10 Strange Pieces of Equipment that Will Make You Money

If you’re trying to earn more money, you aren’t limited to babysitting or starting an online business.

You can think outside the box and create a side hustle that’s a little more unique.

Here are ten strange pieces of equipment that will make you money.

Strange Pieces of Equipment that Will Make You Money

1. HNT Miners
2. A Drone
3. 3D Printer
4. A Cargo Van
5. Vending Machine
6. Electric Bike
7. An RV
8. Tree Stump Grinder
9. Mini Excavator
10. Music Equipment

1. HNT Miners

If you’ve done any crypto research, chances are you’ve heard the term “crypto mining.“

In short, crypto mining is a process that verifies transactions and adds new crypto to a blockchain. 

The person who owns the mining hardware receives a small fee in the form of the cryptocurrency they’re verifying.

Crypto mining has been a great way to earn extra money in the past several years.

But since it’s become more mainstream, it’s hard to get your hands on a miner. And a few months ago, that was definitely the case for Helium.

But now you can get a Helium miner through a company called iHub Global. 

And the cool thing is you don’t earn money just from mining the crypto, but you can also refer people and earn a percentage of their mined Helium.

It’s kind of like an MLM but with way more advantages.

Here’s how it works:

• You go to iHub and enter your address. They’ll give you an estimate of how much Helium you can earn based on your location.
• Next, order your miner. (You will need to pay for the miner.)
• Set up your miner when it comes in, and you’ll start earning Helium.
• If you want to participate in the MLM portion of this product, share your referral link with people. 
• You’ll receive 10% of the HNT your referrals mine.

I don’t usually love MLMs, but I think this one is a great opportunity. You don’t have to pay any monthly fees, and you don’t have to participate in the referral part of the program if you don’t want to.

Pros of a HNT Miner:

• Inexpensive and easy to get started
• A passive way to earn income
• You can increase earnings with the referral program

Cons of a HNT Miner:

• Great demand, so you may have to wait several weeks to receive one

2. A Drone

Drones are fun to operate, no doubt. But they’re also unique money-making pieces of equipment.

One of the most popular ways to earn money with a drone is photography. Many photographers use drones for wedding photos, real estate photography, and stock photos.

But taking pictures is far from the only way to earn.

Here are other ways you can make money with a drone:

• Offer aerial surveying
• Use your drone for agricultural spraying
• Deliver packages
• Perform inspections
• Use your drone for advertisements

Plus, if you have a lot of knowledge of drones, you can buy and sell them, offer repair services, or create flying courses. (These courses sell online for hundreds of dollars.)

Pros of investing in a drone:

• Several different ways to make money with a drone
• Great side hustle potential
• Can demand high dollar for most of these services

Cons of investing in a drone:

• Expensive to get started
• Some states require special licensing

3. 3D Printer

A 3-D printer would’ve cost thousands of dollars five to ten years ago. And while they still aren’t common in most households, they’re much more affordable.

Some of the everyday items people make and sell with 3-D printers include planters, earrings, toys, and vases. (Do a search on Etsy for 3-D printed objects, and you’ll get a good idea of what’s popular.)

You can also offer services to locals, print prototypes, and sell 3-D models. And if you want to take a 3-D printing side hustle a step farther, you can start a YouTube channel with tips and tricks or create and sell an online course.

Pros of investing in a 3-D printer:

• Great for creatives
• Many ways to earn money, and you aren’t limited to one

Cons of investing in a 3-D printer:

• Professional level printers are thousands of dollars (Beginner/hobbyist printers are $300 – $500)
• Low to medium income potential

4. A Cargo Van

If you want to invest your money in a vehicle, cargo vans are a versatile option and ideal if you enjoy making deliveries.

With a cargo van, you can deliver for local businesses or sign up for a program like Amazon Flex or GoShare. Both of these programs will provide you with consistent work.

You aren’t limited to only deliveries, though.

You can also rent your van on Turo, use it to haul away junk, turn it into a mobile pet grooming business, pick up scrap metal, and more.

Check out our complete list of cargo van money-making ideas here.

Pros of investing in a cargo van:

• Versatile – many ways to make money
• Potential for passive income
• Potential for medium to high income

Cons of investing in a cargo van:

• High upfront costs
• Monthly maintenance and insurance costs

5. Vending Machine

Vending machines are a classic passive income idea, and rightfully so. 

You can buy a vending machine, find a local business to place it, and continually collect cash without putting much effort in yourself.

So, if you already have a good location for a vending machine and are looking for a passive idea, this one is hard to beat.

Take your business a step further by reinvesting your profits in more machines. Before you know it, you’ll have a vending machine empire.

Pros of investing in a vending machine:

• Earn passive income
• Little to no monthly maintenance
• You can find refurbished machines for less than $3k

Cons of investing in a vending machine:

• You need to find a good place for it
• Low-income potential with only one vending machine

6. Electric Bike

An electric bike can help you earn money if you live in a city.

(But just a fair warning, this idea isn’t passive at all.)

You can use your electric bike to deliver food with DoorDash, groceries with Instacart, and deliveries through PostMates.

Making deliveries is a flexible side hustle for the right person. And with gas prices on the rise, an electric bike is a fantastic money-saving tool.

Pros of investing in an electric bike:

• Less than $1k
• A lot of delivery opportunities
• Save on the cost of gas

Cons of investing in an electric bike:

• Best suited for city dwellers
• Low income earning potential

7. An RV

An RV sounds like a weird thing to make money with. But it turns out it’s a popular item to rent.

In fact, Outdoorsy claims you can earn over $50,000 per year renting out your RV. (Of course, the actual amount will depend upon the make, model, and year of your RV, your location, and how often you rent it out.)

And if you’re worried about damage, Outdoorsy provides insurance and verifies renters for you.

So if you have an RV or have thought about purchasing one, look into using it as a rental to earn passive income.

Pros to investing in an RV:

• Earn passive income
• Sites like Outdoorsy provide insurance
• Medium to high-income potential

Cons to investing in an RV:

• RVs are expensive
• You may not be able to rent out year-round
• Location popularity will factor into the success

8. Tree Stump Grinder

If you’re looking for a piece of outdoor equipment, a tree stump grinder ranks high on the list. Because while many homeowners will remove trees themselves, they’re left with a stump and no equipment to remove it.

With a tree stump grinder, you can perform services for homeowners or rent out your equipment.

According to HomeAdvisor, the national average price for tree stump removal is $343. And since performing this service won’t take you much time, you can earn a high hourly rate.

The average price to rent out a tree stump grinder is $192 per day. Considering these pieces of equipment only cost $2-$3k, you can quickly recoup your investment.

Pros of investing in a tree stump grinder:

• In demand service
• Can rent your equipment for passive income
• Can perform services yourself as a side hustle
• You can quickly recoup your investment

Cons of investing in a tree stump grinder:

• You’ll need liability insurance at a minimum
• You’ll have to market your business to find customers

9. Mini Excavator

If you’re trying to find the best heavy equipment that will make you money, it’s hard to beat a mini excavator.

Mini excavators are incredibly versatile. You can use them to dig trenches, holes, demolish structures, and more. And because these tools are so versatile, many homeowners need them to complete home improvement projects.

Of course, the most significant barrier to entry is the price.

New mini excavators range from $30-$40k. And if you’re offering services or renting out your equipment, you’ll also need appropriate insurance coverage.

Pros of investing in a mini excavator:

• High-income potential
• High demand
• You can perform services yourself or rent out your piece of equipment

Cons of investing in a mini excavator:

• Expensive – up to $40k
• Must secure proper insurance
• You will need to market your services

10. Music Equipment

There’s very little in this world that everyone likes, but music is probably the exception. And while it’s common knowledge you can earn money listening to music, you can also earn with musical equipment.

The top ways to earn with music equipment are renting out your instruments and offering lessons.

If you have instruments or equipment, list them on sites like Friend with a or make it known locally that your supplies are for rent.

Of course, there are some downsides to this – you need to screen renters and have legal documents drawn in case of damage.

If you’re attached to your equipment, a better way to earn is by giving music lessons or starting a music-related YouTube channel or blog.

Pros of investing in music equipment:

• Relatively inexpensive to start with
• You can earn passively by renting your equipment
• You can offer music lessons or start a music-related online business

Cons of investing in music equipment:

• Low to medium to income potential
• You need to screen renters
• You need to market your services

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for strange pieces of equipment that will make you money, I hope this list sparked some ideas. But remember, it’s always best to start with what you know.

So, if you’re into crypto, consider a HNT miner. On the other hand, a mini excavator or tree stump grinder may fit best if you work in construction.

When you choose something you’re familiar with, you’ll have a far greater chance of success.