There are a number of tools that many people might deem a legitimate necessity for any homeowner. Then there are those that most homeowners might realistically never need. When it comes to items that might slot into the latter list, a towable backhoe would likely show up. 

That is in no small part because even a small backhoe is not easily storable in a garage or shed. They also tend to be pretty expensive. And yet, when the need arises, you might be happy to have one around. The good news is that you can keep one without too massive a financial investment, with Harbor Freight Tools currently selling a powerful Central Machinery Towable Backhoe for $2999.99.

Central Machinery is one of several notable brands owned by Harbor Freight Tools. The brand’s 8-horsepower, 301cc backhoe has earned some serious love from those who’ve already purchased one in the form of a 4.7-star user rating. Those users have largely praised the towable backhoe for its power, versatility, and transportability, particularly in light of its price point. They also hail it as durable and ideal for smaller projects in your backyard or in some professional environments, professing to have used the backhoe for any number of jobs. Here’s a look at a few of the jobs you might be able to use it for.

Even if you generally have no idea what a backhoe can be used for, just a glance will tell you that it is first and foremost a digging tool. It is, after all, affixed with a hydraulic boom arm that has a 13-inch bucket attached.

There are different modes of digging, of course, and simply digging holes may not be all that useful to some. The digging of a trench, however, could be very useful for anyone who is digging for the purpose of installing water and drainage pipes, or any sort of utility lines that might benefit from being buried under several feet of soil. Apart from digging those trenches for the placement of pipes and cables, the Central Machinery backhoe from Harbor Freight Tools can also help you remove some unwanted items from the yard.

Yes, the backhoe can also be put to use as a backyard excavator. As for what you might be excavating, the backhoe could come in handy if you’re looking to dig out old water or drainage lines, fence posts, or even some larger pavers that might be buried in a yard or garden. Anyone who has ever tried to dig those items out with nothing but a shovel might be quick to tell you just how much easier the job can be with a backhoe. 

If digging and trenching are all you need from Harbor Freight’s Central Machinery Towable Backhoe, it should be able to handle most of the backyard and DIY jobs you can throw at it. But once you’ve done all of that digging and placed whatever you need placed into the excavated space, there is still the matter of the dirt itself to deal with.

Traditional wisdom might tell you that the dirt can easily be replaced with a good, old-fashioned shovel. Depending on the scope of the job, that might easily become the definition of “back-breaking labor.” The good news on that front is that the very same backhoe you used to dig the hole or trench can actually be pressed into action when it’s time to replace the dirt.

That process is called backfilling, and the bucket at the end of that boom arm is designed to make easy work of helping fill the holes it digs. You can, obviously, do so by simply scooping up the excavated dirt and dropping it directly back into the hole. There will come a point, however, when scooping might inadvertently become extra digging. So, when your dirt piles get too low to scoop, you should be able to use the backside of the device’s bucket to gently push the remaining dirt into the hole as well. A little shovel work may still be required here even after pushing the dirt around, but it’ll be far less than it could’ve been.

Overhauling the green spaces that surround your home is the sort of work that many deem better suited to professional landscaping crews and design teams. True-blue DIYers might, however, prefer to put their own personal touch on their would-be backyard oasis.

You’ll need to do a fair amount of digging when you’re transforming that space, particularly if you’re looking to move and or remove stumps, trees, and shrubs, or even if you’re merely looking to plant new ones. A backhoe could also go a long way in turning over larger flower beds where you’re looking to plant, or even turning grassy areas into new beds. 

A backhoe can also be helpful in moving dirt around for the purpose of re-grading the backyard surfaces. This is a vital part of a landscaping project, as properly grading the surface aids in the management of water, helping to ensure it runs away from your home and that it does not pool near the foundation or at other locations in the yard. Grading is also intended to ensure a solid foundation in the space if you are looking to outfit the area with new sod or turf.

Using the Harbor Freight backhoe to dig trees, stumps, and shrubbery from the ground, you’ll still need some method of moving them around the property. That may prove difficult, as they could be too heavy to move by hand. The very backhoe you dug those items out with can help with that issue, as the Central Machinery device is designed to lift objects up to 660-pounds in weight.

That capacity will also give you the chance to move heavier objects around the yard too, including some large rocks and boulders that you might run into when you’re digging. To that end, the backhoe can also be used to place those stones, or any others you might’ve purchased to use in the yard as part of your landscaping project, as its boom arm is also designed to offer 60-degrees of movement to the left or to the right. This could also be quite useful for weightier construction materials like pipes or lumber if you’re doing heavier work in the yard or elsewhere.

All that being said, there is one aspect of such work that the backhoe will not be able to help with, and that’s the hauling of logs, stumps, shrubs, and stones away from the property. While the backhoe is towable, it is not drivable, meaning you’ll likely need a towable trailer for that part of the job. Luckily, Harbor Freight does sell those too.

While a Central Machinery backhoe can move materials, it’s not really designed to be a heavy duty work machine. Still, it’s not restricted merely to the handling and moving of materials. Some folks have even opted to press their Central Machinery backhoe into action for demolition projects.

This backhoe will be a little bit limited in its capacity for destruction, as it is not designed explicitly for demo work. So, if you’re looking to take down a house, or any structure larger than a shed, you’re going to need something more substantial for the job. If, however, you have a backyard shed or gazebo that is beyond repair and in need of a full tear down, or need to take down other old wooden structures and fences on your property, the Harbor Freight’s towable backhoe may be capable of doing the deed. 

Its general lack of mobility will be one of the machine’s limitations in demo work, as you’ll be restricted to its 8-foot reach and 60-degree swing capabilities. Even as the backhoe’s size makes it more mobile than some other options, it still weighs more than 1,000-pounds, so you’ll need to move it via a larger vehicle when it’s time to reset. You’ll also need to reset the tool’s stabilizers every time you move it to ensure safety. Despite those drawbacks, the Central Machinery backhoe may be preferable to purchasing or renting heavier machinery for a smaller demo job. Just FYI — it comes with a pretty good warranty to boot.