Head to head
JCB 250T against JCB 300
The JCB 250T saves $3,210; only the JCB 250T runs tracks, so their advertised capacities are not measured the same way; the JCB 300 moves 5.3 GPM more through the auxiliary circuit; only the JCB 250T runs rubber tracks.
These two are rated differently on purpose. A wheeled skid steer is rated at half its tipping load and a track loader at 35 per cent, because the track machine holds back more reserve. So the capacity rows below are not a like-for-like contest, and the tipping load row is the closer thing to one.
| Spec | JCB 250T | JCB 300 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $63,790 | $67,000 |
| Rated capacity, as advertised | 2,317 lbs | 3,186 lbs |
| Rated at | 33% of tipping load | 50% of tipping load |
| Tipping load | 7,045 lbs | 6,369 lbs |
| Capacity at its class convention | 2,466 lbs | 3,185 lbs |
| Engine power | 74 hp | 74 hp |
| Engine | Kohler KDI2504TCR/26A | JCB EcoMAX TCAE-55 |
| Auxiliary flow | 18.5 GPM | 23.8 GPM |
| Lift height | 119 in | 126 in |
| Operating weight | 9,667 lbs | 9,288 lbs |
| Lift path | Vertical Lift | Vertical Lift |
| Rubber tracks | Yes | No |
| High flow available | Yes | Yes |
| Enclosed cab available | Yes | Yes |
| Two-speed travel available | Yes | Yes |
| Self-levelling available | Yes | Yes |
| A/C and heat available | Yes | Yes |
| Warranty | 2 yr / 2,000 hr | 2 yr / 2,000 hr |
What owners say about each
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.
JCB 300
- The side-entry door means operators never climb over the attachment or under a raised boom - on a 3,000 lb-class machine handling heavy loads, that's a meaningful safety edge every shift.
- The single-arm PowerBoom eliminates the right-side arm for roughly 60% better visibility, and the one-piece boom stays tight and rattle-free after hard hours.
- At 3,186 lbs of rated capacity it's JCB's strongest wheeled skid steer, comfortably handling brick packs, seed pallets, and full concrete mixing duties.
- The 74 hp EcoMAX diesel meets Tier 4 Final with no DPF and no DEF - no regen cycles, no emissions fluid, and less aftertreatment plumbing to fail out of warranty.
- A 23.8 GPM standard circuit with an optional high-flow package up to 33 GPM runs demanding attachments like cold planers and snow blowers.
- Two-speed travel tops out around 12.4 mph, which is genuinely fast for ground-to-ground moves on large sites.
- Traditional buyers remain skeptical of the single-boom design, which can narrow the buyer pool when it's time to sell.
- JCB's compact-equipment dealer network is thinner than Bobcat's, Cat's, or Deere's in much of rural America, slowing parts and service.
- At 9,288 lbs it needs a serious trailer and truck - this is not a machine you tow behind a half-ton.
- 74 hp is modest for a 3,000 lb-class machine, and rivals like the Bobcat S86 offer notably more engine power in the same weight class.
- The left-side door is the only entry, so tight parking against that side locks the operator out.
- Wheels limit it in mud and soft ground where the tracked 300T keeps working - and the track version costs a hefty premium.
- High-flow hydraulics cost extra, so the attachment-heavy buyers this machine targets end up paying above the base price.