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With origins in 1600s Sweden, Husqvarna has a long history of quality products. While they’re no longer known for rifles, which they stopped making in the 1960s, the brand is now well known and respected for their outdoor power products and construction equipment. If you’re familiar with brush cutters or lawn mowers, chances are you’ve come across a Husqvarna product. Husqvarna axes don’t cut corners on quality, and they frequently top “best of” lists, so we decided to test one of their popular axes to find out if it lives up to the brand’s reputation and see how it performs in several different situations.
Axes can be used for a variety of jobs, but most axes tend to be job-specific tools. Their weight, handle length, and blade are designed for certain functions, like limbing (removing limbs from trees), clearing brush, or making kindling. However, not everyone has room for several axes in their garage or shop. Models like the one we tested, the Husqvarna Multi-Purpose Axe A2400, are made for versatility, cutting down on the number of cutting tools you need. Not only does it have the weight and adequate length for splitting wood and driving splitting wedges, but it also could be used for making kindling and for other smaller jobs, too.
The A2400 straddles the line between a splitting maul and a hatchet, landing somewhere in the shorter splitting-axe category. I tested this model, splitting wood and cutting kindling near my home on a heavily wooded 40 acres. My family and I gather, split, and stack firewood year-round, so this wasn’t our first time swinging an axe.
The Husqvarna Multi-Purpose Axe A2400, is a quality-made axe with a sharp blade that works well for a variety of tasks. However, it’s not perfect for any one job. Splitting mauls are more efficient, and this axe is a little heavy and awkward for kindling. But it can do both jobs, plus clearing and limbing if needed.
Husqvarna Axe: At a Glance
Rating: 7.5/10
PROS
- High-quality materials that feel sturdy in hand
- Reinforced stainless steel plate to protect the handle
- Smooth handle with textured end for better control
- Good weight and balance
CONS
- Short handle length
- Poor plastic cover design
Get the Husqvarna Multi-Purpose Fiber Composite Axe 2400 at:
What Is the Husqvarna Axe?
This Husqvarna axe falls in the multipurpose category of axes, as the full name implies. But what exactly does that mean? Splitting mauls are at one end of the axe spectrum, and hatchets lie at the other. In the middle are splitting axes that look similar to mauls but with a different head shape and shorter handles.
A true splitting maul has a long handle and heavy head with one flat side that looks like a sledgehammer. The head weight helps build the momentum and force needed to split large wood rounds. A splitting maul’s handle ranges in length from 32 to 36 inches.
Hatchets have a smaller head and don’t have the sledgehammer back side, though they may have a back side that can function as a hammer. The handles fall in lengths between 12 to 18 inches. They’re used to make kindling, which are the small wood chips used to start a fire.
The A2400 is a splitting axe, falling in between a maul and hatchet with its 28-inch handle. In total, it weighs 5.29 pounds, but the head weighs 3.97 pounds. That heavy head helps bring power to each swing. At that weight and length, it’s a little short for a splitting maul and pretty long for a hatchet.
However, in actual use, it functions more like a maul than a hatchet. Because it’s an axe, it has a sharper head than a standard splitting maul. It also features a stainless steel plate that reinforces the shaft, protecting it if you miss your target and connect with the shaft instead of the head.
Is the Husqvarna Multi-Purpose Axe A2400 Easy to Use?
My husband and I both tested this Husqvarna axe. He stands 5 feet 11 inches tall, and I’m 5 feet 4 inches tall, which affected our experience with the A2400. Both of our experiences are included in this review so that users of different heights and strengths get a better idea of how the A2400 functions.
The composite used to make the handle glides through the hands with a smooth texture and perfect diameter. The smoothness helped when I got into a working rhythm. It didn’t catch on my hands, and the handle end’s flair acted as a stopper, so I didn’t lose my grip. The handle diameter felt comfortable to both of us. I could easily grip it even though my hands are small, even for a woman.
However, we differed in opinion when it came to ease of use. The A2400’s 28-inch handle is shorter than that of the average splitting maul. When splitting, we both noticed the short length, especially my husband. He had to hunch over to get a safe angle. It didn’t take long for that stooped position to become uncomfortable. Splitting wood can already cause a backache, but the A2400 put him in a position that prematurely brought on back fatigue.
I didn’t find the shorter handle nearly as uncomfortable, although I still had to hunch a little. However, it was easier for me to swing than a 36-inch Fiskars splitting maul that we’ve had for 15 years. I would use the A2400 over the Fiskars because the handle fits my shorter body and arms, and it’s a little lighter, making it easier for me to manage. But for my average-height husband, it wouldn’t be his go-to axe.
I found the A2400 too heavy for fine work like making kindling. With fine tasks, my husband had more luck. He held the axe by the back of the head and quickly made kindling, whereas I didn’t have the strength for it.
The good: Construction and material quality are excellent, and we can feel it.
The bad: The handle length can make it uncomfortable for taller users.
Is the Husqvarna Multi-Purpose Axe A2400 Comfortable and Efficient to Use?
Splitting wood can easily cause blisters. I don’t want a handle with seams or splinters that will further tear up my hands. The A2400’s smooth handle slipped right through my hands, but the flared end kept the handle from slipping or sliding out of my hands on the upswing.
The axe’s weight distribution improved efficiency. I’m a smaller woman, so I need as much help as I can get on each swing. The 3.97-pound head helped me build momentum, which added power to each strike.
A stainless steel plate on the shaft is an awesome feature. I’m fairly accurate with my swings (my husband’s incredibly accurate), but I do miss on occasion, and that plate reinforced that weak spot. That extra reinforcement let me swing wholeheartedly, knowing that the shaft could handle any swing mistakes.
I also liked that you can flip the head and use it as a hammer. For large rounds, sometimes you need to drive a splitting wedge (a metal or plastic wedge that digs deeper into the wood), and this axe can do it.
Is the Husqvarna Multi-Purpose Axe A2400 Good Quality?
The first time I picked up the Husqvarna A2400 I knew I held quality in my hands. The composite handle feels solid, as does the head. If I were to rate the blade’s sharpness on a scale of one to 10, I would give it an 8. You have to be careful with any axe, but especially this one. The steel can be sharpened when needed, and the fiberglass composite used to make the handle glides through the hands with its smooth texture and perfect diameter.
The only part of the A2400 that didn’t feel like high quality was the sheath. It’s more a plastic cover than a sheath, and it snaps into place. It covers the blade, but as soon as I set the axe down in a box, the sheath popped off. It continued to fall off throughout testing. Let’s just say it didn’t inspire my confidence in its protective abilities.
Is the Husqvarna Multi-Purpose Axe A2400 Worth the Money?
This Husqvarna axe falls in the midrange on price. For the quality, it is definitely worth the money. The fiberglass composite handle can take a beating, especially with the added stainless steel reinforcement. The quality of the steel in the head also makes the price worth it. It’s solid, strong, and can be sharpened. The combination of handle and head quality means this is an axe that will stay with you for years.
It’s worth the money if you want an all-purpose axe that leans toward splitting in functionality. The A2400 would be great to keep behind the seat of a pickup truck if you live in an area where branches or trees in the road are an issue. You can jump out of the truck, take a few swings, remove the debris, and go on your way. It’s the kind of tool to have on hand for splitting wood for campfires or to split a tree that has fallen in the yard. If I could offer one word to describe the A2400, it would be “handy.”
Is the Husqvarna Multi-Purpose Axe A2400 Right for You?
This Husqvarna axe is a great choice for certain people, but you want to make sure that you’re one of those people before making a purchase. The handle length doesn’t work for everyone and everything. For someone who splits two or three cords of wood each year, the A2400 is probably too short. That is unless you, like me, are on the short side. In that case, the shorter handle may fit you better than a standard 32-inch splitting maul.
If a high volume of splitting is in your future, Fiskars makes an excellent 36-inch splitting maul that really lets you put full power behind each strike. It’s made of a similar fiberglass composite, so it feels much like the Husqvarna. However, that added length lets a user stand upright for greater comfort, momentum, and power.
Nor would this be the right axe for someone who prunes trees or uses a hatchet to make kindling more often than not. It’s too large and heavy for that. Fine detail work needs a blade that’s as sharp as a razor, like the Gransfors Bruks Outdoor Axe. Less pricey but still of excellent quality is the Hults Bruk Tarnaby Hatchet. Its slightly longer handle works for pruning, too.
Who is the Husqvarna for? Someone who doesn’t necessarily need a specialty axe. The Husqvarna works for most small jobs and can take on large splitting jobs if needed. For those who do a little bit of both, this may be the axe for you.