Head to head
Bobcat T450 against JCB 250T
The JCB 250T saves $455; the JCB 250T carries 976 lb more once both are rated the same way; the JCB 250T moves 1.8 GPM more through the auxiliary circuit.
| Spec | Bobcat T450 | JCB 250T |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $64,245 | $63,790 |
| Rated capacity, as advertised | 1,490 lbs | 2,317 lbs |
| Rated at | 35% of tipping load | 33% of tipping load |
| Tipping load | 4,257 lbs | 7,045 lbs |
| Capacity at its class convention | 1,490 lbs | 2,466 lbs |
| Engine power | 55 hp | 74 hp |
| Engine | Bobcat (Doosan) D24 | Kohler KDI2504TCR/26A |
| Auxiliary flow | 16.7 GPM | 18.5 GPM |
| Lift height | 109.5 in | 119 in |
| Operating weight | 6,424 lbs | 9,667 lbs |
| Lift path | Radial Lift | Vertical Lift |
| Rubber tracks | Yes | Yes |
| High flow available | No | Yes |
| Enclosed cab available | Yes | Yes |
| Two-speed travel available | Yes | Yes |
| Self-levelling available | No | Yes |
| A/C and heat available | Yes | Yes |
| Warranty | 2 yr / 2,000 hr | 2 yr / 2,000 hr |
What owners say about each
Bobcat T450
- At just 55 inches wide it slips through standard gates and side yards that stop every mid-frame CTL cold, which is exactly why fencing and pool contractors gravitate to it.
- The 55 hp Tier 4 engine gets by without a DPF, so owners are spared the regen cycles, limp modes, and emissions headaches that plague bigger diesels.
- At 6,424 lbs it's genuinely towable behind a half-ton pickup with a bucket and trailer, saving small operators from buying a bigger truck just to move the machine.
- The radius lift path arcs out at mid-range heights, which operators say makes it a natural for backfilling, dumping over walls, and unloading flatbeds.
- The swing-open tailgate and simple engine layout make daily checks and filter changes easy, and mechanics note there's far less to go wrong than on high-spec machines.
- An optional 200 lb counterweight bumps rated capacity to 1,656 lbs, giving it a useful cushion for the occasional heavy pallet.
- The 1,490 lb rated capacity means a full pallet of sod or pavers is over the limit, and owners doing material handling quickly wish they'd bought a T64.
- There's no high-flow option, so the 16.7 GPM aux circuit rules out mulchers, cold planers, and other flow-hungry attachments entirely.
- The short, narrow footprint gets tippy on side slopes and bouncy at travel speed, and operators consistently call the ride rougher than mid-frame machines.
- The cab is genuinely cramped - taller or broader operators complain their knees hit the door and shoulder room is minimal on long days.
- Pricing lands uncomfortably close to the larger T64, and plenty of buyers conclude the extra few thousand dollars for the bigger frame is the smarter spend.
- The radius lift path gives up reach at full height, so loading tall dump trucks and stacking pallets high is harder than on vertical-lift rivals.
- Bobcat parts and dealer labor pricing run high, so ownership costs stay elevated even on this entry-level machine.
JCB 250T
- It's the only machine in the hot mid-size CTL class (Bobcat T64, Cat 259, Deere 331 territory) with a side-entry door - operators never climb over the attachment or under a raised boom.
- The 74 hp JCB EcoMAX TCAE-55 diesel needs no DPF and no DEF, so there are no regen cycles or emissions fluid to manage.
- The 2,526 lb rated capacity slots neatly between JCB's own 215T and 270T, right where most rental and landscape buyers shop.
- A 125-inch hinge pin height is large-platform reach, clearing standard dump truck sides that the 119-inch small-platform machines just miss.
- The cab is roughly 46% larger than competitive mid-size machines, with a touchscreen display and adjustable MyChoice joystick response.
- Wide 15.7-inch tracks keep ground pressure around 5 psi, so it treads lighter on turf than its capacity suggests.
- An 18.5 GPM standard circuit with a 30.4 GPM high-flow option covers augers through cold planers without buying the biggest frame.
- It's a brand-new 2026 model, so there's no long-term reliability record and early-production quirks are still being shaken out.
- The single-boom design still meets resistance from traditionalist buyers, which historically softens JCB resale values.
- The left-side door is the only way in, so parking tight against an obstacle on that side locks you out.
- The 74 hp rating trails 100+ hp rivals for sustained high-flow mulching work despite the healthy hydraulics.
- At 10,622 lbs it's heavier than several twin-arm machines with comparable rated capacity, and it tows heavier than its class suggests.
- Electro-hydraulic controls and integrated electronics need dealer-level diagnostic tools when faults appear.
- The JCB EcoMAX engine and proprietary boom parts are unfamiliar to many independent mechanics, stretching off-warranty repairs.