Hand Pallet Trucks

Written by: Eisla Sebastian

A hand pallet truck is a manual version of the much larger power forklifts. These easy-to-use pieces of equipment make a great addition to any warehouse environment. They can be used for moving small pallet loads to and from trucks for transporting products, as well as to move pallets around inside warehouses. If you are in the market for hand pallet trucks, then there are several factors that you will need to examine before making a purchase.

Hand pallet truck basics

Hand pallet trucks look like a hybrid of a forklift, hand trolley, and jack. When shopping for a hand pallet truck, you need to look at the design of each of these parts to ensure it will meet your company's needs.

First, you'll want to look at the design of the hand pallet truck's jack. Many modern varieties come with a hydraulic jacking system while others use mechanical jacking systems. Look closely at the amount of weight that the jacking/lifting system will be able to move to ensure that it'll be strong enough to handle your company's workloads.

Next, look at the design of the hand pallet truck's hand trolley setup. Find a handle height that will best fit your employees. If you have employees of shorter height, or employees of various heights, then you'll want to select a hand pallet truck that has an adjustable height handle. Also, look for an ergonomically designed handle to reduce repetitive-motion stress injuries, and to comply with applicable OSHA requirements.

The last thing to do is to examine the design of the forklift portion of the equipment. Look particularly at the width of the forks. If you have narrow pallets to move, you may want to opt for a single fork pallet truck with a wider fork instead of a double-pronged model.

Try before you buy

If at all possible, it's a good idea to try out a variety of hand pallet trucks before making your decision. Usually you can do this if the dealer is located in your city. You also can occasionally find these pallet trucks at home improvement and construction supply stores. When testing them out, look for one that is easy to maneuver, position under a pallet, and jack up. Select the hand pallet jack that is the easiest to use, that fits within your budget, that meets your company's needs and that offers you the best value for your money.

To find a hand pallet truck, submit a free BuyerZone request for forklift quotes today, and multiple dealers will help you through the selection process.