Published Oct 05, 2020

I still remember playing with my toy excavators as a kid, digging up dirt, and rolling over anthills. While mini excavators seem like any kid’s dream come true, they can be quite useful for a number of reasons. Mini excavators are exactly what they sound like; they’re smaller, more compact versions of the large-scale excavators we see on major construction projects. They’re wheeled or tracked vehicles that can weigh up to 20,000 lbs (sometimes 10,000), which makes them “compact.” 

Mini excavators are top-rated construction equipment for their versatility and flexibility. With suitable attachments, their uses range far and wide. Digging, trenching, lifting, landscaping, and demolition are just some of the tasks excavators do. Mini excavators combine premium functionality with compactness and mobility, making them an excellent choice for light to medium-duty work. These machines capably work in cramped spaces that larger machines can’t reach and are more powerful than smaller machines like backhoe loaders. Furthermore, you can expect mini excavators to have longer useful lives, simply because it does less intense work than its larger counterpart. 

The price of standard mini excavators on the market will vary with the additional features you choose to get. Some of the common add-ons include:

  • Grading Blade
  • Trencher
  • Auger
  • Clamp

For temporary projects, renting a mini excavator is usually the recommended approach. This is typically the more economical option since you will be using it only for the short-term. However, if you’re in the market to purchase one for yourself, you may want to opt for used mini excavators. Depending on both the machine’s age and condition, you could see a discounted rate of 25% to 50% cheaper than a new one. 

To be very honest, the “mini” in mini excavators can be quite misleading, as mini excavators are not cheap. Even the cheapest mini excavators will cost you something in the 5-digits. Used mini excavators go anywhere between $20,000 to $300,000, while new ones can go from $100,000 to $600,000. When looking for affordable mini excavators, you should think hard about quality. Cutting corners and choosing cheap mini excavators without regard for quality is just a recipe for disaster. 

That is why in selecting mini excavators, it would be best to go with a trusted tier-4 certified brand. There’s nothing wrong with purchasing used models from trusted brands. In fact, that is the preferred alternative than purchasing a cheap mini excavator from unproven or unreliable brands. Here are some of the brands and models you might want to consider.

Mini Excavator bucket close-up. Heavy scoop of a cheap excavator

Used Mini Excavators you want to find the cheapest of

Bobcat excavators

Bobcat is one of the leaders in the industry. They’ve built their reputation on performance and dependability. Since creating the skid-steer loader, they claim that they created the entire compact equipment industry. And since it’s creation, they’ve been the leaders in the industry. Bobcat has a broad line of mini excavators for you to choose from. Finding a used mini excavator in good quality would be a fantastic steal. 

Caterpillar excavators

Caterpillar inc. is also one of the leaders in the construction and mining equipment field. They provide their valuable services throughout their products’ life cycles, guaranteeing customer satisfaction all throughout. What sets Caterpillar apart from other companies is their attention to their cutting-edge technology and decades of product expertise. Like Bobcat, Caterpillar also offers an expansive line of mini excavators in a variety of weights ranging from 1 to 10 tons. 

Komatsu excavators

Komatsu is a Japanese company established in 1921 and is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of heavy-duty construction, manufacturing, and compact construction equipment. It offers six different excavators that can be considered as mini. Komatsu hydraulic excavators are some of the highest quality ones with fantastic cabs, too. 

Kubota excavators

Kubota is yet another brand with reliable compact excavators. The Kubota company goes by its motto, “For Earth, For Life.” This is a dedication to engineering excellence to deliver reliable quality to all their customers to focus on their craft. They, too, have a wide array of compact excavators for your choosing. 

John Deere excavators

Last, but certainly not the least, is the John Deere company. John Deere is one of the oldest companies, being around since 1837. Their company has a very strong focus and connection with land and farming, starting out by making tools to make farmers’ lives easier. Like the previous brands, they also supply compact excavators at different weights. 

With any of these brands mentioned, you can be assured of the quality of the mini excavator you’re getting. Of course, that also depends on how these machines were cared for (assuming you get a used excavator). If you find affordable, good-quality, used mini excavators from the brands mentioned above, you should consider that a huge win.

Interested In Cutting Technologies?

For nearly 40 years Cutting Technologies (CTI) has been the go-to demolition contractor for technically demanding, one-off jobs. Our wealth of experience enables CTI to bring “outside-of-the-block” approaches to achieve the impossible. Contractors trust CTI to get the job done right. Take a look at our demolition services on our website.

About The Author

 is an industrial engineer by profession but a full time writer by passion. He loves to write about a wide range of topics from many different industries thanks to his undying curiosity.