Buying guides
What to know before you buy a mini excavator or other compact machine, with figures from every model we track.
Mini Excavators
What size mini excavator do you need? 1-ton, 2-ton or 3-ton
Dig depth, weight, width and price by size class, and when a gasoline or a diesel engine makes sense: how to choose a mini excavator for your job.
Towing a mini excavator: trailers, weight ratings and licences
What a mini excavator and its trailer weigh, which pickup can tow them, when US rules call for a commercial licence, and how many tie-downs to use.
EPA-certified mini excavators: what the label means and how to check it
Why the engine of a mini excavator sold or imported in the US must be EPA certified, how diesel and gasoline engines are certified, and how to check a certificate.
Buying a Chinese mini excavator: a checklist
Engine and EPA certificate, warranty, spare parts in the US, delivery and assembly, controls and features: what to check before you buy a budget mini excavator.
Mini excavator attachments: what they do and what they cost
Buckets, thumbs, augers, rippers, rakes, grapples, breakers and quick couplers: what each attachment does, what it needs from the machine, and current prices.