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Walk-behind units are generally self contained. “A plumber, for example, might have a smaller walk-behind unit... because he will have other tools he needs to carry to a jobsite,” says Adkins. “Also, cutting a trench from the house to the curb is one of many tasks he will do. He might only utilize the trencher for a small portion of his day when he’s out doing a job, so the need for a dedicated ride-on is not there.”

Ride-on units are a good fit when trenching is a day-in, day-out task. “It’s a lot nicer to operate because you’re sitting down,” says Kuyers. “It’s less work. Generally, with a ride-on, there’s a backfill blade on the front of the machine so once you open up the trench, you have something to close it with.

“In my opinion, any time you move deeper than 36 in. and cut any wider than 6 in., you’re better off with a ride-on trencher,” he continues. “The amount of spoils a walk-behind trencher can handle is limited. The ride-ons have more robust systems with more horsepower, so they can pull more dirt out of the trench. And they’re built heavier for more difficult soils.”

Ride-ons also weigh more, which can be an advantage in difficult conditions. “You want a tractor that’s built heavy-duty to withstand a lot of abuse that a trencher goes through,” says Kuyers. “Imagine pulling up rocks. The chain is catching on those rocks and you can see the machine bouncing up and down. The larger the trencher, the more work can be done and the more abuse it can handle.”

They are also a better choice for longer distance trenching jobs, such as commercial irrigation for a multi-family unit. “You’re still burying at a shallow depth, but you’re going long distances,” says Wren. “The bigger the machine, the faster you can go and the more productive you can be.