Boss Industrial ES7T20 vs Powerhouse XM-380: Log Splitters

The traditional method of chopping lumber for fuel involved a heavy axe and a whole lot of muscle. Nowadays, log-splitting has been automated with the help of handy log splitter machines. They come in all shapes and sizes and run off of different power sources. Corded-electric models are the most popular since electricity is relatively cheap, it’s clean, and it gets the job done beautifully.

Boss Industrial ES7T20 vs Powerhouse XM-380: Electric Hydraulic Log Splitter Comparison

Boss Industrial ES7T20

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In this article, we’re going to compare two highly rated log splitters – the Boss Industrial ES7T20 Electric Log Splitter and the Powerhouse XM-380 Electric Hydraulic Log Splitter. They both run off of electricity so it can be used at home, and they heave quick cycle times for enhanced productivity. You’re probably wondering what one log splitter can do that another model can’t so we’re going to focus on the main differences between what each of these guys has to offer. Without further ado, let’s get right into the comparison.

Powerhouse XM-380 vs Boss Industrial ES7T20: Electric Hydraulic Log Splitter Comparison

Powerhouse XM-380

Performance

Boss Industrial ES7T20
The 13.5-amp motor in the Boss Industrial delivers up to 7 tons of hydraulic force to chop logs. Unlike other models on the market, its proprietary hydraulic system allows users to operate the machine with a single hand – while one hand pushes the lever, your other hand can help maintain the log’s balance as it splits on contact with the wedge. The side rails keep logs stable while being pressed against the wedge. Finally, the logs are completely split by the time they reach the opposite end of the tool.

Powerhouse XM-380
The Powerhouse features a 3.5-HP motor that also offers up to 7 tons of force. It’s a two-handed machine which requires the press of a start button and a hydraulic switch to operate. One minor drawback of this model is that the throw is a little too short for the rails, leaving both halves of each log still intact near the back end. It’s not a big problem since you can simply split the log with your hands while removing it from the rails.

Boss Industrial ES7T20 vs Powerhouse XM-380

Boss Industrial ES7T20

Conclusion
Both units provide a similar amount of pressure for cracking dried, seasoned logs. However, in terms of operation and performance, we feel that the Boss Industrial’s design allows for easy log-splitting while reducing as much physical labor as possible. The Powerhouse requires you place a small 4×4 at the end of the log to ensure thorough splitting.

Cycle Time

Boss Industrial ES7T20
The cycle time measure how long it takes for the unit to complete splitting a single log. After pressing the start button on the Boss Industrial, it only takes around 14 seconds to split a log into two halves.

Powerhouse XM-380 vs Boss Industrial ES7T20

Powerhouse XM-380

Powerhouse XM-380
The Powerhouse’s automatic retracting plate greatly reduces the time needed to split single logs. It takes 6 seconds for the hydraulic press to travel towards the wedge, and it takes roughly 5 seconds for the plate to return to its starting position.

Conclusion
Compared to the old axe and chopping block, both the Boss Industrial and the Powerhouse can significantly reduce the amount of time spent splitting logs. If time is your main priority, then the Powerhouse’s 11-second cycle can have you splitting hundreds of logs an hour with no trouble.

Log Size

Boss Industrial ES7T20 and Powerhouse XM-380
The size of the rail should give you an indication of how large a log can be chopped down to size. Both the Boss Industrial and the Powerhouse have a maximum wood-splitting capacity for logs up to 20.5 inches long and 12 inches thick. These log dimensions are among the largest that can be fitted into an entry-level, residential-grade electric log splitter.

Boss Industrial ES7T20

Boss Industrial ES7T20

Seasoned and Green Woods

Boss Industrial ES7T20
Entry-level machines such as the Boss Industrial aren’t designed to handle large-sized green wood logs. However, if you keep the pieces under 6 inches in diameter, then the unit’s wedge should be able to split right through it. The manufacturer suggests sticking to seasoned wood logs or small-diameter virgin wood.

Powerhouse XM-380
The hydraulic system of the Powerhouse works beautifully at splitting season, year-long dried logs. As for green woods, customers recommend sticking to diameters of less than 10 inches, though it can be used to split foot-thick virgin lumber in a pinch.

Conclusion
Most corded electric log splitters are specifically designed to work on large-sized seasoned logs and smaller virgin logs in preparation for their year-long drying. With both of these tools, you get exactly that, but the Powerhouse performs just a little bit better than the Boss Industrial in terms of working on moist logs. If preparing green wood is a priority, then the Powerhouse would be marginally better for that purpose.

Powerhouse XM-380

Powerhouse XM-380

Weight and Maneuverability

Boss Industrial ES7T20
Although your workspace is limited to how far the power cord and extension cords can reach, you can always bring a portable generator to the middle of the woods to power up an electric log splitter. The Boss Industrial weighs roughly 128 pounds, but it comes with two rear wheels made of durable rubber for gliding along paved as well as uneven terrain.

Powerhouse XM-380
The Powerhouse weighs about 103 pounds after assembly, and it comes with two rear wheels so users can pull the machine wherever it’s needed. However, the wheels are too close together, making the unit a little bit unstable when rolling over grass and other uneven surfaces.

Boss Industrial ES7T20 vs Powerhouse XM-380: Electric Hydraulic Log Splitter Comparison

Conclusion
Despite being considerably heavier than the Powerhouse, the rubber wheels on the Boss Industrial keep the log splitter balanced perfectly on both paved and uneven surfaces. This is especially handy when needing to split logs in the middle or edge of forests.

Boss Industrial vs Powerhouse: Bottom Line

Ultimately, both of these electric log splitters would serve you well in substituting an old, worn-out axe. However, we feel that the Boss Industrial ES7T20 is just a little bit better than the Powerhouse XM-380 Electric Hydraulic Log Splitter. Our justification is simple: the lever requires only one hand, whereas the majority of other log splitters, including the Powerhouse, require both hands.

With the Boss Industrial ES7T20 Electric Log Splitter, you can balance the log to ensure even log-splitting. In terms of log size capacity, both of these tools work beautifully on up to 12-inch thick logs. One slight annoyance of the Powerhouse is that it doesn’t split logs completely so there’s still some manual labor involved in pulling log halves apart.

Powerhouse XM-380 vs Boss Industrial ES7T20: Electric Hydraulic Log Splitter Comparison

Gas Log Splitter | Recommended

Last update on 2024-03-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API


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