New skid steer owners make the same mistakes in a predictable order. This guide is about avoiding them — starting with what to actually buy first, and why most of the "exciting" attachments should wait.
When you buy your first skid steer, the attachment catalog looks like a toy store. Mulchers! Hydraulic breakers! Rock saws! And for a new owner, this is dangerous — not physically dangerous (though some of those are that too), but financially dangerous. Because the attachments that seem most exciting are often the least sensible first purchases.
Start with basics. Build competence. Add specialty equipment as you understand what you actually need. That sequence sounds obvious, but new operators consistently skip it.
Most skid steers are sold with a general-purpose (GP) bucket. This is the right starting point. A GP bucket — typically 66" to 84" wide depending on machine size — handles an enormous range of tasks: moving material, rough grading, loading trailers, backfilling, light dozing. If you're new to operating, this is also the tool you'll become proficient with fastest. GP bucket operation teaches you machine balance, reach, crowd pressure, and how your machine responds under load. That knowledge transfers to every attachment you add later.
Resist the urge to swap out the bucket immediately. Most new operators underestimate how much work a well-handled GP bucket can do.
This isn't a list of every attachment that might be useful. It's a decision framework based on where most Canadian operators actually are when they buy their first machine: small acreage, small contracting, rural property, or starting a landscaping or construction operation.
Tier 1 = buy these early, they earn their cost quickly. Tier 2 = buy when a specific need drives it. Tier 3 = buy only when you have the work to justify them.
Bar none, the most useful second attachment for most new operators. Pallet forks transform a skid steer into a mini telehandler — moving palletized material, loading and unloading trucks, setting equipment and structures. Price range: $600–$2,200 CAD depending on capacity and build quality.
Get a set rated to 125–150% of your machine's ROC. The extra capacity rating means you're not operating at the limits of the forks under normal loads. Class II or III fork pins depending on your carriage; confirm compatibility before ordering.
If you're doing any site cleanup, brush removal, land clearing, or debris handling, a root grapple or combination grapple becomes useful almost immediately. Unlike a standard bucket, a grapple lets you pick up irregular material — brush piles, stumps, rocks, mixed debris — without it shifting and spilling. Price range: $2,800–$6,500 CAD.
The operational skill jump from bucket to grapple is minimal — the controls are similar, you're just adding a close/open function for the upper jaw. New operators typically master grapple operation quickly.
For most Canadian operations: a 66" or 72" root grapple is the workhorse size. Go heavier duty if you're clearing large timber; standard duty is fine for brush and debris.
If your operation involves fence posts, tree planting, sign installation, footings, or any kind of hole-drilling, an auger drive and bit set is an early winner. The per-hole cost math against a standalone one-person auger or hired drilling is compelling. Price range: $1,800–$4,500 CAD for a quality drive unit plus a 12" and 18" bit set.
Don't buy a dirt-cheap auger drive for your first unit. The drive unit takes the full torque load of punching through soil and rock — this is where budget units fail early. A reputable mid-tier brand (Lowe, Digga, Bobcat-spec) will serve you for many years. The bits themselves are more tolerant of brand variation.
Canadian soil note: prairie clay, Ontario hardpan, and BC rocky ground all chew through bits faster than loamy topsoil. Budget for bit replacement from the start. See our post-hole drilling guide.
In Canada, this moves up the list fast if you're in a snowy region — basically everywhere except coastal BC. A snow pusher or angle blade means your skid steer pays for itself during winter months when landscaping and construction slow down. Snow pushers: $1,800–$4,500 CAD. Snow blowers (for heavy clearing): $5,500–$12,000 CAD.
The right choice depends on what you're clearing. Snow pushers are best for parking lots and open areas — they're fast and fuel-efficient. Snow blowers are essential for removing accumulated snow when you can't just push it to the side. See our Canadian snow attachment guide for the full breakdown.
Gravel driveways, roads, finished grading, food plot prep — a box blade or land plane is the go-to for precise finish work that a GP bucket can only approximate. Price range: $1,400–$3,500 CAD.
Box blades differ from land planes in that they have an enclosed rear moldboard that traps material for redistribution rather than just pushing it. For gravel driveways and road maintenance, the land plane is often more useful because it floats over high spots and fills low spots more naturally.
If concrete demolition, rock breaking, or frozen ground work is in your future, a hydraulic breaker belongs on the list. This is a higher skill attachment — improper use damages the breaker, the machine, and the work surface — but it's not complicated once you've read the manual and done a few hours of practice. Price range: $4,500–$11,000 CAD for a quality unit sized to your machine.
Breaker sizing matters more than almost any other attachment. An undersized breaker won't break effectively; an oversized one can damage your machine's arm and hydraulic system. See our hydraulic breaker buying guide.
New operators love the idea of a mulcher. The reality: mulchers are the most mechanically demanding attachment category in terms of operator skill, machine spec requirements (most need high-flow), and ongoing wear-part costs. Mulcher teeth need frequent replacement — $400–$2,000 per set — and the machine needs to be run at the right throttle and feed rate to avoid stalling or tooth loss. Price range: $9,000–$32,000 CAD.
Get comfortable with your machine and simpler attachments first. A mulcher is not a first-year attachment for most new operators. If brush clearing is genuinely your core business from day one, get the mulcher — but get hands-on training with it too.
Cold planers (asphalt millers) are specialized and expensive, and require a high-flow machine. If you're a paving or road contractor, this is eventually a core tool. As a first attachment for a general operator? Wait. You won't get enough use hours to justify the cost until you've built the contracting base to generate consistent pavement work.
If you're starting a small contracting or property operation and have $10,000–$15,000 to spend on attachments beyond the included GP bucket, here's a sensible first-year lineup:
Total: approximately $11,000 CAD. That's a versatile setup that covers landscaping, clearing, construction prep, post-hole work, and snow management. You can generate revenue with every one of those attachments from the first week.
What you're not buying yet: a mulcher, a cold planer, a hydraulic breaker, a trencher, or anything else that requires specialized work before it earns its cost. Add those as your operation develops specific, recurring demand for them.
For new operators with tighter budgets, buying used attachments for your first set is a completely reasonable approach — especially for lower-stress items like pallet forks, box blades, and snow pushers. Used grapples are widely available and often good value. Used auger drives need more scrutiny (check the hydraulic motor shaft seals and the mounting plate).
Where to look in Canada: Ritchie Bros. auctions, local equipment dealers' used yards, Facebook Marketplace (with physical inspection before buying), and Kijiji. The used attachment buying guide covers what to check on inspection.
What to prioritize in your first attachment set varies somewhat by region:
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