Telehandlers Explained: Choosing a Telescopic Loader

A telehandler — short for telescopic handler, and often called a telescopic loader — is one of the most versatile machines you can own. With a boom that extends up and out, it lifts loads higher and reaches further than a fixed wheel loader, which makes it a workhorse on farms, yards, building sites and equestrian estates alike. Here's how to choose the right one.

What a telehandler is good for

The telescopic boom is what sets a telehandler apart. Fit a set of pallet forks and it stacks and loads lorries; swap to a bucket and it handles muck, grain or aggregate; add a bale spike, muck grab or man platform and it becomes something else again. That "one machine, many jobs" flexibility is why telehandlers are so popular with buyers who can't justify a separate loader for every task.

Lift height and capacity — the two numbers that matter

Every telehandler is defined by two figures:

• Maximum lift height — how high the boom reaches (commonly 4m to 7m and beyond). Think about the highest thing you'll ever need to reach: the top of a trailer, a stack of bales, a mezzanine.
• Maximum lift capacity — how much it will safely lift. Crucially, capacity drops as the boom extends, so always check the load chart at full reach, not just the headline figure.

Buy for the jobs you actually do. Over-speccing costs more to buy and run; under-speccing leaves you stuck.

Compact vs full-size

Compact telehandlers are narrow and low enough to work inside sheds, poly-tunnels and tight yards, and they're kinder on the ground. Full-size machines give you more reach and payload for open sites and bigger farms. If access is tight, a compact loader or telehandler often earns its keep faster than a larger machine you can't get through the door.

Attachments and hitches

A telehandler is only as useful as the attachments it carries. Check the carriage and hydraulic couplers, and make sure any attachments you already own (or plan to buy) will fit. A quick-hitch and auxiliary hydraulics make swapping attachments fast and safe.

New or used?

A good used telehandler can be excellent value — just check the boom for wear and play, inspect the hydraulic rams and hoses for leaks, and look at the tyres and transmission. A newer machine brings a warranty, the latest emissions compliance and lower running risk. We're the exclusive UK importer of HZM telescopic and wheel loaders, and every machine we sell is backed by our own workshop and a 12-month warranty.

Delivery and back-up

Wherever you are in the country, we deliver — and because we run our own workshop and stock parts, support doesn't stop at the sale. Browse our current loaders and telehandlers for sale, or tell us what you're after and we'll help you spec the right machine.