Which size do I actually need? Mini excavators and batching plants, side by side
The two questions we get every week, answered with numbers: weight, digging depth and FOB price for 1-3.5t mini excavators, and HZS50-90 plant output.
Mini excavators: 1 t / 2 t / 3.5 t
The bold numbers are the four things to force the seller to write down on the quotation. Price is FOB China, 2026, with one standard bucket.
| 1 t | 2 t | 3.5 t | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating weight | 1,000–1,200 kg | 1,900–2,100 kg | 3,300–3,800 kg |
| Standard bucket | 0.03 m³ | 0.06–0.08 m³ | 0.11–0.14 m³ |
| Engine power | 7–10 kW | 13–16 kW | 20–25 kW |
| Max digging depth | 1,500–1,700 mm | 2,100–2,400 mm | 2,700–3,100 mm |
| Machine width | 950–1,050 mm | 1,200–1,400 mm | 1,550–1,750 mm |
| Good for | Narrow pipe trenches, house footings, yard and garden work, small landscaping | House foundations, farm ditches, small ponds, light loading in a small quarry | Road and drainage works, foundation pits, truck loading, access down a village lane |
| Do not use it for | Daily truck loading or work that really needs a 3.5-ton machine — it runs at its limit and fails early | Continuous aggregate loading, or trenches deeper than about 2.5 m | Volumes that need an 8-ton machine — it will do the job, but the cycle time is what it is |
| FOB China price, 2026 | USD 6,800–9,500 | USD 9,800–13,500 | USD 14,500–21,000 |
Concrete batching plants: HZS50 / 75 / 90
The model number is theoretical capacity. Real output on site is 65–80% of it — size the plant on the real number, not on the name.
| HZS50 | HZS75 | HZS90 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theoretical capacity | 50 m³/h | 75 m³/h | 90 m³/h |
| Real output on site (65–80%) | 33–40 m³/h | 49–60 m³/h | 59–72 m³/h |
| Mixer | JS1000 | JS1500 | JS1500 belt (some makers quote JS2000) |
| Feeding | Hopper or belt | Belt | Belt |
| Total power | 90–110 kW | 120–150 kW | ≈150–180 kW |
| Good for | Road contractors and regional ready-mix supply — the most common size, and the easiest to resell | Larger daily pours with mixer trucks arriving continuously | Continuous supply to a large project, or a commercial ready-mix yard |
| FOB China price, 2026 | USD 28,000–45,000 | USD 45,000–70,000 | USD 80,000–120,000 |
FOB price only. Add freight, import duty and VAT — run the landed cost calculator.
The three most expensive mistakes
- Buying one class too big because a salesman pushed it — about 40% more money, and a bigger machine is harder to move between sites.
- Buying on the HZS name. An HZS50 really pours 33–40 m³/h. If the pour needs 40+ m³/h, you want an HZS75 with belt feeding, not a bigger generator on an HZS50.
- Forgetting the containers and the duty. An HZS50 with two silos is roughly two 40-ft containers, and welded silos above 50 t often ship as bolted panels. Price the freight and import charges before you sign.
Class ranges and estimates, not a promise. The four numbers to demand in writing are operating weight (kg), bucket volume (m³), engine power (kW) and maximum digging depth (mm). If a quotation says "2 tons" but the operating weight is under 1,900 kg, it is a 1.5–1.8 t machine — compare it with the lower class. Prices move with steel, engine brand and accessories, and always exclude freight, import duty and VAT.
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