Straight answers about buying and running compact equipment — including the parts most manufacturers leave out.
The recurring theme here is that the specs that matter aren't the ones that get advertised. Horsepower and lift capacity get the headlines; hydraulic flow and the rating standard behind that capacity figure are what actually determine whether a machine does your work.
Start Here
Mini Skid Steer Buyer's Guide — the whole decision in order: access first, then capacity, then hydraulics.
Rating Standards Explained — why two machines can advertise very different capacities and perform identically. If you read one page here, make it this one.
Attachment Buying Guide — what to buy, in what order, and the mismatches that damage equipment.
Compact Equipment Glossary — plain-English definitions for every term on this site.
Understanding the Specs
What Is Rated Operating Capacity?
What Is Auxiliary Hydraulic Flow?
How Much Can a Mini Skid Steer Lift?
How Wide Is a Mini Skid Steer?
How Much Does a Mini Skid Steer Weigh?
How Deep Can a Mini Skid Steer Dig?
Buying Decisions
How Much Does a Mini Skid Steer Cost?
Are Mini Skid Steers Worth It?
Gas or Diesel?
Mini Skid Steer vs. Compact Utility Loader
Transport & Operation
What Size Trailer Do I Need?
Do You Need a License to Operate One?
Will It Damage My Lawn?
How Long Do Rubber Tracks Last?
What Maintenance Does It Need?
Mini Excavator Guides
- Mini excavator buyer's guide
- What size mini excavator do I need?
- Which mini excavator do you need? (5 questions)
- How deep can a mini excavator dig?
- Mini excavators that fit through a gate
- Mini excavators with 10+ foot dig depth
- Mini excavators with a thumb
- Zero tail swing mini excavators
- Best mini excavator for homeowners
- Best mini excavator for landscaping
- Can a mini excavator dig a basement?
- What size trailer for a mini excavator?
- Mini excavators under $20,000
- Mini excavator price guide
- Mini excavator attachment guide
- 1-ton mini excavators
- 2-ton mini excavators
- 3-ton mini excavators
- Mini excavator size & tonnage guide
- Best mini excavator for the money
- The cheapest mini excavators you can buy new
- How much does a mini excavator cost?
- How much does a mini excavator weigh?
- How many hours is a lot for a mini excavator?
- Can you tow a mini excavator with a pickup?
- Do you need a license for a mini excavator?
- What is zero tail swing?
- Mini excavator maintenance schedule
- Mini excavator glossary
Comparisons
- All comparisons
- Mini excavator vs. skid steer
- Buying vs. renting a mini excavator
- New vs. used mini excavator
- Zero tail swing vs. conventional
- Mini excavator vs. backhoe
- Mini excavator vs. trencher
- Buying a mini skid steer direct from the manufacturer
Ownership & Support
- Specifications & spec sheets
- Mini skid steer maintenance schedule
- Warranty coverage
- Owner's manuals & parts diagrams
- Shipping & delivery
- Financing
How-To Guides
Grading & Material
Grading a Driveway · Spreading Gravel · Leveling a Yard · Hauling Mulch · Landscape Rock Placement · Loading a Dump Trailer
Digging & Drainage
Digging Footings · Setting Fence Posts · Trenching Irrigation Lines · Installing a French Drain · Backfilling a Foundation · Can It Dig a Footing? · Can It Dig a Pond?
Clearing & Tree Work
Clearing Brush · Removing Stumps · Tree Planting · Storm Debris Cleanup
Hardscape & Construction
Moving Pallets of Pavers · Installing a Retaining Wall · Removing a Concrete Patio
Turf & Agriculture
Sod Removal · Building a Food Plot · Cleaning Barn Stalls · Moving Hay Bales
Winter
Clearing Snow From Sidewalks
Tools
Model Selector — five questions, one recommendation
Trailer & Towing Guide — what you actually need to haul it
Financing — payment and term options
Also Worth Reading
Industries We Serve — 38 trades, and which machine fits each
Attachments — 41 attachments, spec'd properly
Attachment Compatibility — will your attachments fit?
Warranty — what protects your coverage
All Equipment — full lineup, side by side
Can't Find What You Need?
Tell us about the work and we'll give you a straight answer — including telling you when a different size, a different attachment, or a different type of machine is the better fit.