WEN Electric Log Splitter, 6.5-Ton Capacity with Portable Stand (56208)

I tend to be a "buy once, cry once" guy with tools.For my chainsaw and backpack blower, I went to the local power equipment store (not hardware store), and bought Stihl. For my leaf vacuum, I stalked Craigslist until I could get myself a Billy Goat with a commercial-grade engine and all-steel construction.I tend to avoid cheap tools, not just because the landfills are already overflowing with Chinese crap, but because often times they are not that much of a cost savings. That backpack blower? Maybe $150 more than the one at the big box store, but it's the same thing landscapers use professionally. That leaf vacuum? Cheaper, since I bought one on the secondary market, and way higher quality than Crapsman or whatever Lowes/Home Depot are selling.I had my eye on a log splitter for a while. Moving to 2/3 of an acre with a dozen Tulip Poplar trees means landscaping isn't a hobby, it's a requirement. Tulip Poplars live fast and die hard - casually dropping huge limbs, because they grow so darn fast and large (mine are all over 125' tall). So, my arborist is out at least once every two years to reduce weight and catch problems before the problem lands on my house. That means I have a pretty decent backlog of wood.First, came the axe... dad's 70's 'Chopper.' Then, I realized you can't split a 24" round with an axe, so out came a maul and chainsaw. This gets old... fast.Over coffee and complaints at work, my colleague mentioned the WEN log splitter. Said he and his kids split two cords in a weekend. He bought it with the notion of "if it makes it a year, it's still cheaper than a rental." Not great for the environment, but intriguing logic. My colleague also told me that he beats the hell out of it - leaves it under a tarp in the woods (not a surprise, it's super-heavy), and lives dangerously by running it on an orange 18/2 power cord (yikes!).My colleague and I discussed the perils of trying to go "buy once, cry once" with log splitters. The "really good ones" are gas, and are massive. We agreed that while our yards were large, we weren't "outbuilding people" with a quonset hut and farm-grade equipment, which seemed to be the market for the gas splitters.On the other hand, the reviews on the electric ones aren't confidence-inducing.Since he had already taken the plunge and was satisfied, I figured I'd give it a go - I paid just under $250 for it, as had he. I also bought the "USA-Made" 12ga power cord, which wasn't actually made in the USA, but was Southwire (a reputable brand) and fairly priced... some kind of bundle I think you can still get.The WEN arrived in a beat-up box... end was crushed, but contents were fine. Two Advil later, having gotten it downstairs to my walk-out basement, I put it together, opting for the "comfort height" option. Assembly requires two people, because it's so damn heavy, and the screw tolerances and such were typical Chinese, so it took some patience. You do need to remove parts to use it at "comfort height." Put newspaper down if you are working on a carpet - tool grease abounds... you've been warned.First, some important CAVEATS:(1) My wood is very light, so I exceed the manufacturer's spec for log diameter. This also might be why I'm having so much success with it - Tulip Poplar wood is one step away from Balsa. On the Janka wood rating scale, you see this.(2) My wood is very straight-grained, so it's easy to split. Whenever I get to a limb-knotted log, things get tougherI think it's important for reviewers to discuss their wood's hardness, as pictures show others clearly violating the manufacturer's spec for log diameter... with soft wood, you can do that, but harder wood could be a different story. Look up the Janka scale if you have no idea what I'm talking about.Here's my operational experience:- The process is a little slow compared with axe-splitting until you get the hang of it and use all the features of the tool. Most of the time is waiting for the splitter to travel the distance to split the log, so WEN conveniently adds a stop-adjustment to expedite splitting of shorter logs. THIS IS A TWO-PERSON JOB since the splitter requires two-hand operation, and travels backwards far faster than forwards during splitting operation.- The splitter gets hot, so keep cords, kids hands and other things away from the motor's aluminum fins.- The splitter requires a different hydraulic fluid in colder weather, and routine checks of the hydraulic fluid. I suspect this - alongside wood beyond the limits of the splitter in hardness plus diameter - is the leading cause of failure.- The splitter is really heavy. I know I keep mentioning this, but it's inconveniently heavy, and the wheels only help if you are moving across level surfaces. Plus, as others mention in their reviews, the wheel cotter pins are absolute crap. That's not integral to the operation of the equipment so I'm not deducting any stars, especially as the stand component is somewhat unique to this splitter. I use mine right next to where I keep it, but the weight does make storage a challenge. ALSO - the weight is concentrated in a somewhat unstable way, meaning that moving it across sloped areas is challenging. Work in teams and be careful!Others have mentioned, but it's worth saying again -- don't do what my colleague does with cords! Play it safe and use the correct-gauge cord - it's not just about fire safety! The resistance of the undersized wire will create a voltage drop that could run the motor at levels it wasn't designed for, which could cause premature motor failure. The added benefit? Use that same heavy-duty cord with your corded chainsaw in your splitting area. Safer all-around and helps your equipment run at the correct voltages/currents.I'm only down a cord of wood, but so far so good! The biggest advantage for me is splitting down 15-24" rounds into halfs and quarters. From there, I could finish with the Chopper or just keep on going with the splitter, but getting to avoid breaking out the maul for those awkward, huge rounds is just fantastic.For its performance-to-price ratio, this splitter is my favorite purchase of 2021. I don't know that I'm a convert to the WEN brand or anything - certainly the fit/finish tolerances don't induce me to want to buy a WEN saw or WEN drill, but this particular piece of equipment is pretty limited in terms of mechanical components such that I suspect if I keep an eye on temperatures and fluid levels, and don't run the motor too hot (e.g. split for more than an hour or so at a time), I should be fine. It's by no means the best equipment one could get, and certainly won't do if you're trying to split down old-growth oak or something like that, but for the Northern VA area where tulip trees and other light wood abound, and you need a homeowner-grade/sized tool that won't break the bank, it's a great buy.

Not so easy to put together , need at least two people to lift heavy splitter onto frame. First time using a log splitter and pleasantly surprised how easy it was to use and how well it worked on the sturdy frame. Machine already comes with hydraulic fluid so once it’s put together and you loosen the hydraulic screw it’s ready to start splitting logs. Would definitely recommend getting a splitter with a high frame as this one is. Easy to move on a flat surface but because of the heavy weight can see how moving this around in the yard can be difficult.

I was excited to give this a shot, I've had my eye on Wen for a while for some woodworking tools but haven't yet pulled the trigger on those. I've heard great things about the quality for the price so I wanted to see how well this would hold up.The Good:This handled everything reasonable I threw at it, along with some stuff that was unreasonable based on the specs. I was able to split some stuff that was far larger than it's rated for. The pictures attached are a stack of red oak I've had sitting for a couple years that I've been splitting here and there by hand. Everything missing from the third picture with the exception of one really gnarly log was split on this. It did struggle a little with some of the smaller knotted up stuff but did split it all. With the larger stuff the key is make sure you're getting between the grain. I had one larger log that rotated a bit after I put it on the splitter and it jammed it up, but rotating it around to get onto an existing check in the log and getting between the grain allowed it to pass through with no issues.The Bad:The stand works but it's not nearly the same quality as the splitter itself. The instructions are not good at all (if you follow them to the letter, they'd have you attaching the wheels to the splitter, then removing them and reattaching to the stand). The placement of some pieces on the stand wasn't quite clear and there is no order specified in the assembly but an order is clearly needed to get everything attached properly. All of these complaints are about the stand (more in the "Ugly" section on this too). The only complaint with the splitter itself is that it's a mandatory two-handed operation. One hand is required to start the motor, while the other operates the hydraulic system. This leaves no hands free to stabilize a log or try to keep it from falling off after it split. I don't believe this is isolated to this model and is probably an issue with all of these electric splitters.The Ugly:The quality of the stand is really bad. It's a little hard to see but the hole in the cross piece on the stand was so far off-center there was no possible way the bolt would pass through it. It worked and did what it was supposed to do but some minor details in design and assembly that cost nothing could change it's quality tremendously. The handle on the splitter also shipped as a separate part when it clearly was supposed to have been pre-installed. Not only is it shown in the instructions as pre-installed (and there are no instructions on it's installation), it's not physically possible to attach the handle with the guide rails installed (see the picture of the bolt that's supposed to be inserted from underneath the handle, the hole is directly above the nut that holds the rails in place). Not wanting to disassemble the whole thing, I just left it off. Finally, I purchased the foot pedal after having read here that someone wished they had and it seemed like a good idea to have it. The foot pedal is not only completely useless on this machine, it actually makes it harder to use. There is no way to engage the motor only using the foot pedal, it still requires you to hold the power button on the machine. So it goes from being a mandatory two-handed operation to a mandatory two-handed-one-footed operation. Less than useless, it adds a whole extra contact point.The Gist:All of the problems outlined considered, I'd absolutely buy this again. For this price you expect something that feels cheap, and while the stand did, the splitter itself is a beefy machine that did more than it was supposed to. I expected some of the minor issues that were encountered based on the price, and they are acceptable flaws at this price point.

Only time will tell for long term use and durability, but the initial impression is great! This thing is a small beast that seems pretty well put together, much like everything else WEN makes. Splits large logs quickly and with ease. Came ready to use right out of the box. Don't overthink it; this one's up for the task!

Built like a tank. Easy to set up and use. I split 1.5 cords of wood with no problems. The foot pedal is great and I recommend it for ease of use. Great product and fast shipping.