Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I gave it one star to catch your attention. When it was functional, this was a 5 Star electric log splitter. I loved it. Easy to install leg frame. Wide wheel base provided stable mobility. The elevated height was a comfort to my bad back. HOWEVER, it had a difficult time splitting hickory. My rounds were only about 6" - 8" diameter, and 13"-14" long. I had never tried splitting hickory before now, so I can't compare the WEN performance with previous splitters I've owned. Just be advised that hickory is tough to split. You'll probably need a hatchet to help finish separating those sinewy fibers. More importantly, pay attention to the strain it puts on this splitter. You will hear it moan. I was almost done with my project when my WEN splitter "locked up" in the full-forward position. The little button that gets depressed by the hydraulic handle got stuck flush with the frame. A day later, it popped out and worked for a few minutes. Then it got stuck again while splitting hickory. Oil level was fine, according to method explained in WEN instructions. NOTE: other models I've owned required checking oil in the vertical position. WEN says elevate unit just enough to prevent oil from spilling out of fill port. Anyhow, my Wen kept getting stuck in forward gear. So, I decided to send it back for replacement. This is where the ONE Star Review becomes important. My first course of action was to call the manufacturer to see if I could fix the problem. I got an answering machine that said they were either helping other customers or perhaps I had not called during business hours. Well, what are your business hours WEN? That might be helpful information to know on a Saturday morning. Might I be waiting till Monday for your return call? (I'm old and don't own a cell phone.) After reaching the limits of my patience, I notified Amazon that I wanted to return defective splitter in exchange for an exact replacement. That was so easy. Thank you Amazon! I provided a 3-word explanation for my situation: Carriage won't return. Immediately my request was approved and Amazon sent me a return code. I could not rebox the splitter in original box because the carriage was fully extended and would not fit. This turned out to be a big deal. First, I took splitter to my local Kohls Dept Store where they have a convenient Amazon return desk. Found out that this splitter does not have approval to be returned at Kohls. So, next stop was my not-so-local UPS Store. The UPS Store experience was less than one star. It was a rip-off. Even though I was willing to purchase a box from them and package the splitter myself, they said I had to pay $61.85 because it weighed 103.6 pounds. Even after negotiating with regional UPS Store franchise manager, they would not budge on this fee. They said Amazon does pay for "shipping," but "handling" is extra. Apparently, the two young women and the one male truck driver were not capable of handling such a heavy challenge without the extra dollars. I'm 72 years old, recovering from debilitating chemo treatments; and I'd just hustled this splitter all around town by myself. I hope Amazon and WEN take note of this experience with the UPS Store. If I had known it was going to cost me 60 bucks to return a defective item, I'd probably have just purchased a splitter from Northern Tool or Tractor Supply or maybe even Walmart. Never had any issues returning stuff there. I like using Amazon for almost all my purchases. It is so convenient. But, this $60.85 is a deal killer. If you order this WEN log splitter from Amazon, you better pray there's nothing wrong with it. Sorry, Amazon & WEN for that comment. Get UPS Store to refund my overweight fee, and I'll gladly and honestly give this product a 5 star review.