WHY CHOOSE A JOHN DEERE EXCAVATOR FOR YOUR OPERATION?
They go by many names: excavator machines, trackhoes, backhoes, diggers, and power shovels. But no matter what you call them, one thing is clear — excavators are among the most widely used machines on jobsites, and for good reason. Your John Deere team is here with information about the excavator's versatility and varied applications. You'll see how John Deere machines are engineered to work harder, smarter, and safer — and we'll help you choose the right ones for the job.
From housing developments to highways, farms, and landscaping, to urban infrastructure projects, excavator machines are essential to all kinds of construction. With a range of sizes — including compact, mid-size, and large — there's a John Deere excavator for every need and budget. Let's take a closer look.
What is an excavator?
Excavators are construction machines with a signature arm, boom, and construction bucket. They're primarily used to dig earth, clear brush and rocks, and for heavy hauling. What's more, users can swap out the bucket for a range of attachments, creating a whole host of other uses. We'll cover equipment attachments later.
What are common uses for excavator machines?
Some of the top excavator machine applications include:
-
- Site development
- Earthmoving
- Property preparation & digging foundations
- Landscaping
- Excavating
- Trench digging
- Pipe laying
- Road construction
- Underground construction & tunneling
- Dredging
- Demolition & debris removal
- Material handling
- Handling forestry supplies & tasks
What makes John Deere excavator machines so popular?
With quality construction and quick, responsive hydraulics, John Deere excavator machines are rugged, reliable, and dependable. They're the workhorses of any construction fleet, ready to tackle anything from site prep to trench digging and placing pipe.
Additionally, the newest mid-size excavator models — the 210 P-Tier, 230 P-Tier, and 260 P-Tier — are Deere-designed machines. They weren't just crafted with operators in mind; they were crafted with operators in the seat. After 165,000+ hours of testing, they're ready to hit the dirt and help take operations to the next level. These excavators feature powerful engines, smooth hydraulic power that maximizes dig forces and lift capacity, and cab comforts, plus smooth, operator-friendly machine controls. Optional Advanced Vision and Object Detection Systems, new bucket and coupler offerings, and flexible grade-management solutions help top off the highlights.
No matter which John Deere excavator you choose, it'll be backed by an expansive John Deere dealer network that offers ironclad customer support teams. Each is equipped with service plans, telematics, parts, and trained technicians.
Big performance in every size.
Choose from compact, mid-size, and large excavators.
- Compact excavator: 6 models (3,920 - 13,620 lbs)
- Mid-size excavator: 16 models (18,559 - 85,462 lbs)
- Large excavator: 3 models (111,885 - 188,716 lbs)
Equipped with the latest innovations.
John Deere excavator machines feature capabilities like flexible grade management, virtual fencing, and overdig protection. It's technology that's designed to minimize rework, maximize uptime, and extend machine life.
Machines with grade control help make it easier for operators of all levels to optimize efficiency and precision. John Deere grade-management solutions are factory-ready and backed by John Deere dealers, including service, warranty, and financing options. Choose from these solutions:
-
- Flexible 2D/3D Grade Management Solutions
- Choose your solution based on whatever the job demands: 2D Grade Guidance, 2D Grade Control, 3D Grade Guidance, or 3D Grade Control
- Available as factory-installed as well as upgrade kits to adapt at your own pace
- Arms operators with elevation and position of construction bucket edge relative to target plane (2D) or design surface (3D)
- Ideal for precision projects like pipe trenching, sloping or excavating foundations
- Flexible 2D/3D Grade Management Solutions
-
- SmartGrade™ for 3D Grade Control
- Operators can set and hold the grade while controlling the arm
- Machine automatically controls the boom and bucket
- Virtual fence lets operators set boundaries and get alerts when the boom and bucket approach them
- SmartGrade™ for 3D Grade Control
John Deere attachments help diggers do it all.
Swap out a John Deere construction bucket for one of many John Deere equipment attachments to do even more
-
- Plate compactors - for trench-, slope- and excavation-compaction applications
- Construction hammers - for breaking concrete or rock; concrete flatwork; preparing dirt for concrete pads and fencing
- Rotary cutters - for clean cutting and maximum material shredding
- Mulching heads - knife-style cutting teeth in a spiral-tooth pattern for clearing felled trees and brush in hard-to-access areas
- engcon® Tiltrotators - for tight spaces, enable attachments to rotate 360 degrees and tilt up to 45 degrees
- Planetary drive augers - for drilling and digging holes; great for mini excavators
How do you choose the right John Deere excavator machine for the job?
You'll want to size your excavator to the scope of the project. This will help get the work done quickly and cost-effectively. Some factors to consider:
-
- Size of the workspace
- Task(s): such as dig depth, required dump height and distance, bucket size vs bucket precision
- Terrain: wheels are best for harder surfaces, tracks are for uneven or muddy surfaces
Whether you're acquiring your first machine or adding to a fleet, there's a John Deere excavator machine that's perfect for you. Here's a look at our full line of excavator models.
| COMPACT MODELS | NET POWER | MAX DIGGING DEPTH | OPERATING WEIGHT |
|---|---|---|---|
|
13.81 kW (18.52 hp) |
2.39 m (7 ft. 10 in.) |
1,778 kg (3,920 lb) |
|
|
13.81 kW (18.52 hp) |
2.61 m (8 ft. 7 in.) |
2,449 kg (5,508 lb.) canopy |
|
|
17.4 kW (23 hp) |
2.79 m (9 ft. 2 in) |
3,275 kg (7,220 lb.) |
|
|
17.4 kW (23.3 hp) |
3.06 m (10 ft. 0 in.) |
3,690 kg (8,135 lb.) |
|
|
26.8 kW (35.9 hp) |
3.53 m (11 ft. 7 in.) |
4,920 kg (10,847 lb.) |
|
|
39.6 kW (53 hp) |
3.77 m (12 ft. 4 in.) |
6,180 kg (13,620 lb.) |
| MID-SIZE MODELS | NET POWER | MAX DIGGING DEPTH | OPERATING WEIGHT |
|---|---|---|---|
|
50.4 kW (67.6 hp) |
4.65 m (15 ft. 3 in.) |
8418-8766 kg (18,559-19,326 lb.) |
|
|
50.4 kW (67.6 hp) |
4.53 m (14 ft. 10 in.) |
8726–9206 kg (19,238–20,296 lb.) |
|
|
73 kW (98 hp) |
6.03 m (19 ft. 9 in.) |
13 407 kg (29,531 lb.) |
|
|
75 kW (101 hp) |
5.98 m (20 ft. 0 in.) |
14 300–15 400 kg (31,526–33,951 lb.) |
|
|
90 kW (122 hp) |
6.49 m (21 ft. 4 in.) |
17 945 kg (39,526 lb.) |
|
|
129 kW (173 hp) |
5.83 m (19 ft. 2 in.) |
19,700–20,500 kg (43,431–45,300 lb.) |
|
|
109 kW (146 hp) |
7.07 m (23 ft. 2 in.) |
20 507 kg (45,170 lb.) |
|
|
117 kW (157 hp) |
6.65 m (21 ft. 10 in.) |
22 400 - 23 300 kg (49,380 - 51,370 lb.) |
|
|
127 kW (170 hp) |
6.65 m (21 ft. 10 in.) |
23 950 - 25 200 kg (52,800 - 55,560 lb.) |
|
|
119 kW (159 hp) |
6.62 m (21 ft. 8 in.) |
25,800 kg (56,830 lb.) |
|
|
140 kw (188 hp) |
7.61 m (25 ft. 0 in.) |
27 500 kg (60,600 lb.) |
|
|
151 kw (202 hp) |
7.19 - 7.79 m (23 ft. 7 in. - 25 ft. 7 in.) |
25 650 - 27 400 kg (56,550 - 60,410 lb.) |
|
|
166 kW (223 hp) |
7.87 m (25 ft. 10 in.) |
31 150 kg (68,674 lb.) |
|
|
186 kW (249 hp) |
7.57 m (24 ft. 10 in.) |
35,700 kg (78,710 lb.) |
|
|
202 kW (271 hp) |
8.18 m (26 ft. 10 in.) |
36,734 kg (80,985 lb.) |
|
|
202 kW (271 hp) |
8.18 m (26 ft. 10 in.) |
38,765 kg (85,462 lb.) |
| LARGE MODELS | NET POWER | MAX DIGGING DEPTH | OPERATING WEIGHT |
|---|---|---|---|
|
274 kW (367 hp) |
7.77 - 8.27 m (25 ft. 6 in. - 27 ft. 2 in.) |
50,750 kg (111,885 lb.) |
|
|
345 kW (463 hp) |
7.12 - 9.15 m (23 ft. 4 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.) |
69,900 kg (154,103 lb.) |
|
|
382 kW (512 hp) |
7.14–11.16 m (23 ft. 5 in.–36 ft. 7 in.) |
85,600 kg (188,716 lb.) |
Ready to add John Deere excavators to your fleet? Contact your local John Deere dealer for details today.
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* As of June 1, 2018, applies to purchases of new John Deere skid steers, compact track loaders, compact excavators, and compact wheel loaders from John Deere or authorized John Deere dealers. Warranty expires two years after the delivery receipt date or after 2,000 machine hours, whichever occurs first. Offer valid at participating dealers only. Some restrictions may apply. See your dealer for complete details.
Features and specifications are based on published information at the time of publication. Features and specifications are subject to change without notice.