Champion 25 Ton Log Splitter – Tool Review

If you’ve spent countless hours swinging an axe into dense wood until your hands sting and become numb while your back and arms turn to putty… then it might be time to consider an hydraulic log splitter to ease your pain and improve your productivity tremendously.  Recently our friends over at Champion Power Equipment eased our troubled backs with their 25 Ton Log Splitter.  It actually made splitting wood fun and enjoyable.  We would go so far as to say… splitting wood with the Champion 25 Ton Log Splitter is our new form of meditation.  Aside from taking a huge amount of manual labor out of picture, the Champion 25 Ton Log Splitter was surprisingly easy to set up and has some very nice features that make this model stand out from the competition.

Key Features:

• Horizontal and Vertical Operation
• Log Catchers Included
• 12 Second Cycle Time (no load)
• Adjustable wedge stroke
• 2 in. hitch ball coupler
• Automatic cylinder return
• 224cc Champion 4-Stroke OHV Engine
• 89.3 in. Length, 42.9 in. Width, 44.7 in. Height

Set Up:

Depending where you order/pick up from, the Champion 25 Ton Log Splitter will either arrive at your door ready for action, or in a box ready for you to put it together.  We had the pleasure of piecing this beast together in under a couple hours.  We’re sure some of you out there could build it much faster, however we took our time to make sure we didn’t miss anything.  There are a total of seven main steps (not including adding engine oil, fuel, and hydraulic fluid).  Some steps will take longer and are easier with two people, however it is definitely possible to assemble alone.  Once we followed these steps and filled it with the proper fluids, we were able to fire it up on the first try.

The (general) steps include:

Step 1:  Install the Wheels

Step 2:  Install the Tow Bar

Step 3:  Install the Support Leg

Step 4:  Install the Beam

Step 5:  Install the Cylinder and Wedge

Step 6:  Install the Engine (already built) and Hoses

Step 7:  Install the Log Catchers

Design:

The design is well thought out and made operating this machine easy.  The only issue we saw with the design was the position of the power button and the On/Off dial for the gas.  We think it would be much easier to reach and read if they were positioned towards the outside, but this is only a minor note.  However, we do see it being a little safer if the power button was easy to reach in case of an emergency.  Aside from the many Warning labels that are slapped across this machine (for good reason), we do think it is one of the slickest looking splitters on the market.  The size of this machine is manageable for a single person and easy to haul using the integrated 2 inch ball hitch couple and DOT approved wheels (45 mph max towing speed).  The Log Catchers are a great design feature that function properly without getting in the way.       

Operation & Ease of Use:

One of the features that attracted us to this model was the ability to operate either vertically or horizontally.  Operating horizontally is great for smaller logs, but the ability to easily switch to a vertical position for those big logs you have to roll into place, makes life so much easier.  Although the wedge may not cover all of the log at times, it does split a much bigger log in half with ease.

Champion states on their website that this model has a 12 second cycle time which is definitely a safe number.  We were able to get an average 10 second cycle time in both the horizontal and vertical position, which definitely helped our productivity.  Plus with the automatic cylinder return, we were able to unload and load the wood with haste.

Power:

There were only a couple times where we noticed a little struggle during the splitting process.  However, these were logs with knots that made the axe feel as if we were hitting stone when splitting by hand.  These were the logs that we were excited to test on this beast.  Since these logs were sitting for some time during the winter, they were also frozen.  The Champion 25 Ton Log Splitter split these logs with no issues other than the occasional slow down and slight whining, but it did split these logs in a single downstroke every time without anything breaking down on the machine itself.  Depending on the types of logs you’ll be splitting and the frequency you’ll be using a Splitter, the 25 ton may or may not be the right amount of power for you.  Don’t worry, Champion also offers 12 other Splitters to choose from.  Ranging from 7 tons to 35 tons.  If splitting wood is not an everyday occurrence, but you still need power when splitting wood, then you could probably get away with a smaller unit.  However, since we heat our home and barn with a wood burning stove during the winter months, we felt the Champion 25 Ton Log Splitter was the right choice for us with the amount of wood and tree size on our property.  

Durability:

Since we’ve only had this machine for one season, it’s hard for us to determine the life span of this Splitter, however, with proper maintenance (changing oil, hydraulic fluid, and cleaning of debris) we don’t see why it wouldn’t last the average consumer for quite some time.  Just be sure to clean the debris and chaff from the engine cylinder, recoil starter cover, and muffler areas as well as check to make sure that all areas are tightened and secure before operating and storing. 

Value:

With the average price tag of $1200 (depending which retailer you purchase from), the Champion 25 Ton Log Splitter is a very good deal for what you get.  So if you are ready to pony up the money for a Log Splitter that is easy to use, will save you time, energy, and pain, then we highly recommend the Champion 25 Ton Log Splitter.

Buy Now: $1199.99 or to learn more, check out: ChampionPowerEquipment.com