Jaw vs Cone Crusher: Key Differences & How to Choose
Jaw crushers and cone crushers are the two most common crushers in mining and aggregate plants. They do different jobs.
Primary vs secondary
A jaw crusher is a primary crusher. It takes large rocks - up to 1.2 m - and reduces them to 100-250 mm. Our PE series jaw crushers are built for this primary duty. A cone crusher is usually a secondary or tertiary crusher. It takes the output of the jaw crusher and reduces it to 10-50 mm.
Crushing principle
The jaw crusher crushes by compression between a fixed and a moving jaw plate. It is simple, reliable and cheap to run.
The cone crusher crushes by squeezing material between a moving mantle and a concave bowl. It delivers a more uniform, cubical product, as you can see in our HP series hydraulic cone crushers.
When to use each
- Use a jaw crusher when you need to break very large rocks, or when your plant starts from blasted quarry material.
- Use a cone crusher when you need fine, well-shaped aggregate, high capacity and low operating cost per ton.
- Most complete plants use both: a jaw crusher first, then a cone crusher.
Cost comparison
Jaw crushers have lower purchase cost and simpler maintenance. Cone crushers have a higher purchase cost but lower cost per ton on hard rock, thanks to higher efficiency and better wear life.
Summary
If you are building a complete crushing plant for aggregate or mining, the standard configuration is jaw crusher + cone crusher + screens. Send us your project details and we will design the most economical flow for your material.
Related resources
- PE Series Jaw Crusher
- Symons Cone Crusher
- GP Series Cone Crusher
- Fixed & swing jaw plates
- Cone crusher mantle
- How to choose a jaw crusher
Related Equipment & Parts
Which Stage Should You Buy First?
| Step | What to check |
|---|---|
| Oversized rock feed | Start with the jaw - nothing else accepts a 600-1000 mm lump economically |
| Product too coarse | Add a cone. A jaw alone rarely makes sellable 0-20 mm aggregate |
| Shape matters, not just size | A cone or VSI gives cubical product; a jaw gives slabby product |
| Abrasive rock | Compression crushing (jaw + cone) wears far more slowly than impact crushing |
| Tight budget | Buy the jaw and screen first, sell 0-40 mm, add the cone when cash allows |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I confirm a model before ordering?
Send your maximum feed lump, target tonnes per hour, required discharge size and rock type. We return a model, cavity, motor power and estimated weight within 24 hours.
Can you supply the whole plant, not just one machine?
Yes. Feeder, crusher, screen, conveyors, control panel and foundation drawings can be supplied as one package, and we export worldwide.
What about spare parts after delivery?
Jaw plates, cone mantles and concaves, blow bars, bushings, bearings and V-belts are kept in stock, matched to your machine model.
Do you provide installation support?
Yes - remote guidance is included, and an engineer can be dispatched to site when required.
Next Step
Send your material, maximum feed size and target tonnes per hour and our engineers will reply with a model recommendation, price and lead time: request a quotation.
Related reading: jaw crusher selection, cone crusher range, crusher wear parts, delivered projects.