In short: Match dig depth to your deepest job. Confirm access on your tightest job. Verify you can transport the machine. Everything else is downstream of those three.
Buying a mini excavator without a size plan is the fastest way to end up with the wrong machine. Too small and every job takes twice as long. Too big and you cannot get it into the yards, driveways, and tight lots where most Ontario contractors actually work. This guide walks through how to size a mini excavator the right way and match a RIPPA mini excavator to the work you do most.
Start with the work, not the specs
Before looking at any brochure, list the five most common jobs you do in a typical month. For each one, note trench depth needed, access width, whether you need to break concrete or drill posts, transport method, and ground conditions. Those five constraints will do more to size your excavator than any spec sheet.
Weight class overview at a glance
Backyards, gates, indoor demo. Half-ton pickup can tow it. Shorter reach.
Foundations, waterlines, small footings. Standard trailer. Most-common contractor pick.
Deeper trenches, heavier lifts, rural. Bigger trailer and tow vehicle needed.
1.0 to 1.5 tonne class
These machines shine on landscaping, backyard pool digs, and interior demo. They usually fit through a standard 36 inch gate with retractable tracks, and you can tow one with a half-ton pickup and a proper trailer. Trade-off is shorter reach and smaller bucket capacity.
1.7 to 2.0 tonne class
Where most Ontario general contractors land. Enough dig depth (around 8 to 9 feet) for foundations, waterlines, and small footing work, still small enough to move on a standard equipment trailer. Better hydraulic flow means you can run a wider range of attachments without bogging down.
2.5 to 3.5 tonne class
If you are digging deeper trenches, moving heavier material daily, or working on farm and rural properties where access is not the constraint, step up. Dig depth pushes past 10 feet and bucket capacity nearly doubles vs the 1.5 tonne class.
Ground pressure matters more than most operators realize.
A 1.5 tonne machine with rubber tracks usually runs around 4 psi; a 3.5 tonne machine might be 6 to 7 psi. If turf preservation matters, stay under 5 psi and go with rubber tracks.
Attachments change everything
Once you add the right excavator attachments the same machine covers three or four job types. Read our attachments guide.
Transport reality check
- Trailer capacity: GVWR plus tongue weight vs your tow vehicle rating
- Deck length: a 2.0 tonne excavator needs about 12 feet of deck, more with attachments
- Loading ramps: match ramp capacity to machine weight plus a safety margin (see our ramp guide)
New vs used trade-off
A new RIPPA machine comes with warranty and current-generation hydraulics. Used gear can save 20 to 40 percent upfront but you inherit whatever the previous owner did with it. Daily use usually pays back new within two seasons through uptime alone.
The Ontario checklist
- List your top 5 jobs
- Match dig depth and reach to the biggest of those jobs
- Confirm access dimensions on your smallest job
- Check ground pressure vs turf sensitivity
- Confirm attachment hydraulic flow needs
- Verify you can transport it (trailer + ramps + tow vehicle)
- Decide new vs used based on hours-per-week usage
Not sure which RIPPA fits your work?
We will ask about your jobs first and match a machine to it, not the other way around.