Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

kids spend hours playing in the garden area for them.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

We bought this as a gift for my three year old and it has become is absolute favorite thing from Santa this year. even with the ground frozen, he's been using it to plow the snow and is looking forward to "building our home a moat" in the spring.

It took a little while to assemble (close to 3 hours) but the instructions were very easy to follow. The hardest part was getting the decals on straight.

The only negative feature about this product is that the kickstand for the backhoe does require an adult to operate, at least for a three year old.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

My son is 4 years old and LOVES this. It is perfect size for him. So far he has used it for two months and still looks brand new. Very Durable plastic.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

Being the first Grandchild I couldn't wait. Grandson was 16 months old now he is 18 months old and and can't reach the pedals. That doesn't stop him though. He absolutely loves his tractor. Go figure! Plays every day with it climbs on and off. This is a very well made item that will last a long time.[...] If you have a young grandson, why wait! You'll both be excited and it is a great way to spend time with the little guy or girl.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

The assembly instructions were not that good but this backhoe is worth the effort to assemble it! My grandsons are about to turn 3 and haven't quite mastered the pedals but who cares? They play with the backhoe in some small gravel that they can scoop and shovel to their hearts' content. The only real con with this toy is trying to pry the kids off it to come inside. I especially like that it isn't battery-operated so kids can get some exercise pedaling and operating the controls. Well worth the money. This is a five star investment that will continue to return value over the years. Well suited for the 3-7 year old crowd.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

My son LOVES IT. He can play outside for hours digging in the dirt and sand.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

I would highly recommend this product. It is very well built, very durable. My 3 year old loves it and he cant keep his 7 year old cousin off of it she also likes riding it around. Great product lots of fun.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

We were worried when some of the reviews said the assembly was difficult, it was exactly the opposite! My husband had this put together correctly in 30 minutes! My boys LOVE it, they fight over it! Now that it's spring it is outside and they never stop playing with it! I searched and searched until I found the best price, and Kotulas had the best price [...]

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

Some other reviewers stated how long and this took to assemble and how difficult it was to do so... I put this together in a leisurely 45 minutes. My son loves it, although he's not quite tall enough to reach the pedals yet... If it had one draw back, it would be the large turning radius that precludes indoor use...this is a big toy, and it takes a lot of room to turn around, so it will be restricted to outside when the weather cooperates.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

This tractor is the best toy you can give to a young boy. Santa got this tractor for our son Devin he is three. He loves to dig in the dirt and play on it like a real operator. It keeps him busy for a longtime. Make sure that you put sometime aside to assemble because it can take a couple of hours. All in all it is well worth the cost!

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

My son loves this tractor, mostly he likes disassembling and reassembling the accessories (that comes with the autism). It's easy enough a 5 year old can do it. The materials are strong and the product is well thought out. My only complaint is that there are lots of accessories for this series, but they are not readily available.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

Took an hour and a half to build and another few minutes to apply decals. It came half built, having the drivetrain already assembled and the rear wheels on.
The night of his birthday (he's two) he played on it the whole evening, in the kitchen. About an hour and a half after we put him to bed, and he was sound asleep, out of the baby monitor we hear "TRACTOR!", and not another word. We cracked up. Too funny.
It has survived another two weeks now, of outdoor play. I am putting in a 12x12 sand box this coming weekend.
Nice that it has the backhoe so he and his 4 year old sister can both romp on it.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

Not too bad to assemble, just take your time and follow pics. directions did have some english, but not useful like pics were. took two fast hours to put together, was fun to see how it all came together and works so well, can't wait till son is able to ride, only 15 months old but mom just had to get it for him!!! looks like it will last a long time!! Husband is jealous and wants the real thing!

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

This is a great toy if you have kids that love construction machinery and getting their hands dirty. My three year old is on it almost everyday! The only con to this product is that it is difficult to pedal.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

easy to play

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

my 3 year old son loves digging in his sand box and driving the tractor around the yard. This toy has held up very well.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

I bought this for my 3yr old's birthday. He is just big enough for it to fit him and will for many years. He loves it. It took about 3 hours to put together, but that includes the help I got from him. What really helped a lot was the way the pieces were packaged in separate bags that were related to each part of the assembly so screws that were meant for one part would not get mixed up with another part. The only trouble I really had was figuring out how the "outrigger" on the backhoe portion worked. The instructions, as most instructions are now-days, were picture only, where there were words, they were all German. I actually disassembled the backhoe to figure it out. All in all, the instructions and way it was packaged made it quite "user friendly." If I could "improve" on the product, I would make it so it could 'coast' and also add a brake. I have purchased a snow plow attachment and the mega trailer to give to him for Christmas. Soon I will be purchasing additional attachments - he has a list started. I wish I was a kid again - this is my kind of toy!

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

we got this for our son who is 3.5 now and he loves it. easy for him to operate and was easy to assemble. most of the parts are plastic but its very durable, we haven't had any problems yet. we also got the snow plow attachment for it and he had a lot of fun with it over last winter. i also like that there are different attachments that you can buy for it.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

We bought this for my grandson. When the package arrived my wife and I excitedly opened it to assemble it in preperation for my grandsons birthday party later that week. I wasn't impressed with the material the toy was constructed of, but for the money what do you expect. I must have received one destined for Berlin as the instructions manual was all in German. We assembled it by the diagrams which wear similar to the scimatics I have seen engineers use, I'm no engineer.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

I would recommend this ride on toy to anyone with small children. Me and my husband bought this toy for our three year old son for Christmas last year and he absolutely loves it. He has a big sand-box that he plays in with the scoop and he has had so much fun playing with this toy. I haven't purchased any attachments for it yet; however, that may be a Christmas present for this year. I am sure your children will love this toy and spend much time enjoying it.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

We ordered this toy because it will suit 2 when it is completely put together without our boys fighting. It does the job. One will sit on the back and dig while the other is on the front digging. It isn't meant for "heavy" things, however it works in the sand box great. Unfortunately, the stabilizer on the back seat isn't working properly and has to be replaced but still yet, the kids are able to continue to play on it. They love it!!!

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

We just got this for my 4 year old son of his birthday and he went nuts when he seen it. He played with it for hours in the dirt the next day. It is built good and not that hard to put together. I will tell everyone that this a great product and most kids would go nuts to have it.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

My boys love it. It took a while to put together, but the instructions were clear, and it was well worth the effort.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

This gift was bought for my three year old son for Christmas. What a wonderful surprise, my wife and I were awoken by the sound of a Christmas Tree falling to the ground and "vroom, vroom". The quality is impeccable and the design is phenomenal. I am really impressed with the design of the pedal height adjustment. The only concern that I had with this was the assembly directions, they were kind of vague. I recommend this to any one with a little boy and a dirt area to dig.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

This has to be one of the finest toys for the up and coming equipment operator. This model is tough and real lifelike in the way that it operates. It is sturdy and very stable. The assembly instructions are simple and easy to follow. The hardest part is getting the decals lined up. It is easier with two people working together. I would recommend this product to anyone with a young child. I give this a 5 star rating.*****

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

I bought this tractor for my nephews for Christmas and they loved it. This is a very detailed little machine; life like backhoe, fully funtional front bucket and built in saftey features made them feel like they were running a real machine.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

We ordered this tractor for our son for Christmas. It is well-engineered and made in Germany of high quality components. Assembly was easy, but time consuming. Our son is 2-1/2 years old and he manages the bucket well. He needs some help with the backhoe, which is amazingly functional. Steering is somewhat limited and the mechanism that locks the bucket in the upward position is crude, making lowering the bucket awkward. Competitive products have a smoother bucket operation, thought the quality of this tractor exceeds those in many other areas. This tractor an excellent value for the money.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

This product is well built. But it takes a lot of time to assemble.
It came with a 3 year warrenty, most other toys do not. A little difficult in using the backhoe attachment with the support leg.
I like the idea that other attachments can be purchased.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

WOW, I think I have lost my 2 1/2 year old son to this new backhoe tractor. He has been on this toy everyday since Christmas. This toy was easy to put together and seems to be indestructible. He has no problems pedaling the tractor around the house. Delivery was super fast. I would recommend this to any aspiring child that likes tractors.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

I bought the backhoe for my 2 year old son who loves all big construction equipment. My husband had no problems putting it together. We were a bit worried our 2 year old would not be able to master all of the functions. We knew he would grow into the toy. Well, within the first week he had mastered everything except the pedals. As he grows he will learn to pedal it. He plays with his new "dirt digger" every day. Even big sister, 3 years old, loves to play on it. This was money well spent!

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

My son absoultly loves the tractor we bought him for christmas. It is made well but the directions are horrible! My husband is a very handy person but had dificulty putting it together by the directions given.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

We gave this to our 2-1/2 year old son for Christmas and he absolutely loves it. When it was time to go over to his grandparents house he wouldn't leave it so we had to take it with us. He picked up on operating the levers to scoop and use the front end loader quickly. His feet just barely reach the pedals with the seat in the forward most position, but he can get it going when he wears his boots (what else would you wear?).

Assembly was about 2 hours with interruptions. The instructions are pictorial so you really need to look at them closely. Be careful with the stickers though, I accidently tore one by lifting it off to try and get it just right.

Right now our son is on a mission to turn our backyard into a construction site...and he's winning.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

My husband had a blast Christmas Eve constructing this for our 20 month old. Although our son cannot reach the pedals, he enjoys the toy. Unfortunately it comes at the cost of our backs, pushing him everywhere he wishes to travel. To date, the toy has held up well, with all the pulling, pushing & tugging we put it through. Your website had the best price and we received the product in an ordinary amount of time (considering it was the holidays) - otherwise I think the lagtime would have been a little excessive.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

I bought this tractor for my six year old this past Christmas 2007. It took me a few hours to assemble ( time combined with dump trailer assembly also) with the fairly easy to follow illistrated instructions. I found this tractor to be durable and well constructed. Because it is pedal powered, play time lasts for hours as opposed to minutes with a battery powered vehicle and your child will be getting a good work out as well. Because of the backhoe latch release/lock, it was a bit troublsome for my son to set up himself. With a little help from a grownup, it set up in seconds. Well worth the price paid. I also puchased the dump trailer and snow plow.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

My son loves this toy. He got it for Christmas and can't wait till the snow clears to try it outside. Only Comment: The instructions are hard to follow. Lot's of pictures, not a lot of words

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

This product is well made and my grandson just loves its he plays with it everyday

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

Our 4 year old loves it. We like that it is a pedal toy, rather than sit and push a gas pedal to make it go, use up some of that kid energy. He scooped snow for HOURS, he scoops leaves, rocks, anything you could possibly scoop. The loader lowering action tends to be loud because when he releases the scoop in front it just falls and bangs to the ground. I hope it doesn't break. He loves it. We love it.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

It took forever to put together and takes up a lot of space, but this digger was the best present that my son received for Christmas. He was very excited that it looked so much like his Grandfather's. We haven't got to really try digging with it yet due to all the snow, but it seems really sturdy.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

WOW! I can't really say enough how much this toy is loved by my soon to be 4 year old. He got it from Santa at X'mas and it was the star of the show. It went together fairly easy (even though the instructions were in German). The pictures were all I really needed to put it together. Very durable construction and it looks very authentic. My 6 year old is a tad bit too heavy for it but he enjoys it as well. Great toy I would recommend to anyone looking for a pedal tractor versus Battery Operated.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

My 2 1/2 year old loves it. He has played on it everyday since Christmas. I like that you can buy many different attachments for it. He has the wench and he takes off the backhoe and tries to change it hisself, but he needs help.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

My almost three year old LOVES tractors, he received this one from "Santa" and was just ecstatic about it. We put the tractor together the night of Christmas Eve, and I have to say, this toy has far surpassed my expectations. The product quality is phenomonal, the ease of assembly was great and the enthusiastic reactions from our son were truly priceless. I am impressed with the way everything works and how easy it was for my son to use it. Unfortunately, being a little three year old, he doesn't have the leg power to truly plow the snow with the plow attachment.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

My two year old son had eyes as big as saucers when he came down the stairs and saw this trator under the tree christmas morning. I own heavy equipment and my son his fascinated by it all. He plays with the backhoe and my wife says it's like a minnie me. You can see his imagination at work while digging with the backhoe. Because of the size of the tractor he can't pedal to scoop with the front bucket yet. So he gets off and loads it with cars, blocks, etc, and then climbs back on-raises the bucket and dumps them all.

We have 8 and 6 year old duaghters who enjoy pedaling the tractor around. It has a very smooth pedal action. It's not even close to being to small for the average 5 year old. Our 2 year old has plenty of room to grow. I know he will get years of enjoyment from his tractor. The plastic is very durable, so it should last.

Furthermore both the front and rear buckets are well designed for realistic action (German engineering). We plan to buy more of the attachments as our son and our 1 year old daughter get older. The wheels are a solid high impact plastic that have a traction strip right down the center that allows the tractor to roll well over hard wood and grip earth great once the tractor becomes a permanent outside toy.

If you're good with your hands and tools, assembly isn't bad. Applying the decals was one of the most challenging parts for me (don't be in a rush).

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

My 5 year old son loves this tractor. He saw it in the magazine and asked santa for this. He has no problems driving it, it goes great on our dirt drive. Very happy with it.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

This product is very well built and has held up very well. The only problem was during the assembly. There are very few english instructions. Basically we had do rely on pictures. The product is a great toy for the price, but work needs to be done on the instruction manual.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

This was the first item viewed by my Great Nephew, He could have cared less about his other gifts.
This toy is so well made and really works like the big guys toys.
I am sure it will last through several little boys use.
I would and will tell everyone to shop Northern Tool for these gifts.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

my 5 year old loves it. I thougt it was going to be to small for him but its not .
the instructions are easy to follow took about an hour to put together.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

Just received the backhoe last week. The box it was shipped in was tore open and had been taped shut. The axle was sticking out the side of the box. All the parts were in the box though. The tractor is built very well and easy to assemble. It will make a great Christmas gift.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

Great, fully functional product. My 3 yr.old grandson requires a bit of help to operate the bucket and backhoe, but will certainly grow into it. He LOVES it.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

This toy is good for young children and its the highlight of most of the kids parties

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

Wonderful
toy for grandson who loves constuction equipment. He spends hours
digging in his "construction site" in the back yard. No written
instructions, only pictures, so took a little longer to put together
than planned but no problems. Quality of materials, good. I was very
satisfied with this CAT Backhoe tractor and would highly recommend it.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

We are very excited about our purchase. It is a tough toy that should withstand a kid who is hard on everything. Thank you for making this backhoe.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

i had put the tractor together and hid it in my bedroom for my two year old grandson. well my 18 month old grandson found it and went absolutely nuts. I couldn't get him off it. he couln't reach the pedals so he pushed it all over the room. at the two year olds party i kept it hidden in my truck for the last present and then brought it in and it was the life of the party. all the kids couldn't get off it and stop playing with it. he has a 5 year old sister and they both love it. it's a great toy. I would reccomend it for any kid. the two year old is a little small for it yet but for age 3 and up would be great. I guess i will have to buy another one for my 18 month old next year.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

The product is very well built and provides many features and functions that a young person can use to learn about the many uses of heavy equipment. Our son spends many hours checking the pretend oil, air and safety inspections before embarking on a hard days play moving sand, dirt and rocks. It was easy to assemble and has lasted within his tough play arena, I would recommend this toy to anyone who enjoys the outdoors and a good CAT Tractor.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

We gave this to our 4 year old son for Christmas. He is sooo in love with this tractor, that he has been saving his money for the power winch attachment. He walks around the house with the Northern tool catalog checking out all the attachments.
The only problem we have is that his 2 year old brother wants to play too! This toy is very high quality and I am sure that it will be in great condition for all the kids to use.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

First thing you should know is that this toy is manufactured in Germany. And, you can't get it from just anywhere. So the fact that NorthernTools carries it is a WONDERFUL thing.

I bought this toy for my 4 year old son's Christmas in 2006. It was back-ordered at the time we placed the order and we weren't sure that it would arrive on time. But, NorthernTools broke their back to make sure my son had a very merry Christmas. It arrived in plenty of time, and my father and I assembled it on Christmas Eve with no worries.

So having said all of that, let's get to the truth. My son loves this toy. At 4 years of age, he is able to work the front scoop and the backhoe without any problems. He is able to pedal that tractor all over our yard without fear or failure. It is one of his favorite toys and many of my Saturday mornings have begun with "Papa can I go outside and play on my tractor???"

Would I recommend this toy? You bet your boots. Will I buy something similar for my grandchildren one day?? I may not have to. This thing, made of high quality plastics and precision engineered, may very well last forever. However, if it doesn't I will gladly replace it.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

I saw this in Canada and tracked down Northern Tool and had it shipped. They got it to me before Christmas even though delivery was scheduled for January 19th.
I put this loader/backhoe together and this toy is incredibly well made, all the parts were in the box, the instructions were clear and the finished product was quality beyond my expectation. Just wait until you see the steering mechanism.
After putting it together, I realized I couldn't give it to my grandson along with all his other presents because it was bound to outshine them all. So we gave it to him the next day and he was instantly taken with it. He has been out loading snow (Canada) and waiting for his sandpile. Thankfully, he will have many other birthdays and I will be getting him many other attachments. Great to be a grandpa. Wish I was a kid again.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

This tractor is great! Just like the real thing! It was easy to assemble. Safe and easy for children to use. Lots of fun for the kids!

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

I love the idea of the tractor, but don't care that its all manual with the pedals. I have not given the tractor to my son yet because he is too small for it.

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

I BOUGHT THIS TRACTOR FOR MY SON WHEN IT CAME IN THE DIRECTIONS WERE EASY TO FOLLOW I HAD IT PUT TOGETHER IN NO TIME IT IS A WELL MADE CHILDS TOY AND I ALSO LIKE THE OTHER THINGS YOU CAN GET FOR IT

Comments about CAT Caterpillar Backhoe Tractor:

The
product was acceptable. I was a little disappointed in the construction
material. We were also missing parts to put it together. The quality of
material seemed weak and we were under the impression it was electric.