When you think of the things that technology and advanced materials have improved upon or refined, odds are the first thing you think of is not “the wheelbarrow.” If anything, you likely envision the wheelbarrow as being stubbornly and defiantly planted in an era where people had to work the land they lived on or starve to death.
And yet, even the humble wheelbarrow can be tweaked or improved or streamlined. If you have some home improvement projects on the horizon or are just looking for a way to transport a spectacularly lazy houseguest, here are some 21st century options.
We have a feeling that the Worx Aerocart would physically flinch if it could every time you called it a “wheelbarrow.” Because it’s so much more than that. The adjustable all-purpose lawn tool can be easily transformed into multiple different tools, from a wheelbarrow to a yard cart to a bag holder, dolly, cylinder carrier, rock/plant mover, and trailer tote (there’s even a snowplow attachment). All you have to do is shift the pivot that changes the cart’s center of gravity. Its “Turbo Lift” technology claims to make 200 pounds feel like 17. Versatility is the name of the game here.
What better way to trick your kids into helping out with the lawn work than with a wheelbarrow that looks suspiciously like a Radio Flyer? Gorilla Carts have integrated a wheelbarrow-like tilting functionality into the classic four-wheel pull-cart design, creating a versatile all-job workhorse. Teach your kids the fun game: “Take a Choo Choo Ride While Sitting on the Stones Daddy Needs to Finish this Planting Bed” and watch them eagerly take part. The GOR4PS’ durable 38.7-inch x 20-inch rustproof poly bed and 10-inch pneumatic tires can handle it.
Sometimes you just need a wheelbarrow. A simple, classic, do-the-job wheelbarrow. You want it to be heavy duty, metal, with a single wheel and no-slip handles like the wheelbarrows of old. For no-frills purists like you, there is one option: The Walsall 85 LTR. A wheelbarrow that wouldn’t look out of place in the 18th-century English countryside, it’s a basic model that can handle heavy loads and harsh conditions. Meant for construction site conditions, it can be stored outside (its steel frame can take all weather) and rolls along smoothly on a 3.5 x 8 pneumatic wheel. A classic.
