Power King Log Splitter Reviews – Fastest Log Splitters?

I hope you love the products I've recommended below, just a heads up that as an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means I may earn commissions on products bought via links on this page.

Splitting wood can be a chore to some people and making it go faster is something that they’re looking for and thankfully these Power King log splitter reviews have the answer for your problems. Power King Log Splitter ReviewsWhen you want a fast powerful log splitter I find it hard to go past these machines that Power King has made.

Learning about these machines is essential before making any kind of purchase since log splitters are expensive with them only getting more expensive the more powerful you go. This is why I recommend doing as much research as possible and might the reason you found yourself on my page.

On this page, you will find my opinions on the line of Power King log splitters and if I think they’re any good and possibly make your life easier. With that in mind, it’s time to find out how these log splitters stack up!

Power King 42 Ton Kinetic Log Splitter Review

 

When power and speed combine you end up with this Power King 42 ton kinetic log splitter that has a lot on of offer that puts most hydraulics to shame. If you’re someone who has a lot of wood to split and not enough time in the day then this model is a great option for you in my opinion.

Power Is King

It’s hard to ignore the impressive number of 42 tons of force when you combined it with the roughly 3 second cycle time. Combining these two aspects was a smart decision on Power King’s part in my opinion since kinetics are loved for their speed, but the power can often be underwhelming.

A big part of this power comes from the 7HP Kohler Pro engine that offers a high level of performance while keeping the gas consumption down. Kohler is known for making some solid engines so it was a smart design choice by Power King to go with them for their engine.

What Can It Split?

This is a difficult question to answer since wood can be so different and giving an exact measurement is difficult. In these situations, I think it’s best to go with what the manufacturer recommends since they do more testing than anyone else.

In this case, the maximum length is 21-inches which is a decent length since most logs are usually cut to be a little smaller. In terms of diameter, you can easily split logs that are 23-inches in diameter and most likely larger logs but 23-inches to be on the safer side.

High Speed

This should come as no surprise since it’s a kinetic log splitter that this machine is quick when it comes to cycle times. So the 3-second cycle time isn’t surprising and is pretty much expected when you’re talking about a kinetic splitter.

Since it’s such a fast and powerful log splitter I would actually recommend splitting with an extra set of hands. This will help maximize the downtime you would have when you’re by yourself but also help you finish quickly so you can go off and do something you’d prefer.

Excellent Features

One of the best features of this log splitter is the auto-braking system which is designed to prevent the system from overworking itself to much which in turn could potentially ruin the system. So this added feature is something I really like since the cost of this log splitter can be a little on the high side.

Having the ability to tow your log splitter is an overlooked feature that I think deserves more credit than what it gets. So this splitter having the capability to be towed is something that I find useful. Since it gives you the ability to split further away from the home and even help friends and family with their logs.

Power King 42 Ton Kinetic Log Splitter

 

Power King 22 Ton Kinetic Log Splitter Review


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The so-called little brother of the Power  King kinetic log splitter range is this 22-ton model which at 22 tons makes it far from little. While it might be smaller than big brother it still offers a lot of the great features with it still being powerful and fast but at a much smaller price point.

In my opinion, this log splitter is great for those who want to take splitting logs more seriously and want something that’s fast and powerful. The lower cost and still great power and is one of the main reasons I believe this log splitter is great for people in this situation.

Plenty Of Power

Once again, Power King went with a Kohler engine so you know you will be getting a quality piece of equipment. With this model being a slightly lower 4.5Hp pro engine that runs really smooth and starts easily which is something that I consider to be essential for a gas engine.

This engine combined with the two 25lbs flywheels gives this log splitter the ability to split logs that are 18-inches long and logs that are 16-inches in diameter. For the average wood user, this will be enough power to split what they need and quickly.

The Classic Kinetic Speed

I won’t go into the speed of this log splitter to much since it’s a kinetic log splitter which means it will be fast. It has a cycle time of 3 seconds so you will be getting through your logs quickly and easily.

Same Features As The 42 Ton Model

A lot of the features of the 42-ton models are found here on the 22-ton model so I won’t be repeating myself over and over. The same features are just as useful here as they were on the bigger model so if you like them there you will like them here.

Power King 22 Ton Kinetic Log Splitter

 

What Is A Kinetic Log Splitter

A lot of people have never actually heard of a kinetic log splitter and don’t know the differences between them and hydraulic splitters. These differences will always have pros and cons which can affect whether they will be good for you or not which is why it’s important to learn about them.

While I’m not going over the exact specifics on how a kinetic log splitter works I will explain the advantages and disadvantages of them. In my opinion, learning this will help you in not only making a smart financial decision but also a life-improving decision for some people.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of A Kinetic Log Splitter

Speed Advantages

If you have never used a kinetic log splitter or don’t know what they really are I will tell you exactly why they’re very popular, and that is speed! The speed of a kinetic log splitter is something that is practically unmatched in the splitting industry and is one of the biggest appeals of them.

On average a hydraulic log splitter will be between 12 – and 16 seconds for a full cycle which is pretty good and not something I would say is bad. The average time for kinetic log splitters is between 1 – 3 seconds which if you didn’t notice is a massive difference in speed which will save you a lot of time.

Speed Disadvantages

You might be wondering if there are disadvantages to this level of speed and there is something that can be an issue. Since it’s so quick there is a bit of downtime when your splitters not working and if you want to be efficient it’s recommended to have two people when your planning on splitting.

So I wouldn’t say this is a massive downside but it’s something that I actually recommend you do as it will make a quick experience even faster if you have the ability. Even with the slight downtime, it will still be faster than a hydraulic log splitter in my opinion.

How Is The Power On A Kinetic Log Splitter

The power of a log splitter can make or break the machine in my opinion, with it not being powerful enough to be an issue that can be very frustrating. But as with all things, there is no real simple answer to this question and is even more difficult when it comes to kinetic log splitters.

While companies say their kinetic log splitter is 24 tons of force it’s not exactly what it means and is more that is the level of hydraulic splitter it matches to from my experience. Don’t let this fool you into thinking that kinetic log splitters aren’t powerful because there are some monsters on the market and Power King has one of the biggest.

In the past, a lot of kinetic log splitters were fairly limited in their power and is a big part of the reason why hydraulic was king. This isn’t the case anymore as more companies are making more powerful kinetic machines that are faster and more powerful than a hydraulic unit.

Reliability In The Machine

One of the things that I see is that kinetic splitters are a little frail and breakdown more often then hydraulic splitters. This is a tough one as you never know how these people have treated their machines and what led to the issue. I’ve seen brand new hydraulic and kinetic splitters have issues.

So I find that a lot of the time it comes down to a bit of luck as sometimes you do just get a lemon. This is why I always find it’s worth looking into the companies warranty policy to see if you will be covered and protected as log splitters can be expensive to fix when they break down.

Should You Go With A Kinetic Or Hydraulic Log Splitter

Another question that comes up in a lot of the wood splitting forums is what type of log splitter should I go with which is a surprisingly difficult question to answer. There is a lot to consider before you go out and buy a log splitter since they’re so expensive.

What To Consider?

There are a number of things that I think you should consider before you buy a log splitter with the key things being your budget, what your splitting, and how much time you have to dedicate to splitting. These are the key things that I think everyone should work out beforehand.

Budget Can Effect Your Choice Greatly

Not everyone is in a position where they can just go and spend several thousand on a log splitter and if you are then that will make life easier for you. If you’re like the rest of us then you will need to do some serious thinking beforehand since your budget is instrumental in your options.

Sometimes it’s worth putting it off for a while so you can go with something larger to make your life easier in the future. It will come down to your situation and what you will be splitting to help make this decision. Hydraulic or kinetic are both expensive and there isn’t much difference in the two when it comes to price.

No matter what budget you’re on, in my opinion, adding a log splitter to your house will make life easier and is one of the main reasons to own one. So going with something smaller will still most likely split the wood faster than if you were doing it with an ax or maul.

What Will You Be Splitting?

What type of logs and how large they are will be something that will play a big role in what type of splitter you will need? Both kinds of splitters have the power to split larger logs if you go with a bigger splitter so there isn’t too much to worry about with this question.

There is one thing to consider and that is some hydraulic log splitters have vertical splitting capabilities that can make splitting easier on you. You won’t have to lift the larger logs up onto the splitter which could be an issue for some people.

So this is something to consider since if you can’t lift these heavier logs up then a kinetic might not be the machine for you. This is the biggest issue of a kinetic splitter in my opinion and something you should consider beforehand.

How Much Time You Have

Something that doesn’t get mentioned is a lot is that splitting logs with a splitter can take a long time, especially when you’re splitting cords of wood. This makes splitting wood difficult for those who don’t have a lot of spare time to split logs so trying to spend less time splitting is essential.

This is where kinetic log splitters really shine in my opinion, their speed is something that will save you a lot of time. While hydraulic are great machines, they’re far slower than a kinetic machine which if you don’t have a lot of time can be a real issue for you.

So I recommend going with a kinetic if this is a big factor for you and you want to spend more time doing something else then split wood in your free time.

So Which Should You Choose?

This comes down to some personal preference in terms of what you should choose. If you have some lifting issues then a hydraulic log splitter with vertical capabilities is a good idea as it will make life easier for you. If you don’t have a lot of time then I reckon a kinetic log splitter is a better choice.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *