There is no single answer to "Is the Kleemann 110 jaw crusher worth it?" I learned that the hard way. When I first started managing equipment budgets, I assumed the lowest quote was the best quote. Three budget overruns later—one from missed setup fees, another from freight, a third from wear parts I forgot to price—I stopped looking at stickers and started looking at spreadsheets.

I manage procurement for a 45-person construction-materials company. I've tracked every invoice, maintenance order, and resale note for the past six years. So when someone asks me about the Kleemann 110 jaw crusher, I don't answer yes or no. I answer with three scenarios.

First, a quick clarification. If the name "Jan Kleemann" brought you here, you're not alone—I searched for the same thing. As far as I can tell, the brand isn't named after a current executive or engineer called Jan Kleemann. What is clear: Kleemann is a German manufacturer of mobile crushing and screening equipment, and the 110 jaw crusher (the MOBICAT MC 110 EVO2) is one of the models that keeps showing up in fleet comparisons.

Before I get to the scenarios, here's a mental hook. If you've ever looked up "English vs knitting," you know the debate: English-style throws the yarn with your right hand; continental-style picks it with your left. Both can make the same sweater. What matters is your hands and your pattern. A mobile crusher is the same—there's no universal best machine, only the best match for your material, your site, and your operating model.

A Kleemann 110 jaw crusher is a bit like the LEGO Millennium Falcon in that respect. Not because you can assemble it in an afternoon, but because it's modular. You can change the hopper, the feeding system, the crushing chamber setting, and the discharge options to suit the job. The big question is whether you actually need those modules.

Scenario 1: You're a contractor or rental fleet that moves often

If your work is contract crushing or rentals, mobility is your main asset. A tracked Kleemann 110 jaw crusher is built to be transported, lowered, and fed in a short shift. The EVO2 control concept helps: setup is managed from one screen, and the sequence is more logical than on older machines I've operated.

In this scenario, pay for features that shorten setup time. That means a pre-screen, a radio remote, and a magnetic separator if you're handling rebar. These aren't luxuries. On an eight-week project, a half-day of additional setup is real money.

"I don't buy a crusher; I buy uptime."

That's what one rental-fleet owner, Henry age 47, told me. He calculates the cost per operating hour based on the first month at every new site, not the purchase price. If you move three or more times a year, the mobility premium on the MC 110 EVO2 tends to pay for itself. If you move once a year, maybe it won't.

Scenario 2: You're a fixed quarry and wheels never touch the ground

Here's the counterintuitive part. If your primary crusher is going to sit in the same place for twenty years, a mobile jaw crusher is not the automatic answer. Let me be clear: it's not that mobile plants are worse than fixed plants. They're differently engineered. A self-propelled crusher carries a diesel engine, tracks, and hydraulic systems you don't need if the machine never moves.

All those components add weight, purchase price, and maintenance. If you never use them, you're paying a premium for a feature that's only there for show. A vendor once sold a mobile jaw crusher to a quarry owner who had no plan to move it. The quote came in lower than a stationary electric plant. But after three years of fuel, track pads, and downtime, the fixed plant would have cost less per ton.

This is where my procurement experience kicks in. If you're in this scenario, ask for a total cost of ownership comparison that includes diesel, wear parts, and resale value. Then compare it with a fixed electric jaw crusher, a belt, and a simple control room. Sometimes the mobile machine still wins because of future flexibility. Sometimes it doesn't. You don't know until you force the numbers into the open.

And while you're at it, ask the vendor to state the basis for any performance claim. Per FTC advertising guidelines (ftc.gov), claims like "best in class" or "highest throughput" need substantiation. I hold dealers to that standard. When someone says "this will do 350 tons per hour," I ask: same material, same feed method, same end gradation? (Mental note: I should add this "basis of claim" question to every RFP.)

Scenario 3: You process recycled concrete and asphalt

This is where a 110-class jaw crusher often makes sense. Recycling jobs are short, feed material changes weekly, and you need to move to the next site without leaving a foundation behind. The Kleemann 110 jaw crusher can be configured for this work: a pre-screen to remove fines, a magnet to pull steel, and enough discharge height to stockpile without a wheel loader babysitting the machine.

For this group, I recommend comparing complete configurations, not base machines. A low quote on a bare jaw crusher can look tempting. But if it doesn't include the magnet, the pre-screen, or the radio remote you'll need on a demolition site, it's not the same machine. That's the kind of hidden gap that shows up only after the invoice is signed.

A few years ago, every cost comparison pointed to the bigger jaw crusher. My gut said our wheel loader couldn't feed it fast enough. I reran the model with a conservative feed rate, and the smaller Kleemann 110 jaw crusher actually delivered the same annual tonnage for less money. That lesson didn't come from a spec sheet. It came from watching the system work together.

How to tell which scenario you're in

If you're still unsure, don't settle for "it depends." Ask yourself these five questions:

  • How many times will the crusher change location in a year? If 3 or more, you're in Scenario 1. If 0 to 1, Scenario 2 deserves a real comparison.
  • What's your feed material? Reinforced concrete and asphalt point to Scenario 3. Blasted limestone is a different conversation.
  • What power is available at the site? Three-phase electric close to the crushing area gives a fixed plant an advantage.
  • What's the actual bottleneck in your process? If the loader can't feed fast enough, a bigger jaw won't solve it.
  • What does the TCO spreadsheet say? Include freight, commissioning, dust suppression, wear parts, fuel, and resale. If a dealer won't put those line items in writing, that's an answer too.

The real price is the one on the whole invoice

I'll be blunt: I'd rather see a higher quote with every fee listed than a lower quote with "extras" hidden. Time and again, the second one ends up costing more. That "free setup" offer? It once cost us an extra $450 in crane hire. The "discount if you sign today" line? It disappeared when we asked for the same terms in writing.

Here's the thing: the vendor who lists all the fees upfront—even if the total looks higher—usually costs less in the end. I've learned to ask "what's NOT included?" before I ask "what's the price?" That single question has saved me more money than any negotiating tactic I've tried.

So, should you buy a Kleemann 110 jaw crusher? If you move often, process recycled material, and need fast setup, it's worth a serious look. If you're anchored to one fixed pit, run the numbers on a fixed electric plant first. In both cases, demand transparency—from the dealer, the manufacturer, and yourself.

The moment you find the scenario that matches your site, the decision becomes clearer. It's no longer "which crusher is best?" It's "which crusher is best for this job?" Those are completely different questions.