My current machete finally gave up its ghost. (broke) I am in the market to replace it. I have been doing research on a suitable replacement and now I have more questions than answers. My old machete was a cheap no-brand that I bought approximately 10 years ago. It was carbon steel and survived my teen-age years and all of the abuse I could heap on it (including tumbleweed attacks, brush clearing, improper storage, breaking pavers (the back edge), being tossed into and around the bed of a truck with other heavy/metal objects, and even saw service on the levy breaking up pallets into stakes.) I have been looking around on the web and have noticed that there are new designs and several companies. I primarily will use a new machete to clear brush and break up branches. I have about an acre of land that I need to clear, so I will be spending a lot of time and effort piloting this tool around. I like the longer varieties (18-24 inches) and do not see using a shorter one (12-14 inches) to great effect in my situation.

Do you have any advice on brand name or styles?