I've had my Brave 22 ton for 11 years now I think... It's split everything I've been able to bring to it... Oak, elm, sycamore, you name it.
IMHO, the "bigger" single wedge splitters (like the 34 ton "Tim the Toolman Taylor Specials") just get you to pay for performance you'll never use. If 22 tons will get it done, when will you ever use the extra 12 tons on a 34 ton model? Plus, they burn almost double the gas... to do the same work. It's all a waste.
You couldnt be further from the truth. There is little comparrison between a 22 ton model and say a 35 ton when it comes to getting a large volume of work done, but it also depends on what species of wood you are splitting and other variables.
I used to have a 27 ton, and recently sold it and purchased a new Speeco 35 ton and my splitting time has been cut by a third. Biggest reason is, the 35 ton rarely drops down into the low gear, generally speaking it just plows through in high gear.
And second, when using the 4way head, I rarely have to remove it for a tough piece. With the 27 ton model, I would often have to slip the 4 way head off when dealing with crotches and mangled pieces of hickory and pecan. Not anymore. I split three cords last weekend and never once took the 4 way head off for anything and all I split that day was hickory.
Every tool has its uses, and if most of your wood is small to medium sized and of a species that is easy to split, then a 22 ton model will suit you just fine. But if you are getting into large rounds, species that are hard to split, and want to use a 4 way head there is no replacement for power. It makes the job easier by not having to wrestle the rounds off and try another approach, and it certainly makes it faster if your splitter does not have to resort to the low gear to get through difficult pieces.
And as far as double the gas, I actually use less fuel than when I had the 27 ton model. Since I shaved a third of my splitting time off and the engine is working a heck of a lot less while working, my fuel consumption has gone down by almost two gallons a day.
Nope, a bigger splitter within reason is faster, easier, and in most cases more economical.