While buying a bucket for your skid steer may not require the same kind of investment in time and money as selecting its host, choosing and using the right bucket can go a long way toward getting the best possible performance from the pair.

Bucket choices offered by skid-steer manufacturers are numerous. There are also a large number of will-fit suppliers specializing solely in attachments, including buckets. Given all these choices, you may either become thoroughly confused, or find a bucket - or possibly two or three - that best accommodates your needs.

To ensure the latter happens, start the selection process by evaluating your application for the bucket. Will you be using it mostly for loading, spreading, digging, handling loose material - or maybe a combination of them all?

Buckets tend to generally fall into four categories: general purpose, light material, multipurpose and specialty. Specific terminology for buckets varies between manufacturers, so ask your representative about the characteristics of each one to ensure you're getting the right fit.

Material density and weight
For the bulk of applications, a traditional dirt bucket - a.k.a., construction, industrial or general-purpose bucket, depending on whom you talk to - is likely the best choice. It is by far the most commonly used type. But even here you need to make decisions. Do you need extra strength and durability? How about teeth? What size do you need?