John Deere 8100, 8600, 8700, 8800 – specs, opinions & photos

The good side of John Deere 8800 is its consistency; the weak side is that neglected wear can become expensive quite fast. A neglected set of knives can make the machine feel short of power even when the engine itself is perfectly healthy.

John Deere 8700 is not immune to expensive wear, but a careful inspection usually tells you a lot before purchase. The 8000-series is refined under load and has very good feed consistency, but a full diagnostic and service-history check is sensible before buying used.

For contractors who value steady throughput over gimmicks, John Deere 8600 remains an interesting machine. It is a much better proposition with documented maintenance than with low hours and an unknown history.

Set up properly, John Deere 8100 feels balanced rather than simply powerful. There is enough reserve for normal maize work without turning fuel use into the main concern.