In a Hurry? Here's Our Top Choice:
Helko Werk 4.5 Pound Classic Expedition Felling Axe
This Helko Werk model features a handmade German high grade carbon steel head and an American hickory handle crafted in Switzerland. 100% pure quality.
If you're looking for a new felling axe, you found the right place. At Axe and Answered we take all things Axe serious. This page is specifically dedicated to helping you choose the best felling axe for your tree chopping duties.
We like to think about all aspects of what you might be looking for, such as what is the best tree cutting axe overall, and what is the best felling axe for the money. Everyone has different wants and need so while a $400 axe might be right for one person, a $50 workhorse might be right for some else.
For quick reference check out the table directly below, or scroll down past the chart for a more in depth look at various the felling axes offered by some of the most popular brands out there.
Felling Axe Reviews Chart
Here are five of the best axes for felling trees.
MODEL | IMAGE | DETAILS | PRICE | A&A RATING |
|---|---|---|---|---|
  | Weight (lbs): 7 Length (in): 38 | $$$ | 10 | |
  | Weight (lbs): 5 1/2 Length (in): 31 | $$$ | 10 | |
  | Weight (lbs): 5 Length (in): 30 | $$ | 8.5 | |
  | Weight (lbs): 4 1/4 Length (in): 35 | $ | 9 | |
  | Weight (lbs): 5 1/4 Length (in): 36 | $ | 8.5 |
*Links on the comparison chart above take you to individual product pages on Amazon.com
What to Look for in a Quality Felling Axe
Cutting down a tree is no small task. If you're going the manual labor route and skipping the chainsaw than you really will need to right tool for the job. Choosing a quality felling axe that's up the the job at hand is essential.
The two major parts of any axe are the head and the handle, and axes made specifically for chopping down trees are no different. However, the shape of the head for a felling axe is very specific to its job.
While the head of an axe made for splitting logs is very thick and resembles a wedge, the head of a felling axe is much thinner. The purpose of this thin head is to make it easier to slice through the wood as opposed to fracturing it into multiple pieces as a wedge does.
Additionally, a unique feature of some axes made specifically for chopping down trees as opposed to splitting logs or carving wood is that some will be double bitted, or have two cutting edges instead of only one. The major benefit of using a double bit axe is that you have twice as long to work (chop trees) before you need to sharpen the bit, but unless you're doing some serious felling, it could be overkill.
The handles are usually fairly long in order to give you plenty of leverage on your swing. They are typically made wood, often hickory, or some type of hardened composite material like Fiskars uses.
Example of a Felling Axe
The Velvicut felling axe is about as pure of a tree chopping axe that you'll find.
Quick Look
Major Features
- thin axe head with long cutting surface
- long curved hickory handle
- well balanced and highly durable
- made in the USA
- leather sheath included
This Velvicut model by Council Tool is an extremely high quality American made felling axe. The lighter alloy steel head slices through both soft and hard woods, though this is definitely designed to fell trees and not to split logs. The long handle, sharp blade, and perfect balance help make every single swing count.
Popular Axe Brands
Like most other tools, there are many different manufacturers and brands from all over the world. Most of the more popular brands are manufactured in America, Sweden, Mexico, and China with America and Sweden having the reputation for manufacturing a higher quality product.
Some of the more well-known brands are:
- Council Tool
- Granfors Bruks
- Husqvarna
- Truper
- Snow & Nealley
- Helko Werk
- Fiskars
Each brand weighs in at a different price point, so there are value based options for less than $40 and more expensive options for the serious lumberjack or collector.
Additional Useful Tips & Info
When you need to fell a tree, the right axe is going to make that job a heck of a lot easier. Trying to cut down a tree with a heavy maul would be a very inefficient and unpleasant task just like trying to split logs with an axe made specifically for felling will be equally frustrating.
Besides the shape of the head, a thin taper as opposed to a thick wedge, the weight is on the lighter side as well. While for log splitting duties you'll often find axe head anywhere from 4 to 12 pounds, felling axe heads usually weigh in at around 2.5 to 4 pounds.
The more comparing and contrasting you do while searching for the best felling axe you'll start to notice that some of them include a city or state in their name too, like the Truper Double Bit Michigan Axe and the Council Tool Dayton Axe listed in out felling axe reviews chart. The locations denote where the head shape originated as smiths from different areas experimented with designs.
And, while there are some axe are manufactured specifically for felling trees, there are some that are more multi-duty design too, that can fell trees or split logs.
Example of a Multi-Purpose Axe
The Fiskars X27 is often used to function as a splitting axe, but it can fell small to medium trees too.
Quick Look
Major Features
- medium taped axe head suitable for splitting logs or felling trees
- low friction cutting surface
- shock resistant fiber glass handle
The Fiskars X27 is called the "Super Splitter" because of how well it splits logs. But, it's actually a more hybrid stye design than other splitting axes and mauls making it a more multi-purpose the tool. The X27 might not be the best pure felling axe, but it will get the job done, help with other wood cutting tasks, and do so for one bargain of a price.
Some trail and camping axes can serve as a felling axes as well.
In Summary
When you're looking for an axe to help you chop down trees, you'll want to pick up the best felling axe you can afford. Whether that's $30 or $300, having the right tool for the job will make it all that much easier to complete.
Lower cost axes can still get the job done, they just might not last as long as more expensive models. Some of the higher end models can last for generations.
Whether you choose to go the budget route, or the more professional route, as long as you get an appropriate axe for the task you need to complete, any of the models featured in our splitting axes reviews chart or anywhere else on this page should leave you with a smile on your face.
And, one final word in closing -- Timber!