Choosing a concrete mixer for private construction

Recommendation points

• Types of concrete mixers
• Main technical characteristics of concrete mixers
• Unit dimensions
• Concrete mixer volume
• Concrete mixer motor power
• Concrete mixer manufacturers

It is at least unreasonable to start construction without a reliable concrete mixer. In this article we will talk about how to independently choose the right unit for individual construction.

At the very beginning of construction work, when pouring the foundation and erecting walls, there is a need for a concrete mixer, an aggregate whose function is to mix the solution. It is worth taking care of its acquisition even if you decide to simply fill in a concrete path or a recreation area. But how do you make sense of all the variety of models with blue, red and yellow barrels? Let’s try to navigate what the concrete mixer market offers.

All construction equipment can be professional or amateur level. For an ordinary consumer, industrial units are unlikely to be of interest, so we will focus on concrete mixers that are used in individual construction.

Types of concrete mixers

Concrete mixers are divided into several categories. According to the principle of action, they are compulsory and gravitational. A forced or rotary concrete mixer is equipped with a stationary drum and several blades that rotate inside it. Typically, such units are used when preparing a mixture with various additives. Ready mix or concrete is discharged through a side window in a drum.

In private construction, gravity machines are more often used. They have blades on the walls of a rotating drum. They are of two types:

• crown
• geared

Gearbox concrete mixer

Gearboxes are distinguished by their durability, they are unpretentious to the size of the mixed materials and are cheaper. The only drawback is the complexity of the repair. Crowns are less reliable, but easier to repair due to the large number of spare parts on the market.

Crown concrete mixer

Concrete mixers differ in the type of engine. The power source can be:

• electricity
• petrol
• diesel fuel

Moreover, concrete mixers with an electric motor can operate both from the network and from the current generated by power plants, for example, such as Fubag, Honda, Makita or Brigadier. There are also units with a mechanical (manual) drive on the market.

Main technical characteristics of concrete mixers

The main parameters by which all concrete mixers are evaluated are its dimensions, drum material, drum load volume, engine power and availability of spare parts for sale..

Unit dimensions

They directly depend on the volume of the drum: the larger it is, the heavier and larger the concrete mixer. Dimensions affect the convenience and ability to move from one place to another. Usually, concrete mixers have wheels and can be disassembled for transportation and storage.

Concrete mixer volume

It is measured by the amount of the mixture that is placed in the drum, or, as the builders call it, the pear.

Small concrete mixers with a volume of 40-50 liters are used in laboratory conditions. Units of 70-300 liters work at private construction sites, drum volume from 300 liters is convenient to use on larger construction sites with a large number of workers.

For minor repairs, the FORTE EW3070 model (70 liters), costing 1,745 rubles, is suitable. Individual developers often opt for 120-150 liter concrete mixers. For repairs or small construction sites, it is quite enough. This category includes the crown concrete mixer “Rostec BRT 1252” (pear volume 125 liters), worth 6880 rubles, Altrad Liv MLZ 145 (volume 145 liters), worth 10,450 rubles, LIMEX 165 LS (volume 150 liters), worth 12,290 rubles … When fully loaded, such units can produce up to 3 cubic meters in one 8-hour working day. m of concrete, which is enough for a team of 3 people.

Altrad Liv MLZ 145

For the manufacture of 3-5 cubic meters. m of concrete per day in individual construction, it is worth using concrete mixers with a volume of 150-300 liters. For this, the RBG-170 models (drum volume 170 liters), costing 16,800 rubles, Prorab ECM 230 C (230 liters), costing 29,160 rubles, Optimix M 250 E (250 liters), costing 33,500 rubles, IMER SYNTESI 350 230 V (280 liters), worth 63,150 rubles.

IMER SYNTESI 350

It is important to remember that the volume of the finished mixture is approximately 2/3 of the loading volume of the drum. That is, with a pear volume of 150 liters, a maximum of 100 liters of the finished product will turn out, but not 110 or 120 liters, as unscrupulous sellers can promise.

Concrete mixer motor power

The successful operation of the concrete mixer directly depends on the engine power. A more powerful engine allows the unit to be operated non-stop throughout the day. In addition, he practically does not notice the voltage drops in the network, which often occur at construction sites in sparsely populated new areas. Such an engine allows you to load the concrete mixer drum to the maximum.

For a nominal volume of a concrete mixer of 120 liters, the minimum electric motor power must be 700 W. But professional builders like to work with units with more powerful motors – from 1 kW. For private construction, this is a pretty good option. But for a more powerful concrete mixer, you must have a 380 volt voltage source with three phases. And this opportunity is not always there. In addition, such units are more expensive.

Concrete mixer manufacturers

The domestic market offers a fairly wide range of concrete mixers. The most in demand are Polish models Altrad Spomasz, French Guy Noel, Russian-Austrian Skipers, Croatian concrete mixers Limex, less often Russian Lebedyan are used, even less often Chinese.

Comparative table of the most popular concrete mixers:

	STURM! CM1912CB1	Caliber BSE-132/700	Limex 125 LS	Lebedyan SBR-132R / 220
Power	500 watts	700 watts	700 watts	550 watts
Voltage	220 V	220 V	220 V	220 V
Engine	asynchronous electric	electric	electric	electric
Crown	cast iron	cast iron	cast iron	cast iron
Drum revolutions	30 rpm	26.6 rpm	28 rpm	26 rpm
Drum volume	120 l	130 l	125 l	132 l
Ready solution volume	70 l	100 l	90 l	64 l
Dimensions in packing	730х580х380 mm	825х730х440 mm	810x680x530 mm	1120х740х1310 mm
Weight	46 kg	62 kg	54 kg	64 kg
Manufacturer	Germany	Russia-China	Croatia	Russia
Price	7448 rbl.	8190 rbl.	10490 rbl.	10500 rbl.

This table clearly demonstrates the technical characteristics of popular models of concrete mixers. By comparing your needs and the data provided by us, you will greatly facilitate the task of choosing a concrete mixer.