Grub,
Kubota does make their own backhoes. They are made in the US. I really don't have any frame of reference, because this is the only backhoe I have ever owned, or operated. It is a 3pt. with self contained pto driven hydraulics. I know there are different schools of thought on this, but I liked the simplicity of not having to open the main tractor hydraulics every time I removed or installed it. Probably not a big deal, but it seemed cleaner. Taking it off and on has been quite a learning experience. The first time I took it off it took me close to an hour to put it back on. The second time 30 minutes, third time about 15 minutes and my best time so far is just under 5 minutes. Just like anything else, there is a real trick to taking them off and on. Anyway, this is a long winded reply that basically says, for the the "weekend warrior", like myself, it is more than adequate and very simple to operate, after you learn how to use it.
Greg