A skid-steer loader is a piece of equipment that can be suited to any scope of work. With the many attachment options, these units can be found doing many tasks on many different types of jobsites. From earthmoving on a building site to landscaping a park to cleaning stalls in a barn, skid-steers can be found helping operators get the job done. While skid steers can be utilized in many different ways, it’s size and load capacity does matter. A smaller skid steer would not be the best choice for a highway crew that needs to mill a load of asphalt off a road; and a full-size skid steer wouldn't be a suitable option for a homeowner to use for his home project.

A skid loader loader is a small rigid frame, engine-powered machine with lift arms used to attach a wide variety of laborsaving tools or attachments. Though sometimes they are equipped with tracks, skid-steer loaders are typically four-wheel drive units with the left-side drive wheels independent of the right-side drive wheels. By having each side independent of the other, wheel speed and direction of rotation of the wheels determine the direction the loader will turn. Skid steer loaders are capable of a zero turn radius which makes them extremely maneuverable and valuable for applications that require a compact, agile loader.

Unlike a conventional front loader, the lift arms in these Skid loaders have fully enclosed cabs and other features to protect the operator. Like other front loaders, they can push material from one location to another; carry material in its bucket or load material into a truck or trailer. A Skid Steer loader can sometimes be used in place of a large excavator by digging a hole from the inside. The skid loader first digs a ramp leading to the edge of the desired excavation. It then uses the ramp to carry material out of the hole. The skid loader reshapes the ramp making it steeper and longer as the excavation deepens. This method is particularly useful for digging under a structure where overhead clearance does not allow for the boom of a large excavator, such as digging a basement under an existing house.

The conventional bucket of many skid loaders can be replaced with a variety of specialized buckets or attachments, many powered by the loader's hydraulic system. These attachment options include backhoe, hydraulic breaker, pallet forks, angle broom, stump grinder, tree spade, trencher, dumping hopper, ripper, tillers, grapple, tilt, roller, sweeper, auger, mower, snow blower, snow blade, wheel saw, cement mixer, and wood chipper machine.