The best plate compactors, compared.
Top pick: Evolution H320-E electric plate – Highest score: 230 V, 5 kN, 26 kg, about £235.81, and 4.5 from 155 UK reviews for thin lifts. Best value: Neilsen CT2146 – Best stated petrol spec at the lower petrol price: 1030 kg, a 510 × 350 mm plate and a rubber mat at about £434.95, with no UK rating in the file. Updated October 2026.
A plate compactor, often called a wacker plate, vibrates a steel base so it walks forward over granular material such as Type 1. UK buyers hire or buy one for a patio, path, shed base or light driveway. On these eight amazon.co.uk listings, quality is a stated force, a stated plate size, a usable power source, and UK reviews. A trench rammer and a hand tamper are different tools. Buyers who were content kept each lift thin. Force, plate size and hire or buy are set out in the [plate compactor buying guide](/hub/flooring-tools-and-accessories/plate-compactor/sub/plate-compactor-buying-guide). Forward petrol plates are the usual outdoor hire machine. Electric plates are either 230 V or 110 V.
A plate compactor, often called a wacker plate, vibrates a steel base so it walks forward over granular material such as Type 1. UK buyers hire or buy one for a patio, path, shed base or light driveway.
28 products checked · 64 hrs invested · +24,100 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What supply will you use outdoors?
The Evolution H320-E is a 230 V plate at £235.81 that states 5 kN, 130 W and 26 kg, with travel of 5 m/min. Across 155 amazon.co.uk reviews, rated 4.5, buyers who were content kept MOT or crushed stone thin, often under about 75 mm, and made extra passes on shed bases and hardcore. The manufacturer page describes layers up to 50 mm, which is a tighter lift than Hireload’s 75–100 mm rule of thumb, so a thick patio build-up sits outside what this listing is showing you. Reviewers who compare it with a petrol hire plate call it weak once the layer gets deeper, and handle vibration plus bolts working loose are repeated complaints. A paving pad is not in the box, the Amazon plate size is blank, and the title says 3 years while a bullet also says 2 years. In this set it is the top pick when you want the only large UK review file and you will keep each lift thin.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A small patio or shed base where you can keep each layer near the maker’s 50 mm line and you have a 230 V supply outdoors.
Less suitable: A deep driveway build-up, block paving before you buy the pad, or a job that needs hire-fleet force.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the Evolution listing state a plate size?
No. It states 5 kN, 26 kg, 130 W, 230 V in the title, and a travel speed of 5 m/min. Overall dimensions are 111 x 32 x 34 cm.
Is a paving mat in the box?
No. The listing says block paving needs the optional paving pad, and that pad is not in the included components.
What do the UK reviews say about thick layers?
Reviewers who were content kept MOT or crushed stone thin, often under about 75 mm, and made extra passes. Thicker layers and a comparison with a petrol hire plate are the repeated complaints, along with handle vibration and bolts working loose.
The ZeHuoGe at £1,172.06 states 2.5 hp, 8200 N, a 490 × 320 mm plate, 42.6 kg, 5900 VPM and travel of 25 m/min, with a rubber pad and fold-up wheels included. The listing line is 4.3 from 22, and the seven texts in the file are marked as reviewed in the United States, so that average is not a UK rating. 8200 N is 8.2 kN only if you do the arithmetic. This page did not retest it against the CT1708’s 20 kN claim. The title says EPA Compliant, which is a United States line, and delivery outside mainland UK is confirmed at checkout rather than promised for every address. At this price you are above the 20 kN Neilsen, with a smaller stated horsepower and no UK review file. Keep it as a fully numbered row, and read the stars as American text.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A buyer who wants the main dimensions printed and will treat the 4.3 from 22 as United States text.
Less suitable: Anyone reading those 22 reviews as amazon.co.uk evidence, or a patio that does not justify four figures.
Specifications
Common questions
Are the 22 reviews from the UK?
The listing line is 4.3 from 22. The seven texts in the file are all marked as reviewed in the United States. Do not read them as UK reviews.
What force and plate size are stated?
8200 N, a plate of 490 x 320 mm, 2.5 hp, 5900 VPM, and travel of 25 m/min. Weight is 42.6 kg. A rubber pad and fold-up wheels are included. A water tank is not stated.
What does the listing say about delivery?
Some products cannot be delivered outside mainland UK, and delivery to the chosen address is confirmed at checkout. The title says EPA Compliant.
The Neilsen CT2146 is the petrol row in this set that states both a force and a plate: 1030 kg, 510 × 350 mm, 5.5 hp, 5600 rpm, and travel up to 25 m/min, at £434.95. A rubber mat for paved surfaces is named in the title and the bullets, which the Evolution does not include. Weight is not stated, and the review fields are empty, so you are buying a specification rather than a UK star history. The 1030 kg figure sits in a different unit from the Evolution’s 5 kN and the CT1708’s 20 kN, and this comparison did not convert it in a lab. It is the best value petrol listing here when you want those numbers on the page and you will still compact in layers. Fifteen pounds above the blank C60 rows, the printed plate size is the difference.
Pros
Cons
Best for: An outdoor patio or path where you want a stated plate size, a rubber mat, and a force figure without the £935 CT1708.
Less suitable: A buyer who will only trust a machine with UK reviews, or a trench that needs a reversible plate.
Specifications
Common questions
What force and plate size does the CT2146 state?
1030 kg of force and a plate of 510 x 350 mm. It also states 5.5 hp, 5600 rpm, and travel up to 25 m/min.
Is a rubber mat included?
Yes. The title and bullets name a rubber mat for paved surfaces. A water tank and wheels are not stated. Weight is not stated.
Is there a UK star rating?
No. The review fields in the file are not stated.
The Neilsen CT1708 states 20 kN, a 550 × 440 mm plate, travel of 23 m/min and 5080/85 vpm/Hz, at £935, with wheels and a rubber pad named in the title. The engine line is 3.6 kW and compatible with a Honda GX160, while the included-components field says compactor, so the Honda is a compatibility claim. A depth claim of up to 30 cm sits beside that force. It is still a listing sentence, and hire method pages talk about much thinner lifts. Weight and a water tank are not stated, there are no UK reviews, and the listing was first available on 2 April 2026. In this set it carries the highest stated kilonewton figure, at more than twice the CT2146’s price, without a review file to check the claim.
Pros
Cons
Best for: An outdoor job where you want a 20 kN listing and wheels, and you accept a new page with no UK reviews.
Less suitable: A one-off patio that a day’s hire or the £235.81 electric plate can cover in thin layers.
Specifications
Common questions
Is a Honda GX160 fitted?
The title says compatible with a Honda GX160 and lists 3.6 kW. The included-components field says compactor. Compatible is not the same as fitted.
What else does the CT1708 state?
20 kN, a 550 x 440 mm plate, 5080/85 vpm/Hz, travel of 23 m/min, a depth claim up to 30 cm, wheels, and a rubber pad. Weight and a water tank are not stated.
Are there UK reviews?
No. The review fields are not stated. The listing was first available on 2 April 2026.
The C80T at £439 is the only title in this set that names a water tank, on a 5.5 hp 4-stroke plate with a 2-year warranty and a 30 cm depth claim. Force, weight and plate size are not stated, so the tank is the one clear extra and the depth claim is not a number you can set beside 5 kN or 20 kN. Power source is recorded as fuel-powered. The word petrol appears in a question on the page rather than in a specification line. There is no star rating in the file. A water tank is the usual extra for asphalt, and this comparison is not an asphalt method, so the tank does not make it the patio pick. Next-working-day UK delivery is a shipping line, not a test of the plate.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Someone who specifically needs a named water tank and will confirm force before any asphalt work.
Less suitable: A Type 1 patio where you need plate size and force, or a block-paving job.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this listing include a water tank?
Yes. The title and the first bullet name a water tank on the C80T. Other contents are not stated.
What force and weight are stated?
Neither. The listing states a 5.5 hp 4-stroke engine, a 30 cm depth claim, a 2 year warranty, and next working day UK delivery. Plate size is not stated.
Does the listing say it is petrol?
Power source is recorded as fuel-powered. The word petrol appears in a question on the page, not in a specification line. There is no star rating in the file.
The C60-T is listed as a 4-stroke wacker plate at 74 kg and £429, from Construction Machinery UK, with the model written as C60-T and as C60T. Force, plate size, horsepower and a rubber mat are not stated. The water tank is also unstated, so the letter T is not evidence of a tank in the box. The image URL in the saved listing matches the C80T listing, which is a separate ASIN that does name a tank. Rating, review count and review text are absent. Ten pounds above the blank C60, you still do not get a force figure. Treat it as an incomplete petrol row.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Only after the seller confirms force, plate size, and whether a tank is actually included.
Less suitable: Asphalt work that needs a stated water tank, or a buyer comparing kilonewtons.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the C60-T listing include a water tank?
Not in the captured bullets. The model code is C60-T and the title says C60T. The water tank is not stated.
What else does the listing state?
It is a 4-stroke wacker plate at 74 kg, from Construction Machinery UK. Force, plate size, horsepower and a rubber mat are not stated.
Are there UK reviews?
No. Rating, review count and review text are not stated. The image URL in the saved listing matches the C80T listing.
The generic C60 at £419 lists a 5.5 hp 4-stroke and, on the same page, 240 V AC, so the power source is two stories at once. It states 72 kg and a 30 cm compaction-depth claim, while maximum pressure is given as 100 with no unit and the plate size is blank. Eighty decibels is printed with no weighting, distance or operating condition, and the warranty line says 2 years. There is no star rating in the file. A 30 cm figure is a listing claim, while hire guides talk about layers nearer 75–100 mm and the Evolution maker caps its own 5 kN plate at 50 mm. Until the petrol line and the 240 V line are one fact, this page is not a plate you can specify.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Nobody, until the listing settles on one power source and a force with a unit.
Less suitable: A buyer who needs a single power source and a force in kilonewtons or kilograms.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this C60 petrol or 240 V?
The listing says both. Power source is petrol with a 5.5 hp 4-stroke engine, and a separate line says 240 V AC. Neither line was corrected.
What does the 30 cm figure mean?
It is a compaction-depth claim on the listing. Plate size, force in kilonewtons, and travel speed are not stated. Maximum pressure is given as 100 with no unit.
How loud does the listing say it is?
80 decibels, with no weighting, distance, or operating condition. The stated warranty is 2 years. There is no star rating in the file.
This Construction Machinery UK listing is a petrol vibrating plate named C60 at £419, and the captured page does not state force, weight or plate size. You cannot tell from the file whether it is meant for a thin Type 1 layer or a much thicker one, because those figures are absent. A water tank and a rubber mat are also unstated, so neither belongs in the box on the evidence here. No star rating and no review text were captured, which leaves the £419 price without a UK complaint or a UK success story. Set beside the Neilsen CT2146 at £434.95, which prints 1030 kg and a 510 × 350 mm plate, this row is the one to leave until a force and a size appear on the page. A model name alone is not a compaction spec.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Only a buyer who can confirm force and plate size with the seller before paying.
Less suitable: Any patio where you need a stated kilonewton or kilogram figure, or a UK review, before you buy.
Specifications
Common questions
What compaction force does this C60 listing state?
None. The captured listing is a petrol vibrating plate named C60, at £419, from Construction Machinery UK. Force, weight and plate size are not stated.
Does this C60 include a water tank or a rubber mat?
The captured fields do not say. Neither is stated.
Is there a UK star rating in the file?
No. Rating and review count are not stated, and no review text was captured.
Eight amazon.co.uk listings were scored on a 0–100 scale. Amazon UK evidence is 50 points, from the star line and the review count on amazon.co.uk. No rating in the file scores 0. A listing average whose captured texts are United States only is kept and cut back. Stated specification is 30 points: a force with a unit, a plate size, and a power source that does not contradict itself. This block cannot lift an unrated page off 0. Review outcome is 15 points, where notes describe a real thin lift. Value is 5 points: shelf price in GBP against a force and a plate size you can read, used to name best value on a different ASIN from the top score. The lowest price does not win that block twice. This is not a lab compaction test. Prices are the amazon.co.uk shelf prices on 20 October 2026.
Amazon UK evidence
50%Star rating and review count on amazon.co.uk. No rating in the file scores 0. A listing average whose captured texts are United States only is kept and cut back.
Stated specification
30%A force with a unit, a plate size, and a power source that does not contradict itself. This block cannot lift an unrated page off 0. Stated force does not invent a star rank.
Review outcome
15%Notes that describe a real thin lift score higher than a file with no review text. An empty UK review file scores 0 on this block.
Value
5%Shelf price in GBP against a force and a plate size you can read. Used to name best value on a different ASIN from the top score. The lowest price does not win this block twice.
Match the job and the layer first, then the force with its unit, then the power source, then the extras. A forward plate suits an open patio or path. A reversible plate is for trenches and deeper build-up, and none of these eight listings says it is reversible. Prefer a stated plate size and a UK review file over a model name alone. This page is not a lab test.
A plate compactor, often called a wacker plate, vibrates a steel base so it walks forward over granular material such as MOT Type 1. UK buyers hire or buy one for a patio, path, shed base or light driveway. It is not a trench rammer, which is for a narrow cut, and it is not a hand tamper. None of these listings is either of those tools. Forward petrol plates are the usual outdoor hire machine. Electric plates are either 230 V or 110 V.
Compact Type 1 in layers. Hireload’s rule of thumb is about 75–100 mm, and Evolution says this 5 kN plate is for layers up to 50 mm. A 30 cm depth claim on a listing is not a lift thickness.
Evolution states 5 kN, the CT2146 states 1030 kg, the CT1708 states 20 kN, and ZeHuoGe states 8200 N. 8200 N is 8.2 kN only as arithmetic. These are not one lab scale, and this page did not convert the 1030 kg figure.
Only the C80T title names a water tank. The letter T on the C60-T is not a tank in the box. Bare steel on blocks, petrol in a closed space, and United States reviews read as UK evidence are the other repeats.
Read the force with the unit written beside it. Evolution states 5 kN. The Neilsen CT2146 states 1030 kg. The Neilsen CT1708 states 20 kN. ZeHuoGe states 8200 N. 8200 N is 8.2 kN only as arithmetic, and this comparison did not measure a conversion of the 1030 kg figure. These are not one lab scale, and a stated force does not invent a star rank. A plate size belongs next to the force. The CT2146 states 510 × 350 mm. The CT1708 states 550 × 440 mm. ZeHuoGe states 490 × 320 mm.
Petrol stays outdoors. HSE says carbon monoxide from petrol equipment in a garage, basement or trench can become dangerous in minutes. The Evolution H320-E is the 230 V machine in this set, at 130 W, so there is no petrol exhaust on an open patio. A 110 V hire plate is a different supply and needs a centre-tapped transformer. Speedy pairs a Belle PCLX 12/40E with a 3.3 kVA unit. None of these eight listings is that 110 V hire set.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You are choosing a day’s hire against the electric plate, and you can keep each lift thin. The Evolution H320-E is the top pick at about £235.81: 230 V, 5 kN, 26 kg, and 4.5 from 155 UK reviews. The maker’s page describes layers up to 50 mm. A thick patio build-up sits outside what this listing is showing you.
You compact outdoors often and want a petrol plate with a stated force and a stated plate size. The Neilsen CT2146 is the best value at about £434.95: 5.5 hp, 1030 kg, a 510 × 350 mm plate and a rubber mat. There is no UK star rating in the file. None of these eight listings is reversible. A trench or a deep build-up is a hire case.
You are in the vibration and noise rules and should not treat a 5 kN DIY plate as low hand-arm vibration without a magnitude and the real time on the handles. The Evolution manufacturer page states 7.43 m/s² (K = 1.5) and 98.8 dB(A). Gloves do not block vibration. That figure is not a substitute for an exposure assessment.
The top pick is the Evolution H320-E at about £235.81. It is the only large UK review file in this set: 230 V, 130 W, 5 kN, 26 kg, travel of 5 m/min, and 4.5 from 155 amazon.co.uk reviews. Buyers who were content kept each lift thin. Handle vibration, bolts working loose, and a paving pad that is not in the box are the limits. The best value is the Neilsen CT2146 at about £434.95, because the listing states 1030 kg, a 510 × 350 mm plate and a rubber mat. That award is the printed specification, not a star rank. There is no UK rating in the file, and 1030 kg is a different unit from the kilonewton rows. This comparison is not a lab test.
Evolution H320-E electric plate
Highest score: 230 V, 5 kN, 26 kg, about £235.81, and 4.5 from 155 UK reviews for thin lifts.
Neilsen CT2146
Best stated petrol spec at the lower petrol price: 1030 kg, a 510 × 350 mm plate and a rubber mat at about £434.95, with no UK rating in the file.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources used for this comparison. amazon.co.uk prices, stars and review counts were taken from the listings on 20 October 2026.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk (tag pcuk26-21). If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are from the listings. This is not a laboratory test.
