Our list of essential tools for splitting wood efficiently

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Are you about to buy tools for splitting logs like a pro but unsure what exactly to get? Don’t worry, I've got you covered.

Here at Yoojo, we've helped over 2000 clients with their home gardening tasks.

So, I thought it would be a great idea to reach out to our top-rated gardeners and ask them for their favourite tools for cutting wood!

In this guide, you’ll find a comprehensive table of essential tools, detailed features, photos of each tool, and of course, their prices.

Summary

All essential tools summarised in a table (for all types of wood)
All the Essential Hand Tools for Cutting Wood Easily
All the machines for cutting wood, but effortlessly!
All the cool tools, but specifically for cutting logs
Tools for Making Kindling
💶 How much do wood cutting tools cost?

All essential tools summarised in a table (for all types of wood)

A lumberjack cutting wood in the French countryside

If you’re in a hurry and want all the essential information to make an informed choice, this table is just for you.

It includes key details for each tool, making it easy to compare them.

For more details on each tool, just keep reading below—I’ll explain everything:

Tool name	Function	Essential or optional	Average price in the UK (£)
Manual tools for splitting all types of wood
Hatchet	Used for splitting medium-sized logs. A well-sharpened and balanced hatchet is essential.	Essential	£25 - £40
Splitting Axe	Used for splitting larger and thicker logs. The splitting axe has a wider and heavier head.	Essential	£30 - £50
Wedge	Used with a splitting axe or sledgehammer to split particularly hard or thick logs.	Optional	£8 - £15
Sledgehammer	Used to drive wedges into the wood. A sledgehammer is often necessary for the hardest logs.	Optional	£15 - £30
Protective Gloves	Protects your hands from splinters and cuts.	Essential	£4 - £10
Safety Glasses	Protects your eyes from wood chips or flying debris.	Essential	£4 - £8
Safety Boots	Sturdy boots with steel toes to protect your feet from falling logs or tools.	Essential	£15 - £30
Machines for effortless Wood Cutting
Horizontal electric log splitter	Ideal for home use, it’s compact and easy to operate.	Optional	£250 - £400
Vertical electric Log splitter	More powerful and suited for splitting logs with larger diameters and lengths.	Optional	£600 - £800
Electric log saw	Used for cutting logs to the desired size before splitting.	Essential	£200 - £350
Circular saw	Can also be used to prepare logs before splitting.	Optional	£100 - £200
Electric chainsaw	Ideal for cutting trees and branches into smaller sections before splitting.	Optional	£70 - £150
Tools specifically for logs
Manual log splitter	A device where the log is placed, and a wedge is driven in manually to split it.	Essential	£40 - £80
Hydraulic log splitter	A powered machine that uses hydraulic pressure to split logs.	Optional	£300 - £1,200
Log saw	Used to cut logs into more manageable pieces before splitting.	Optional	£100 - £250
Lumberjack chainsaw	Used to cut trees into sections before splitting them into logs.	Optional	£150 - £300
Splitting block	A sturdy surface on which logs are placed to be split.	Optional	£25 - £60
Special tools for kindling
Hatchet (hand axe)	Splitting small pieces of wood into kindling	Essential	£20 - £30
Bushcraft knife	Battoning to split wood using a knife and a baton	Essential	£30 - £50
Mini splitting axe	Splitting larger logs into smaller pieces	Essential	£40 - £60
Manual wood splitter	Place the wood and hit with a mallet to split it into smaller pieces	Optional	£30 - £50
Spokeshave (or Two-Handed Knife)	Carve and peel wood to create kindling	Optional	£15 - £25

Now, let me give you all the essential tools to become a pro!

All the Essential Hand Tools for Cutting Wood Easily

3 hand tools for cutting wood laid out on a garden table

Are you a traditional lumberjack who prefers working with your hands?

With the list of tools I’ve compiled below, you'll be able to cut all types of wood without needing to plug anything in!

A Log Axe

Use: Used for splitting medium-sized logs. A well-sharpened and well-balanced axe is essential.
Advantage/Disadvantage: Advantage - Easy to handle. Disadvantage - Less effective for larger logs.

Lumberjack's Splitting Axe

Usage: A heavier tool than the hatchet, used for splitting larger and thicker logs. The splitting axe has a wider and heavier head.
Advantage/Disadvantage: Advantage - Effective for large logs. Disadvantage - More tiring to use.

Splitting Wedge

Usage: Used with a splitting axe or sledgehammer to split particularly hard or thick logs. Wedges help to split wood progressively.
Advantage/Disadvantage: Advantage - Very effective for hard logs. Disadvantage - Often requires several strikes to embed.

Sledgehammer

Usage: A heavy tool used to drive wedges into the wood. A sledgehammer is often necessary for the hardest logs.
Advantage/Disadvantage: Advantage - Powerful for driving wedges. Disadvantage - Very heavy and can be tiring to use.

Protective gloves

Usage: To protect your hands from splinters and cuts.
Advantage/Disadvantage: Advantage - Protects your hands. Disadvantage - Can reduce dexterity.

a pair of gloves specifically for lumberjacks

Safety glasses

Usage: To protect your eyes from wood chips or pieces that might fly off.
Advantage/Disadvantage: Advantage - Protects your eyes. Disadvantage - Can be uncomfortable to wear for long periods.

Safety boots

Usage: Sturdy boots with steel toes to protect your feet from falling logs or tools.
Advantage/Disadvantage: Advantage - Protects your feet. Disadvantage - Can be heavy and uncomfortable for prolonged use.

All the machines for cutting wood, but effortlessly!

If you're someone who prefers not to break a sweat, you'll want to check out these electric tools:

Horizontal Electric Log Splitter

Use: Perfect for domestic use, it's compact and straightforward to operate.
Advantage/disadvantage: Advantage - Easy to use. Disadvantage - May not be powerful enough for larger logs.

Vertical Electric Log Splitter

Use: More powerful and suited for splitting larger diameter and longer logs.
Advantage/Disadvantage: Advantage - Very powerful. Disadvantage - Can be bulkier and more expensive.

Electric Log Saw

Use: Used to cut logs to the desired size before splitting them.
Advantage/Disadvantage: Advantage - Makes preparing logs easy. Disadvantage - Requires careful handling.

Circular Saw

Use: Can also be used to prepare logs before splitting.
Advantage/Disadvantage: Advantage - Versatile and quick. Disadvantage - Requires skill for safe operation.

Electric Chainsaw

Use: Ideal for cutting down trees and branches into smaller sections before splitting.
Advantage/Disadvantage: Advantage - Very effective for large branches. Disadvantage - Requires strict safety measures.

All the cool tools, but specifically for cutting logs

A gardener cutting a log with a specialized tool

This part is a bit special because it’s all about log cutting (whereas the tools above can handle any type of wood).

Manual Log Splitter

Use: A device where the log is placed, and a wedge is manually driven to split it.
Advantage/Disadvantage: Advantage - Doesn’t need electricity or fuel. Disadvantage - Requires more physical effort.

Hydraulic Log Splitter

Use: A motorised machine that uses hydraulic pressure to split logs.
Advantage/Disadvantage: Advantage - Splits large logs effortlessly. Disadvantage - Can be very costly.

Log Saw

Use: Used for cutting logs into more manageable pieces before splitting them.
Advantage/Disadvantage: Advantage - Makes preparing logs easier. Disadvantage - Requires quite a bit of effort.

example of a saw specifically used for cutting logs

Lumberjack Chainsaw

Use: Used for cutting trees into sections before splitting them into logs.
Advantage/Disadvantage: Advantage - Very effective for quickly cutting down trees. Disadvantage - Noisy and requires regular maintenance.

Splitting Block

Use: A sturdy surface where logs are placed to be split.
Advantage/Disadvantage: Advantage - Provides a stable base for splitting logs. Disadvantage - Can be bulky and hard to move.

Tools for Making Kindling

illustration of firewood next to a fireplace

Got your logs cut and split?

If you want to take it a step further and make kindling, here are the tools I use:

Hatchet

Use: Perfect for splitting small pieces of wood into kindling. It's lightweight and easy to handle.
Advantage/Disadvantage: Advantage - Maneuverability and light weight. Disadvantage - Less effective for larger logs.

Bushcraft Knife

Use: A sturdy knife with a fixed blade, used for batoning – a technique for splitting wood using the knife and a stick to strike the back of the blade.
Advantage/Disadvantage: Advantage - Versatile and durable. Disadvantage - Requires specific technique.

Splitting Axe (Merlin)

Use: Used for splitting pieces of logs into kindling.
Advantage/Disadvantage: Advantage - Great splitting power. Disadvantage - Weight and bulkiness.

Here’s an example of a mini hatchet for making kindling

Plane (or Double-Handed Knife)

Use: Used for carving and peeling wood to create kindling shavings.
Advantage/Disadvantage: Advantage - Precision and control. Disadvantage - Less effective for splitting.

Alright, let's dive into the numbers: let's talk costs!

💶 How much do wood cutting tools cost?

A tool shop displaying various tools in a showcase

As you might have noticed in the table at the start of this article, buying all these tools can be quite an investment.

So, how much would it cost exactly? I’ve done the math for you.

Average cost of essential tools:

£510

Average cost of optional tools:

£2600

Do you need to buy all the tools?

Of course, you don’t have to buy everything. However, the basic tools will still be very useful, especially the manual ones.

If you cut wood frequently and are considering getting a machine or two, you’ll need to spend a fair bit of money!

The total cost for purchasing the essential tools is around:

£800

Hire a professional or buy all the tools: what’s the best option?

This is a good question because on Yoojo, we offer a service to find someone to cut wood for you, and the average cost of a professional is £20/hour.

This means if you buy all the essential tools, you’ll need to use them for at least 37 hours to make them worth the expense.

So:

If you cut large amounts of wood, I recommend buying all the tools.
If you only need to cut a few logs now and then, hiring a professional might be cheaper... it’ll save you money!