Eau Claire, WI phone numberThere’s a huge difference between published specs and real-world testing. Bobcat Advantage® puts the industry’s top compact equipment brands against each other to show you the differences. Objective tests and competitive comparisons push the boundaries of Bobcat®, Caterpillar®, John Deere®, and Kubota® machines.
You can quickly evaluate performance, comfort, uptime, and attachments in repeatable tests completed under the same conditions. You’ll see just how different each machine can be and get the facts before making a purchase decision.
With the Bobcat® extendable arm, you’ll gain extended dig depth and reach. It offers the best of both worlds: power and lifting performance, combined with the ability to extend the machine's dig depth and reach when you need it. Caterpillar®, John Deere®, and Kubota® have extendable arm options, but none of them can be used with a clamp. Only Bobcat has the only fully clamp-compatible extendable arm.
With the Bobcat® extendable arm, you’ll gain extended dig depth and reach. It offers the best of both worlds: power and lifting performance, combined with the ability to extend the machine's dig depth and reach when you need it. Caterpillar®, John Deere®, and Kubota® have extendable arm options, but none of them can be used with a clamp. Only Bobcat has the only fully clamp-compatible extendable arm.
Time spent traveling around a jobsite to your work can add up quickly. Slower travel around the jobsite means you’ll waste valuable digging time. That’s why Bobcat® compact (mini) excavators are designed with travel speed in mind. Caterpillar®, John Deere®, and Kubota® machines try to deliver, but can’t keep up.
According to specifications, travel speeds of each machine should be similar, but a real world test set the record straight. The Bobcat E35 compact (mini) excavator set the standard, finishing in 28 seconds, with the Bobcat E35i following at 31 seconds. John Deere®, Kubota®, and Caterpillar® finished in 34 seconds, nearly 25 ft. behind the leader.
Digging cycle time can mean the difference between hitting and missing a deadline. That’s why Bobcat® compact (mini) excavators are designed with advanced hydraulics for faster digging. They’re also designed to dig while under load. Caterpillar®, John Deere®, and Kubota® attempt to deliver the same performance, but their hydraulics just can’t keep up.
Bobcat compact (mini) excavators are designed for every spec to work together. For you, that means better performance and faster cycle times. Caterpillar®, John Deere®, Kubota®, and Bobcat excavators completed a two-minute digging challenge and the results speak for themselves. When compared to other brands, Bobcat excavators delivered up to 40 percent more cycles. Over the course of a day, a week, or a month, that difference will positively impact your productivity.
If you’re over-digging or under-digging, you waste valuable time. That’s why Bobcat® developed the first depth check system for compact equipment. You won’t find it on Caterpillar®, John Deere®, or Kubota® compact (mini) excavators. With it, you’ll spend less time checking your depth and more time digging. It’s just another way Bobcat makes your job easier and quicker.
Fingertip controls on Bobcat® excavators give skilled operators the ability to perform many functions at the same time. Caterpillar®, John Deere®, and Kubota® have similar features, but often, they’re missing the most important ones.
Bobcat compact (mini) excavators feature fingertip controls for the auxiliaries, boom swing, and angle blade. For you, that means it’s possible move the machine, and run the attachment and work group at the same time. Caterpillar®, John Deere®, and Kubota® include one or two of these controls at most. Only Bobcat delivers everything you need.
At times, you need to pick up and move objects with your compact (mini) excavator. While many brands offer clamps, only the Pro ClampTM system lets you change the orientation of the clamp. That means you can grab objects of many different sizes. With the optional grading tool, you can use the same attachment to smooth trench bottoms and even clean up spoil. This gives you the ability to do many different tasks, resulting in greater productivity on your jobsite. When comparing Caterpillar®, John Deere®, or Kubota® compact excavators, you won’t find anything like it. Only Bobcat brings you the benefits of an advanced clamp system.
Bobcat® compact (mini) excavators are designed to deliver the most hydraulic horsepower. Caterpillar®, John Deere®, and Kubota® try to keep up, but their hydraulic systems can’t deliver.
Using a flow meter, each compact (mini) excavator was tested to find the maximum hydraulic horsepower. Bobcat delivered the highest reading, with 17.1 hp of hydraulic flow. Caterpillar®, John Deere®, and Kubota® attempt to deliver the same performance, but each comes up short. In fact, John Deere® measured an underwhelming 42 percent less hydraulic flow. That’s the kind of difference that will impact your workflow every day. Only Bobcat delivers the industry’s best hydraulic performance.
Bobcat® excavators are equipped with features that make running attachments easier, including standard auxiliary quick couplers, boom-mounted quick couplers, and the largest clamp mount and pin. You’ll also enjoy wrench-free attachment changes and the world’s largest compact excavator attachment selection. Caterpillar®, John Deere®, and Kubota® have attempted to match the same versatility, but many of their features are simply afterthoughts. Only Bobcat has the easiest compact (mini) excavator attachment features in the industry.
When you’re digging on a slope, slew force is the power you need to swing your excavator. It also determines how quickly you can move material back into your trench. Bobcat® compact (mini) excavators are designed to deliver the most slewing force. Caterpillar®, John Deere®, and Kubota® try to match it, but they fall short. Only Bobcat delivers the industry’s best slewing force.
We tested each machine by securing a load cell between a floor anchor and each excavator’s bucket, slewing force could be accurately measured. The Bobcat E35 compact (mini) excavator delivered the most slewing force at 735 lb., followed by the Bobcat E35i with 695 lb. Kubota® delivered 561 lb. of force, while Caterpillar® measured at 541 lb. John Deere® disappointed with just 504 lb. of slewing force. Overall, Bobcat excavators measured 24-46 percent more slewing power than other brands.
An in-track swing frame on Bobcat compact excavators allows you to get closer to your work. When you dig in an offset position, the swing castings and cylinders remain within the tracks to help you work in small spaces. Caterpillar®, John Deere®, and Kubota® leave their machines open for damage because their components extend outside the tracks. Simply put, Bobcat excavators are the only machines that give you peace of mind while digging in tight spots.
Many compact (mini) excavator manufacturers leave your machine open to hydraulic hose damage with poor design. Bobcat hydraulic lines are mounted inside the width of the boom and away from potential damage. Caterpillar®, John Deere®, and Kubota® don’t measure up to the same standards, leading to costly repairs. Other smart Bobcat design considerations include high-mounted quick couplers, fewer snag points, secured hose and line mounts, and fewer fittings and hoses.
Bobcat excavators put more power to the ground when you engage your tracks. They effectively transfer horsepower better than any other brand. Caterpillar®, John Deere®, and Kubota® try to keep up, but Bobcat excavators are simply faster. In head-to-head tests, Bobcat outperformed other brands by up to 26 percent.
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