Funny thing, just last week I was at my local hardware store, and they had one of these junkpiles out there for rent!
Now that I've had a good close look at it, I think even LESS of it! It's downright FLIMSY!
Oh, the toe plate was bent, too.
I haven't yet seen a consumer grade splitter that comes
close to the Speeco brand. I'd prefer a Honda engine (just based on reputation), but there's no comparing the beef of the unit.
There's another thread around where somebody is showing off his new CLS, and everybody is ooohing and aahhhing over it. From the pictures posted, I'm not impressed AT ALL! (I'm not going to say anything in his thread, of course. No need to rain on his parade.)
Dunno about the Brave units, or the Northern Tool, or Iron & Oak, because I haven't seen them, but all the rest I've seen are nothing close to the Speeco.