Too confused to choose

[GManBart]

Great, I feel like I'm making a bit of progress.
I figure there's no way that I can afford a backhoe, plus from what I've read, most folk who have them don't fully utilise them.

You could get a decent used open station backhoe for $30K, but it's a much more complex machine and you're still dealing with something that's used, and that always carries some risk. Not to mention that it helps to have someone who really knows about them do an inspection on it. With that in mind, it sounds like a new CUT, with a warranty, and supportive dealer makes the most sense for you.

To lift a 2K pallet you're talking machines that are all in the 40hp+ range. All five brands you mentioned make a good machine that will do the job. Of those, Deere will generally be the most expensive, followed by Kubota, then New Holland, then Kioti and LS. Deere, Kubota and NH will be fairly close in price (usually) for any given size/power machine, and then there will be a pretty big drop to Kioti and LS.

Just an FYI, but buying a New Holland in that size means you're really buying an LS with different stickers and headlights, but paying significantly more for it. When I comparison shopped the previous models from LS and NH, the R4047H was $21,500 and the Boomer 50 (identical machine with a weaker loader) was $31K.

I can only guess that the shipping challenges of getting stuff to AK raises the price somewhat, so you'll have to factor that in when looking at CONUS prices. Around here you can get an open station LS XR4046H for under $25K and it has a lot of nice features and standard options. The cab version is just under $30K. The only real negative is that for whatever reason the FEL has less lift height (like 10" or so) than some of the competition. With that said, it will handle 2K pallets without any problem. The XR4040H runs about $1500 less...same machine with less power.

New LS 46 hp diesel tractor loader 4x4

Similarly, a Kioti NX 4510 is a very nice machine with a bunch of standard features...more powerful loader, better lift height, and a very handy rear 3pt control lever that helps with hooking up implements. Around here they run in the $26K range open station, and just under $30K with a cab.

I was very happy with the LS I owned, and only sold it to go with something much bigger, but if I was buying a CUT again, I'd get the NX and go up to the 5510 because my implements are sized for 45hp PTO (give or take).

 

[Steppenwolfe]

You can always rent a backhoe, go for the most tractor you can buy. Whatever feels good under seat and will do what you ask of it is a good tractor.