Choosing the Best Hand Pallet Truck

If your business deals with a lot of pallets, then you need the best possible solution to moving heavy goods! Anyone that deals with pallet delivery will most likely feel the need to acquire a machine that can help, doesn't take up a lot of space and is more than effective when it comes to lifting and moving loads.

There are so many options for you to choose from when trying to find the best pallet truck, strarting with the size of the fork all the way down to its wheels. Believe it or not, you can actually buy a cheap pallet truck online.

What Is A Hand Pallet Truck?

As mentioned before, these are handy not-so-little machines that are used to lift heavy duty goods and pallets around the workplace. They are essentially hand forklifts, but they don't have a battery that you need to recharge and they even come with low maintenance costs. 

When choosing the best of all hand pallet trucks, you’ll want to go for one that requires minimal maintenance, has a relatively extended lifespan, and is ideal for filling or emptying a truck load quickly and safely. 

Here’s what to consider when shopping for cheap pallet trucks!

• Fork Size

The forks of a pallet truck come in sizes that suit different pallets. Ones to be wary of are the UK and EU pallets.

The UK pallets – also known as CHEP – are usually wider. The pallet trucks that can handle such pallets come with a width over forks of 680 – 685mm.

On the other hand, the EU pallets are usually narrower. Thus, the width over forks of a hand pallet truck that has to handle EU pallets must be of 520 – 540mm.

• Fork Options

Usually forks come with special options,. Each of the following makes a pallet truck suitable for different environments. 

Super Low Profile – comes with approximately 31mm ground clearance.

Low Profile – comes with approximately 51mm – 55mm ground clearance.

INOX – also known as Galvanised Stainless-Steel Truck. Such forks are useful in those environments that require regular cleaning, such as healthcare and food facilities.

Rough Terrain – these come with larger wheels and are suitable for uneven terrain or for terrain that has constant debris on it.

Weigh Scale – forks that come with a weight scale can also measure the weight of the load.

Powered or Manual Hand Pallet Trucks

Depending on the type of business you are running, you might have to choose between a motorised pallet truck or a manual pallet truck. As you can imagine, there is a slight price difference between the two, but keep in mind that each of them are suitable for different types of work and environments. 

• Powered Pallet Trucks - these pallet trucks are motorised and can easily lift and manoeuvre heavy loads. There are models designed for the operator to walk behind them, just like a manual pallet truck. Some even come with a platform the operator can stand on to allow them to lift to heights that would be difficult otherwise.
• Manual Pallet Trucks - these can lift up to 3,000 kilograms of goods but most tend to set the limit at 2,500 kilograms or lower. The heavier the load, the more strength and effort needed to manoeuvre the pallet truck. A manual pallet truck is usually better for smaller warehouses and in retail, where you need to move the pallets over short distances. 

What Makes A Hand Pallet Truck Last Longer?

The best pallet truck will ideally have a long life span and come with minimal maintenance. Besides the brand, here’s what you should look for when searching for the best pallet truck for your project or business: 

• Robust Chassis
• Powder Coated Framework
• Bushed Pivot Points
• Pressure Relief Valve – prevents the overloading of the pump
• Wheel Material

When it comes to the wheel material, you can choose either poly/rubber or nylon wheels. Each is suitable for different environments.

• Poly/Rubber Wheels - while these are respectively quieter than nylon wheels, they are easily damaged if there is anything on the floor that shouldn't be there. Rough surfaces will damage poly or rubber wheels, so they must be used on level surfaces like tiled flooring. 
• Nylon Wheels - these are made of a tough plastic material, making them more robust and durable than poly or rubber wheels. Pallet trucks with nylon wheels are great for rough surfaces that have debris, chemical spills or metal shards as they will not take any damage. This is the reason they are so widely used in warehouses and by logistics companies.

The Bottom Line

If you want to provide your customers with the best pallet courier services out there, it is crucial to remember that the value of hand pallet trucks are worth more than their cost. 

What we mean is that you could invest in cheap pallet trucks and the cost wouldn't necessarily matter, as long as you always choose the type that fits your work environment the best. Of course, this guide should help you in doing just that! 

Keeping in mind how much your pallet truck will cost, you may need to replace it sooner than you initially thought. But regardless of how much hand pallet trucks cost or whether you choose a manual pallet truck or a motorised pallet truck, all that really matters is its ability to deal with your work environment wihtout any problems.