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  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

AHM AX-15 Mini Excavator Here’s a New, Economy-Focused Digger: The AHM AX-15 Mini Excavator
CE Staff
November 8, 2024
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Machine Heads Video: A Deep Dive on Develon’s DX17Z-7 Mini Excavator

Wayne Grayson Talks About the DX17Z-7 Mini Excavator with Andy Jeong In the latest episode of Machine Heads Interviews, host Wayne Grayson s...

October 2, 2024
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Super Mini, Super Mighty: The Smallest Mini Excavators on the Market and How to Pick One

Contractors, homeowners and DIYers need machines built to tackle their to-do lists. Enter the smallest mini excavators. These super small 1-...

September 26, 2024
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Hitachi Construction Machinery and Dimaag-AI to Collaborate and Develop 1.7-Ton Zero-Emission Excavators

Hitachi Construction Machinery Co. Ltd. and Dimaag-AI Inc. recently announced a collaboration to develop and produce an electrified compact ...

September 26, 2024
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Machine Heads Video: Develon’s DTL35 Track Loader and DX17Z-7 Mini Excavator

In 2023, the well-known construction equipment brand Doosan Infracore underwent a significant transformation. After nearly 80 years of indus...

September 23, 2024
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The Most Popular Mini Excavator Models to Rent (and How to Choose One)

Whether you need to add an extra machine to meet a tight deadline or beef up your fleet to tackle a big job, equipment rental is a great cho...

September 10, 2024
Mini Excavators Doosan wheeled vs tracked excavators
Wheeled vs. Tracked Mini Excavators: Differences in Stability, Mobility and Maintenance

You see them everywhere these days. Mini excavators hard at work on construction jobsites. These machines perform tasks ranging from digging...

September 9, 2024
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Case CE Launches First Commercially Available Electric Backhoe Loader + New Battery-Powered Excavator and Wheel Loader

Case Construction Equipment had a press conference today, announcing the official commercial launch of the industry’s first battery-po...

August 14, 2024
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