
Are you considering investing in an excavator but feeling overwhelmed by the choices? Many people in the construction, landscaping, and agricultural industries face the same dilemma. With various types, sizes, and attachments to choose from, it can be challenging to determine which equipment will best meet your specific needs.
Plus, if you’ve ever dealt with the headaches of overdigging or inefficient workflow, you know how important it is to have the right equipment. Understanding what excavators can do and how they can benefit your operations is key to making the right choice.
This guide will help you pick the right equipment to streamline your projects.
What Are Excavators?
Excavators are used for digging and moving large amounts of earth. They consist of a rotating cab, a boom, an arm, and a bucket, which together allow you to perform various tasks. These equipment come in different shapes and sizes and serve several purposes. You can use them to dig trenches, lift heavy material, and perform various site preparation tasks.
Uses of Excavators
Excavators are used by various professionals and industries because of their versatility and power. These equipment come with different attachments that help them tackle various tasks. Popular fittings include:
- Bucket: The go-to for digging, trenching, or moving materials.
- Breakers: Great for breaking up rock, concrete, or asphalt.
- Augers: These are like big drills for digging post holes or boring for utility lines.
- Thumbs: Handy for picking up loose debris or materials.
- Mulching heads: These are commonly used in forestry to clear vegetation or brush.
- Rakes and grapples: Perfect for sorting through debris or lifting larger objects like trees or rocks.
These attachments make excavators indispensable across various industries, including the following:
Construction
When you think of excavators, construction is probably the first thing that comes to mind, and for good reason. Construction crews depend on this equipment to do much of the heavy lifting — literally. This equipment is perfect for digging trenches that form the foundation of homes, office buildings, and other structures.
Before building can begin, they help with site preparation by removing vegetation and debris. With the right accessory, excavators can demolish buildings or other structures.
Mining and Quarrying
In the mining industry, big jobs call for big machines, and excavators fit the bill. They’re often used to move massive amounts of earth, helping to extract valuable materials like ore and minerals, and making the job much more efficient. Paired with dump trucks, these machines help load and transport materials across mining sites, keeping operations running smoothly.
Landscaping
Landscaping is all about precision, and that’s where smaller, more compact excavators come in handy. These machines are perfect for working in tight spaces, like levelling a backyard. When you need to create a smooth surface for patios, driveways, or lawns, this equipment helps by grading the land quickly and efficiently. These machines also make moving heavy materials around a breeze.
Municipal and Public Works
For cities and municipalities, excavators are essential for repairing water lines or cleaning out drainage systems. The equipment can dig trenches for water pipes, sewer lines, or electrical cables, especially in urban environments where space is limited. Municipalities use the machines to clear ditches and drainage systems, helping prevent flooding during heavy rains.
Agriculture
Farmers use excavators to clear land for planting or maintaining irrigation systems. The machines remove rocks, trees, and stumps, making way for planting crops or setting up new farm structures. Additionally, farmers rely on this equipment to dig precise trenches for irrigation systems and help maintain ponds and canals by clearing debris and managing water flow.
Forestry
Forestry work requires tough, adaptable machines, and excavators fit right in. You can use them to clear large trees, roots, and stumps, making way for replanting or construction. After logging or wildfires, the equipment helps bring the land back to its natural state by clearing debris and reshaping the terrain.
Benefits of Excavators

Excavators can help your business run more smoothly, get jobs done faster, and save on labour costs. Here’s why they are a good investment:
- Versatility: One of the best things about this equipment is its versatility. Need to dig a trench? They’ve got you covered. Have to load a truck? No problem. Want to clear some land? Attach a mulching head, and you’re good to go. This ability to handle so many tasks means you don’t need to invest in multiple machines, saving you time and money.
- Speed and precision: A skilled operator can make quick, accurate cuts into the ground, avoiding mistakes that could lead to costly delays. This precision is key when working in areas with underground utilities or tight spaces.
- Penetrates hard and dense earth: Excavators are built to handle tough jobs. Whether you’re working on rocky ground, dense clay, or steep hillsides, these machines can break through and complete the job.
- Extended range: With their long arms and booms, these machines offer a significant range, making it easier to dig deeper or move materials over larger distances. This is handy when digging deep foundations, clearing large areas, or loading haulers on-site. The ability to extend that reach improves efficiency, saving you time on the job.
- Faster workflows and shorter timelines: When compared to manual labor or less efficient equipment, these equipment drastically reduce the time it takes to complete a task. Faster digging, lifting, or grading means you can reach your deadlines more easily, which is important for large-scale projects where delays can be costly.
- Reduced waste and increased control: Excavators allow you to be more exact with your digging and moving, which translates to less waste. For example, over-digging can result in unnecessary costs because you unearth more soil that needs to be disposed of or have to use other equipment to correct overdue areas. However, excavators help you avoid that by removing just the right amount of material.
Types of Excavators
With so many types of excavators out there, how do you know which one is right for your project? Here’s a breakdown of the most common types and their uses to help you make an informed decision:
- Crawler excavators: These are the workhorses of the excavator world. They’re mounted on tracks and can tackle tough terrain and heavy lifting, making them ideal for large construction jobs or any project where stability on uneven ground is important.
- Wheeled excavators: If your job requires speed and mobility, a wheeled excavator is a good option. They’re great for roadwork or urban construction, where moving between sites quickly is a priority.
- Skid steer excavators: These smaller machines are perfect for projects in residential areas or small construction sites. They’re compact but offer enough power for lighter tasks like trenching or grading.
- Dragline excavators: Draglines are used for larger projects like mining. Their long boom and bucket can reach areas that other machines can’t.
- Long-reach excavators: As the name suggests, these excavators have a longer arm, making them great for projects that need deeper digging or demolition work in confined spaces.
- Mini excavators: Compact but still mighty, mini-excavators are great for projects like landscaping, trenching, or light demolition. They’re easy to transport and perfect for jobs where space is limited.
- Midi excavators: If you need something in between a mini and full-size excavator, these equipment offer a balance of power and maneuverability. They’re great for medium-sized projects that need a bit more muscle.
- Backhoe excavators: These machines offer the best of both worlds, with a digging bucket on one end and a loader bucket on the other. They’re great for construction sites where you need both burrowing and material handling capabilities.
- Amphibious excavators: For jobs that involve working in water or wetlands, amphibious excavators are the way to go. They’re designed with pontoons instead of tracks, allowing them to float and work in waterlogged environments.
- Spider excavators: Spider excavators, sometimes called walking excavators, are designed to work on extremely steep or uneven terrain. These machines have adjustable legs instead of tracks or wheels, allowing you to move them across rugged terrain where other machines would struggle. You’ll often see them used in forestry or mountain construction.
- Suction excavators: Suction excavators, or vacuum excavators, use a powerful suction pipe to pull loose materials, dirt, or debris from the ground. These are commonly used for underground utility work, where precision is vital and you want to avoid damaging cables, pipes, or other sensitive infrastructure.
Explore Excavators for Sale with Inland Truck & Equipment
For over 75 years, Inland Truck & Equipment has provided quality heavy equipment to industries across British Columbia and Yukon. If you’re looking to purchase an excavator, we offer various products from reputable brands, so you get a machine built to last and suited to your specific needs.
Whether you need a crawler excavator for tough terrain or a mini excavator for residential projects, we’ve got you covered. Browse our inventory to find the perfect equipment for your needs.
