The Best Wheelbarrow
1. Gorilla Carts Poly Wheelbarrow
The Gorilla Carts Poly Wheelbarrow is great for heavy loads up to 600 pounds and the heaped capacity is a larger-than-average 4 cu ft, making it our best choice for volume and ease of use. The four wheels make it sturdy enough for pulling along when it’s full, and Gorilla has included the patented quick-release dump feature which means you don’t need to empty it with a spade yourself. The wheelbarrow literally takes work off your hands and unlike a one two wheel wheelbarrow, this one is easy to maneuver without needing to lift it at all. When you need to empty contents, it’s a dump cart so you won’t need extra strength needed for a basic wheelbarrow.
Pros
Quick easy to use dump feature
Great for heavy loads
Rustproof poly material
Steel frame
Cons
May need two-person assembly
Do not overload
2. Marathon Yard Rover Wheelbarrow & Garden Cart
The Marathon Yard Rover Wheelbarrow & Garden Cart is the second cheapest on our review list and at just 25 pounds, it’s much lighter than some of its counterparts. The two air-filled wheels measure 14.5 inches and because they’re inflated they will absorb any ‘bounce’ or vibration that you would feel with stiffer tires. You might like that the handle is placed at average waist height and it is balanced so moving this wheelbarrow around is easy. So if you have heavy muck to shift or garden toys to put away, at this price the Marathon Yard Rover might just be the perfect tool.
Pros
Lightweight
Easy to transport
Cons
Tires will wear with frequent use on concrete/patios
Still needs some lift
Have to tip contents out manually
3. WORX Aerocart 8-in-1 Steel Wheelbarrow, Yard Cart & Dolly
We enjoyed reviewing this 8-in-1 wheelbarrow and we have made it our premium pick of the bunch. It does a variety of jobs at the price. It’s the WORX Aerocart 8-in-1 Steel Wheelbarrow, Yard Cart & Dolly. The design makes it easy to transport not only garden materials but boxes and much more. It has a dolly option that works as a personal forklift – fantastic for moving your heavy boxes from the car trunk to the house. There are plenty of extras – a bag option for collecting garden weeds/leaves neatly (instead of laying a flat bag on the floor); a hook for moving awkward items like a filled flower or plant pots; and it can even attach to an ATV trailer! It’s sturdy and does make moving heavy items much easier than lifting or dragging them to where you need them. You can even shift cylinders with a special attachment – all extra fittings are supplied. Simply tilt and transport or use as a small wheelbarrow.
Pros
Versatile
Strong steel structure
Can pull up to 1,000lb trailers
No-tool assembly
Cons
Small capacity
Challenging to maneuver
Solid tires make it difficult across certain terrain
Strict limits on warranty
4. Polar Trailer Poly Hauling Cart & Wheelbarrow
The 15-inch large rubber tires, of which there are two, makes it easy to tip contents out of the Polar Trailer Poly Hauling Cart & Wheelbarrow. It’s easy to maneuver over tougher terrains as the wheels are wide and will absorb any ‘bounce’ from harder surfaces. The one thing we weren’t too keen on was the spoke-style wheel design which, instead of being smooth, means they can collect mud easily so if you like a clean garden tool you might find washing this down with a pressure washer after every use a bit of a chore. As far as wheelbarrows go, this has a brilliant deep bed and 7 cu ft of space so that you don’t chance to tip out the contents easily when moving it – although, because of the two-wheel design it is easy to remove the contents when you need to.
Pros
Perfect for heavy-duty use
Lightweight
Steel frame
Cons
16″ tires may be hard to replace if torn/worn
Complex assembly
Handle quite flimsy
5. Best Choice Products Dual-Wheel Wheelbarrow
The Best Choice Products Dual-Wheel Wheelbarrow is our best value pick for a smaller and lighter wheelbarrow that is ideal for use in and around the garden or yard. It will help with home improvement projects and can be cleaned and stored easily. For its size, the 13-inch wheels are good and offer sturdiness when you want to transport its contents. It is of typical design with a plastic tub, steel frame, and rubber wheels. When not being pushed/pulled it is stable while being filled or emptied, and it can be tipped forward to empty muck, gravel, or anything else you are shifting. You might note that we would say light-use only – the rubber grip handle will wear or get brittle over time.
Pros
Padded handlebar
Good all-round yard cart
Great for light use
Good tires for use on variety of surfaces/terrain
Cons
Plastic will get brittle
Don’t recommend for heavy-duty/daily use
Unsure on 330lbs weight claim
6. Marathon Industries Dual-Wheel Yard Rover Wheelbarrow
The Marathon Industries Dual-Wheel Yard Rover Wheelbarrow is a fairly tidy and small looking wheelbarrow that is ideal for residential use. It has a standard weight capacity of 300 pounds and is quite light to use as a wheelbarrow. It is one of two Marathon wheelbarrows in our review list and works well as a yard cart. Despite its 5 cu ft capacity, it does not work well for heavy-duty use. We think it looks a bit like a toy with the plastic design in a bright color. You might like that the two 13-inch wheel flat-free design doesn’t give you the need to spend time inflating the tires. It balances nicely although as a dump cart you will need to be able to lift it forward to empty contents.
Pros
Easy to clean
Lightweight enough to hang for storing
Easy to maneuver
Cons
Bright poly plastic makes it look like a toy
Questionable % 4 and 5-star ratings
Sturdier options available at similar price
7. Gorilla Carts Poly 2-in-1 Convertible Handle Wheelbarrow
One of two Gorilla Carts wheelbarrows on our review list, out of the two this is the more heavy-duty dump cart and it shows – it is 22 pounds heavier than the Gorilla Carts GOR4PS (number 1. on our review list) but this one, the Gorilla Carts Heavy-Duty Poly 2-in-1 Convertible Handle Wheelbarrow, is a bigger model and designed to be a heavy-duty wheelbarrow. The bed is much larger too, and while it doesn’t have the largest cubic foot capability on our list, the weight it can carry far exceeds most. The handle makes it easy to pull. Four wheels ensure that it is steady when in use. And, this heavy-duty wheelbarrow has a quick/easy dump feature for emptying out the contents when you’re ready. We think, at its price, this is the best 6 cubic feet wheelbarrow available.
Pros
Easy to pull up an incline
Versatile
Affordable 6 cubic ft capacity
Can connect to ATV trailer
Superb % 5-star ratings
Cons
Downhill when full can be a challenge
Restricted warranty
8. Creative Co-op Decorative Metal Wheel Barrow
Our budget pick on the Unclutterer review list for best wheelbarrow is the Creative Co-op Decorative Metal Wheel Barrow. It is one of the best garden carts – if you like vintage and rustic design – but don’t be confused, this is a GIFT for the gardener in your life. We were concerned about people wanting to buy this that might think it’s a full size, trendy barrow for the small garden – we did before realizing the dimensions! So we reviewed it anyway and it’s our budget pick regardless. Just because it’s cute! Could probably pop some mini alpine plants or hyacinth bulbs in before you present it as a gift.
Pros
Vintage & rustic
Cons
Description misleading – read the small print
9. Goplus Dual Wheel Steel Wheelbarrow
This Goplus Dual Wheel Steel Wheelbarrow is designed in a hard-wearing poly plastic and claims to be able to carry out heavy-duty tasks including those for residential, farming, and warehousing. We did think it was the best wheelbarrows that might be more suited to gardens and lawns. You may like that it has pneumatic tires that can be inflated to the correct PSI when needed and this is a sturdy, good-sized yard cart with a good 5 cubic foot capacity.
Pros
Long lasting steel framed design
Easy to transport
13-inch pneumatic tires
Easy to assemble
Cons
Questionable ‘heavy-duty’ claim
10. LUCKYERMORE Garden Dump, Utility Wagon & Wheelbarrow
The 10-inch wheels keep the dump cart sturdy and can handle heavy loads to 550 pounds to make sure that the wheelbarrow is easy to pull. The LUCKYERMORE Garden Dump, Utility Wagon & Wheelbarrow is a low budget wheelbarrow that will help make lighter work of garden and yard work. Like the Marathon Yard Rover and many of our others featured on the Unclutterer review list, it’s a green-colored garden cart, is pretty lightweight, and cleans up well after use.
Pros
Dumps and unloads easily
4 inflatable rubber wheels
Ideal to use in garden or yard
Cons
Hard to control downhill when filled
Lightweight quality is questionable
Features To Consider With Wheelbarrows
Materials
A galvanized tub, or bed, is preferable although most wheelbarrows are supplied made with a heavy-duty poly plastic which makes them lighter weight, therefore, easier to move around. When ordering online you will likely be buying a model where the manufacturer sells wheelbarrows that are assembled with nuts and bolts - anything heavy or already assembled is going to be pricey when it comes to delivery. Plastic, if poor quality, can bend and bow and may easily become rigid and split if left out to the weather.
Don't be fooled by a beautiful design or over-imaginative features. While we have rated some of the wheelbarrows on our list because of their features and material make-up, they still may not be suitable for what you need them for.
Multi-Functionality
There are plenty of functions depending on which wheelbarrows you are looking to research. That might include a dumping feature, a rust-resistant finish, air-filled tires, or bag hooks. Consider how you are going to fill the wheelbarrow and how easily you think you can transport it. Then finally think about how you will empty the contents when you're ready. You don't want to have a hard time, after all, wheelbarrows are designed cleverly unlike their traditional counterparts to be lightweight, easy to unload, and they should be able to take a good chunk of the hard work out of transporting materials around your yard, garden, or ranch.
Size
Consider how much weight you expect to be able to move in the wheelbarrow. The load-carrying capacity is important and will determine whether you can put lots of light stuff in it, or less heavy material. The cubic foot size is also worth looking at - your load might be light but awkward to transport, the cubic footage will determine the size of the load.
Something else to think about is the terrain on which you will be working. On a construction site, you'll find inflatable tires will absorb vibration when compared to wheelbarrows that have never-flat wheels, but they are likely to split easily with heavy loads. Also if you are working up or down hills and rough terrain, going downhill with a one-handled dump cart is going to be tougher than being able to use two hands with a loop handle. Steel construction may mean it's heavier too.
Standard wheelbarrows with one wheel are going to be difficult with rocky terrain and best on a flat surface. Two, three, or four wheels are going to feel much more stable and easier to manage on surfaces that are not flat.
Weight Capability
First and foremost, don't risk injuring yourself. The bigger the weight it can carry the larger the cubic foot of material it is capable of carrying. Whether you are moving solids or liquids the weight capability is an essential feature. A 6 cubic feet capacity might carry half as many pounds of water as it does concrete so the main jobs you intend to use with your new wheelbarrow needs to be thought out.
Don't ever overload your wheelbarrow - you are the one pushing it, so do those two trips of half the volume of material than one trip with an overfilled garden cart. Push a few pounds at a time and test your ability. Everyone is different and you won't want to expose your body to injury, leaving you unable to finish the job.
Wheelbarrow FAQ
Q: Should I get a plastic or metal wheelbarrow?
This depends on how much you want to spend and where you plan to use it (which types of material you will be moving). In recent years manufacturers are building wheelbarrows with different materials and you will find either plastic or metal will suit different jobs.
Two main differences to point out are:
Plastic wheelbarrows are normally lighter and much more versatile than their steel counterparts. In summary, they are:
- Lighter
- Rust-free bed/tub
- Easier to move
- Potentially short-lived
They are ideal for lighter loads including weeds, twigs, leaves, grass cuttings, tools, and soil. They are generally more economically priced and shipping costs are cheaper. They can be easier on the body too, cutting the risk of injury if filled sensibly.
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If you are moving industrial-type materials, including concrete, brick, or scrap, a galvanized wheelbarrow will be best as building materials are usually heavy duty. Metal wheelbarrows though can be susceptible to rusting, especially where they might be used daily, stored outside, or end up with hardened concrete or cement that sticks to the bed. A steel wheelbarrow is considered much more heavy-duty so are best used on a construction site, warehouse, or for large garden tasks. In brief, steel wheelbarrows are:
- Heavy duty
- Can move heavier loads
These are great for transporting sizable items including stones, logs, and heavy garden mulch. They are handy in the garden and can last for years without any obvious physical damage being noticed so price versus lasting use is clear. They will need protection from the elements when not in use.
Q: Do I need to change my wheelbarrow tires?
You will need to consider replacing your wheelbarrow tires if:
- They are cracked through wear
- The tread is no longer creating traction
- Your inflatable tires are going flat when you use the wheelbarrow
If this damage or wear is visible then it's unlikely that you will be able to carry out a suitable repair. This kind of damage is more likely if you regularly transport heavy loads, or simply through years of use.
To check first, remove the wheel by loosening it first then take it from the cart so you can carry out a full inspection. Check the wheel first for signs of obvious damage to see where there is a possible cause of damage, if it is bent or out of shape you will need to replace the wheel.
Then, check the tire for any rot or cracks. If you have a tubeless tire you will need to inflate it - you can check for holes or splits by putting it in a bucket of water, you'll see air bubbles if you lightly squeeze it which is the same check you can do with an inner tube but you will need to remove that from the outer tire first. You can try a repair kit for holes and other punctures. If the tire or tube is beyond repair then you will be looking at a replacement.
It's definitely worth getting a new wheel and tire if your wheelbarrow is in otherwise good condition as it will get it working like new. You should be able to get new tires at a pretty reasonable price depending on the brand and quality. We would say if you need to replace two or more and your wheelbarrow is already pretty battered, it might be worth investing in a new cart altogether - but don't throw away your old one just yet.
Q: What other tips might be useful?
Whether you are planning on replacing an old one or buying a new one for a different task, it is worth researching and taking all the points we have made in our FAQs. If you're making the purchase anyway, you may just as well buy something that is up to the job that you can get on with for years to come.
You might want something fairly basic that you just want in the shed so it's handy when you need to work in the garden. You might want something that looks trendy, offers the best way to help with big tasks, or is metal-bodied or plastic.
The best things to look out for is, as we have mentioned, so here they are again in brief:
- Weight capacity - this should suit the job as well as being easy for you to push/pull
- Cubic foot volume - up to 7 cu ft is large enough for most residential uses
- Type of wheels and tires - never-flat, inflatable with tubing, pneumatic
- Number of wheels - one, two, three or four, all are different to handle
- Metal versus plastic - different materials will suit a variety of jobs
- Maintenance - muck and dirt will stick to details like spoke-type wheel design, ridges in the bed, or moveable features so a simple hose down straight after use will clean this off ready for next time
- Store your wheelbarrow indoors or use a cover if it is exposed
- If you have the time, undo bolts and nuts every now and then to clean and oil moving parts
Consider a dump cart that you can pull rather than a wheelbarrow you can push if you have mobility issues. They usually have four wheels so they are easier on rougher terrain.
And in summary, enjoy your purchase and go - get those jobs done and save energy with a decent wheelbarrow that works for you!