The aim of the study was to evaluate the usefulness of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) for the ranking of a finite set of agricultural machines from the point of view of their quality and purchase costs. The experiments comprised three afterharvest cultivators of similar operational-economic parameters. Relative values of the assessed machines as well as of weights of their criteria were determined by means of a pair comparison method. The results of the performed comparisons made it possible to calculate a complex index (global priority) for each machine in the form of a decimal fraction from 0-1 interval. Values of these indices provide the basis for the ordering of the set of machines and indicating the optimal machine with the highest significance. In the course of experiments, Expert Choice computer software was employed which is intended for aiding decisions prepared in accordance with the AHP method.