I agree with those suggesting a little bigger than you think you need. on the topic of brand, I have owned both the MF and Kubota. In my experience they are both excellent machines. Over 10 years I put over 1200 hours on my MF without any issues other than replacing the battery once. I had the TLB (tractor, bucket, backhoe) model, 25 hp. I used the bucket for tons of stuff and I was surprised how often the backhoe came into use. The Kubota I have is a great with what I view as a slightly more powerful but less operator friendly bucket. Ultimately it comes down to personal choice.
