5 most popular excavator brands for 2021

Excavators are unsurprisingly one of the most searched for items on constructionsales.com.au, but what are people viewing the most on the site?

What brands do Aussies gravitate towards when looking for a new or used digger for their jobsite or properties?

We asked our data team to dig up some data and numbers (pun intended) and here are the top 5 brands that got the most attention:

1. Kubota

Compact excavators have dominated our search this year, and perhaps unsurprisingly, Kubota took out four of the top 5 most viewed excavators on the site.

In addition to compact construction machinery, Kubota is also a leading name in agricultural machinery, producing tractors, utility vehicles and more. It had its beginnings in metal castings and engine production and is now still making engines for use in its range of machinery across both sectors.

The most popular excavator on our site this year is the Kubota U55-4 with over 27,000 views, while the U17-3 followed closely behind.

The U55-4 is a 5-tonne excavator with a Kubota 47.6hp engine, and comes with a climate-controlled cab for optimum comfort when operating. The U17-3 is its smaller sibling with a 1.7-tonne operating weight, a ROPS canopy and zero-tail swing.

The PC20KBT and U35-4 took third and fourth place respectively.

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2. Yanmar

The Yanmar ViO17 took the fifth spot on our list, making it a Japanese affair among the top 5 spots. Yanmar has been a leading name in compact earthmoving machinery, producing excavators, wheel loaders and carriers.

Much like Kubota, Yanmar cut its teeth in engines and till today is still producing engines for use in its range of machinery and other brands of equipment.

The ViO17 is a 1.8-tonne excavator with a ROPS/FOPS canopy and Yanmar TNV engine producing 13.5hp of power.

Its key feature is the true zero tail-swing which allows operators to operate the machine in tight spaces and not have to worry about damaging the body of the machine when rotating.

Another Yanmar sitting in the top 10 is the ViO80, which is an 8-tonne excavator with a fully enclosed cab.

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Two Hitachi excavators managed to nab spots in our top 10 most popular excavator list. Hitachi is another Japanese heavy machinery brand that specialises in earthmoving machinery ranging from compact machines all the way up to large mining equipment. Hitachi’s repertoire doesn’t stop at heavy machinery, in fact, the brand is also well known for its household appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines and air-conditioners.

The Hitachi ZX55U-5A was sixth on our list of most viewed excavators. It sits in the 5-tonne class and can either come with a cab or a canopy.

While not exactly zero tail swing, this model has a short rear swing which still allows it to operate in tight spaces.

It features Hitachi’s High-performance Hydraulic (HHH) system that ensures a smoother lever operation no matter the load, helping to reduce operator fatigue.

The other Hitachi in the top 10 is a 5-tonne excavator model.

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Another Japanese powerhouse machinery manufacturer, Kobelco, has taken out two spots in our top 10 list.

Kobelco released its first machine in 1930 – a 1.5 cubic-metre electric shovel. Today, the brand manufactures excavators of all sizes – from compact to large, and also makes cranes for certain markets around the world. 

Sitting at number eight and nine on our most-viewed excavator list are the SK135SR-3 and SK135SR-2, respectively, and are the only two models in the top 10 that do not belong in the compact excavator category.

The SK135SR-3 is a 13-tonne model that Kobelco says is ideal for urban work sites, that is large enough to execute more heavy-duty tasks and dig more dirt yet still compact enough to work in tight urban sites.

The SK135SR-2 is the predecessor of the SK135SR-3 model, featuring the same operating weight.

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Just shy of nabbing a spot in the top 10 is the Cat 301.7CR next-gen excavator. Caterpillar is also the only non-Japanese brand in this five most popular brand list.

Caterpillar needs no introduction, it is perhaps the most well-known brand in the world of construction machinery. However, the Japanese brands have really got their compact excavator game down pat, hence pushing Caterpillar to number five.

In 2018, Caterpillar released its next generation platform, starting with its compact excavators. The next generation platform carries a lot of whole new features such as interchangeable controls, automotive styling in the cab, keyless operation and more.

The 301.7CR is a 1.9 tonne excavator with a canopy, and has a power output of 21hp. With the new features, the 301.7 offers up to 15 per cent lower total ownership costs, as well as 20 per cent increased performance, according to Caterpillar.

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