Choose a backhoe loader if one machine has to dig, load and drive between sites. Choose an excavator if most of the work is digging, lifting or handling material from a fixed position, or if you need more depth and a full 360° swing. A wheeled excavator sits in between: 360° digging with road mobility.
A backhoe loader is a wheeled machine with a loading shovel at the front and a digging arm at the rear. The operator turns the seat to work with either end. An excavator has one arm on a superstructure that rotates 360° on a wheeled or tracked undercarriage.
| Backhoe loader | Wheeled excavator | Tracked excavator | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical weight | 8–11 t | 14–22 t | 1–50 t and up |
| Digging depth (common sizes) | 4.5–6 m | 4.5–6.5 m | 2–8 m |
| Swing | 180–200° at the rear arm (Hydrema: 280°) | 360° | 360° |
| Loading shovel | Yes | No (dozer blade) | No (dozer blade) |
| Travel between sites | Drives on road | Drives on road | Needs a low-loader |
| Ground pressure | Low to medium | Medium | Lowest |
A wheeled excavator drives to the job and between jobs on its own wheels, works on asphalt without damage and sets up quickly with a dozer blade or stabilisers. A tracked excavator is better on soft, steep or muddy ground and on sites where it stays for weeks, but needs a low-loader for every move.
A backhoe loader with a telescopic dipper reaches about the same depth as a mid-size wheeled excavator. The Hydrema 926G digs 4.75 m with the standard arm and 5.95 m with the telescopic arm. The MX17G wheeled excavator digs 4.91–5.91 m depending on the dipper. The excavator still wins on reach, lifting capacity and 360° work.
| 906G | 926G | MX17G | MX20G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Backhoe loader | Backhoe loader | Wheeled excavator | Wheeled excavator |
| Operating weight | 9.2–9.4 t | 9.5–9.6 t | 18.3–19.6 t | 20.1 t (blade + stabilisers) |
| Max digging depth | 4.81 / 5.96 m (telescopic) | 4.75 / 5.95 m (telescopic) | 4.91–5.91 m | 5.33–6.33 m |
| Working range | 280° with hydraulic sideshift | 280° with hydraulic sideshift | 360° | 360° |
| Loader | 1.4 m³ shovel | 1.4 m³ shovel | Dozer blade / stabilisers | Dozer blade / stabilisers |
| Engine | Cummins B4.5 Stage V | Cummins B4.5 Stage V, 147 hp | Cummins B4.5 Stage V, 175 hp | Cummins Stage V, 175 hp |
| Steering | Articulated | Articulated | Wheel steering, joystick option | Wheel steering, joystick option |
Hydrema’s backhoe loaders are articulated, which is rare in this class. The machine bends in the middle, so it turns tighter and keeps all four wheels on the ground on uneven terrain. The hydraulic sideshift moves the rear arm sideways, giving a 280° working range.
A backhoe loader replaces two machines, a small loader and a small excavator, and needs no transport between sites. On jobs with mixed tasks and many moves, that often gives the lowest cost per day. On jobs that are mainly digging, an excavator does the work faster, and the cost per cubic metre is usually lower.
Written by Dennis Vesterbæk Hampe, Director of Global Marketing, Hydrema · Reviewed: 6 November 2026