Had a DR 4 ton electric hydraulic splitter for 6 years doing 5-7 FULL cords/year for firewood. It does the job without fumes, starting, noise--plug it in and run it. Back in 2001 it was around $500. made extremely well in Italy.
No, zero mechanical problems with it used hard every year except some bolts and minor fittings. It's horizontal so the butt has to be humped up to the bed for splitting. You know you need the weight lifting workout. Yes, it is slow compared with our old gas 20 ton splitter, but: I can talk to myself ( intelligent conversation), sing, listen to neocon radio, or classical music.
Only downside to this electric splitter is that it is slow compared to a gas splitter.
DR is a quality company to deal with. They have 6 ton splitters also.
The small DR does 90% of the splitting; the rest I can manhandle with wedges, or dump the SOB crotches.
What's with all this gear macho stuff for those paying for delivered wood ? One weeny in Mass from another site, says he "needs" a MS440
AND a 20 ton splitter to "work hard"
at the pile of delivered logs dropped off at his driveway for 3 cords.:monkey: