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

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 split a enough for 2 houses heated with wood last year, no issues at all with the unit. It's cheap and has thoughtful safety features to keep your hands out of harms way. It's heavy, loading in and out of a truck is super fun but for what it does I'm happy.

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.

Don't be like me and wait too long to purchase this log splitter. Maybe you think somehow purchasing an electric log splitter makes you less of a man's man. Well, that's just nonsense. This little guy makes splitting logs a pleasure. You know that feeling when you get the right tool for the job and you think, "Why the heck didn't I know about this earlier." That was my sentiment after my first hour splitting logs.In the past, I haven't needed a log splitter because my wood was delivered split perfectly (I like quarter split wood myself). However, I've changed where I get my wood and though it is cheaper, about 50% of the logs need to be split. They are larger halved logs that just don't catch fire like the quarter split wood does.Enter, Wen log splitter. It works beautifully. Just a few words to make your experience better. First, purchase the pedal (WEN WA0392 120V 15-Amp Momentary Power Foot Pedal). You'll need a medium clamp to press and hold the green "on" button. When you clamp it down, then the pedal can be used to effectively, turn on/off the splitter. This frees up one hand. You still need one hand to engage the ram, but having a free hand feels safer to me.I use the splitter on the ground. It comes with a stand, but I don't use it. The pedal would be really handy if you decide to use the stand.I use the splitter according to the temperature guidelines. AKA, I don't run the machine unless it's above 40 degrees Fahrenheit. I'm sure you could change out the hydraulic fluid to run it colder, but that seems like a hassle.I did use the splitter on some hard wood. The hardwood was small chunks and it popped-out pretty good. Like a hard snap! Most of the wood I'm splitting is pine, and I don't have that problem. Just be careful with hardwood especially if it's gnarly (with any splitter.)When I would split with an axe, I wasn't very good at aiming with power. With this gem, I can make kindling out of a few logs, especially if you set the wood against the wedge rather than against the ram. If you set your wood against the ram, the log can shift as it approaches the wedge. Seasoned guys probably know this, but I didn't and there was a strange satisfaction watching the wood move toward the wedge... Soon I started pinning the wood against the wedge and haven't looked back.My wood comes 16" long, so the logs fit spaciously between the ram and wedge. There's a little locking washer/nut that allows you to adjust how far back the ram slides. This allows you to stop the ram from sliding all the way back if your logs are all 16" long. Saves a little time and is, again, oddly satisfying.For the price and function, you just can't beat this guy. I'm just a homeowner, not some logger, homesteader, and mountain guy. If I can use this, so can most of you.I have two wood burning stoves. One is a fireplace insert and the other is free-standing. in case you were wondering. I go through about 2 cords a winter. Good luck, stay warm and be safe.