I've now dismantled at least 30 pallets with this tool, so it's had considerably more than a quick test. I'm female and not particularly strong, and dismantling pallets manually used to take me forever. Even worse, I'd often destroy perfectly usable planks while trying to pry them off. This pallet breaker has made an enormous difference. I can separate the boards much faster and, in most cases, without splitting or breaking the timber. It's worth saying that it isn't magic. You still need to use a bit of common sense and technique. Position the tool carefully rather than simply applying as much force as possible. I find that using my body weight to hold the pallet or plank securely while levering it apart works extremely well. With a little practice, you quickly learn where to position the jaws to minimise stress on the wood. Compared with dismantling pallets using a crowbar and hammer, I'd estimate I'm at least 95% quicker and more effective with this. Occasionally a particularly stubborn, brittle or damaged plank will still break — no tool can completely prevent that — but my success rate at recovering intact timber is dramatically better. One thing to be aware of: the tool separates the boards; it doesn't magically remove the nails. You'll still need to pull or hammer those out afterwards. Personally, I'm perfectly happy with that considering how much of the difficult work this tool has already done. A couple of practical tips after 30+ pallets: Wear decent gloves and proper closed shoes or boots. Pallets mean rusty nails and splinters, and you really don't want either embedded in your hands or feet. Also, I'd recommend storing the tool indoors and occasionally checking the moving joints for bits of wood, dirt and other debris. Keeping the mechanism clear makes it much easier to operate. The construction has stood up well to the abuse I've given it so far, and the leverage means I can do work that previously required considerably more strength and effort. If you

Good stuff works good.