Top five farm machinery reviews of 2018
Of new and used machines, plus a surprise unit that took out the ‘most read’ titleWe checked out a fair number of machines in 2018 with the aim of providing independent reviews to aid you in your purchasing decisions.
It was quite a mixed bag of machines at that. We looked at tractors, seeders, sprayers and side-by-sides; there were brand new and there were used machines, there were big units and small units but all incredibly impressive in their own applications.
These were the top five that caught the most attention this year.
5. 2018 CLAAS AXION 800 tractors launch review
German brand CLAAS is synonymous with no-nonsense agricultural workhorses that get the job done no matter the conditions.
The CLAAS AXION 800 series has won awards in the past for its innovative design and in 2018, the range got even better.
In fact, CLAAS took a bit of a step back to offer the option of simpler controls for farmers who don’t require the whole kit and caboodle in the cab. We checked out the new 2018 range and took it for a spin in real world conditions to see just how well it handles the Australian heat and conditions.
4. JCB Fastrac 3185 – used tractor review
You know a machine is a keeper and a real workhorse when after 20 years since its launch, it is still in demand and receiving rave reviews by those who own and operate them.
Howard Shanks tracked down a JCB Fastrac 3185 tractor working away in the Victorian high country to see what really makes it tick. Unsurprisingly, operator comfort which is what JCB is known for came out on top of owner Euan Bell’s favourite features of the machine.
3. Machine spotlight: John Deere 7760 cotton picker
Not everyone has seen a cotton picker or know how it works so when we did a review on one, we knew it was going to be a winner, especially when it’s a Deere.
The John Deere 7760 cotton picker is an incredibly efficient machine that harvests and bales cotton in one pass, saving producers plenty of time and money.
2. Machine spotlight: John Deere 1890 air drill
Another Deere makes the list. This time, the 1890 air drill which is a great seeding unit for no-till operations.
According to farmmachinerysales writer, Kim Woods, who had a chance to take a closer look at the machine, the 1890 air drill has enough active hydraulic down pressure to dig in, and consistently sow seed at the correct depth right across the whole paddock.
1. Black Diamond 25-tonne wood splitter review
The biggest and most powerful machines we’ve looked at had nothing on this 6.5hp little rig, which came out tops on our most read reviews list for 2018.
Black Diamond is a quality wood splitter brand and for good reason. Our contributor, Howard Shanks, got to work splitting some wood in his own backyard and came away more than impressed with how the machine managed to split all sorts of wood, even knotty timbers, with ease.
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