Top 10 most popular construction equipment models on constructionsales

With over 20,000 items listed for sale on constructionsales, there is just about something for everyone, whether you’re looking for an excavator, backhoe loader or skid-steer loader.

But have you ever wondered, what are some of the most popular types of machines, makes and models on the site? What are people mostly looking for on constructionsales, and what brands rank high on people’s lists?

Based on data retrieved from the last six months or so, unsurprisingly excavators came out on top, but there is a good mix of other machine types in the top 10, namely dozers, graders and compact track loaders.

Here are the top 10 most popular items on constructionsales for 2023 so far...

Coming in at number 10 is Caterpillar’s 259D3 compact track loader that features a vertical lift design.

With a power output of 74hp, this machine is capable of a rated operating capacity of 915kg (at 35 per cent tipping load). This model succeeds the previous 259D model and comes with a range of advanced tech such as attachment recognition and grade assist to take productivity to the next level.

Find a Caterpillar 259D3 to buy on constructionsales

Another Caterpillar product makes the list, this time a 12M motor grader.

With an operating weight of 18.4 tonnes, the 12M is one of the smallest in Caterpillar’s grader range and has a blade width of 3.7m.

While Caterpillar technically doesn’t produce the 12M anymore, the brand has in fact simply renamed the 12M to 140 in a nomenclature shakeup a few years ago.  

It still offers all the tried-and-tested features of the old model plus more advanced tech.

Some of the models available for sale on the site are older but still have great productivity features such as GPS.

Find a Caterpillar 12M grader to buy on constructionsales

Compact loaders are popular with our audience, with Kubota’s SVL75 taking up the eighth spot.

Kubota specialises in compact and mid-sized machinery across both the agriculture and construction industries, offering a wide variety of equipment including tractors, excavators, skid-steer loaders, and even utility vehicles.

The company entered the compact track loader market in 2010 and has since updated the range a couple of times, with the third iteration unveiled earlier this year overseas.

The SVL75 sits in the middle of Kubota’s compact track loader range offering 74hp and a lifting capacity of 2214kg.

Find a Kubota SVL75 track loader to buy on constructionsales

Kubota has been a leader in the compact excavator market, with its range of mini excavators commonly used on work sites and for residential projects around the country.

The U35-4 excavator is the seventh most looked at item on constructionsales, garnering over 12,000 views.

It is a zero-swing excavator, meaning the house doesn’t extend beyond the undercarriage regardless of the direction it turns, making it ideal for work in narrow spaces and sites.

Powered by a 24.8hp Kubota engine, the machine is compact but still powerful enough for a range of applications.

Find a Kubota SVL75 track loader to buy on constructionsales

When it comes to compact loaders, Bobcat is probably the first brand that springs to mind for most. So much so that the name is synonymous with the machinery itself.

The sixth most popular item on the site, the Bobcat T590, is the ideal machine to use for when space is limited or you’re in rough conditions but you need high lift capacity, according to the company.

It has the highest lifting height in the 500 series, at 3m, and has a rated operating capacity of 971kg (at 35 per cent tipping load).

Find a Bobcat T590 track loader to buy on constructionsales

The 140M, at number five, is one size up from the 12M sitting at number nine, and like the 12M is a legacy model that has been taken over by newer, more advanced models. Its successor is the 150.

It has an operating weight of 18 tonnes and a blade width of 3.7m. All Caterpillar grader models come with a fully enclosed operator’s cabin with air-conditioning and ergonomic controls for comfortable operation.

Find a Caterpillar 140M grader to buy on constructionsales

It’s about time a dozer appears on the list! And hardly surprising that it’s another Caterpillar.

Sitting at number four on the list is Caterpillar’s D6T XL dozer that belongs to Caterpillar’s medium dozer range and is well suited for general construction applications.

It has an operating weight of 21 tonnes and offers 200hp of output. The XL in the name means this particular model offers more power, has wider tracks and greater cutting depth compared to the D6T, making this a heavier-duty model.

Find a Caterpillar D6T XL dozer to buy on constructionsales

Kubota’s U55-4 is the range-topping model in its excavator range, with a power output of 45.4hp.

This model comes in either a canopy or cab version and has an operating weight of around five tonnes, making it more sturdy and powerful than the U35-4 for heavier-duty work.

Being the flagship of the range, it offers the biggest breakout force and greatest digging depth, at 4315kgf and 3630mm respectively.

With a width of just under 2m, the U55-4 is still a compact machine ideal for use on urban worksites.

Find a Kubota U55-4 excavator to buy on constructionsales

Coming in at number two is the D6T’s bigger brother, the D8T. Now replaced by the D8 model, the D8T has an operating weight of about 37 tonnes and offers 300hp of output.

It comes with a 4m-wide blade.

The model sits at the very top end of Caterpillar’s medium dozer range, meaning it is the heaviest-duty model available for general construction work such as land filling, grading, backfilling and more.

Find a Caterpillar D8T dozer to buy on constructionsales

It may not be the largest and most powerful machine on the list, in fact far from it, but Kubota’s U17-3 excavator is certainly popular with the masses, having raked in over 22,000 views thus far this year!

The U17-3 has a power output of 17hp from a Kubota engine, and is the ideal machine for landscaping or yard work thanks to its compact size. Its width of just 990mm and weight of 1.6 tonnes allows it to work in the tightest of spaces and be transported with ease.

Plus, it is also zero swing, which reduces the risk of damaging structures close by if operating in narrow spaces or up against walls, for example.

Find a Kubota U17-3 excavator to buy on constructionsales