer clear of accidents.

    The ax is forged in Sweden and the head is made with incredibly resilient Swedish steel. Properly greased, the ax will last for several years to appear, particularly since the purchase comes with a leather protect for extra security.

    The handle is textured but isn’t uncomfortable, and even has a hole at the conclude for hook storage. In the long run, this ax is a ideal choose if you want a heavy-duty but scaled-down ax for property use, or for clearing absent some sorts of trees with thicker trunks.

    Pros
    • Comes with leather cover
    • Very durable ax head
    • Has durable and comfortable handle
    • Very good shape for cutting through thick wood
    Cons
    • Not long enough for some wood pieces

    5. TABOR TOOLS J55A Splitting Ax

    TABOR TOOLS J55A Splitting Ax

    Want a lengthier-than-common splitting ax? Then the TABOR Resources J55A is best for you. At 35 inches lengthy, it’s excellent for a variety of heights, and it offers 1 of the best-optimized blade shapes we have ever seen. This makes it excellent for tearing via medium to large-sized logs or wooden items. It is also one of the most productive axes you can locate thanks to its size and phenomenal equilibrium.

    This is partly because the head itself is extremely well balanced, that includes unique wings that avert the head from receiving stuck in wood pieces. The head is created with durable steel that is even more bolstered by a protecting coat of anti-rust content. The blade can be re-sharpened fairly simply with regular documents, though this also means you may possibly need to re-sharpen it a small a lot more usually in comparison to other axes.

    The manage is also excellent. It’s fiberglass, so it is tough but light-weight, and it arrives with a comfortable grip that will make the ax much more tough to drop, even if you have sweaty fingers. The anti-shock design and style of the ax take care of helps make it even a lot more comfortable, also.

    All in all, it’s a great ax for splitting wood. We only wish that the head was a minor wider, as this would make it even better for chopping by means of fatter logs for construction or hearth requirements.

    Pros
    • Very excellent balance and heft
    • Good handle, comfortable
    • Handle absorbs shock
    • Head can easily be resharpened
    • Durable metal material
    Cons
    • Head may need frequent sharpening
    • Head could be a bit wider

    6. Cold Steel CSAXE All-Purpose Ax

    Cold Steel CSAXE All-Purpose Ax

    The Chilly Steel CSAXE All-Purpose Ax is affordable and easy: an excellent instrument for the craftsman or hobbyist woodworker who just wants anything functional rather of aesthetically fancy. It is 26 inches long, producing it suitable for a range of arm lengths, and it has a head created of high carbon metal. This affords the ax phenomenal durability and excellent sharpness.

    It also attributes a vast sufficient ax head that you shouldn’t have any issues chopping through broader workpieces or logs with this resource. The European-style reducing edge bites by way of large or more difficult wooden types without much difficulties. We also like that the duration is not too extended or way too limited for common reducing operate.

    The deal with, as properly, is resilient and comfy and is made from American hickory wood. There isn’t, however, something to cease you from dropping the ax, but it’s still an excellent chopping apply all-all around when you consider its total chopping efficacy.

    Pros
    • Excellent head material
    • Good size for almost everyone
    • Very nice balance and weight
    • Wood handle feels comfortable to the touch
    Cons
    • No anti-slip materials

    7. MTech MT-AXE USA Camping Ax

    MTech MT-AXE USA Camping Ax

    This shorter-than-average ax actions in at about 11 inches, making it a excellent hand ax that’s excellent for chopping by way of more compact wood pieces. Despite the fact that it is tiny total, it will come with an superb, three-inch wide stainless metal blade. Stainless steel is outstanding for this situation since it implies the metal won’t corrode or rust in excess of time, even if you get the ax wet from time to time.

    The resource is compact and easy to keep, producing it an ideal option for tenting or exploratory use. In addition, it will come with a rubber deal with that gives a relaxed and textured grip, furthermore some constrained shock absorption. In the long run, it’s a phenomenal tool for chopping down scaled-down wooden parts or branches and for collecting fire to hold heat by means of the night time.

    It also arrives with a nylon black sheath for added protection, and it’s one particular of the most inexpensive axes on this record. It is not, of program, the very best for splitting via bigger logs. Furthermore, the stainless steel edge may well be a minor difficult to sharpen when the time will come.

    Pros
    • Very easy to hold with one hand
    • Made with non-corrosive stainless steel
    • Has a nylon sheath
    • Comfortable rubber handle
    Cons
    • Sharpening can be tricky/difficult
    • Not ideal for larger logs

    8. WilFiks Chopping Ax

    WilFiks Chopping Ax

    The WilFiks Chopping Ax is affordable and a excellent selection if you want to chop by way of smaller sized wood items for logs. It is particularly properly-suited for striking through kindling and the branches you would use to make a campsite hearth. Which is simply because it is made with a heat-treated blade that also comes with a black finish to prevent corrosion or rust in excess of time.

    It also has an superb and optimized blade that is perfect for slicing by way of smaller sized wooden parts without having as well considerably hard work. The blade is reasonably dense, including some further bodyweight toward the head facet of the tool. But the general swing sensation is bolstered into the ax has an ergonomically curved grip.

    The grip is also tough to fall thanks to its rubberized texture. The head can be resharpened reasonably very easily, and the tool comes with an further rubber protective sheet. What’s not to like?

    Although it’s a excellent informal reducing device, it does dull a little more rapidly than many will like. Other than this, it’s a reliable, budget-welcoming ax for splitting wood in our eyes.

    Pros
    • Steel head won’t corrode over time
    • Very lightweight and well-balanced
    • Has anti-slip handle
    • Comes with protective cover
    • Good price
    Cons
    • Head dulls rapidly

    9. Intertool Steel Wood Splitting Ax

    Intertool Steel HT-0275 Wood Splitting Ax

    The Intertool Steel HT-0275 Wooden Splitting Ax is a small pricier than the final smaller sized ax we appeared at, but it will come with an appropriately weighty-responsibility head that’s produced of some of the ideal steel on the marketplace. Even more importantly, this ax is created with a broad placing maul. You can, as a result, use this ax to reduce via some of the greatest wood logs and workpieces you can picture, and it doubles really properly as a sledgehammer.

    The ax total isn’t that heavy because the manage is created of fiberglass, which is lightweight. We also like that it will come with a non slip grip: this is doubly crucial with a tool with this kind of a thick head.

    The general equilibrium of the ax is relatively clean and powerful, and the buy contains a silicon cap for transportation and storage. The downside is that it is not the most comfortable ax to use, missing an ergonomic curve to the take care of, and the hollow manage may possibly crack ahead of the head, necessitating a substitute.

    Pros
    • Has a durable and heavy head for thick wood cutting
    • Has a maul on the other side
    • Handle is non-slip
    Cons
    • Handle may be too brittle for the head
    • Handle isn’t ergonomic
    • Somewhat expensive

    10. Gerber 31-003636 Power Splitting Ax

    Gerber 31-003636 Power Splitting Ax

    Our very last option is the Gerber Electrical power Splitting Ax, which features a blade coated with anti-friction materials to ensure that every single strike is thoroughly clean and the head does not get caught in any picket pieces. The head is made of solid metal, so it need to stay sturdy for the foreseeable future.

    We also like the composite manage, which characteristics shock-absorbing resources to decrease the pressure on your wrists and arms. Because the handle is 36 inches lengthy, it’s ideal for providing large blows to bigger wood pieces and logs.

    Nonetheless, be aware that the black coating on the head may fade or chip absent in time, opening the tool to corrosive hurt. In addition, the reasonably higher asking price is a little bit hard to swallow thinking about that it doesn’t arrive with a go over or cap for the blade as most other axes do.

    Pros
    • Good length for larger wooden pieces
    • Shock-absorbing handle
    • Blade coating reduces friction for clean strikes
    Cons
    • Blade coating may fade away
    • No cap for blade
    • Pricey
    • Reports of ax arriving damaged from shipping

    Buyer’s Guide – How to Choose the Best Ax for Splitting Wood

    The right ax for you may possibly not be the proper ax for others. Keep these factors in head to figure out which ax is ultimately the a single you need to purchase compared to the other people.

    Length and Weight

    The most important elements for any ax for splitting wood are length and fat. The size of an ax establishes whether or not the device is ideal for longer, heavier strikes – the type you would use to chop more substantial items of wooden or thicker logs.

    Small vs Long Axes

    Smaller axes are usually utilized with one hand and are better used for chopping down thinner branches and more compact logs.

    More time axes are greater for chopping by means of thicker wood logs, like the kind you might stack in preparation for a lengthy and cold winter. Smaller axes are much better for general utility and can be utilised for general camping functions or other design tasks, like chopping by means of thick dirt or mud to build a shelter.

    However, neither is especially good at performing the work of the other. So, it’s crucial that you get the ax that is very best suited for your unique demands.

    Weight

    Maintain fat in head as well. Heavier axes dress in down your arms and wrists much more quickly, however a heavier excess weight operates properly for lengthier axes you prepare to use to chop through tons of picket logs in fast succession. A lot more fat equals much more striking power and a cleaner blow in numerous instances.

    Blade Width and Shape

    The blade width and shape arrive next. Wide blades or ax heads imply that you can chop through broader wooden items in a one blow, whilst narrower heads are more suited for chopping through branches and more compact wood parts. They are also normally lighter. Once more, there is no correct or incorrect reply here for each and every function – it is dependent on what you program to use the ax for and what variety of wooden you program to split.

    The condition plays a position as well. Certainly, every single ax head will be sharpened, but those heads with beveled edges are usually better at withdrawing from wooden with no dragging. Sharper edges, as properly, are normally greater.

    Head Materials

    The materials that includes an ax’s head performs a massive role in identifying its overall benefit. For occasion, heads manufactured with high top quality or large carbon steel are usually more tough and sharper than heads made with lesser quality steel. Likewise, heads that have anti-corrosion coatings on their surfaces will final for a longer time (though the coating may eventually use off after weighty use).

    hand using WilFiks Chopping Ax

    Handle Materials

    Manage material plays a large part in all round ax longevity and ergonomics of a high quality ax. Even though handle form is important, whether or not or not the handle has any rubber or texture to avert you from unintentionally dropping your grip on the ax is a lot far more vital. This is especially true with lengthier and heavier axes that may possibly slip away from you if your palms turn into sweaty soon after an hour of hefty chopping.

    Make certain an ax you program to use intensely has some kind of textured grip. Furthermore, attempt to locate an ax that has shock-absorbing materials in the grip – this will permit you to use the tool for longer without having turning out to be unpleasant.

    Does It Come with a Sheath?

    One last factor to contemplate is regardless of whether a provided ax comes with a protecting sheath. The vast majority of the splitting axes earlier mentioned do arrive with possibly a leather-based, nylon or cloth sheath that goes in excess of the blade. Having a sheath supplies a quantity of rewards for the blade, such as increased longevity, far better longevity, and better resistance to corrosive harm. Plus, a sheath for the blade or head helps prevent anybody from unintentionally becoming injured if they operate into the head or it slides close to on a truck ground.

    A sheath is missing from a few of the axes above and some other individuals throughout the market place. If you presently have a sheath for your ax head, you may not need this. But in any other case, we’d suggest sticking with 1 of the axes that do have a sheath for the safety and sturdiness it gives.

    Conclusion

    In excess of the training course of our reviews, we identified that the Fiskars X27 Tremendous Splitting Ax is the very best resource for splitting wood you can discover on the market place nowadays, at the very least for individuals with lengthier arms. It’s light-weight and exceptionally properly-well balanced, and the head and deal with resources mark it as a wonderful piece of products that ought to last for a lengthy time to occur.

    If you are in the market for an ax but you’re on a price range, we suggest the Estwing Hearth Friend Ax. This small ax is excellent for chopping more compact parts of wood and is produced of extremely sturdy materials.

    In the end, any and all of the axes over are excellent matches for splitting wooden of various measurements. Be sure to decide on a resource which is suitable for the logs you want to chop, and you will uncover that prepping firewood for your cabin or campsite is less complicated than you expected.

    Other Valuable Guides:


    Showcased Picture: Helko Werk Vario 2000 Ax, Amazon

    Contents