A skid steer (also called a skid steer loader or mini loader) and a mini digger look like they overlap, but they do different jobs. Many farms and contractors end up owning both.
What a mini digger does best
- Digging: trenches, foundations, drainage, ponds and holes.
- Reaching below ground level and over obstacles with the boom and arm.
- Precise work around services, walls and trees.
What a skid steer does best
- Loading and carrying: moving soil, gravel, muck, feed and pallets.
- Levelling and grading large areas quickly.
- Yard work with quick-attach tools: buckets, forks, augers, sweepers and grabs.
Ride-on, stand-on or walk-behind?
- Ride-on skid steers such as the Rippa RS03, RS04 and RS06 give the most power and comfort for longer days.
- Walk-behind or stand-on mini loaders are narrower and lighter — ideal for gardens and tight access. See the Rippa walk-behind skid steer.
- Wheeled or tracked: tracks grip better on soft or sloping ground and mark lawns less; wheels are faster on hard yards.
Which should you buy first?
If most of your work is digging, start with a mini digger. If most of it is moving and loading material, start with a skid steer. For moving spoil on soft ground, a tracked dumper pairs well with either.
