As our knowledge in the industry is so vast, these are questions we often get asked by people wanting to buy their first mini digger, or replace one of their older machines!
These questions, however, are actually a bit of a mine-field! You may as well ask which beer has the best taste? - A lot of it is actually down to personal preference, what kind of jobs you will be using the mini excavator for, and how often you are going to be using the digger!
While we cannot tell you which machine to buy, we have made a small list of a few of the most popular mini diggers on the market today, and a few pro’s and cons of each machine!
One of the most common machines in the UK is, of course, the JCB 801, along with its variants such as the 801.4, 801.5, 801.6. If you see a machine on a trailer, being towed by a utilities contractors van, there is a high chance it will be a JCB 801 – hopefully with one of our Rhinox Buckets attached!
These machines are very popular due to the very well know brand that is JCB. For many years the JCB brand has been one that operators have relied on. One of the biggest factors that drive (excuse the pun) people to buy the JCB machines is the availability of spare and replacement parts if something should go wrong, along with the amount of dealers located around the UK.
Now to the bad points. These machines are renowned for being very slow and cumbersome machines. They are also known to be quite unreliable. Of course the reliability issues can be reduced massively with regular servicing, greasing and replacing worn pins and bushes.
Rhinox not only stock buckets for these JCB machines, but we also stock a wide range of pins and bushes, and are available for next day delivery if ordered before 4pm!
Another very popular choice is the Kubota KX36, including the KX36-2, and the KX36-3. These are very popular machine due to their reliability and build quality. Another deciding factor is the position of the boom cylinder, or hydraulic ram. On most other machines, this ram is located on the underside of the boom. However this can often make it susceptible to damage from the digger bucket or attachment if the operator brings them in too close, and catches the ram. Kubota have redesigned their machine so the cylinder sits on top of the boom, meaning there is very little chance of this ram getting damaged.
One of the biggest problems with this machine is the price tag. You can spend a lot of money when buying this machine, however, if looked after, this machine should serve you very well no matter what the tasks you require it to do.
This digger seems to be very popular with the owner drivers and utility contractors alike! These machines are renown for being very comfortable and agile. Including their expanding tracks, which can be tucked under the machine when working in tight spaces or loading onto a trailer, or expanded when a lot of the heavier grunt work is being done!
While the price tag for the Takeuchi is similar to that of the Kubota, it seems there are fewer dealers for the Takeuchi machines than there are for the JCB or Kubota machines. However if you are buying the machines new, you can request Rhinox Buckets to be supplied with your machine straight out of the show room!
There are of course many other popular machines, such as Bobcat, Komatsu and CAT that could be considered as a competitor! However, we have simply named a few!
Please remember, these details above are mainly personal opinions around the industry, our customers, and people we have spoken to while being out and about. Your opinions may differ from these. If you are in the market to buy a new mini excavator, your best bet is to visit a dealer and take a machine for a spin, even if it is just around their yard!
With help finding a dealer, please email at sales@rhinox-group.com
Likewise, if you are searching for spare parts for any of these machines, get in touch to see what we can offer, or click here.