Plate compactor: rent or buy?

Follow the machine's manual for lift thickness, slope limits and hearing protection.

Do the math

Count the days a year you compact: paver bases, trench backfill, slab and footing prep, walkway repairs. Multiply by the rental rate plus the time someone spends picking it up and bringing it back. Compare that yearly number with the price of owning one. The calculator below does it with your numbers.

Estimate only. The default includes about $150 a year for oil, plates and transport when you own.

The crew cost default of $50 an hour comes from our own labor: about $400 a day for a two-person crew. Change it to yours.

Battery or gas

• Battery (for example Milwaukee MX FUEL, which we own): no fuel to mix or store, no exhaust, quieter on occupied properties and inside courtyards. Runtime depends on the packs you carry.
• Gas: long continuous runtime and a lower entry price, but engine maintenance, fuel storage and exhaust limits indoors and near open windows.

On-site tips

1. Compact in thin lifts instead of one deep pass; the manual lists the maximum lift for your machine.
2. Lightly moisten dry base material so it packs instead of dusting.
3. Overlap each pass and work from the edges in.
4. Wear hearing protection and safety boots; keep hands clear of the plate.
5. Do not run a plate compactor on steep slopes.

Current plate compactor prices

Milwaukee MX FUEL plate compactor

AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart

Gas plate compactors

AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart

Store rental counters (Home Depot Tool Rental and local rental yards) post daily rates; use them in the calculator above.