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Know How / Telehandlers

Often the most-used machine on the farms – especially with pigs, sheep, beef or dairy cattle – so we cover new machines, first drives, user views and group tests of telescopic handlers (or telehandlers) for efficient materials handling, cleaning stock buildings, loading bales and shifting grain.

Latest telehandler articles

TELEHANDLERS

Lamma 2026: Kubota brings big SVL 75-3 skid-steer to the UK

National plans to increase solar capacity was a major motivator behind Kubota’s decision to bring its SVL 75-3 skid-steer handler to the UK. Its 1.7m width allows contractors to slink…

TELEHANDLERS

Lamma 2026: Compact JCB 526-60 gets swankier cab

JCB has lavished its compact Loadall telehandlers with some attention, fitting higher-spec cabs, improved brakes and twin-line trailer braking. The 526.60 is the smaller of the two models, benefiting from…

TELEHANDLERS

Lamma 2026: Stronger boom for Stoll TracLift loader

Farmers torn between Stoll’s budget Solid front loader and top-spec ProfiLine FZ need agonise no more, following the introduction of three mid-range TracLift models. Smallest of the trio is the…

TELEHANDLERS

Agritechnica 2025: Hybrid drive for prototype NH telehandler

Wacky styling isn’t the only novelty to be found on New Holland’s latest prototype 7m/4.2t telehandler. Rather than a traditional diesel engine, the TH Hybrid Power harnesses both electricity and…

TELEHANDLERS

Agritechnica 2025: More lift capacity for JCB’s 7m Loadalls

A brace of 7m machines has been added to JCB’s telehandler line-up, offering up to 24% more lift capacity than the current 542-70. The 546-70 is the lesser of the…

TELEHANDLERS

On test: Merlo TF30.7 - small frame, pokey hydraulics

A surge of farmers pining for more lifting and loading capacity without compromising on size has spawned a slew of pint-sized telehandlers. Merlo’s TF30.7 is one of the latest to…

Telehandler reviews and tests

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On test: Merlo's new heavy-duty 50.8 telehandler

Merlo has added another model to its line-up of heavy-lifting farm-spec telehandlers in a bid to satisfy the insatiable demands for more capacity from Europe’s biggest arable farmers and biogas…

MACHINERY

On test: JCB's 419S loading shovel brings extra muscle

Officially launched at Paris’ Sima show in February, JCB’s 419S loading shovel is now rolling down the firm’s Staffordshire production lines. As the main middleweight model in the company’s ag-spec…

TELEHANDLERS

Video: On test – Kramer's KT357 telehandler

Since Claas introduced its Kramer-built telehandlers in 2005, the Scorpion range has established itself as a genuine contender to the might of JCB and Manitou. However, back in 2015 both…

TELEHANDLERS

Driver's View: John Walker's JCB Loadall 542-70 Agri Xtra 

As the second largest telehandler in JCB’s extensive agricultural range, the Loadall 542-70 is geared up for handling large grain buckets, bale grabs and bag lifters. Four versions are available…

TELEHANDLERS

Telehandlers on test: Caterpillar TH408D

In an extension of our telehandler test in the 4t lift and 7m reach category, we have taken a look at the best-selling rigid-frame machines from Kramer, Claas, Cat and Bobcat.…

TELEHANDLERS

On test: Kramer’s KL60.8 loader

Kramer's KL60.8 offers the unusual combination of four-wheel steer and central cab layout, giving operators great views from a lofty perch and the manoeuvrability of equivalent telehandlers. That might make…

TELEHANDLERS

On test: Bobcat’s revamped TL43.80HF telehandler

While JCB may continue to occupy the long-coveted throne in the competitive telehandler market, Bobcat is becoming an increasingly viable challenger thanks to a drastic interior upgrade for its new…

TELEHANDLERS

Driver's View: John Cartledge's Kramer KT407 Ecospeed

Kramer’s handler range came to prominence following the conclusion of its manufacturing agreement with Claas in 2017, and its subsequent integration with John Deere’s dealer network. A year later, it…

TELEHANDLERS

On test: Fendt broadens Cargo range with T740 telehandler

The world is littered with gizmos that no one ever asked for, yet somehow became integral to our lives. Lightbulbs, vaccines, airplanes and personal computers were all dismissed before they…

TELEHANDLERS

On test: JCB Teleskid v Norcar a7545 mini pivot-steer

If you’re in the market for something that's small and agile around the yard, but still has plenty of capacity to shift decent lumps of material, then you basically have…

TELEHANDLERS

Video: Fendt's debut Cargo T955 telehandler on test

Not since the launch of JCB’s mid-engined, four-wheel steering Loadalls over 30 years ago has a telehandler defied convention quite like Fendt’s debut Cargo T955. Its hulking frame, high boom…

TELEHANDLERS

Telehandler test: Bobcat TL 38.70 HF Agri

Our test machine was the biggest in Bobcat’s line-up of ag-spec TL telehandlers, offering a lift capacity of 3.8t and a 7m reach. Those looking for a more compact machine…

Telehandler buying advice

Telehandler guides

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TELEHANDLERS

Ultimate guide to buying a telehandler 2024

The 2024 edition of Farmers Weekly’s Ultimate Guide to telehandlers and telescopic wheeled loaders of all shapes and sizes features a number of new and updated models – as well…

TELEHANDLERS

Telehandler test: Dieci Agri Plus 40.7 VS Evo2

Dieci offers a massive range of agricultural telehandlers covering almost every combination of lift capacity and reach you can think of. At the bottom end there’s the diminutive Agrovector 25.5,…

TECHNOLOGY

New JCB and Manitou telehandlers headline Eurotier show

Europe’s leading livestock event returned to Hannover, Germany, last month after a four-year hiatus. Here, we pick out the best bits. 530-60 Agri Super joins JCB Loadall range See also: Ultimate…

TELEHANDLERS

Manitou unveils clutch of MLA mini pivot-steer loaders

Manitou has launched six new compact articulated loaders that are designed to work in tight spaces. Smaller MLA series 2 and 3 machines sit at just 1.1m wide and offer…

Contractors have a tough time on the road

Moving tractors, trailers and implements around the countryside can be fraught with difficulties. Andy Collings visited a Kent contractor who has the unenviable task of keeping five combines on the…

TELEHANDLERS

173hp JCB 542-100 Agri Pro joins Loadall range

Straw contractors have access to some handy extra reach and lift capacity with the launch of JCB’s 542-100 telehandler. The new model can lift 4.2t and is capable of pushing…

TELEHANDLERS

New-look Claas Scorpion telehandlers set for revamped cab

A refreshed line-up of “small platform” Claas Scorpion telescopic handlers is on its way, featuring a new powertrain for selected models, more automated control features and added comfort and convenience…

Maids of all work

For sheer versatility the farm tele-handler is hard to beat. Interest in acquiring these day-to-day workhorses that can multi-task has steadily increased and the market is awash with options to…

TELEHANDLERS

JCB ups Loadall power and expands transmission options

JCB has updated its series 3 Loadalls to meet the all-important Stage 5 emissions targets and, at the same time, added the Dualtech VT gearbox to more models. The firm…

TELEHANDLERS

Lightweight JCB 403 proves a hit for Pembrokeshire farm

Harold, David and Berwyn Warlow run a brace of compact JCB 403 wheel loaders on their 300-cow dairy farm and beef unit near Narberth, Pembrokeshire. Duties for the pint-sized machines…

TELEHANDLERS

JCB breaks new ground with its first electric telehandler

JCB has added to its electric machinery portfolio with a first zero-emissions telescopic Loadall. The unveiling of the new telehandler was timed to coincide with the government’s announcement in mid-November…

TELEHANDLERS

Ultimate guide to buying a telehandler 2022

Newcomers and new features are scattered throughout the Ultimate Guide to Telehandlers and Telescopic Wheeled Loaders for 2022. We see newcomer Venieri, a new addition to the Kramer range, more…

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MACHINERY

Telehandler test: Deici Agrifarmer

Hydraulics Engine Joystick Cab Maintenance Gallery Video Italian loader specialist Dieci produces around 1,800 machines per year and its Agri Farmer 26.6 model uses a 110 litres/min Bosch Rexroth pump.…

MACHINERY

Video: Pint-sized telehandler from New Holland

The LM5020 is a neat machine with impressive lift and reach, but low transport speeds mean it's best suited to yard-based duties. For those wanting to travel further or tow,…

MACHINERY

Video: Telehandler test: Manitou MLT 625-75H

Hydraulics Engine Joystick Cab Maintenance Gallery Video Though the smallest loader in the test, the MLT 625-75H achieved very respectable lift results. Manitou uses a 90 litres/min Bosch Rexroth pump…

MACHINERY

Telehandler test: Deutz-Fahr Agrovector 29.6

Hydraulics Engine Joystick Cab Maintenance Gallery Video Loader specialist JLG makes the Deutz-Fahr Agrovector loader. Powering the hydraulics is a Bosch Rexroth pump with a maximum flow of 102 litres/minute…