Which concrete mixer should I rent: electric or gas-powered?

The fleet's two mixers, side by side

• Gas — SIMAQ SQREVG365LTS: 365 L drum (the fleet's 'one-bag' mixer), 5.5 HP Honda gasoline engine, 25–30 RPM drum speed. 14 units in the fleet.
• Electric — SIMAQ SQREVE-365LTS: the same 365 L drum with a 2,200 W electric motor, single-phase power and zero on-site emissions. 10 units in the fleet.
• Same capacity: the difference isn't how much they mix per batch, but what they need in order to run.

When the electric mixer makes sense

• You're pouring indoors, in a basement or in a poorly ventilated space: no exhaust fumes.
• Urban work or a remodel with neighbours: less noise than a gasoline engine.
• There's a single-phase outlet near the mixing point and an extension cord suited to the motor.
• You'd rather not buy and refill gasoline in the middle of a pour.

When the gas mixer makes sense

• No power on site, or power that cuts out: a pour can't stop halfway.
• The mixing point keeps moving: ditches, sidewalks, several fronts in one day.
• Outdoor work where fumes and noise don't bother anyone.
• Remember fuel is supplied by the customer: include it in your budget.

One mixer or two? Do the pour math

The real question is how much concrete the day calls for. Divide the pour volume by what each batch yields with your mix design (your engineer or mix design gives you that) and you'll know how many batches you need; then check whether one mixer can turn them out within the time the concrete gives you. If it can't, a second mixer usually costs less than a cold joint in the slab.

For large, continuous volumes — a whole slab in a single day, for instance — it's worth considering ready-mix and using the rental for what comes next: vibrator, power trowel and joint saw.

What people forget when renting the mixer

• The vibrator: without it you get honeycombing in columns, beams and walls. It's one of the cheapest rentals that prevents the most problems.
• Finishing: if it's a slab, schedule the power trowel for when the concrete is ready for it.
• Joints: the floor saw cuts control joints with a diamond blade.
• Access: confirm how the mixer gets in and where the mixing point will be.
• Cleaning: wash the drum at the end of every day. Set concrete doesn't come out on its own, and damage from lack of care on site is billed separately.

How to quote it

Tell us the pour date, where the site is and whether there's power on site. You can build the whole package — mixer, vibrator, power trowel — from the equipment pages with 'add to quote' and send it as one request. The rental includes maintenance; fuel (on the gas model), delivery and pickup freight and VAT are extra, except on rates marked VAT-included. If there's a current published rate in your country, you'll see it on the equipment page with its date.