Simply put, the Gransfors Bruk Splitting Maul ($255) is hands down the best overall axe for almost any wood-splitting task. Its 5.5-pound head and 7.2-pound overall weight allow it to power ...

Wetherbee prefers a splitting maul to an axe, on account of its heavier, less tapered head — it’s less likely to get stuck in knotty wood, she says. Also: a chopping block, and she recommends eye ...