Choose the Right Size of Excavator for Your Project

Not all excavators were created equal – and that was intentional.

Just like the wide variety of equipment available at Mak Industries, there are many different kinds of excavators. They do all, however, fall into 4 main categories: mini, midi, standard and large. In this article, we are going to break down for you the differences in capabilities and applications. Each different size comes with its own set of strengths and its own set of challenges that make each of these classes of excavator as unique as the challenges of each job site. Let’s jump in and have a look at these machines.  

Mini-Excavators

You will typically find mini excavators on small residential sites. These are typically used by landscapers, but you will often find utility trades employing these machines to lay their respective cables or pipes as well. These guys and gals typically find themselves in the mud on larger residential and commercial jobs that are nearing completion. Mini-excavators are, as the name entails small which gives them a considerable advantage in transportation. Class 1 and 2 trucks can haul these on a flatbed trailer – eliminating the need for a commercial license in many states. These little workhorses are defined as excavators that weigh 6 tons (or 13 440 lbs) and under. This means that they can’t handle as big of projects or loads like some of their larger cousins. It is also the reason you don’t see them on larger commercial and heavy industrial jobsites too often.  

Midi Excavators

Moving up one weight class we have Midi excavators, weighing in at 6 – 10 tons. These are more powerful and well suited to excavation jobs where space is a challenge. While they have the ability to move a good amount of material, they are still very maneuverable. On larger sites, they can be worth their weight in gold as a support machine for a standard or large excavator. These machines are fantastic for getting into the space-constrained areas and doing efficient detail work. In the world of machines, bigger is often better, but not always. Having a support Midi excavator on hand to get into tight areas and train newer operators can be a day saver and a moneymaker. While these little beauties can take more weight than their little cousins, they still are somewhat limited in the payload department. The standard excavators that these support so well can take more material, meaning that they are the most popular by far.  

Standard Excavators

Also known as crawlers, these machines make up most of the excavators that you are likely to see on any site. Any excavator that falls between 10 and 45 tons is a standard size excavator, though, for the most part, you will find them around 20 – 25 tons. These are right at home on any size of job site larger than a regular house lot, though you will commonly see them being used for small demolitions and excavations on these small sites as well. While they may not be able to get into quite as tight of areas as the mini or midi excavators, and transportation requires a lowboy, they do have some tricks up their sleeve that make them ultra-useful on site. Standard excavators tend to have hydraulic attachment capabilities. That means that they can do a whole lot more than just scoop dirt. These machines can be outfitted with large jackhammer attachments for breaking up concrete on roadwork and demolition jobs or compactor heads when tamping down backfill. Those are just two of many different job-specific attachments to be explored with your dealer.  

Large Excavators

Large commercial job sites, mines and heavy industry are where you will find these big boys at play. Any excavator over 40 tons is considered a large type excavator and these are well suited to large jobs that require power. You’ll find these machines on warehouse teardowns, and down at the bottom of skyscraper foundation pits. These do require an oversize truck to transport which means extra planning is necessary and has to be done in accordance with local traffic laws. At Mak Industries we provide a wide array of excavators and construction equipment. If you are unsure as to your project needs, give our highly dedicated team a call and we will help you figure out how to make it happen.