A good splitting axe is a must-have if you deal with a lot of tree logs and use lots of firewood to cook meals and heat your home, especially when you rely on firewood solely for heating in your home.
It will save you a lot of back-breaking work, and might even make the whole chore of splitting firewood fun for you.
We used firewood a lot when I was growing up, and we mainly sourced it ourselves from fallen and dead trees in our property.
To this day, I still use firewood in my own home, from making night campfires and heating up the oven, to firing up the grill and cooking some barbecue. Firewood is a necessity in most households today.
And if you have access to tree logs around your home, whether you buy them or fell them yourself, a good splitting axe can help you convert those beautiful logs into the perfectly sized firewood you need for your day-to-day living.
A good splitting axe helps you convert every bit of energy you put into the swing into useful work. It’s sharp, balanced, moderately heavy, and channels all the energy of your swing into splitting the wood apart.
Combined with the right swinging technique, it’s efficient and tears the wood apart without wasting any of the energy you put into the swing.
In this article, I’m going to list and talk about 5 of the best splitting axes we’ve used and tested so far.
Our Top Picks – Graded
Best Overall – 1844 Helko Werk Vario
Runner-up – 1844 Helko Werk Saxon
Best Budget Pick – Fiskars X27
Best for both Chopping and Splitting Logs – THRW Splitting Axe
Fiskars X27 Splitting Axe
The first axe I usually recommend, especially for the average homeowner splitting firewood to make fire and heat their home, is the Fiskars X27.
This is a fits-all-applications type of splitting axe. You can use it at home, or throw it in the back of your truck and use it on the job.
It doesn’t come with a wooden handle. It’s got a fiber composite handle, which is lightweight and stronger than wood. It will take some serious intent to break or destroy it.
You can get the handle length in 36, 32, 28, 24, or even down to 14 inches for the hatchet size, depending on what you want.
The axe head design is a bit thin at the bit; it immediately flares out wide in a V-shape as you progress toward the cheek, then sharply closes back down just before it meets the cheek at the eye.
This design makes it easier for the axe to cut into the wood and split it easily without getting stuck.
Overall, if you’re looking for a tough entry-level splitting axe that will get the job done without breaking the bank, the Fiskars X27 is what you need.
Pros
Cons
Related: 5 Cool Tactical Hatchets for Outdoor Adventures
THRW Splitting Axe
This is not just an ordinary splitting axe. It’s also designed for felling and chopping down trees, because the bit and cutting edge, from toe to heel, is very wide and sharp.
So if you don’t want to deal with chainsaws, this is a very good splitting axe you can also use to fell and chop down trees into logs before you split them.
It’s a 6 lb axe. Together with the handle, you get a total weight of 7.72 lbs. It’s not very heavy, but it gets the job done, and anyone can use it.
The head is made of high-carbon steel, and it’s polished smooth to prevent rust and reduce friction, so it doesn’t get stuck easily in the wood.
The handle is made of wood. You get 2 metal inserts in case you need to replace the handle, and you also get a leather cover for protecting the axe head when not in use.
It’s not the cheapest splitting axe on the market today, but the price is great, and it’s one of the best you’ll get in its price range.
Pros
Cons
Gransfors Bruk Splitting Maul
This is a Swedish splitting maul we tested and decided to include on this list because of just how good it performed.
The head is a 5-1/2 lb splitting maul. Not that heavy, but not that light either.
Don’t let the 5-1/2 pound weight fool you. It gets the job done. It’s easy to swing and use, even if you’re not that powerful.
The handle is made of hickory wood, and it fits well and is well balanced with the head. You’ll feel it as you use it.
You swing, it pierces through, and it splits the wood. It rarely gets stuck.
It even has a metal over-strike protector so you don’t accidentally break the handle.
This is not a mass-produced axe, and it’s not very cheap. It’s a splitting axe/maul you’ll proudly hang in your tool shed or workshop because of just how good it looks, from the steel head to the hickory handle. It looks well-made all around.
Pros
Cons
1844 Helko Werk Saxon Splitting Axe
This is not your regular splitting axe. This is the Helko Werk Saxon heavy log, hand-forged splitting axe, made in Germany.
The axe head looks like a maul, but it’s not a maul. It’s a 6-1/4 lb splitting axe with a head that flares sharply just before the cheek and acts like a wedge, helping to push the wood apart easily when it strikes.
The wedge-shaped head also makes it pretty difficult for it to get stuck in the wood when splitting with it.
It’s not very light, but it’s very balanced, precise, and easy to use. The handle is wooden and 31 inches long. It’s properly shaped and helps control and direct the head easily.
The head is very easy to aim with accuracy, and it has a lot of power to it. The wood literally flies apart, depending on the size of the log you’re splitting.
Overall, I’ll say this is surely one of the best splitting axes we’ve tested so far. The steel head is good quality, it’s hand-forged, it holds its edge even after hours of use, and the handle balances everything out.
Pros
Cons
Related: 12 Reasons To Get A Mini Chainsaw for Your Projects
1844 Helko Werk Vario Log Splitter
I’m sure you can already tell I’m a huge fan of Helko Werk axes. And who wouldn’t be? They make awesome axes. This is the second of their axes I’m recommending in this article.
It’s the Helko Werk Vario. It’s a log-splitting monster. The bow-shaped handle fits into your hand like a glove. And when you swing it, it launches into the wood like a missile.
I’ve used this axe. It’s not a joke. The ergonomics, the way it feels when you hold it in your hand, is just different.
I’ve held several axes, and overall, I prefer the feel and balance of this Helko Werk Vario over all the other axes I’ve held.
Enough about the handle, let me tell you about the head. It’s a wedge-shaped head, like a lot of their axes.
Just like the first one I recommended above, it feels and swings like a maul. But it’s not a maul. It’s just shaped like a wedge just before the cheeks, and that gives it a lot of splitting power when you strike the wood with it.
Apart from the wedge shape of the head, the handle assembly is also different. The wooden handle isn’t fitted into a hollow groove in the head. The back of the head is fully open, and the handle screws right in, and can be tightened with a screw if it loosens up. It also makes the handle easier to replace.
Overall, I’d say this is arguably the best splitting axe I recommend out of all the axes I’ve seen and tested.
The head is 6-1/2 lbs in weight. It’s quite heavy, and it’s not cheap, but it’s worth every penny you’ll spend to get it.
Pros
Cons
How we chose our splitting axes – what we look for
There are certain features and parameters we look for and consider when choosing a splitting axe, and we believe you should look for those too when choosing the one you use for your projects.
Head design
The first thing I look at and consider when choosing a splitting axe or maul is the design of the head. After all, it’s the head that does most of the job.
It’s what impacts and splits the wood.
A good head isn’t just designed to cut into the wood, but also to push the wood outward, causing it to split apart.
Good edges aren’t narrow. They’re usually shaped like a wedge. They cut into the wood and then spread it apart. Narrow edges get stuck easily in the wood. Wedge-shaped edges don’t get stuck easily, because they don’t just cut into the wood, they open it up, making it easy for you to get them out.
Weight of the axe head
Apart from the use and application of an axe, axes are usually categorized by the weight of the head.
There are 3-1/2 to 8-1/2 lb axes. Most splitting axe heads are usually in the 5-1/2 to 7-1/2 lb range. The heavier the head, the more power you can channel through it, but the more difficult it is to handle and control.
Depending on your size and how much power you have, you’ll get tired more easily when swinging a heavy axe than when swinging a lighter one. But if you go too light, you lose all the power, and it just bounces off the wood no matter how fast you swing it.
So there’s a sweet spot in between. Not too heavy, not too light. I personally prefer 6 to 7 lb axes.
Handle Length
The next thing we consider, which is equally important, is the length of the handle. A long handle gives you more leverage and striking power, but it takes experience to aim.
Shorter handles are easier to aim, but you lose leverage and power the shorter the handle becomes. So there’s also a sweet spot in between. I personally, however, prefer long handles.
When stood on the ground close to you, your axe handle should reach just above your hip, near your waist.
Splitting axe handles range from 26 inches to 36 inches. The sweet spot for me is 30 to 32 inches.
You should definitely consider your height. Don’t choose anything too long for you to handle.
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