10 Different Types of Excavator

Excavators are essential in construction, quarrying and demolition projects. From large-scale excavation to more precise digging, these diggers come in a variety of forms, each serving a specialised purpose. In this post, we'll explore the 10 most popular types of excavators, addressing their best uses, available sizes, some of their drawbacks and how much they cost.

1. Standard Excavator

Standard excavators, also known as crawler excavators, are the most common type of digger used in the construction industry. Mounted on tracks, they are incredibly versatile, offering robust digging power and excellent mobility in rugged terrain. The rotating cab allows the operator to move the boom in a full circle without repositioning the machine. These excavators can be fitted with different attachments like buckets, breakers and rippers, making them adaptable for various tasks. The most distinctive feature of a crawler excavator is its undercarriage, which is usually equipped with steel tracks but sometimes feature rubber tracks instead. These tracks provide enhanced stability and enable the machine to operate effectively on various terrains, like boggy ground.

Best Uses of a Standard Excavator:

Crawler excavators are ideal for heavy lifting, excavation, and earthmoving tasks. They are commonly used for digging trenches, foundations and clearing land at construction sites. In mining and quarrying, they efficiently move large amounts of earth and rock. Standard diggers are extremely adaptable, with specialized attachments making them essential for forestry and land-clearing operations, including removing trees, stumps and debris.

Size & Cost:

10 tons to 90 tons, depending on the digger model. Prices typically range from $100,000 to $500,000, depending on size and machine specs.

2. Compact Mini Excavator

Mini excavators are compact versions of standard excavators, designed for jobs where space is limited. They have increased agility and easier transportation. The small, lightweight design of a mini digger minimises ground impact, making them perfect for delicate work in areas with sensitive landscaping or underground utilities, especially when paired with specialised attachments like micro trenching buckets, grading beams and tilt-grading buckets.

Best Uses of a Mini Excavator:

Mini diggers are best suited for jobs like digging small drainage trenches, installing utilities and performing light demolition work. They are ideal for projects in urban environments, such as residential landscaping, small construction sites and renovation tasks where larger equipment would be too cumbersome.

Size & Cost:

0.75 tons to 10 tons, depending on the excavator model. Prices typically range from $10,000 to $100,000, depending on size and machine specs.

3. Long Reach Excavator

Long reach excavators, or extended reach excavators as they are also known, are equipped with a longer arm and boom compared to standard excavators, allowing them to reach much further distances from one spot. Long reach excavators are specifically designed for tasks that require working at a significant depth or distance. Their extended reach makes them invaluable in scenarios where it is dangerous or impractical to bring equipment too close to the work area, such as when working over water.

Best Uses of a Long Reach Excavator:

Long-reach excavators are commonly used in dredging operations, underwater excavation and demolition of tall buildings. They are also perfect for large excavation projects near rivers, lakes and other bodies of water where operators need to remain at a safe distance from the edge.

Size & Cost:

4 tons to 115 tons, with a reach of up to 100 feet (30 metres). Prices typically range from $30,000 to $500,000, depending on size and machine specs.

4. Wheeled Excavator

A wheeled excavator, also commonly known as a rubber duck, performs similarly to your standard excavator, but they are fitted with wheels instead of tracks for safe, easy manoeuvring in urban areas or on smooth surfaces. Though they are less stable than tracked excavators on rough terrain, they are often preferred for urban projects that require both digging and mobility. Wheeled excavators can be equipped with the same attachments as tracked excavators, but their digging depth is slightly reduced due to the added height from the wheels.

Best Uses of a Wheeled Excavator:

Wheeled excavators are ideal for urban infrastructure work such as road construction, utility installation and other tasks that require quick repositioning, particularly in cities or on road projects. Wheeled excavators can be a good alternative to tracked excavators for road, urban or bridge work because they can drive themselves from site to site and are safe to operate on finished pavement, where you want to avoid damaging the surface.

Size & Cost:

5 tons to 25 tons. Prices typically range from $50,000 to $300,000, depending on size and machine specs.

5. Spider Excavator

Spider excavators or walking excavators are unique machines equipped with adjustable legs instead of tracks or wheels, allowing them to "walk" across uneven and steep terrain. Their versatility makes them suitable for working in environments where standard digger would struggle, such as on mountain slopes, in forests, or in flooded areas. The legs can be independently adjusted to keep the cab level, even when working on extreme angles.

Best Uses of a Spider Excavator:

Spider excavators are often used in forestry, riverbank reinforcement and construction on mountainous or otherwise difficult terrain. These machines are perfect for emergency response operations, such as after landslides, floods or other natural disasters where accessing remote areas is a challenge.

Size & Cost:

10 tons to 15 tons. Prices typically range from $50,000 to $250,000, depending on size and machine specs.

6. Backhoe Excavator

Backhoe excavators, more commonly known by the terms backhoe or backhoe loader, are a combination of a front loader and a standard excavator. The backhoe loader features a bucket on the front and a smaller digging arm (or "backhoe") on the rear. This combination allows it to perform multiple functions, such as bulk moving and precising digging, making it a favourite for small to medium-sized construction projects and agricultural work. The rear arm of a backhoe can typically be equipped with the same attachments as a standard excavator, offering greater versatility for different tasks. This is particularly beneficial for farmers and landscapers, who can use the backhoe with flails for hedge trimming, micro trenchers for drainage work, and much more!

Best Uses of a Backhoe Excavator:

Backhoe excavators are incredibly versatile, frequently used for trenching, digging and material transport on small construction sites or farms. They are particularly useful for jobs like building small foundations, installing drainage systems and performing light demolition. The ability to switch between the front bucket and backhoe arm makes them valuable for multitasking on job sites.

Size & Cost:

5 tons to 10 tons. Prices typically range from $20,000 to $100,000, depending on size and machine specs.

7. Hydraulic Shovel Excavator

Hydraulic shovels are huge, heavy-duty machines designed specifically for mining and large-scale earthmoving projects. These excavators have a front-mounted bucket attached to a powerful hydraulic arm, capable of moving vast amounts of material quickly. The hydraulic system gives them superior lifting power and digging force, making them ideal for the toughest jobs.

Best Uses of a Hydraulic Shovel Excavator:

Hydraulic shovels are essential in open-pit mining and large construction projects that require moving large volumes of earth, gravel or rock.

Size & Cost:

150 tons to 650 tons. Prices typically range from $500,000 to several million dollars.

8. Dragline Excavator

Dragline excavators are large machines used in civil engineering and mining applications. They use a long boom and a suspended bucket attached to a system of cables. The bucket is dragged across the surface to collect material, which is then lifted and dumped elsewhere. Their immense size and reach make them suitable for large-scale operations.

Best Uses of a Dragline Excavator:

Dragline excavators are most commonly used in strip mining, where they remove overburden to expose coal or other minerals. They are also employed in dredging operations and deep excavation tasks. Their long reach makes them ideal for working on wide areas like open-pit mines and large waterways.

Size & Cost:

Up to 7000 tons for the larger models. Typically starts at $1 million and can go up to tens of millions for the largest models.

9. Suction Excavators

Suction excavators, or vacuum excavators, use powerful suction to break up and remove soil and debris, sometimes using water pressure to loosen soil before removal. These machines are highly precise and cause minimal disruption to the surrounding area, making them ideal for delicate jobs like excavating around underground utilities without causing damage to services.

Best Uses of a Suction Excavators:

Suction excavators are primarily used in urban environments for utility work, such as repairing or installing underground pipes, cables and gas lines. They are also used in environmental clean-ups and excavation of delicate archaeological sites where precision is required.

Size & Cost:

Vary around 10 tons to 40 tons. Prices range from $40,000 to $150,000, depending machine size.

10. Amphibious Excavator

Amphibious excavators are designed to operate in wet environments. They are equipped with pontoons instead of traditional tracks, allowing them to float and manoeuvre through waterlogged areas. These machines can work in marshes, rivers and shallow lakes without getting stuck or damaged.

Best Uses of a Amphibious Excavator:

Amphibious excavators are perfect for dredging waterways, restoring wetlands and working on projects in swampy or flooded areas. They are often used for coastal restoration, flood management and building structures in aquatic environments.

Size & Cost:

Range from 3 tons to 40 tons. Prices range from $40,000 to $150,000, depending machine size.

Maximising Excavator Efficiency with Buckets and Attachments

While excavators come in many shapes and sizes tailored to specific tasks, their true potential is unlocked through the use of specialised buckets and attachments. These additions can significantly enhance the versatility and efficiency of your digger, allowing it to tackle a broader range of tasks with greater precision and speed. Different tasks require different tools, and the right bucket or attachment can turn your excavator from a simple digging machine into a multi-functional powerhouse. Here’s how:

• Buckets: Standard buckets are great for general digging and earthmoving, but specialised buckets such as micro trenching buckets or grading buckets offer enhanced performance for specific tasks. For instance, a micro trenching bucket can dig narrow, precise trenches, while a grading bucket is ideal for smoothing and levelling surfaces.

• Hydraulic Attachments: Hydraulic-powered tools like tilt-grading buckets can be mounted on your excavator, enabling it to perform material handling tasks that could otherwise require separate machinery.

• Rippers and Rakes: Ripper teeth are useful for breaking up tough or frozen ground, while land rakes are ideal for clearing land and removing debris.

Boosting Your Productivity with Rhinox Attachments

Choosing the right attachment is only part of the equation. You also need high-quality equipment to ensure durability, efficiency, and safety on the job site. Rhinox offers a comprehensive range of excavator buckets and attachments designed to fit up to 25 ton excavators.

• Durability: Rhinox digger attachments are made to withstand the harshest conditions, providing long-lasting performance even in demanding environments like construction and demolition.

• Precision Engineering: Designed for perfect compatibility with your excavator, Rhinox attachments help maximise your machine's efficiency, ensuring smooth operation and minimising wear and tear.

• Versatility: Whether you need a bucket for excavation or a land rake for landscaping, Rhinox has a solution tailored to your specific needs.

By equipping your excavator with Rhinox attachments, you not only increase your versatility but also ensure that each task is completed with precision and efficiency. Whether you’re working on a small residential job or a large-scale industrial project, Rhinox's extensive range of buckets and attachments can help you get the job done faster and more effectively. Shop Rhinox's full range of excavator buckets & attachments today!