Best Hand Trucks for Stairs and Moving
When you are moving from one house to another, carrying those heavy objects from the truck to the house multiple times is very tiring. To make this task easier and less energy consuming, different kinds of hand trucks are available. Hand trucks are usually used to transport things at your home or workplace.
The best hand truck is supposed to reduce the time and effort both you would spend on carrying a heavy object. You can also use this hand truck to carry a large number of groceries on the way to the car from the store. The best kind of hand truck can make your transportation very easy and relaxing.
It will let you carry all your stuff at once very comfortable. It will also limit the risks of injuries associated while carrying heavy objects with your body strength.
With a hand truck, you will be able to carry heavy or many objects all by yourself, you won’t require anyone else to carry an object full of weight or which is very large. You can also choose to set a lot of small things together into the hand truck and just push it to the location.
What Hand Truck Actually Is?
Hand trucks are a kind of thing that you can use for the transportation of heavy or large objects. They are a different form of dollies or shopping carts, except for dollies, and carts are usually used to move furniture and stuff heavy like that. But a hand truck is used to carry medium-heavy things which you can carry by yourself. Modern hand trucks have evaluated different kinds of designs. But a classic hand truck usually looks like a large L shape.
It has two wheels at the front edge and a ledge at the top. The ledge will help the objects not to fall out of the hand truck when you are pushing. And at the top, you will find a handle that will make the pushing and grip easier and comfortable. This hand truck has evaluated different forms and designs for better comfort. You can find hand trucks with four wheels, a folding system, different weight capacity and more. You will find the best hand truck according to your needs.
Except for the L shaped hand truck you may also find hand trucks which four wheels at the bottom and a bed in the middle to put the things. Some can have double beds in the middle to maximize the number of objects it can carry. Some are featured in a folding system that can be folded to make it compact and easy to carry or store.
Hand trucks are also found to come with multi-function facilities, which can take a form of 2 either 2 wheels or 4 wheels hand trucks. Different hand trucks have different capacities also, some can take up to 200lbs others can about more than 500lbs.
Best Hand Trucks Review
There are different kinds of best hand trucks available, so many brands and so many designs. Sometimes it can be very confusing to choose from all these different brands and designs. To make your choice easier and less confusing here are lists of some best folding, convertible and normal hand trucks.
1. Cosco Shifter Heavy Duty Multi-Position Hand Truck
Cosco Shifter Heavy Duty Hand Truckis mainly designed to use at home and office. Can move oversized items regarding any shape or sizes. Has multi-position design facilities. Without using tools and pins you can transform this two wheels truck into a four-wheel cart very quickly and easily. After you are done you can restore it by simply folding it. The hand truck will get compact and easy to store after you have folded it.
When it is in the four-wheel mode it can carry up to 300-pound weight. So it can transport heavy appliances with ease. You will get relief from having back and hand strains after you start to use it for transporting heavy objects. The folding system will allow you to carry it very comfortable to anywhere. It is very lightweight too; it weighs only 15 pounds. Can fit into average size car trunks. The frames are very durable and made of steel.
This product doesn’t come with a clear instruction book, the only instructions provided are stickers on different parts of its body which are not very clear. The cart can sometimes unfold into a wrong position it gets difficult to get it back into a proper position.
The springs for the folding stem are heavy duty but it is difficult to get it open or close. You have to be very careful about using it or you can wear heavy-duty gloves during this process. Expect these things the cart would perfectly well for the transportation of heavy things.
2. Magna Cart Aluminum Handle Hand Truck
It is easy to carry anywhere. It is a filing system hand truck. You can fold and place it in the airline overhead compartment, in a train or a car. Its aluminum body is rust proof. It is only 7 pounds in weight and 39 inches in tall. But it can be folded up-to 25 inches tall and 2.5 inches wide. It is sturdy and can hold up to 150 pounds of weight. Has 5-inch rubber wheels which help you glide through the travel very easily.
It makes carrying heavy objects very easy. It’s is very easy to fold and unfold it. A lot of small things can fit into it, so you won’t need to travel again and again to get the things at one place. It works very efficiently and comfortably. A very tall person using it may have to bend to push or pull this cart.
The wheels are not made strong enough. It might need to get changes very often. It is quite heavy than it should be. The folding system makes the center of gravity shift at the front of loads, which makes it fall forward and it’s one of the best folding hand trucks I have ever seen.
3. Harper Hand Truck With lightweight Capacity
It is a convertible hand truck and dolly. It can easily random from 2 wheels dolly to 4 wheels cart. The frames are made of nylon truss which is 30% lighter than steel. It is tough also.
It is designed for maximum strength and has a capacity to hold 300 pounds from the vertical side and 400 pounds from the platform. The wheels are 8-inch rubber and 3-inch swivel caster.
The built-in stair glides very smoothly up or down stairs or curbs. The plastic frame is factory assemble, corrosion and rust-free, has longer life guarantee.
It is sturdy and very easy to adjust.
The wheels are very cheaply made, can break if heavy objects are uploaded. You will mostly require changing the wheels to an upgraded one. This hand truck is cheaply made. It cannot carry 400 pounds of weight as it had promised. The flatbed of this cart has no real bed only two crossbars.
Its the best hand truck for stairs.
4. Cosco 3-In-1 Aluminum Hand Truck
This a hand truck is ideal for lifting heavy things at home and at a workplace. It is a very good convertible hand truck. This product can be converted into 2 wheels upright, 4 wheels hand truck and assisted 4 wheels cart without any extra tools or pins.
You can also convert it to using only one hand. When using this product as 4 wheels cart it can take up to 10000-pound weight. And during 2 wheels hand truck and 4 wheels assisted hand trucks it has a capacity of 800 pounds.
It is a heavy duty product. Made of high-quality steel and is lightweight too. The wheels are made fat-free for better convenience. As it has a very high capacity for weightlifting it reduces the chances of having injuries and muscle strains you could have if you had lifted them all by yourself. Makes carrying oversized and heavy objects very easy. This is more of a heavy duty truck for stairs. Moreover, for oversized objects 2 wheels hand truck is better. And for heavy things 4 wheels assisted hand truck is more appropriate.
It works really great for large objects. It is lightweight so easy to carry around. The handles are very comfortable. It is not seen to be as heavy duty as it suggests. If can get bent if heavy objects are carried, and a bend in the framing will make the converting system difficult to impossible. It should not be used in stairs or rough surface, otherwise, the wheels will get damaged. It is short and less pleasant to push.
5. Milwaukee 47109 Hand Truck
It has the capacity to carry 600 pounds. The wheels are heavy duty, mod of 8-inch solid ace tuff rubber. It is around 46 inches tall. Consists 5 / 8 balls in the bearing system. The toe plate is about 8 inch by 14 inches. The frames are made of high-quality steel and designed with flow back handle. It can carry large objects or few small objects with ease.
It will be a great experience with this product you are moving from one place to another. Youcan carry a lot of thing at a time with this hand truck. Works really great. It is a durable and long-lasting hand truck.
6. Rocknroller rmh1 Multi-Cart Mini-And Truck
It is designed to carry heavy things from one place to another. It is mainly a convertible truck. It is very extremely lightweight and can to folded to form a compact size, thus it is very easy to carry anywhere. This hand truck has a
weight lifting capacity of 200lbs. You can carry a single heavy object to small few objects at a time. Is designed with an 18-inch nose which is able to lift bulky things. Has lightweight non-flat wheels which make gliding heavy things very easy. It also features non-skip surface which makes carrying cargo and moving in the stair easy.
The frames of this hand truck are made of tubular steel and coated with powder coat paint. The paint does not form chips and scratches. Low rolling resistant. It comes with 16 tubing gauges and 19mm axle. It works really great. You can adjust the handles of this hand truck
according to your need. It has sharp burrs in the edges where the welding has been done. The construction has not been done with smooth finishing. Except for this, the product works great and it makes traveling very comfortable and easy.
7. Seville Classic Folding Hand Truck
It is extremely portable and lightweight hand truck. Its net weight is about 6.9 pounds but it can carry up to 150 pounds. It is can be folded to become small and easy to store or carry. The hand truck is made of aluminum and it is equipped with 5-inch wheels which don’t require any air. 39-inch
The high handle is very comfortable to any height of a person and can be folded to form 25 inch. It works great on every kind of surface. But cannot take very heavy loads.
8. Safco Products Hide-Away Collapsible Utility Hand Truck, Silver/Black
Safco’s collapsible aluminum hand truck makes a great utility cart for both home and office applications. Its hide-away design includes a foldable toe plate and allows for compact storage, so you can easily tuck it away in your car, closet, and other narrow spaces. The lightweight frame rests on 6″ diameter rubber tires and can support up to 250 lbs. of weight. You can adjust the handle’s height by using the wire lock given at its mid-point. This collapsible and extendible feature makes Safco’s design one of the best hand trucks among users. It is delivered completely assembled, so that takes away all the guesswork needed to put it together and simply saves time.
Sadly, the cart does not support the given weight capacity as mentioned by some users. Its frame bends and the wheels wobble a lot when used for lifting and moving heavy items.
9. Safco Products 4053NC Stow-Away Platform Utility Hand Truck, Silver/Black
If you are looking for a platform hand truck, then this is a good choice from Safco. The aluminum hand truck has a collapsible, folding handle that allows for space-saving storage – both vertical and horizontal. A quick-release mechanism helps you unfold it back to the 40″ standing height. The platform measures 24″W x 39″D and can hold items weighing up to 1000 lbs. It moves on 7″ diameter solid rubber wheels that make it easy to load and unload objects for simple, hassle-free transfers.
Some customers noted that the platform hand truck has misaligned screw holes which can really affect the way you assemble the piece – so this is a major red flag to watch out for.
10. Safco Products Tuff Truck Continuous Handle Hand Truck , 400 lbs. Capacity, Continuous Flow Back Handle
Safco has another great hand truck option with a continuous handle – suitable for various heavy-duty hauling.
The handle’s flow-back design is a clever detail to help you hold the handle while keeping some distance between your fingers and high-stacked loads. You can move weights up to 400 lbs. easily. The cart includes a 14-inch x 7-inch toe plate and two 8″ solid rubber wheels that come with ball bearings. This creates smooth mobility over different surfaces. Combined with the cart’s durable, reinforced, and powder-coated steel frame, the overall design keeps the right balance while moving loads efficiently. Safco’s GREENGUARD Certified construction is another huge plus. All in all, the hand truck is easy to maneuver, comes fully assembled, and is ideal for multiple uses in homes/offices/warehouses.
Some discrepancies were observed between the advertised pictures and the delivered product. The toe plate can also be more useful with larger dimensions to ensure proper weight distribution and easy handling.
11. Magliner GMK81UA4 Gemini Sr Convertible Hand Truck, Pneumatic Wheels, 500 lbs Load Capacity, 61″ Height, 55-3/4″ Length x 21″ Width , Silver
Magliner’s convertible hand truck has 4-ply pneumatic wheels and is made of aluminum. Its convertible 2-in-1 style can go from a 2-wheeled hand cart to a 4-wheeled platform truck depending on the type of load you want to move. The cart supports a weight capacity of up to 500 lbs. as a hand truck and around 1000 lbs. as a platform truck – so it makes a versatile and time-saving option to transfer objects on the same truck.
Magliner’s modular construction also increases the lifespan of the product as there are no welded parts in danger of breaking or falling apart. The hand truck is a top seller for different audiences and industries like beverage, corporate, arts, hospitals, construction, package delivery, etc.
The unit does require assembling, which can be tough for some users, especially if all the required parts are not delivered. Also, flat tire problems with pneumatic wheels are quite common and can slow you down more often – which makes people prefer solid rubber wheels for easy longevity and less maintenance.
12. Magliner HMK15AUAC Aluminum Hand Truck, Vertical Loop Handle, 18″ x 7-1/2″ Aluminum Diecast Nose Plate, 500 lb Capacity
We added this hand truck from Magliner to our list for the best hand trucks mostly because of its vertical loop handle – which is a simple ergonomic detail for maneuvering the cart much better. The straight-back frame comes with 10″ microcellular foam wheels with semi-precision bearings for added stability and balance. The foam wheels are definitely longer lasting than pneumatic wheels and will save you time and effort if you do not like re-inflating tires. Paired with a diecast aluminum nose plate, the hand truck supports a load of 500 lbs.
The cart does require proper assembly. Some customers noted that the screw holes are not aligned, so this increases guesswork on your part and might require DIY fixes to get the job done.
13. Magline HBK128HM4 Aluminum Bottle Water Hand Truck, Loop Handle, Pneumatic Wheels, Silver, 500 lbs Load Capacity, 55″ Height, 11″ Width x 20″ Depth
Magliner also offers a convenient water bottle hand truck design for delivery stores. Made of aluminum construction with pneumatic wheels, the cart comes with foldable trays that you can adjust for both bottles and boxes for organized and simple loading and transfers. You can also just keep the trays folded and use the cart as an ordinary hand truck, a furniture dolly, an appliance mover, and so on. The anti-slide rubber stops are useful in keeping the bottles stable, especially if different sizes are being stacked. The shelves are easy to install and accommodate around 5 bottles altogether, allowing you to move them over thresholds with minimum labor. The hand truck’s incredible balance holds the load upright in a standing position, so you do not have to worry about it toppling over.
This water bottle cart has been a real winner among customers. The only main issue that let it down was regarding incomplete orders with missing shelves – which totally renders it useless for bottle deliveries.
14. VEVOR Stair Climbing Cart, 15.4″ x 10.6″ Folding Hand Truck, 176 LBS Weight Capacity Aluminum Alloy Hand Cart with 10 Crystal Castors Suitable for Carry Luggage, Shopping Groceries, Transport Goods
VEVOR’S blue aluminum hand truck kit is just what you need for versatility and easy assembly. This is one of the best, foldable stair-climbing hand trucks featuring triangular three-wheel sets as climbing wheels. Apart from these 6 climbing wheels, there are 4 ground wheels and a 51″ ABS elastic rope included in the package. The extra-thick climbing wheels are actually improved for better stability as you move. You can use the hand truck for moving luggage, shopping bags, travel bags, etc. Its handle has adjustable 3-level heights of 22″, 32″, and 43″ to offer the required back support for different stack heights – and the overall collapsible unit allows for compact storage in your car’s trunk! On the ground, the cart can support up to 176 lbs. of weight, whereas, on the stairs, it holds up to 110 lbs. It is resistant to corrosion and compression for added durability.
The well-designed and ergonomic hand truck lacks in quality, and you might face issues like squeaky loud rolling wheels or flimsy fixtures that break easily.
15. Milwaukee Hand Trucks 73730 Poly Furniture Dolly
This is one of the best hand trucks from Milwaukee. The alloy steel rubber construction includes a simple yet durable 18 x 30-inch frame body with padded ends that keep the load stable. It can hold up to 1,000 lbs. of weight and provides easy mobility on the poly casters. All 4 wheels can swivel, so this helps you maneuver loads very effortlessly on the ground. The hand truck is popular among individuals who need to move furniture, appliances, and boxes all by themselves – whether it is for relocating purposes or general everyday uses.
There were slight quality issues in the reviews, including unequal wheel heights that made the hand truck/dolly quite unstable to use.
16. Pack-N-Roll Folding Hand Truck with Telescoping Handle and Bungee Cord for Travel, Moving and Office Use (155Lb Capacity + Bungee Cord)
This is one of the best hand trucks with a lightweight design, available with a bungee cord. Made of aluminum, the cart holds up to 155 lbs. and has a telescoping handle that adjusts from 25 to 39 inches in height – so you can customize the desired height based on your stacked boxes.
Its lock-and-release function allows you to extend or collapse the handle using one hand, which also makes it easy to maneuver the unit. There is a mid-point stabilizer rod attached to prevent wobbling as you roll the cart on its rubber wheels. Moreover, the foldable toe plate design gives this hand truck a narrow profile for storage when not in use.
Some customers found it difficult to open and handle the cart and also felt that the wheel design should be improved for smoother loading/unloading.
17. Krane AMG AMG500 Convertible Platform/Dolly/Tilt Cart with 500 lb Capacity
Krane AMG’s 3-in-1 hand truck simply cannot be ignored. It combines 3 hauling styles in the same unit, so if you have medium to heavy-duty demands and do not want multiple dollies in your garage, consider this flexible alternative. It can convert from a platform cart to a 2-wheel dolly and a 4-wheel hand truck as you like. It is foldable, convertible, and simply versatile for different applications. The patented handle design enables easy conversions between each cart style. You can load up to 500 lbs. of weight on any of the 3 hauling arrangements. It is a great option to transport cargo with minimum effort on your part, as you can always adjust the required height and weight distribution for both vertical and horizontal loads. The short wheelbase also helps with maneuvering the cart in narrow spaces, and you can fold it for storage as well. Krane’s optional cargo bag accessories will go perfectly well with this hand truck as they offer cleaner organization and transport if you are not using boxes. So far, the hand truck is totally worth the money!
How to Recognize Best Hand Trucks
There are many ways you can recognize the best hand truck, convertible truck, or folding truck. But before you look for the perfect hand truck, you have to point out the qualities you want in your hand truck. There are lots of different hand trucks available at stores, not all of them are rated best to their users. The qualities you want in your hand truck will classify the best hand truck you should get.
Materials and Welding Quality
The materials are made of high-quality metals. The hand truck will be used to take the load of your heavy objects, so it is very important that the materials are of good quality. And the welding is done smoothly. The welding is also important to notice because if the frames are not welded well they might get broken or bend while a heavy load is carried.
Size of the Handles
The handles are made very comfortable to hold. Handles should also be in a good height to match up with you. Handles are available at different heights also short, tall, medium. If the height of the handle is shorter than it should be according to your height, then you would need to bend to make it move. In this way, you might get injured or produce back pain. So choose very carefully.
Type of Wheels
The wheels are very important to notice while you are buying your best hand truck. There is mainly three kinds of wheels for hand trucks, where each of them serves different convenience to operate the hand truck. The wheels are balloon cushion, pneumatic and molecular. Balloon cushion wheels add a minimal shock absorbent, but the pneumatic wheels absorb shock effectively and work great on uneven surfaces. Microcellular wheels do not need any air, so it makes it very durable and long-lasting but they won’t work properly on uneven surfaces.
Size
If you want to carry or store it in a limited space then it is very important it folds to form very compactly. A compact formation after folding will enable you to store it anywhere you like or carry it with you anytime. Along with the compact formation, it has to be lightweight for better convenience.
Durability and capacity
It should be strong enough to carry the load you want to give it. So it has to be made strong and should have the capacity to take the load. Different hand trucks have different capacities to take the load. It should be able to take up the load you are going to place on it. Always learn about the capacity of the hand truck before you buy it.
Understanding the Types of Hand Trucks
You can find a range of hand trucks in markets or online, with different sizes, capacities, and designs. And these differences are created for different kinds of needs. Some kind of hand trucks is stair trucks, convertible trucks, folding trucks etc.
Stair trucks
Stair trucks are made to make it move easily down the stairs. It looks like a classic L-shaped hand truck. A ledge at the front end to hold the object, a comfortable handle, and a bed in between the ledges and the handle to lay the objects. But it contains 6 wheels at the bottom, 3 wheels at each side. 3 wheels are fitted in a triangular form, more like a spider with 3 wheels at the edges.
You will have to place the objects on the bed and tilt the truck holding the handle and then push it to make it move. When you will use the hand truck on a normal surface it will use 1 wheel on each side to glide. But when you will use the stairs the base of wheels will start to rotate one by one. And this rotation makes it glide easily through the stairs.
Folding Trucks
Folding hand trucks can be folded to a come smaller. A folding system is created to make it compact and easy to store and carry. You can carry most of the folding hand trucks in your car trunk or store them in a very compact place. Folding hand trucks are found in two different designs. Though both of them look like a traditional L-shaped hand truck one contains 2 wheels and another contains 4 wheels.
The hand truck which contains 2 wheels has to be tilted to make it move and will also be carrying some weight of the objects. 4 wheeled hand truck will have a completely flat base with 2 wheels at the front and another 2 at the back end and a handle. But sometimes it may contain handles at both ends, one little smaller than the other. The smaller handle acts as the barrier for the objects.
Convertible Trucks
Convertible hand trucks are created for multi-purpose usage. Convertible hand trucks can be converted to form hand trucks with 2 wheels and 4 wheels. 2 wheels hand truck will usually have a capacity of around 350 pounds, and when you convert it to 4 wheels the capacity will increase to 500 pounds or more.
Types of wheels
The wheels of the hand truck are made differently also, which are balloon cushion, pneumatic and micromolecular wheels. A balloon cushion wheel is usually filled with air. It is shock absorbent and reduces the impact of the load during bumping. But a balloon cushion wheel always has the risk of getting flat or damaged very often.
Pneumatic wheels are prone to reduce the impact of heavy load. The pneumatic wheels absorb shock very effectively. These wheels are recommended if you are about to carry very heavy objects. The molecular wheel doesn’t require any air. So there are no chances of getting the wheels flat. But it is not an effective shock absorber. Otherwise, it is very durable and long-lasting than the other two forms of wheels.
Hand Truck Accessories
Hand trucks are made to carry heavy things from one place to another by making it very comfortable and relaxing. But as hand trucks take a load of very heavy objects it’s very common that at a certain point in time it will get damaged like a broken wheel or shelf. And it is quite frustrating and expensive to buy a new hand truck for such little damage.
You always won’t need to buy another one of these small damages. That’s is because separate parts of hand trucks are sold at the market. And these separate parts are called hand truck accessories. The parts are usually different sizes of wheels, shelves, handles. From them, you can choose the perfect one that is damaged and fits perfectly in your hand truck.
When I Prefer Hand Trucks Instead of Furniture Dollies or Movers Dollies
Furniture dollies or movers dollies or furniture lifers are quite large than an ordinary hand truck. It is very strongly made. The base of the furnishings dollies is very big. The base actually looks like a square frame, and at two sides of the frame is covered with foam which acts as the shock absorbent. It contains 1 wheel at every 4 corners of the base.
Furniture dollies usually don’t have handles with it. This kind of dollies usually has a weight lifting capacity of 1000 pounds or more. These are used to move furniture or very heavy objects which would require 2 or more than 2 people to carry. It is made to make the transportation of heavy and big things very easy. You will have to put the objects over the furniture dollies and push it by the edges as it doesn’t have any handle.
On the other side, a hand truck has a handle to push it and get a better and comfortable grip. It has crossed bars or a plain platform in the middle to lay the objects. It has also a ledge at the front upper part and wheels at the bottom. Some hand trucks contain 2 wheels and some may contain 4 wheels. 2 wheels hand truck looks like a tilted L shape when it is operated; and a 4 wheels hand truck stands at the surface all by itself.
Hand trucks are made for transportation of medium-heavy objects, large objects or many small objects in a single turn. They usually have a capacity of 100-200 lbs. maximum. Hand trucks are very lightweight than a furniture dolly, hand trucks can be folded or converted into different forms for better usage. Dollies are more appropriate for use in a factory or a workplace to carry heavy machinery and at for transporting light things a hand truck is best.
Conclusion
It can be a challenge to select the perfect hand truck for your needs. It is very important to keep in mind these basic factors before purchasing a hand truck. If you check everything about the hand truck, hopefully, you will find the best hand truck that makes your work easier, less time-consuming, and more comfortable.
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