• Read Compact Equipment Magazine Online
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
Compact Equipment Magazine
 
  • Skid Steers
    • Skid Steers
    • Compact Track Loaders
  • Mini Excavators
  • Attachments
  • MEWPs
  • Engines
  • Tractors
  • More Equipment
    • Archives
    • Backhoes
    • Compaction
    • Compact Tool Carriers
    • Compressors
    • Hand Tools
    • Generators
    • Geothermal
    • Light Towers
    • OEM Systems
    • Pumps
    • Skid Steers
    • Telehandlers
    • Compact Track Loaders
    • Trenchers
    • Trucks
    • Utility Vehicles
    • Wheel Loaders
  • Videos
  • Subscribe
    • Free Print Subscription
    • Read the Digital Edition
  1. Compact Equipment Magazine
  2. Mini Excavators

Mini Excavators

These Popular Mini Diggers Are Also Awesome Tool Carriers

The mini or compact excavator segment stands as one of the hottest machine markets in U.S. construction equipment. Its popularity stems from its versatility and size. Operators can easily transport mini excavators, and these machines handle a variety of onsite applications. These include digging basements, burying downspouts, compacting soil, trenching service lines or grappling obscenely big, decorative rocks. Manufacturers define these units as excavators under 8 metric tons. Designers equip them with an undercarriage and tracks, a long digging arm, and a cab or ROPS enclosure. With dig depths ranging between 5 and 15 ft+ and operating weights between 2,000 and 20,000 lbs, compact excavators maneuver into cramped worksites while delivering impressive digging power.

The 3.5- to 4-metric-ton class continues to drive growth in the compact hydraulic excavator market, especially in rental, while the 5- to 6-metric-ton size class gains momentum. Conventional-style compact excavators share the spotlight with minimum and zero tail swing designs. Zero tail swing (ZTS), which ensures the cab stays within the width of the tracks, remains a popular choice. Beyond their many features — such as enclosed cabs, backfill blades, extendable sticks and retractable undercarriages — mini excavators can equip a wide range of attachments to tackle tasks beyond digging, including hydraulic thumbs, breakers, specialty buckets, augers, grapples and mowers. Recent trends in the category include commercially available electric and hybrid variants as well as machine control systems for grading and digging. Examples of mini excavators include:

Takeuchi’s TB Mini Excavators | Caterpillar’s Next Gen Mini Excavators | Kubota’s K, KX and U Compact Excavators

Volvo CE Adds Electric Power to Customers’ Sites
CE Staff
November 16, 2022
Read Article
Mini Excavators
Booth Preview: Doosan Will Display Crawler and Mini Excavators at the 2023 ARA Show
November 8, 2022
Mini Excavators JCB electric excavator
CALSTART Report: Electric Mini Excavator Sales Accounted for 5% of the US Market in 2021
November 2, 2022
Mini Excavators
Photos! Let’s Look at Bobcat’s bauma Booth, Which Includes a New Electric Mini Ex and a Skid Steer on Quad Tracks
October 26, 2022
Mini Excavators
Cat Launches New Entry-Level Automation and Grade Control (E-Fence and Indicate) for 6- to 9-Ton Mini Excavators
October 24, 2022
Wheel Loaders
Volvo CE Adds All-Inclusive Lease for Electric Equipment

Volvo Construction Equipment has launched a new financing option for the company’s electric compact equipment that simplifies the owne...

October 18, 2022
Mini Excavators
Mecalac’s 136MRail Compact Excavator Is Engineered to Ride Tracks, Dig in Confined Areas

Euro compact equipment innovator Mecalac announced that its 136MRail rail-road excavator is now available to the North American market....

October 14, 2022
Mini Excavators JCB
Compact Construction Equipment Takes the Electric Lead

When it comes to alternative-powered construction equipment, there’s little doubt that electric-powered compact machines have gained t...

October 11, 2022
Mini Excavators John Deere 30G excavator
How to Pick a Mini Excavator + a Bunch of Excellent Options from Brands

Mini excavators are great machines for a wide variety of tasks, everything from excavating for underground utility installations to moving d...

October 7, 2022
Mini Excavators
Takeuchi Introduces New TB335R 3.5-Ton Short Tail Swing Excavator

Takeuchi has added the new generation TB335R short tail swing compact excavator to its TB300 Series. This excavator features a sophisti...

October 6, 2022
Mini Excavators
Leica Geosystems Launches the Leica iCON site excavator

Leica Geosystems, part of Hexagon, just announced the launch of the new Leica iCON site excavator, a machine-control solution that enables c...

October 4, 2022
Mini Excavators John Deere 50G excavator
Mini Excavator Maintenance Tips: Upkeep Is a Priority for Machine Productivity

Compact excavators have increased in popularity in recent years, and in order to keep your machines up and running on the job, it’s be...

October 3, 2022
« Previous 1 … 10 11 12 13 14 … 58 Next »
Most Popular Posts

  • AI on Alert: Leica’s Xsight360 Boosts Jobsite Safety with Visual Detection Tech

    25 0 June 24, 2025

  • Video: Caterpillar Mini Excavators Play Hockey in Latest Marketing Move

    35 0 June 24, 2025

  • Learn How RDO Equipment Co. and MSU are Providing Hands-On Grade Control Training

    20 0 June 25, 2025

  • A Guide to Hay and Forage Attachments for Tractors and Other Tool Carriers

    25 0 June 25, 2025

  • Case Adds Four New Mini Excavators to Its D Series, Including the Electric CX25EV

    22 0 June 26, 2025

  • Subscribe to Compact Equipment Magazine
 
FREE MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION FOR INDUSTRY PROS
Subscribe today
Production Equipment
  • Aerial Lifts
  • Backhoes
  • Compact Tractors
  • Compressors
  • Mini Excavators
  • Light Towers
  • Skid Steers
  • Compact Track Loaders
  • Utility Vehicles
  • Wheel Loaders
Construction Tools
  • Attachments
  • Business and Software
  • Compaction
  • Compressors
  • Engines
  • Generators
  • Hand Tools
  • Industry Events
  • Light Towers
  • OEM Systems
  • Pumps
  • Trucks
More CE
  • Magazine Subscription
  • Advertising
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us

©2025 Copyright Compact Equipment Magazine