Types of Volumetric Mixers: Trailer, Standard Truck-Mounted, and Dual-Bin Explained
Ask five volumetric mixer owners what machine they run, and you might hear three different answers. One tows a small trailer behind a pickup. Another drives a self-contained mixer truck. A third runs a unit built to switch between two mix designs without ever going back to the yard. All three are volumetric mixers. They just solve different problems.
This guide breaks down the three main types, what sets each one apart, and how to match one to the jobs you actually run.
How Every Volumetric Mixer Works
Every type covered here shares the same basic idea. A volumetric mixer carries cement, sand, stone, and water in separate compartments. It blends them on-site, on demand, instead of arriving with concrete already mixed. Our used volumetric mixer buying guide covers that shared mixing system in full detail.
What changes between the three types below is how that system gets to the job site. It’s also how much the machine can produce once it’s there.
The Three Types of Volumetric Mixers
Trailer-Mounted Mixer
A trailer-mounted mixer skips the dedicated truck chassis. It rides on its own trailer instead. A separate truck tows it to the job. Cemen Tech’s M15T (opens in a new tab) is a real example of this type. It produces 15 cubic yards an hour. It carries 3 cubic yards of material, a 30-cubic-foot cement bin, and a 260-gallon water tank. Cemen Tech markets it for smaller jobs like utility work and municipal projects.
Why buyers choose it: there is no separate mixer chassis to buy, register, or maintain. You already have a truck to tow it. That keeps the upfront cost down. It is the least expensive way into volumetric mixing.
The trade-off: you need a suitable tow vehicle every time you move it. Output also tops out lower than the other two types. A trailer-mounted mixer is not built for large, continuous pours.
Best for: owner-operators running smaller, local jobs who already have a truck capable of towing it.
Standard Truck-Mounted Mixer
A standard truck-mounted mixer bolts the entire mixing system onto its own dedicated truck chassis. The engine, auger, conveyor, and water system all ride on one vehicle. This is the most common configuration in the industry. It typically produces 25 to 60 cubic yards an hour, and our used volumetric mixer buying guide covers it in the most depth.
Why buyers choose it: it is self-contained. One driver, one vehicle, no separate tow truck to coordinate. That makes it the easiest type to schedule and dispatch on a day full of different jobs.
The trade-off: you are buying and maintaining a full truck chassis along with the mixing system. Both need their own upkeep. Our volumetric mixer inspection guide treats the chassis and the mixing system as two separate checks on the same machine.
Best for: general contractors and small ready-mix operators who need one vehicle that handles most day-to-day jobs on its own.
Dual-Bin Mixer
A dual-bin mixer adds a second material compartment. That lets the machine run two mix designs without returning to a yard or plant. Cemen Tech’s CD2 (opens in a new tab) is a computer-controlled example of this type. It splits its bin into a 115-cubic-foot cement compartment and an 80-cubic-foot fly ash compartment. That split lets the machine blend in fly ash, a material some state DOT specs require, without carrying a second truck to the site. Dual-bin units like this typically produce 80 to 100 cubic yards an hour. That is the highest output of the three types.
Why buyers choose it: it does the work of two mixers. A crew can pour a DOT-spec mix on one part of a job and a standard mix on another, from the same truck, the same day.
The trade-off: more bins, more controls, and more calibration points mean a higher price. Dual-bin units also take more work to maintain. They sit at the top of the market, running $200,000 to $430,000 used.
Best for: commercial paving, DOT contracts, and large operators running enough volume to justify the added cost and complexity.
Quick Comparison
| Trailer-Mounted | Standard Truck-Mounted | Dual-Bin | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mounted on | Its own trailer | Dedicated truck chassis | Truck chassis (larger) |
| Typical output | Up to about 25 cu yd/hr | 25 to 60 cu yd/hr | 80 to 100+ cu yd/hr |
| Mix designs at once | One | One | Two |
| Needs a tow vehicle | Yes | No | No |
| Typical used price | $35,000 to $90,000 | $90,000 to $200,000 | $200,000 to $430,000 |
| Best for | Small, local jobs | General day-to-day work | Large or DOT-spec jobs |
How to Choose the Right Type for Your Job
Match the mixer to the jobs you run every week, not the one big contract you might land someday.
- Do you already own a suitable tow truck, and mostly run smaller jobs? A trailer-mounted mixer gets you into volumetric mixing at the lowest cost.
- Do you need one vehicle that handles most jobs without extra coordination? A standard truck-mounted mixer covers the widest range of day-to-day work.
- Do your contracts call for a specific mix design, like a DOT fly ash spec, alongside standard work? A dual-bin mixer covers both without a second trip.
Buying more machine than your regular jobs call for just means paying for output you rarely use.
Once you know which type fits your jobs, our used volumetric mixer buying guide covers sizing, inspection, and financing in more depth. When you are ready to look, PayDirt HQ lists mixer trucks for sale.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a trailer-mounted and a truck-mounted volumetric mixer?
A trailer-mounted mixer rides on its own trailer. It needs a separate truck to tow it. A truck-mounted mixer builds the entire mixing system onto its own dedicated chassis. One vehicle handles the whole job.
What is a dual-bin volumetric mixer?
A dual-bin mixer has two separate material compartments instead of one. That lets it produce two different concrete mixes, such as a standard mix and a fly-ash mix, without returning to a plant or yard between pours.
Which type of volumetric mixer is cheapest to buy used?
A trailer-mounted mixer is usually the least expensive. It typically runs $35,000 to $90,000 used, since it skips the cost of a dedicated truck chassis. Standard truck-mounted units and dual-bin units cost more as their output and complexity go up.
Can a standard truck-mounted mixer be upgraded to a dual-bin design later?
Not as a simple retrofit in most cases. Dual-bin mixers are built with their split compartments and added controls from the factory. If you expect to need dual-bin output down the road, buying that configuration from the start is usually cheaper than converting a single-bin machine later.
Do all three types need the same kind of driver license?
A truck-mounted or dual-bin unit is a heavy commercial vehicle, so it typically needs the same driver qualifications as any other truck of that size. A trailer-mounted mixer's licensing needs depend on the tow vehicle and trailer weight, not the mixer itself.
This guide is general information for equipment buyers, not professional advice. Cost and value ranges are editorial estimates that vary by region, condition, configuration and market. Verify against current quotes and a qualified inspection before making a purchase decision.
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