Mini Excavators vs. Skid Steers

Knowing the proper machine to use in a project that involves digging or heavy lifting can save you some headaches down the road. If you have narrowed down your search to mini excavators and skid steers, it is important to consider the primary functions of the project, the attachments required (if any), your work environment, and the terrain you will be operating on.

In this post, we’ll discuss the strengths of both mini excavators and skid steers, so that you can make a well-informed decision on which machine you need for your specific application. Without further ado, let’s compare mini excavators vs. skid steers!

Understanding Mini Excavators

Mini excavators are compact construction machines that are used for digging, excavation, and trenching tasks. They can be tracked or wheeled and have a rotating cab, a boom, and a bucket for digging.

Mini excavators are operated from the cab using joysticks and foot petals, but the controls vary based on the make and model of the machine. While there are many brands available, the best-known ones are Bobcat, Kubota, Caterpillar, and John Deere.

Regardless of the brand you choose, you will probably use your mini excavator for a rather specific purpose: digging. Some of the main benefits of using a mini excavator in your next project include:

• Versatility – Equip your mini excavator with a variety of attachments like buckets, breakers, and rakes. This will allow your equipment to perform a wide range of functions beyond excavation.
• Stability – Since mini excavators have a low center of gravity, they are suited for work on uneven terrain.
• Compact size – Mini excavators rotate 360 degrees, which means they are well-suited for work in tight or confined spaces.

Together, these characteristics make mini excavators ideal for the following:

• Trenching – Use mini excavators to start digging trenches for utility lines, drainage systems, or other purposes
• Landscaping – Level, grade, and shape your terrain for landscaping projects
• Demolition – Utilize mini excavators for small-scale demolition projects like breaking up concrete slabs or removing rocks that might be hard to lift manually
• Tree and stump removal – Remove tree stumps by digging around the base or use them for assistance when uprooting smaller trees
• Utility installation – Install pipes, cables, and conduits for water, sewer, electrical, and telecommunication systems
• Pool installation – Create a hole for your pool or pond
• Snow removal – Clear snow out of driveways and pathways in regions where there is a lot of snowfall

Attachments and Accessories

Above, we mentioned attachments that can be used to take a mini excavator up a notch. Here they are with a little more detail:

• Hydraulic breakers – Used for rock, asphalt, or concrete demolition
• Grading and ditching buckets – Used to slope, level, or backfill areas of your choice
• Root rakes – Used for performing brush removal, root extraction, debris collection, or land clearing efficiently

Understanding Skid Steers

To fully comprehend mini excavators vs. skid steers, we have to dig into both machines, bringing us to skid steers. A skid steer is another compact construction machine that can be wheeled or tracked and has a small turning radius with great agility.

They are operated using hand and foot controls, and the operator uses levers and pedals to control the movement of the machine. These tools are known for their maneuverability, quick attachment changes, and nimbleness when navigating tight spaces.

Common brands of skid steers include Bobcat, CAT, GEHL, CASE, New Holland, and more. Regardless of the brand you choose, skid steers feature the following qualities that make them greatly beneficial for certain tasks:

• Minimal surface impact – The design of this machine allows it to have an even weight distribution, which makes it much less likely to damage finished surfaces.
• High lifting capacity – Skid steers are equipped to lift heavy materials which means they are suited for a wide range of tasks.
• Agility – When you need a machine that can perform reliably in a small space, skid steers are your answer. They excel in maneuverability because they can turn within their own footprint.

With qualities like the ones above, skid steers are a great asset in the following jobs:

• Construction – Start site preparation by digging, grading, material handling, and more
• Agriculture – Load and unload feed, hay bales, and more, or use a fork attachment to handle pallets
• Snow removal – Eliminate snow from driveways, parking lots, and other areas
• Roadwork – Fill potholes and move materials on road construction sites
• Site cleanup – Collect and remove debris, dirt, trash, and waste from all types of job sites
• Warehouse and material handling – Load and unload pallets, stack goods, and move other materials around with skid steers
• Emergency response – Clear debris and access hard-to-reach areas after a disaster

As you can see, there is some overlap between the uses for skid steers and mini excavators. So, when looking at mini excavators vs. skid steers, there are applications that can utilize both. In these situations, it is up to your preference to decide which machine you want. Be sure to consider other potential uses to see if this sways your purchase decision as well.

Add Attachments to Elevate Your Skid Steer

To get the most out of your skid steer, you might want to consider using attachments to boost productivity. Here are some common attachments to use:

• Pallet forks – Used for lifting, stacking, and moving heavy materials
• Augers – Known for their power and efficiency in digging and their ability to cause minimal damage to the ground
• Buckets – Ideal for collecting and moving materials like soil, and available in a variety of shapes for different purposes
• Grapples – Useful for moving materials or leveling soil

Reviewing the Major Differences in Skid Steers vs. Mini Excavators

To conclude, we wanted to compare mini excavators and skid steer machines on a variety of metrics that are most important to outdoor projects involving lifting or digging.

With that in mind, here’s how to compare mini excavators vs. skid steer machines in major categories:

• Primary functionality – Mini excavators are used mainly for digging, excavation, and trenching tasks. Skid steers are helpful for digging, loading, grading, lifting, and carrying heavy materials.
• Maneuverability – Mini excavators rotate 360 degrees which is perfect for tight spaces, but skid steers are more agile and known for their high level of maneuverability through these same tight spaces. Therefore, when comparing skid steers vs. mini excavators on their maneuverability, skid steers may stand out.
• Attachments – Both machines accept attachments that expand their capabilities. Common mini excavator attachments include buckets, augers, and breakers, while you might see buckets, forks, augers, and snow blowers for skid steers.
• Digging – Mini excavators are known for their excellent digging capabilities. They have a significant digging depth and reach when compared to skid steers. Skid steers can still be used to perform digging tasks, but their reach and depth is less.
• Lifting capacity – Mini excavators might be known for their ability to achieve depth in excavation tasks, but skid steers have a higher lifting capacity. This means that when looking at the lifting capacity of mini excavators vs. skid steers, skid steers are a better choice for tasks involving heavy lifting and densely weighted objects.
• Surface impact – Mini excavators have a stable center of gravity which is ideal for work on uneven terrain, but their tracks may also have an impact on finished surfaces. Meanwhile, skid steers have an even distribution of weight so they are less likely to cause damage to finished surfaces, but are not as suited for work on rough or muddy surfaces.
• Cost – Typically, mini excavators are more expensive to purchase and maintain, but there are always options to rent and purchase OEM-quality replacement parts from other vendors. However, if budget is a major factor, a skid steer might be the better solution.

Contact United Skid Tracks for More Information

Whether you are a recent owner of one of these machines or are in the market for one, United Skid Tracks is your destination for premium, OEM-quality replacement tracks when the time comes to get new ones installed.

For more information on our products or our knowledge of skid steers vs. mini excavators, be sure to reach out to our team!