Best Splitting Maul

The Best Wood Splitting Maul

Thanks for visiting this article about the best wood splitting mauls. There are many ways to split wood, using a maul, a splitting ax and even taking the easy option and using a log splitter. There is something particularly satisfying though about using a splitting maul and it is an excellent workout as well.

What to Look for Before You Buy a Splitting Maul

It’s very important to have a decent handle on your maul, you want something with a good grip and ergonomic. You certainly don’t want a maul that is going to give you splinters or blisters. Traditionally maul handles were made from hickory but now handles are made from different woods and fiberglass each have their pros and cons and we will go into that more with the individual reviews. How the head is fitted into the handle is also important and of course, you want a reasonably heavy head 8lb seems to the most common. Finding a quality maul is not too difficult and they are not usually over expensive.

We are going to look at 4 different wood splitting mauls from 4 different brands

Husqvarna Splitting Maul Review

The first one we are going to look at is from Husqvarna who as you probably know is one of the leading quality brands for tools of all descriptions. The maul comes with a nice leather protector for the head. As expected from Husqvarna everything about this maul is quality from the hand-forged Swedish steel-head to the wooden hickory shaft. This offers a good old fashioned tool that will last if looked after.

I looked for negative reviews of this maul online but couldn’t find any. I’d say the only issue if any is that Husqvarna only provides a 90-day warranty on their axes.

The short video below demonstrates the Husqvarna wood splitting maul in use. The presenter and his son had different views on the maul

Fiskars Splitting Maul Review

The Fiskars Iso Core 8 lb Maul is a big heavy tool that is described as a ‘Splitting Beast’. While some might prefer the old-fashioned artisan quality of the Husqvarna others will appreciate the patented shock control system and the rust-resistant coating on the forged steel head.

This is a heavy maul but the nice balance and anti-shock handle makes it easy to use for hard jobs. If you read the reviews on Amazon you will see some women who are using it with success.

The Fiskars Iso Core is competitively priced compared to other mauls in its class and it comes with a lifetime warranty.

There are an amazing amount of users describing it as the Best Maul on the market and really you can’t go wrong with this maul unless you specifically want a wooden handle.

As with all products reviewed online, we did see a handful of negative feedback, a couple of them mentioned that the head had chipped but with 2 people out of over 400 reviews praising the maul we wonder how they managed this.

The Fiskars ISO Core is our recommended Splitting Maul.

Estwing Fireside Friend Wood Splitting Maul

Out of all the mauls we are looking at the Estwing Fireside Friend is the most budget-friendly. This USA made maul gets great reviews and like all Estwing products is top quality. This is a 4lb maul and we’d say perfect for car camping or for RV trips. It would also be ideal if you only need a maul for small jobs, for instance breaking down logs to use for a smoker.

One reviewer described it as ‘Baby Splitter’ ideal for splitting those small logs that you don’t need an 8lb maul for but need something heavier than a hatchet or small ax.

The Estwing Maul comes with a sheaf for the head and a leather grip, all in all, this is a quality maul for small jobs and camping trips.

The video below shows the Estwing in action and how one reviewer splits logs with it

Wilton Tools Splitting Maul Review

The Wilton Tools maul comes with an unbreakable handle, a nice rubber grip, and a drop forged head. It is the most expensive mauls that we are looking at and really the unbreakable handle is what sells it to us. While most reviewers online seem to be pleased with the maul and its design there are a lot of users who are commenting that the maul arrives blunt, while this is certainly annoying there is an obvious solution in sharpening it yourself.

We would like to point out that other reviewers commented that they received theirs sharp out of the box.

This is a big heavy duty maul at around 10-12lb [ Wilton say 8lb but reviewers disagree!] so make sure that you are prepared if you haven’t used a maul or are used to 6lb ones.

Wilton Tools are a quality company and this is a nice maul that should last a very long time. It’s a fair bit more expensive than the others we have looked at but you do get an unbreakable handle backed up by Wilton Tools guarantee.

Conclusion

Each one of these wood splitting mauls will get the job done it will depend on your individual preference and budget for you to decide the best splitter maul for your personal use. To recap we would suggest the Husqvarna for an old school and top quality wooden handled maul. Our top-rated maul is the Fiskar it comes at a good price and is easy to use. For small jobs and camping trips, we’d recommend the Estwing Maul. If you want something that is very heavy duty and should last a very long time then check out the Wilton Tools maul.

We want to end this article asking you remember safety precautions when using a splitting maul, learn how to swing it properly and safely. We have heard countless stories of people taking chunks out of their bodies with axes. Using a maul correctly should be a good workout as well without putting out your back. Safe splitting folks!