Folding wire grocery cart

Grocery carts were first introduced to the public in 1937 and various wire and plastic models can be found in every shopping center. Folding wire grocery carts are popular in big cities where shoppers walk to local markets and then need an efficient way to haul their food bags home.

It used to require several trips back and forth from the car for me to bring a day's materials into a school building. With a big folding grocery cart I can load up with bags of books and still have space on the handle to hang additional canvas totes and my purse, coat and lunch bag.

In addition to the vinyl liner, I have added on a nylon organizer for holding extra paperwork, cough drops, a packet of tissues and a water bottle. It is the type of pocket organizer designed for use on the back of a cart seat.

Description:	Folding wire grocery cart
Design:	Collapsible wire basket with tubular padded metal handle. 2 large fixed plastic & rubber wheels on back, 2 smaller swivel plastic & rubber wheels on front.
Brand names:	Easy Wheels, Shopping trolley, Winnie Wagon
Price:	Moderate $24-60, add on $16 more for a waterproof liner.
Availability:	Excellent. Readily available at home organization and big box department stores, urban grocery stores, and home hardware stores. Discounted online.
Capacity:	Holds 4 or 5 large grocery sacks
Stability:	Solid. Does not tip.
Handling on the roll:	Rolls well on all surfaces. Can be pushed on all four wheels. When empty or with a very light load the cart can be tipped onto its large back wheels and pulled along.
Ease of transport in car:	Very doable. The whole cart folds flat and will fit on the floor behind the front seats in many cars. Put a towel or mat down so that mud and water don't drip or smear onto your upholstery.
Weather ready?	I heartily recommend purchase of a vinyl cart liner. The liner keeps small objects from falling out of the basket and prevents water from splashing in. The attached hood fastens down on the sides with velcro tabs, covering the load and making this cart ready for every sort of weather.
Sturdiness:	Generally good. Overloading this wire cart or attempting to haul it up and down stairs could cause major damage.
Flexibility:	Very good. You can use this cart for transporting all kinds of materials, including laundry and sports equipment. Not suitable for transporting luggage, a set of encyclopedias, watermelons or other extremely heavy items.
"Cool" factor:	Not so cool with kids. Looks like something my old granny might push or maybe a retro cart that a hipster would take to the farmer's market. Retailers seem to stock these in black, silver and white. Vinyl liners can be found in black, blue and green.
Fixability:	Don't let kids ride around in this because severe damage to the wire may render this cart unfoldable and unusable. Otherwise all parts seem very sturdy.
Notes:	Coats and other bags can be draped over the large handle.

Back handle can be used to hang additional bags, a purse or coat.

Easy rolling with 4 wheels.

Close up of the auto organizer fastened to the front of the cart.

Plastic Tub on Wheels

Plastic tubs on wheels are lightweight and easy to handle. Normally sold to haul yard debris and other gardening items, these inexpensive carts are built to carry a heavy load.

The large wheels navigate broken sidewalks and gravel parking lots with ease and the wide back and handle allow items to be piled up quite high inside it.

This is my favorite cart for buildings with stairs. The front edge of the bucket has a large lip, allowing me to grab the handle and the lip and easily tote the whole thing up several flights.

School kids often ask if this cart is a chair, and when filled with cloth bags of books it does resemble a low-slung gaming seat with squishy cushions.

Description:	Plastic tub on wheels
Design:	Plastic bucket with handle, all one piece. 2 fixed plastic & rubber wheels on back.
Brand names:	All-in-one-bucket, Easy-go cart, Easy Roll
Price:	Affordable $20-35
Availability:	Excellent. Readily available at garden supply and major big box stores. Discounted online.
Capacity:	Easily holds 4 large grocery sacks
Stability:	If load is off-balance the cart will tip backwards.
Handling on the roll:	Rolls well on hard surfaces, gravel parking lots, and uneven pavement. Easy to push and pull and to steer, even with one hand.
Ease of transport in car:	Challenging. Does not fold. It will fit onto a back seat but be sure to cover the seat so that dirt and water don't drip off onto your upholstery.
Weather ready?	Solid bucket tub base means you can roll this through puddles without leaks. No protection from precipitation.
Sturdiness:	Very good. You can drag this cart up a few steps with just a bif of scuffing on the back. Heavy duty plastic allows it to be knocked around or overfilled with no damage.
Flexibility:	Excellent. You can use this cart for hauling all kinds of materials, bagged or loose. Water-tight, it makes a great rolling ice bucket for outdoor parties.
"Cool" factor:	It isn't common to see these rolling around a school hallway so teachers and students will comment on its appearance. Kids think it's a chair and want to plomp down in it. Look around and you can find these carts in blue, brown, and several shades of green.
Fixability:	With such a simple design there isn't much to go wrong. Heavy duty plastic and the bucket design provides all-around strength. Small cracks could probably be repaired with duct tape. An axle or wheel problem could put the cart out of commission. Even without wheels the bucket portion could still be used in home or garden.
Notes:	Despite occasional tipping problems and transport size, this remains one of my favorite carts.

Solid back and handle. Easy grip and very sturdy.

Large wheels means easy rolling over almost any surface.

Rolling folding plastic crate

Inexpensive rolling, folding, plastic crates have been used by our booktalking staff for the past ten years.

Easy to pack and roll, these versatile carriers are now widely used throughout the library by outreach workers, branch librarians and administrators. In schools they haul files and art supplies and around town they become improvised shopping carts.

Widely available and very affordable, the most useful feature on this rolling crate is its ability to be folded flat for storage. It fits perfectly in a car, beneath a desk or can be stacked on a shelf.

Description:	Rolling folding plastic crate
Design:	Folding plastic crate with telescoping metal handle. Crate has built-in hand-holds on front and sides. 2 fixed plastic & rubber wheels on back.
Brand names:	EZ Crate, Pack 'n Roll, Stow-Away Crate, Go Cart
Price:	Affordable $18-36
Availability:	Excellent. Readily available at office supply and hardware stores. Discounted online.
Capacity:	Easily holds 2 large grocery sacks
Stability:	Solid. Does not tip when upright.
Handling on the roll:	Rolls well on hard surfaces. Difficult to manage in gravel parking lots. Easy to steer, but can become heavy to roll if the cart is overloaded. Unevenly loaded carts may tip when traveling diagonally across a slope or while being rolled over cracked pavement.
Ease of transport in car:	Very easy. The handle telescopes down and the entire crate folds flat. Lightweight.
Weather ready?	Some models include a hard plastic lid which limits how much you can fill the crate but may keep contents safe from a light rain. Small openings on sides and gaps in bottom make this a poor choice for use in heavy rain or snow.
Sturdiness:	Generally good, but if you continually overload this cart and try to haul it up and down curbs and stairs, you'll soon have a broken cart. Be sure to use the side stabilizers that are included. Frequent issues include metal fastening pins dropping out of the corners and weakening the whole crate, and split plastic on the lower portion of the front panel.
Flexibility:	Very good. You can use this cart for hauling all kinds of materials. I've used it for toting books, conference handouts, and with a picnic cooler.
"Cool" factor:	Look around and you can find these rolling crates in many different color combinations. Most stores sell the black model, but some retailers also stock black & gray, black & yellow, pink, purple & green, and other combinations.
Fixability:	Limited. Missing metal pins can often be replaced with heavy-duty paper clips.Fractured plastic panels can be fixed with duct tape. Damaged wheels or a broken handle mechanism can quickly render the cart unusable.
Notes:	Good all-around cart and the easiest to transport in a car.

Folds flat for easy storage.

Small wheels do not roll well on gravel surfaces.