Selecting the best cold planer means not only knowing how you plan to use it but what jobs you plan to grow into.
Other considerations include ease of operation, the right technology, safety features, costs of ownership and, of course, productivity.
Manufacturers offer a variety of models to meet the range of uses for a cold planer, from parking lot jobs to highway mill-and-fill projects. We asked them to offer tips for small to mid-size contractors looking to add a cold planer to their fleet, along with some models they would recommend for the most common jobs.
Contractors sometimes find out the cold planer they’ve chosen isn’t the best fit for the job, says Tom Chastain, Wirtgen milling product manager.
“There are all these different variables,” he says. “You’ve got to find the right machine for the application.”
For instance, a contractor might choose a center-mount drum yet realize later that a rear-mount machine would have provided the maneuverability in tight spaces they need. Then again, they may need a wider cutting width on a job, in which case, a larger center-mount machine might be the better option.
