• 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
    • 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

Caterpillar plate compaction attachment Compact Compaction: Let’s Learn About Vibratory Plate Compactor Attachments for Mini Excavators
Jack Roberts
March 14, 2022
Read Article
Attachments Takeuchi Tiltrotator
All-Around Productivity: Takeuchi-US Enters the Tiltrotator Market
March 10, 2022
Mini Excavators John Deere excavator
John Deere Acquires Three Deere-Hitachi Factories, 30+ Year Joint Venture Ends
March 7, 2022
Mini Excavators JCB electric excavator
Electrifying Excavators: Some Mini Ex Manufacturers Are Turning to Electric. Should You?
February 24, 2022
Mini Excavators
CASE Announces Its New CX15 EV Electric Mini Excavator to Launch in America in 2023
February 23, 2022
Showcase Kubota U10-5 excavator
Here Are Some of the Smallest Excavators in the Market

The smallest hydraulic excavators (with seats for operators) indeed are small. They are narrow and short enough to be driven through doorway...

February 22, 2022
Attachments Werk Brau
Couplers and Thumbs and Buckets, Oh My! Here’s a Quick Guide to Compact Excavator Attachments

Compact excavators are among the most popular and fastest-growing classes of excavators. With a wide range of attachments available, these w...

February 17, 2022
Mini Excavators
Let’s Dig into Kobelco’s New Next Generation SK45SRX-7 Mini Excavator

Kobelco Construction Machinery USA recently introduced the new SK45SRX-7 mini excavator model for North America. Kobelco understands the imp...

February 16, 2022
Mini Excavators zero tail swing
The Swing of Things: Which Tail Swing Is the Right Configuration for Your Mini Excavator?

Today, mini excavators are one of America’s most popular compact machine categories because of their ability to work in confined space...

February 15, 2022
Mini Excavators
JCB: A Revolution in Jobsite Productivity

Three all-new, innovative construction solutions from manufacturing leader JCB — the 505-20E Electric Compact Telehandler, 35Z-1 Zero ...

February 11, 2022
Mini Excavators
What’s a Crawler Skid Excavator? A Mini Excavator, Track Loader and Telehandler in One

Construction, utility, landscape — regardless of the industry, contractors can agree on one thing; doing more with less is important f...

February 10, 2022
Mini Excavators Cat 305 excavator
The Ex Factors: Here Are the Major Trends Pushing Compact Excavator Purchases in 2022

Small excavator tool carriers come in a wide variety of colors on dealer and rental lots these days. Cat black and yellow. Kubota orange. Ya...

February 8, 2022
« Previous 1 … 14 15 16 17 18 … 58 Next »
Most Popular Posts

  • ICYMI: Case’s New Midi Excavators, Silt Fence Installer Info and JCB Takes Over

    774 0 June 6, 2025

  • Sany Pushes Green Tech Forward with 2024 ESG Report and bauma Innovations

    41 0 June 2, 2025

  • Video: How to Spec the Right Auger for Your Skid Steer or Compact Track Loader

    49 0 June 2, 2025

  • Keep Your Compact Track Loader and Mini Excavator Attachments in Top Shape with These Maintenance Tips

    42 0 June 2, 2025

  • Case CE Adds the CX85E and CX90E to its Midi Excavator Lineup

    38 0 June 3, 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
  • Newsletter Subscription
  • Advertising
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us

©2025 Copyright Compact Equipment Magazine