We’re fired up about the winter weather, and ready to roast our chestnuts by an open flame all season long. Keep your own home fires burning with a steady supply of freshly split hardwood – our roundup of firewood tools will have you in touch with your inner lumberjack in no time.
A Wood-Handled Classic
An American classic with a smooth finish, produced in small batches in the good ol’ US of A. Get your mind out of the bourbon – we’re talking axes here, and a traditional hickory handled model with a well-balanced head and a stylish leather sheath will help you keep your patio hot-toddy-level toasty all winter long.
A Lightweight Chopper for Heavyweight Results
For beginner lumberjacks, consider the increased usability and easier swing of a fiberglass handle. Rubber inserts on the haft and an ergonomic grip prevent slippage and absorb impact, giving you a swing smoother than Babe Ruth after a close shave.
A 5-Star Workhorse
Come for the axe shopping, stay for the reviews. Among the 1,000+ 5-star ratings for this all-purpose chopping axe, one diehard fan gushes that it “might as well be Thor’s hammer.” Sounds like a solid choice, whether you’re heating Valhalla or just a suburban patio.
A Real Hatchet Job
Not every job requires the might of Paul Bunyan, and sometimes a compact hatchet is just the right tool for the task. This budget version of the classic wood-handled hatchet is a sturdy backyard multitool for splitting kindling and small logs, keeping your fire pit well fed all winter long.
A Cracker of a Shortcut
Looking for an easier way to split kindling and/or don’t trust yourself to swing a razor-sharp wedge of steel through the air? The Kindling Cracker may be for you. Simply pop a piece of firewood into the iron safety ring and give it a whack with a hammer or mallet, the blunt end of a hatchet, or even another piece of wood. Consider it Kindling for Dummies.
Winter is coming, so whether your hearth of choice is a fire pit, outdoor fireplace, pizza oven, or trash barrel (2020, right?) it’s prime time to make sure your wood rack is stocked up and ready to roll. So get cracking!