Reviews and tests - Farmers Weekly

Latest reviews and tests

On test: Jeep Compass SUV

Almost every four-wheel drive passenger car that you might see on a farm today can trace its inspiration back to the original Jeep. Land Rover designer Maurice Wilks famously had…

Vicon unveils updated T4 trailed sprayer range

Vicon has launched a T-series sprayer range that brings smarter technology and easier operation to its trailed line up. The likely volume seller in the Kubota-owned company’s new fleet is…

Slurry separation options compared

Dairy farmers are investing in slurry-separation systems amid tighter environmental controls. Balanced with the cost of increasing storage infrastructure to be compliant with nitrate vulnerable zone (NVZ) regulations, separation technologies…

TOOLS

6 handy new tools for the farm

Several big companies have been busy launching new farm-friendly tools, including ZF with its clever do-it-yourself oil analysis kit, Karcher with a new-look pressure washer lance and Draper, which has…

TRACTORS

Video: On test - John Deere 6250R v 7250R

The 250hp tractor market is bulging at the seams, so picking the model that provides the best balance of power, chassis size, transmission and fuel consumption requires careful consideration. In…

SPRAYERS

Driver’s view: Chafer Interceptor F-4000 sprayer

We asked five operators to run through the good points and bad points of their self-propelled sprayers and explain why they picked them. This time we’re focusing on British-built machines…

SPRAYERS

Driver's view: 2017 Sands Horizon 6000

We asked five operators to run through the good points and bad points of their self-propelled sprayers and explain why they picked them. This time we’re focusing on British-built machines…

Tractors

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TRACTORS

Video: On test - John Deere 6250R v 7250R

The 250hp tractor market is bulging at the seams, so picking the model that provides the best balance of power, chassis size, transmission and fuel consumption requires careful consideration. In…

TRACTORS

On test: Valtra's 100hp A104 HiTech4

Valtra is on a relentless offensive to ram-pack its tractor ranges with near limitless engine, transmission and cab spec combinations. The latest versions to be flung into its smallest A-series…

TRACTORS

Video: We try out John Deere's monster 8400R

If you missed our test report from the week we spent with John Deere’s monster 8400R, you can now watch the video to give you a flavour of what the…

MACHINERY

Video: 110hp Armatrac 1104 on test

Turkey has become something of a hotbed for small tractor manufacturing and one of its most recent exports is beginning to make headway in the cost-conscious UK market. The Armatrac…

401+HP

Video: On test - John Deere 8400R

Over the past couple of decades, tracked tractors have established themselves as the go-to cultivations power source for many 500ha-plus arable growers, thanks to their ability to skip lightly across…

TRACTORS

Video: 400hp reverse-drive Valtra S-series on test

Valtra has finally let its heavyweight S-series loose on the 400hp tractor scene and, armed with lorry loads of torque, a proven driveline and a redesigned cab, promises to unsettle…

TRACTORS

On test: John Deere's quick-fit EZ Ballast weight system

Adding ballast to a cultivation tractor is a time-honoured method of delivering maximum grip and making the most of the ponies it has to offer. Traditionally this has come in…

TRACTORS

Video: On test - New Holland T5.120 v Fendt 312

This month’s tractor test sees the New Holland T5.120 go head-to-head with Fendt’s 312. You can find how they performed with a pair of four-furrow Ovlac ploughs by watching the…

Telehandlers

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TELEHANDLERS

First impressions: JCB spends £6m on new telehandler cab

A new cab is the centrepiece of JCB’s latest-generation Loadall telehandlers and it promises to take comfort and practicality up several notches. Though the old version was perfectly functional –…

TELEHANDLERS

Telehandlers on test: Massey Ferguson TH 7038

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

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

Telehandlers on test: Claas Scorpion 741

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

Telehandlers on test: Kramer KT407

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…

TELEHANDLERS

On test: Manitou returns to pivot market with its MLA-T

It might have a chequered past in the world of pivot-steer loaders, but Manitou has returned for another crack at a market monopolised by its old enemy, JCB. The French…

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

Telehandler test: 5 mid-sized loaders battle it out

This winter’s big machinery test is all about lifting and shifting as we thrash out the winners and losers in the rigid-framed telehandler market. Although a little thinner in participants…

Tools, clothing and other equipment

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TOOLS

6 handy new tools for the farm

WORKSHOP SKILLS

Video: On test – 20 workshop tools recommended by farmers

Off the back of the low-cost tool, gadget and knickknack review we carried out last year, scores of readers got in touch with nifty suggestions of their own. Oliver Mark…

TOOLS

On test: Electric strimmers give petrol-powered performance

Battery and brushless motor technology has improved so much in recent years that even power-hungry machines such as brushcutters are beginning to go fossil-fuel free. At a recent press event…

TOOLS

Video: 20 handy workshop tools, gadgets and knick-knacks

Having the right tool, gadget or knick-knack at hand can take some stress out of the most frustrating farm tasks. Here the Farmers Weekly Machinery team presents 20 potential gems…

FARM MAINTENANCE

£50,000 silage conveyor invention keeps mud off road

After a constant battle to keep mud clear of the road during the wet silage season of 2012, contractor-cum-engineer Joe Williams decided he had to come up with a hassle-free…

MACHINERY

Five 18V cordless grinders on test

Pokier batteries and high-tech motors mean many cordless power tools now promise performance to match their plug-in rivals. They’re not cheap, but are they worth it? To sort the good…

MACHINERY

5 pieces of handy timber-processing kit

Processing timber on farm can be a time-consuming and tedious business, but thankfully there can be decent rewards for those willing to put in some effort. As a guide farmers…

MACHINERY

Farm welly boots on test - which is the best buy?

The wellington boot might be a farming institution, but how much thought really goes into replacing your worn-out rubber workwear? Some stingy wearers refuse to fork out more than £20…

4x4s, cars and pickups

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4X4S

On test: Jeep Compass SUV

Almost every four-wheel drive passenger car that you might see on a farm today can trace its inspiration back to the original Jeep. Land Rover designer Maurice Wilks famously had…

4X4S

Jeep adds luxury to rugged off-road Wrangler

Despite selling fewer than 300 models to its small and devoted band of followers last year, Jeep has decided to invest healthily in a new Wrangler model that brings with…

4X4S

Video: Three-way farm pickup showdown

The past year saw a clutch of new models enter the ever-growing 4×4 pickup market. However, not all is as it seems, as due to the popularity of these trucks,…

4X4S

Pickup test: Ssangyong Musso Saracen

The past year saw a clutch of new models enter the ever-growing 4x4 pickup market. We put three of the newest arrivals through their paces – the Mercedes-Benz X250d, Fiat Fullback Cross…

4X4S

Pickup test: Fiat Fullback Cross

The past year saw a clutch of new models enter the ever-growing 4x4 pickup market. We put three of the newest arrivals through their paces – the Mercedes-Benz X250d, Fiat Fullback Cross…

4X4S

Pickup test: Mercedes-Benz X250d

The past year saw a clutch of new models enter the ever-growing 4x4 pickup market. We put three of the newest arrivals through their paces – the Mercedes-Benz X250d, Fiat Fullback Cross…

4X4S

On test: Skoda Karoq Edition

Just when you thought you may have been running out of options for compact SUVs (said no-one), up pops another one. Hang on, don’t I recognise you? Well, you’re correct.…

4X4S

On test: 300hp Ariel Nomad buggy

As agricultural vehicles go, the Ariel Nomad might seem like a pretty extreme choice. OK, so it's not a proper workhorse, but it could be the perfect way to unwind,…

ATVs and UTVs

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ATVS AND UTVS

On test: E-Bike is nippy farm runaround

A mountain bike might be an odd sight in the pages of Farmers Weekly, but the machine we are about to feature already boasts a couple of agricultural customers. The…

ATVS AND UTVS

Video: Petrol or diesel UTVs: which are best?

So… which UTVs are best - petrol or diesel? If we put the issue of fuel cost and convenience to one side for a minute, it becomes an easy decision…