Posted by Spartan Equipment on 24th Feb 2026
If you’ve spent more than ten minutes on a job site, you already know one thing: nobody has time to waste. Machines either help you get the work done faster… or they slow you down so badly you might as well start digging with a shovel. And skid steers? They’re basically the Swiss Army knife of equipment, but only if you match them with the right attachments.
A skid steer without the right tools is just sitting there burning fuel and payroll. But pair it with the right attachments, and suddenly it’s grading, lifting, ripping, trenching, sweeping, cutting, hauling, and doing about 15 people’s work before lunch.
And that’s where things get real. Because “best skid steer attachments” means something different depending on what kind of jobs you’re running, landscaping, construction, farming, roadwork, demolition, or a little bit of everything. Still, some attachments show up on nearly every job site and always punch above their weight.
Whether you're picking your first set of attachments, or upgrading your current lineup, this guide walks through the attachments that actually matter. The ones that make your day faster, smoother, and just a bit less stressful.
And yes, everything mentioned here, you can find through Spartan Equipment, where attachments.
Why Attachments Matter More Than You Think
People love talking about horsepower, lift capacity, hydraulic flow stuff that looks great on spec sheets. But attachments? They’re the part that can decide whether you finish ahead of schedule or end up working by floodlight.
The right skid steer attachment will:
- Cut your time in half
- Reduce how many machines you need
- Save fuel
- Save operator fatigue
- Minimize mistakes
And when you choose a cheap attachment, you feel it almost immediately. Bent tines, dull cutters, leaky hoses, cracked welds. Suddenly, everything becomes a fight.
That’s why brands like Spartan Equipment exist in the first place. You buy once, you don’t worry about it again.
Top Skid Steer Attachments That Actually Maximize Productivity
Below is the lineup of attachments that consistently turn a skid steer from “dirt mover” into “Swiss army knife”.
1. Buckets (Because You Can’t Not Have One)
A bucket is the bread and butter of skid steer work. Sure, everyone has one. But not everyone has the right one. There’s a huge difference between a general purpose bucket and the kind of heavy duty, reinforced bucket that lets you dig into hardened clay, haul debris, load gravel, spread soil, and scrape rock without the edge folding like a cheap lawn chair.
If longevity is the goal, invest in buckets built to take abuse.
Mid-job upgrade tip: Spartan Equipment has reinforced buckets that survive the stuff most buckets complain about.
2. Grapple Attachments
There’s nothing quite like grabbing something heavy, jagged, awkward, or near impossible to lift and tossing it into a dump trailer like it’s nothing.
Grapples help you:
- clear land
- pick up logs
- move brush
- haul demolition debris
- handle awkward loads
Whether you go with a grapple bucket, root grapple, rock grapple, or a grapple rake, these things shave hours off cleanup jobs. They’re basically the attachment version of having that friend who is there to just lift the heavy stuff.
3. Brush Cutters & Mowers
Jobs involving overgrown land are usually where people lose time to thick brush, hidden stumps, tangles of vines, and tall weeds. If you don’t have a powerful cutter, you can spend a whole day wrestling with vegetation that should’ve taken an hour to knock down.
Brush cutters like the Articulating Brush Cutter, Hoplite Series Brush Cutter, or a classic brush mower turn a green mess into clean sight lines fast.
If you do land clearing, forestry work, roadside maintenance, or farm upkeep, this is a must have.
4. Auger Drives & Bits
Digging holes by hand is fine… if you enjoy back pain and complaining. But auger attachments? They make quick work of fence posts, tree plantings, footings, and utility holes.
What makes a good auger:
- strong planetary drive
- heavy duty bits
- proper torque
- the right depth capability
Cheaper augers jump, stall, or fight the operator. With a high quality auger drive, the bit does the work, not your spine.
And yes, Spartan’s Rock augers are built for rocky, stubborn soil that normally chews through bits.
5. Pallet Forks
If you’ve ever tried using bargain bin pallet forks, you already know what happens. They bend, flex, or totally snap.
Good pallet forks solve all that.
Just about every jobsite includes the following:
- materials
- lumber
- feed
- bags
- equipment
- supplies
which makes having solid pallet forks a necessity. The hydraulic adjustable forks are a game changer for operators who move loads all day and do not feel like having to adjust heavy fork tines.
6. Concrete Tools (Buckets, Mixers, Breakers, Claws)
Concrete work requires precision. And the fastest way to ruin a pour is by using tools that annoy you into cutting corners.
Skid steer concrete attachments fix that.
You can:
- break old slabs
- mix fresh material
- carry it without spilling
- pour exactly where you want
- claw out chunks cleanly
If you do construction or hardscaping, a skid steer concrete lineup saves both time and crew hours. They’re not “nice to have,” they’re money makers.
7. Trenchers & Trench Backfillers
Most people underestimate how much time trenching wastes until they’ve done it once with the wrong equipment.
A perfect trench depends on:
- clean edges
- consistent depth
- speed
- minimal surrounding damage
A trencher attachment checks all those boxes. Then you pair it with a trench backfiller, and you’ve got the “dig and refill” cycle locked in.
Pipe work, irrigation, utilities, and drainage all go faster with a trencher. No contest.
8. Snow Attachments (Blowers, Pushers, Blades)
Snow removal is all about speed and visibility. When the storm doesn’t care about your schedule, your equipment better keep up.
Skid steer snow attachments help you:
- clear long driveways
- open parking lots
- push piles
- cut through icy buildup
- handle slush, heavy snow, and packed drifts
The right snow tools can turn a 2-hour job into 20 minutes. Spartan snow blowers and pushers save time and offer reliability when it counts most, unlike cheap low quality made equipment.
9. Land Levelers & Graders
Finish grading is one of those things that separates “good” operators from “great.” You want that clean, smooth final look without spending all day reworking the same area.
Levelers and graders give:
- fast grading
- precise cuts
- consistent grade
- easy corrections
If you want that satisfying “wow, that looks clean” finish, this is the attachment to have on your trailer.
10. Mounting Plates
People skip thinking about mounting plates until they start having compatibility issues. This is a mistake.
A properly made Skid Steer Mounting Plate determines how solid your connection is and the most obvious factor…whether your machine will hookup to your attachment. An incorrectly made plate means the whole attachment wobbles, flexes, or stresses the frame or will prevent hookup all together. A poor fit wastes more time and money than almost anything else. Do not try to save money by going with a poorly constructed attachment that you will only need to pay a welder or shop to fix before even putting it to use.
Spartan’s mounting plates are built consistently to fit clean, lock tight, and handle abuse.
How to Choose the Best Skid Steer Attachments for Your Work
Different jobs need different attachments, pretty obvious. But here’s the real trick: pick attachments that work across your projects, not just for one off jobs.
A simple selection strategy:
- List your most common tasks
- Match them with attachments you’ll use weekly
- Buy those first
- Add specialty attachments later
Always search for heavy duty made attachments if possible. A lightweight attachment doesn’t always mean you’re saving money. If you’re already working hard on a job site, you need steel and welds that can keep up.
If you want attachments that never surrender, check out Spartan Equipment’s full lineup
Final Thoughts: Work Smarter, Not Harder
Productivity does not just happen. It requires the right people, the right machines, and the right attachments. And with your skid steer outfitted with the proper attachments, you will notice the results in no time: the added efficiency and speed, the reduced downtime and breakdowns, the happier crew, and the happier customers.
Get the attachments that really make your day better. Your back, your schedule, and most importantly, your boss (or your own business) will be grateful to you for doing so.
Take a closer look at the complete line of Spartan Equipment’s, the best skid steer attachments that are tough, durable, and reliable.
FAQs
1. Why are the finest skid steer attachments worth buying?
High quality skid steer attachments provide you with quicker and more quality work, less downtime, and reduced stress during the workday. Inexpensive attachments tend to bend, break, or fail you, which translates into the job taking twice as long. Your performance is much smoother, and headaches are reduced to a minimum with high quality attachments. It is the kind of purchase that is absolutely worth the investment.
2. What is the maximum number of attachments that a contractor should to have?
The basic equipment needed by most crews is a bucket, pallet forks, and a grapple. That is sufficient to take on 90 percent of daily tasks. When different jobs or applications introduce themselves, you can start to add specialty equipment such as trenchers, augers, concrete breakers, or snow pushers to your attachment arsenal.
3. How do I know if an attachment is compatible with my skid steer?
Since the early 90s, all skid steer loader brands have been using the same “universal quick attach” for the mounting interface which means mounting for skid steer attachments is almost never an issue. Paying attention to Horse Power ratings, lift capacity, and hydraulic flow capacity gpm ratings are the most important factors to be aware of. Between product specifications and machine specifications, compatibility is easy to confirm in most scenarios. If there is uncertainty, you can always reach out to the attachment supplier or machine manufacturer for clarification.
4. What can I do to maintain good conditions of skid steer attachments?
Frequent greasing, inspection of hoses, tightening of bolts, removing dirt or mud, and clean oil will keep 99% of attachments running like they’re new. Routine maintenance keeps most attachments going for years and years.