Hello there, new to form and have really enjoyed reading the great info here. Been looking at mini ex's for a while now and was pretty set on a Typhon XIX last fall, but did not happen. Now looking again and ran across the 2025 Rippa R-15ECO and R-18PRO. (R-15) = 3300lbs. 7" tracks, 722 diesel, expandable tracks, Hyd quick coupler... (R-18PRO)= 4000lbs, 902 diesel, expandable tracks, Hyd quick coupler parker pumps, eaton drives...quick descriptions. Had a chance to view both and what a difference between the two. Did a good walk around and I really liked both machines with fit and finish. R-18 was night and day difference compared to R-15 in the strength factor and capabilities. Only thing I really didn't like on R-18 was the electronic instrument pad. But boy that's the machine I really liked. Price wise R-15 was comparable to Typhon XIX and the R-18 about $4k more. But what a difference between the two from track size, boom and stick size and thickness of steel, was just a nice set-up I thought. Anyone out there familiar with these machines and have any input ? good or bad, really appreciate it.
2025 Rippa R-18PRO ?? info
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Jrasband
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Rippa has a reputation of building good machines. I would not hesitate to buy one from them. I saw the R-18PRO recently and it looks like a really nice machine. I ended up getting Kymron ZX-22 which was $4,000 more. I may have bought a Rippa instead if I had looked at them more before I made my purchase. One thing I really like that Rippa did was make the telescopic tracks have its own control lever. I like that because when your working in ditches and slopes the tracks tend to get pushed in, so you have to operate the cylinder periodically to make sure they stay out. Having to reach down and move the bypass lever on the Kymron so that the blade control operates the track cylinder is a little annoying. There are other things that the Rippa has that mine doesn't like hydraulic quick attach, radio, lcd screen(don't care for either), other than that they look very comparable.
All of the specs for the R15 are in metric so I was not able to easily compare much when looking at them on there website. Though after using my Kymron for 100 hours I would suggest not considering the R15 based on weight difference alone. I do not know how people get by with machines that only weigh 1 ton. Having a bigger boom, stick, thicker steel, bigger tracks are all well worth the upgrade and you will thank you self on your first job.
Here is a interesting video of Kai from Bison Equipment touring 4 different factories in China, one of them is Rippa.
All of the specs for the R15 are in metric so I was not able to easily compare much when looking at them on there website. Though after using my Kymron for 100 hours I would suggest not considering the R15 based on weight difference alone. I do not know how people get by with machines that only weigh 1 ton. Having a bigger boom, stick, thicker steel, bigger tracks are all well worth the upgrade and you will thank you self on your first job.
Here is a interesting video of Kai from Bison Equipment touring 4 different factories in China, one of them is Rippa.
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Carl_NH
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I agree with your assessment of the Rippa R18Pro - its much more machine than the Vote (Typoon XIX) which is a decent mini ex - just not the same class when it comes to pumps and weight and build beefiness.
The R18 has the variable displacement piston pump instead of the gear drive which makes for smoother operation.
I got my Typoon XVII (Hightop 18) last year - ordered in April and delivered in June - I wish I would have done more research then as I would have spent the extra for these features but its done now and I am overall pleased with the machine. The build quality in my opinion, of the three, its Rippa, then Vote, then Hightop, The Rippa is very close to the commercial series machines from Kubota, Yanmar etc.
The R18 has the variable displacement piston pump instead of the gear drive which makes for smoother operation.
I got my Typoon XVII (Hightop 18) last year - ordered in April and delivered in June - I wish I would have done more research then as I would have spent the extra for these features but its done now and I am overall pleased with the machine. The build quality in my opinion, of the three, its Rippa, then Vote, then Hightop, The Rippa is very close to the commercial series machines from Kubota, Yanmar etc.
Carl_NH
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There is a guy/ Rippa dealer in WA on Facebook that sells the Rippa machines - he has a shipment of R18's that just arrived (in March) Search in your area and you should find them - or order direct from the factory but do DDP (Delivered Duty Paid)
Thanks for info and video, nice clean factory and reminds me of building weldments from my old Boeing days while working in tooling 
. Carl, I believe that's the same place I went to view the machines. I found them on craigslist and the R-18 they had was last one and sold. They have more on the way and should be available within a few weeks. They have a good assortment of attachments I checked out also. Putting a list together of what I would like such as 36" hyd tilt bucket, ripper, rake, couple extra pins and maybe concrete breaker. Not a big fan of using a breaker on a small machine as I worry about damaging things, but I do have a lot of 3"-4" thick sidewalks and driveway to remove and replace. It's how I'm justifying buying the machine to wife Anyhow I'll get my list together and get it to them for a quote and go from there.
. Carl, I believe that's the same place I went to view the machines. I found them on craigslist and the R-18 they had was last one and sold. They have more on the way and should be available within a few weeks. They have a good assortment of attachments I checked out also. Putting a list together of what I would like such as 36" hyd tilt bucket, ripper, rake, couple extra pins and maybe concrete breaker. Not a big fan of using a breaker on a small machine as I worry about damaging things, but I do have a lot of 3"-4" thick sidewalks and driveway to remove and replace. It's how I'm justifying buying the machine to wife Anyhow I'll get my list together and get it to them for a quote and go from there.
Carl_NH
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I spent $1K just doing the basic things a machine like this should have - return hyd filter, Tachometer, wider turf tracks 9", welded stronger thumb, But still its a very basic mini ex machine with simple gear pumps, no 2 speed drives, bucket QD system is a bolt setup, not Hyd - is what you get for $11K. I then got attachments - an auger, 32" tilting bucket, an 8" bucket so now with mods and attachments $14K
Lesson learned, get what you want up front, in the configuration you want, pay a bit more - buy once cry once. I have an older 4000Lb Kubota B21 as the main "digger/transporter" and the mini is the lifter and the helper to load the bucket, trench etc.
Regarding a breaker, I agree it will beat up the machine. Unless its reinforced concrete you can dig, drop and break into pieces with the mini and thumb you can then bury or load out,
Lesson learned, get what you want up front, in the configuration you want, pay a bit more - buy once cry once. I have an older 4000Lb Kubota B21 as the main "digger/transporter" and the mini is the lifter and the helper to load the bucket, trench etc.
Regarding a breaker, I agree it will beat up the machine. Unless its reinforced concrete you can dig, drop and break into pieces with the mini and thumb you can then bury or load out,
dfkrug
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More on the Rippa machines:
Mike Festiva recently posted great video discussing features and modifications of his Rippa R13, which is about $15K or so in the US.
Of particular note is the wheel motors, which are piston motors with 2-speed swash plate. It is about time some makers starting putting these in their machines for safety. The runaway "feature" is just too expensive to fix on the other small minis.
Other features are getting quite common now: oil filtration, oil cooling, better ROPS, longer house (non-zero-turn). The boom swing, track widening, diesel engine, and pilot controls add lots to the cost and are unneeded by most homeowners IMO. Tradesmen report that the boom-swing is a necessary feature. $15K is in the used Kubota, Yanmar, Takeuchi territory.
Same light-duty buckets and lousy documentation.
Mike Festiva recently posted great video discussing features and modifications of his Rippa R13, which is about $15K or so in the US.
Of particular note is the wheel motors, which are piston motors with 2-speed swash plate. It is about time some makers starting putting these in their machines for safety. The runaway "feature" is just too expensive to fix on the other small minis.
Other features are getting quite common now: oil filtration, oil cooling, better ROPS, longer house (non-zero-turn). The boom swing, track widening, diesel engine, and pilot controls add lots to the cost and are unneeded by most homeowners IMO. Tradesmen report that the boom-swing is a necessary feature. $15K is in the used Kubota, Yanmar, Takeuchi territory.
Same light-duty buckets and lousy documentation.
I purchased a R18 August 2025, I currently have 9.5 hours on the machine.
1. Hour 3 I ripped the thumb off it trying to drag a 10' section 15" maple from under a few other logs.
I will take the blame on this one, asking too much and was abusing it. But there aren't many threads that hold the thumb to the mast.
2. I have knocked my tracks off at least 6 times, this is the one disappointment I have in the machine, the track retention sucks. (at least on mine)
I have asked around and others seem to have similar issues; I have also run into the members that tell me it is operator error. I am no pro, but not inexperienced either.
I have hours running a Takeuchi 240 at work and haven't ever thrown a track running it. Now I know these are very different machines, but I would hope an R18 would be able to rotate and not have to do anything special.
A few members have told me that once the tracks have stretched that this should not happen any longer.
3. The oil dipstick is located behind a cover that needs a wrench to remove, terrible idea in my mind, as this should be checked daily. poor planning.
4. there is significant heat that comes off the motor once the unit warms up, will be nice in Nov, Dec, but it is noticeable in Aug, Sept.
5. The radio is a joke, more specifically the speakers. They shouldn't put them in and knock some cost off the machine as they are useless anyhow.
Those are my thoughts as of 9.5 hours, it seems to have a good power to weight balance.
I have dug a 150' trench 18" deep and only issue are the tree roots from the 100' maples in my yard.
Would I buy it again, I can't honestly say until the track issue plays out.
If they stay on after stretching "Yes", if this continues to be an issue, probably not!
1. Hour 3 I ripped the thumb off it trying to drag a 10' section 15" maple from under a few other logs.
I will take the blame on this one, asking too much and was abusing it. But there aren't many threads that hold the thumb to the mast.
2. I have knocked my tracks off at least 6 times, this is the one disappointment I have in the machine, the track retention sucks. (at least on mine)
I have asked around and others seem to have similar issues; I have also run into the members that tell me it is operator error. I am no pro, but not inexperienced either.
I have hours running a Takeuchi 240 at work and haven't ever thrown a track running it. Now I know these are very different machines, but I would hope an R18 would be able to rotate and not have to do anything special.
A few members have told me that once the tracks have stretched that this should not happen any longer.
3. The oil dipstick is located behind a cover that needs a wrench to remove, terrible idea in my mind, as this should be checked daily. poor planning.
4. there is significant heat that comes off the motor once the unit warms up, will be nice in Nov, Dec, but it is noticeable in Aug, Sept.
5. The radio is a joke, more specifically the speakers. They shouldn't put them in and knock some cost off the machine as they are useless anyhow.
Those are my thoughts as of 9.5 hours, it seems to have a good power to weight balance.
I have dug a 150' trench 18" deep and only issue are the tree roots from the 100' maples in my yard.
Would I buy it again, I can't honestly say until the track issue plays out.
If they stay on after stretching "Yes", if this continues to be an issue, probably not!
MattB4
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A couple of questions.
"Threads that hold thumb to the mast."
"I would hope an R18 would be able to rotate"
MY TT-17 uses 30mm pins for the thumb, the only bolts are for retaining the pins.
Are you using the tracks to turn or are you trying to use the boom to move the excavator around?
Having the tracks come off 6 times in 9.5 hours is either a machine flaw or an error in application.
"Threads that hold thumb to the mast."
"I would hope an R18 would be able to rotate"
MY TT-17 uses 30mm pins for the thumb, the only bolts are for retaining the pins.
Are you using the tracks to turn or are you trying to use the boom to move the excavator around?
Having the tracks come off 6 times in 9.5 hours is either a machine flaw or an error in application.
Jrasband
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My tracks came off that much the first ten hours of use as well. I think part of it was my lack of experience, and partially the tracks breaking in. It hardly happens anymore, and I also now keep the tracks tight.