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When you think of the company Earthquake you will generally think about them as only a tilling and hole-drilling company. Which you would be right in thinking that, they are experts in that field and are well renowned for there quality. Within these Earthquake log splitter reviews you can determine just how well these machines compare to their famous hole drilling products.
So Earthquake recently have started to expand and moved into other kinds of tool. The most important one and the one you want to know about their log splitters. At the moment they currently only have one log splitter which is quite affordable in comparison to some bigger brands out there. Today I will be reviewing the Earthquake W1200 5 ton log splitter and will try to give you as much information as possible to let you make an informed decision.
A Little About The Brand Earthquake
To me when I review a product, I believe it is important to learn a bit about the company itself. Learning about the company will help you understand some of their decision making attributes while also proving to you that they in fact do create equipment with you the customer in mind. So with that in mind, lets dig a little deeper into the brand Earthquake.
The company itself is based in the northern part of Wisconsin which I think is a big benefit to the log splitting industry. Being based in Wisconsin means they need to make there tools to handle the toughest conditions and durable enough to satisfy the tougher crowd. Which I find are qualities that I want in a log splitter. Especially being durable. It is also important to me that they not only design there equipment there, but also manufacture their tools there. Which means Earthquake are keeping more jobs here in the USA.
When you look at Earthquakes track record with there tilling and hole-drilling equipment and the way they are market leaders in this area, it shows to me that they know what it takes to not just make the best equipment, but also keep producing some of the best tools on the market. So what I want to accomplish with this buyers guide for the Earthquake log splitter, is give my honest thoughts and opinions on there equipment. With this in mind read on ahead to find my review for the Earthquake 5 Ton electric log splitter.
Earthquake 5 Ton Electric Log Splitter Review
Earthquake W1200 Compact 5 Ton Electric Log Splitter
The first thing to note about this log splitter is that it is a 5 ton electric unit, which has quite a few benefits that a gas powered unit doesn’t. The first advantage to being an electric log splitter is that they don’t require anywhere near the maintenance a gas powered engine does, so if you aren’t the most mechanically minded this is a plus.The other most obvious advantage is that electric machines cost a fraction of gas. You can check the current Earthquake price on amazon here.
The other advantage and probably the best thing about an electric unit is that they produce no fumes, which you will come to find out is excellent. Not only is it better for the environment, it’s better for your health as well. Since there isn’t and dangerous fumes, you are open to a greater amount of areas in which you can split wood. You can even safely split logs inside. And let me tell you once you to start splitting inside and don’t have to deal with the weather outside, it is hard to go back to splitting outside.
Reviewing The Features Of The Earthquake
Being a 5 ton unit you won’t be able to split the largest logs possible. Which may not suit some people. But to be honest, if you’re planing on splitting larger logs you will be better off finding a larger unit then this. But this doesn’t mean this is a bad splitter by any stretch of the imagination, just means it is made for some one with different needs.
The feature that did impress me with this unit was the overall power considering it is only a 5 ton model. The W1200 was able to split some 9 inch wide elm logs that were freshly cut, which is not an easy thing to do. To be honest, something I wasn’t expecting this unit to do either. But it did!. The thing with these logs were that weren’t very knotted and easily split right along the grain. But when we went to split some smaller softer woods that were 5 inch wide fir that were very knotted and stringy, this unit struggled a little. So it doesn’t handle knotted wood as well as other electric models. A minor set back yes, but splitting Elm wood on a splitter like this is still impressive to me.
Very Light & Easy To transport
This Earthquake W1200 log splitter is very small in size and weight. Which makes it great for people who don’t have a lot of room and need to store the splitter after they use it. And since it only weighs about 103 pounds and comes with a rubber handle and 2 small wheels, it makes it easy to get in and out of storage for when you need it.
I actually found myself having my fire going more often when using this 5 ton unit. Since it is pretty much plug and play set up and. While this is great for many household owners, it does bring up the first problem with this splitter. While the flaw isn’t massive, it’s more frustrating then anything else. The thing with the wheels on this machine is that they are quite narrow and would of been better if they were wider, since they are so narrow when you move it over uneven ground it does try and tip over so you need to be careful. Which is fine in most conditions. As you should really have a bigger model if you are off road splitting anyways.
What I Like About The Earthquake Wood Splitter
- I really like the advantages of the electric motor on this splitter. Not having to split outside is such a great life improvement that I would struggle without during the cold months. But since it is so easy to start up I find it easy to just get it out to split a few logs, unlike a gas splitter that takes a bit of time to get out and start splitting.
- When it came to what logs it could split I was very impressed, never would I have thought this splitter would get through elm, let a lone elm that were 8 inches wide.
- With how small it is I found it very useful to store away in my garage, and it didn’t take up anywhere near that much room unlike a large splitter. Trust me when I say this is a “Wife Pleasing Feature“.
- While it isn’t the fastest unit on the market, I found it to be still pretty quick for this size coming in at about 20 to 22 seconds for its cycle time. When you compare the price on amazon compared to the super fast Kinetics splitters, you will understand why I say the speed of the Earthquake is not too shabby.
How About Longevity And Complaints For The Earthquake 5 Ton Electric Log Splitter
Sure the Earthquake W1200 5 ton has a very good price tag on it, but how long does it last. Does it still perform after your first season splitting with it?. Watch this short video review for one year after buying the Earthquake W1200. You may be surprised how well it performs one year later.
My Final Thoughts On This Impressive Splitter
I went into this review not expecting a lot from this machine, but boy did I change my mind about it. The logs it was able to split were very impressive for being just a 5 ton unit. Most log splitters this size wouldn’t of been able to do what I did with the Earthquake. Which is a huge plus for me.
But the fact it really struggles on stringy knotted wood is a bit of an issue, while not a deal breaker for me since it just means you have to have a few attempts at splitting that log. It is still easier then doing it with a splitting maul. This is a really great 5 ton electric log splitter, but if you like the idea of a 5 ton but just not this model I have more reviews for other 5 ton log splitters here. If you do require something with a bit more that will split logs a bit more consistently and don’t mind spending a little bit more I would recommend reading my reviews for the best 7 ton log splitters.
