I got myself one of those Homelite 5 ton splitters this past month. Have now had a chance to use it a few times, so far on Tulip Poplar and some White Oak. I got mine for 299. at Home Depot (online) and the shipping was free to my home. It arrived in good shape with the shipping box intact. BTW they had zero stock at our local HD about a mile away- even though the website claimed they did. So far I'm liking this little splitter a lot.
Seems a lot of guys who buy this one are pretty happy at the price/performance point compromise these represent. I've had enough time on big gas hydraulic rental splitters (vertical) to know how a more expensive rig performs. I love 'em but I can't afford one of those myself. I think this little electric is going to do most of what I need, though.
There are a number of good threads in these forums about electric splitters. Those helped me a lot in reaching my own decision. Here's one:
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/homelite-5-ton-electric-splitter-review.78864/#post-1004757
One piece of information I might add to what's already in the forum- Homelite has now moved the power cord from the right end of the electrical box to the top. It's to the right of the green power button. This will make it a lot less vulnerable to having the plastic cord clamp broken off by a bigger split falling on it. It's easy to dress that cord up, over to the left, and back down, so it comes out at the end of the splitter, on the ground underneath the hydraulic valve (red handle).
Seems a lot of guys who buy this one are pretty happy at the price/performance point compromise these represent. I've had enough time on big gas hydraulic rental splitters (vertical) to know how a more expensive rig performs. I love 'em but I can't afford one of those myself. I think this little electric is going to do most of what I need, though.
There are a number of good threads in these forums about electric splitters. Those helped me a lot in reaching my own decision. Here's one:
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/homelite-5-ton-electric-splitter-review.78864/#post-1004757
One piece of information I might add to what's already in the forum- Homelite has now moved the power cord from the right end of the electrical box to the top. It's to the right of the green power button. This will make it a lot less vulnerable to having the plastic cord clamp broken off by a bigger split falling on it. It's easy to dress that cord up, over to the left, and back down, so it comes out at the end of the splitter, on the ground underneath the hydraulic valve (red handle).