Mini skid-steer loaders.(Toolbox)(Product/Service Evaluation)

At age $4 and a couple of years after heart surgery, I appreciate less physically demanding labor. I also appreciate equipment that increases the profitability of my small contracting business, which specializes in building and repairing wooden fences. So, recently I field-tested four different models of mini skid steers--the Toro Dingo TX 420, the PowerHouse Pro, the Bobcat MTS2, and the Ditch Witch SK500--to find out how well they perform in the kind of work that I do.

A mini skid steer is basically a self-propelled hydraulic power plant, a walk-behind version of the larger skid steers you see people driving around construction sites.

Depending on the make and model, mini skid steers are available with rubber wheels or rubber tracks. As with the larger "riding" models, the skid steer and its attachments are driven by a small diesel or gasoline engine. The machines I tested have the power to lift more than 500 pounds or to run a 30-inch-diameter auger up to 4 feet deep. Attachments include a traditional bucket, …