01242 620903Hydraulic or Pneumatic Baler?
And more importantly, which type of Baler is the best?
Some suppliers will tell you that hydraulic waste baling machines are best. Others will tell you that nothing can beat an air-powered pneumatic waste baler. This is normally because they don’t offer both! At QCR, we view things slightly differently because we offer both types waste baler for hire or purchase.
In this guide written by our expert in-house team, we'll talk you through the key factors that distinguish the two types and share our knowledge of supplying them for over 25 years to help you choose. If you're short on time, contact us with your specific needs and we'll recommend a specific baler model to bale your waste.
Hydraulic Baler vs. Pneumatic Baler: A Quick Comparison
Broadly speaking, you'll have more baler size options if you opt for a hydraulic waste baler as illustrated in the table below:
| Hydraulic Balers | Pneumatic Balers | |
| Power Source | Electric | Compressed Air |
| Vertical | Yes | Yes |
| Horizontal | Yes | No |
| Mill Size | Yes | No |
Minimum Baler Power Requirements
- Hydraulic: 13A, 16A or 3 phase electrical supply
- Pneumatic: 6-8 bar air supply
Quick-Fire Baler FAQ's
What type Baler is best for cardboard waste?
It is generally the case that for cardboard compaction, a hydraulic cardboard baler is the better option. A pneumatic machine simply can't achieve the pressure that comes from a hydraulic power pack. However, if you simply want to make recycling a little easier and cost effective a pneumatic baling option will do the job. The bales made are likely to be a little less dense, but the advantage is they weigh less.
What type Baler is best for baling plastics?
It is generally the case that for baling soft plastic, a pneumatic baler is the best option for low-medium waste volumes. The constant pressure created by this type of machine produces very solid bales of plastic. This pressure also prevents the plastic from springing back after it has been crushed which is beneficial when loading the chamber with more material. For larger volumes, a mill size baler will be best.
What type Baler is best for high volumes of waste?
Our experts always recommend a Hydraulic Mill Size Baler to those businesses who want to bale more than 1 tonne of material per week, providing that 3-phase electricity is available. Whilst they cost more than a smaller machine, you'll unlock the rebate potential of selling mill size bales for recycling which can help to offset your larger investment. Don't let the cost of a mill size put you off, both hire and purchase options are available.
Which type of Waste Baler is easier to use?
We advocate that balers fitted with a bale-out kicker have the edge for each of use. This bale-ejection system helps you to extract the finished bale from the compaction chamber more easily and therefore reduces manual handling. Not all small hydraulic and pneumatic balers have one so choose your baler model with caution if you need this feature to satisfy your own H&S requirements. Never buy a baler without a manual.
Top Tip: Baler training is vital for workplace health and safety (H&S) because it equips employees with the skills they need to operate a waste baler safely, prevents injuries and ensures compliance with strict UK regulations like PUWER. QCR offers free training to all baler hire customers as part of their included service package.
Which type of Cardboard Baler is quieter?
Hydraulic is generally quieter; but you can make a pneumatic waste baler virtually silent, even when powered by a compressor. The maximum acoustic noise generated by a QCR H3 Baler performing a compaction cycle when empty is 76dBA (operator position: distance = 1m, height = 1.6m). A quick internet search tells us that this sound level is roughly equivalent to a loud vacuum cleaner.
What type of Cardboard Baler is easier to maintain?
Every baler requires regular maintenance, the tasks are specified in the manual of the machine. If you have your own air line and want a low-maintenance machine our advice is to choose a pneumatic baler. If you don’t have an air line, most people choose a hydraulic machine because they don't want the hassle of maintaining a standalone air compressor. However, don't despair if you choose a pneumatic machine powered by an air compressor because the maintenance checks are very straightforward and only take a couple of minutes per month.
What type of Cardboard Baler is more energy efficient?
We’ve done our own in-house tests on the KW/h consumption of a comparably sized pneumatic and hydraulic baling machines. In our experiment we found that the hydraulic baler uses significantly less electricity per tonne of cardboard baled. Electric balers are a great option for premises with their own solar panels.
What type of Waste Baler can be installed outside?
QCR supply vertical balers robustly engineered for installation outside. You can prolong the lifespan of an outside waste baler by locating it under a canopy and servicing it regularly. Don't install outside balers in places prone to flooding or spaces subjected to pressure washing.
Which type of Baler is cheaper to buy?
If you want the cheapest baler for recycling choose a simple pneumatic baler like the QCR 102. If you want a cheap medium baler, opt for a used refurbished baler. Pneumatic balers are typically 20% cheaper than the equivalent hydraulic model. Whatever price you pay, check it has a warranty for additional reassurance.
What are QCR's Pneumatic Baler credentials?
QCR's long-term membership of British Compressed Air Society (BCAS) shows that we have a verifiable trading history, strictly adhere to the BCAS Code of Conduct and our in-house team holds the relevant qualifications.
Conclusion
Each type of baler has its own advantages, the right choice for your workplace depends on a number of factors. QCR can offer you unbiased advice because we stock 8 different pneumatic baling machines and 8 different hydraulic machines. We also supply specialist Mill-Size Waste Balers for large industrial and commercial premises. For bespoke baler recommendations, book a free no-obligation consultation at your premises with one of our Baler Experts certified by SafeContractor™ here:
Waste Baler Compliance with EN16500:2014
Regardless of what type of baler you choose, it must be compliant with the current safety legislation.
The primary European safety standard for both new hydraulic and pneumatic vertical balers is BS EN 16500:2014. This standard specifies the safety basic requirements for both hydraulic and pneumatic vertical balers. The rules relate to vertical baling machines that:
- Are manually or mechanically loaded with waste; and
- With fixed enclosed baling chambers (single or dual); and
- With mechanically, hydraulically or pneumatically operated compacting equipment; and
- Where the compacted bale is tied manually in the baling chamber; and
- Where the bale is ejected manually or mechanically
The safety standards are in addition to all other legislation relating to waste balers used in the workplace such as PUWER.
The British Safety Standards have a full report that can be bought online here. You can be re-assured that QCR will never sell you any machinery that is not compliant with the relevant legislation.
