A brick splitter, also known as a brick cutter, brick cropper or guillotine is an essential piece of kit for most professional paving contractors, especially those heavily involved with the installation of block paving. It enables blocks and other small paving elements to be split or cut in a straight line using only manual pressure applied via a telescopic lever.

There is some debate amongst contractors regarding the preferred method of cutting blocks, with some preferring to use a power saw while others opt for a brick cropper.
In the right hands, a brick cropper is usually faster than a saw, but requires a greater degree of skill. Using a brick cropper, a block can be placed onto the machine and split accurately in approximately 3-5 seconds, while a saw will often take 10-30 seconds to cut an identical block, depending on the depth of cut.

Unlike saws or grinders, the amount of dust generated by cropping is minimal and therefore no dust suppression equipment is necessary to comply with health and safety recommendations. This ability to cut paving without creating dust, combined with zero consumption of fossil fuels and no need to change worn-out blades on a regular basis, along with a long service life help make brick croppers the best choice for the environment and also for the pocket.