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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

Hyundai Excavators — 2016 Spec Guide
CE Staff
August 24, 2016
Read Article
Mini Excavators
Volvo Excavators — 2016 Spec Guide
August 24, 2016
Mini Excavators
Kobelco Excavators — 2016 Spec Guide
August 23, 2016
Mini Excavators
Terex Excavators — 2016 Spec Guide
August 23, 2016
Mini Excavators
Yanmar Excavators — 2016 Spec Guide
August 22, 2016
Mini Excavators
John Deere Excavators — 2016 Spec Guide

Five Compact Machines Driving Big Results John Deere has been manufacturing excavators for more than 40 years. Responding to customer demand...

August 22, 2016
Mini Excavators
Kubota Excavators — 2016 Spec Guide

KX-Series and U-Series Deliver Power and Utility Decades ago, Kubota released its first excavator and today produces the top-selling excavat...

August 19, 2016
Mini Excavators
Watch This Vac-Tron Safety Video on Exposing Utilities with Vacuum Excavation

Vacuum excavation is used worldwide and has quickly grown into the best method for safer digging. Vac-Tron Equipment is an industry lea...

August 18, 2016
Mini Excavators
Wacker Neuson Excavators — 2016 Spec Guide

These 14 Diggers Feature the Industry’s Best Warranty Wacker Neuson began offering excavators to the U.S. market in 2008. However, it ...

August 18, 2016
Mini Excavators
Hitachi Excavators — 2016 Spec Guide

Five Models from the Innovator of Hydraulic Diggers Hitachi has had a long history with compact excavators. In 1965, the very first hyd...

August 18, 2016
Mini Excavators
Takeuchi Excavators — 2016 Spec Guide

Eight Right-Sized Diggers from the Japanese Equipment Innovator Takeuchi manufacturing began in 1963 and has been a pioneer in the compact e...

August 17, 2016
Mini Excavators
Mustang Excavators — 2016 Spec Guide

The Original Workhorse Markets Six Zero Tail Swing Units Mustang excavators were first introduced in 1999. Thirteen years of industry knowle...

August 17, 2016
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