When it comes to choosing the right equipment for moving heavy loads, two popular tools that often come to mind are hand trucks and dollies. Both are essential in warehouses, delivery operations and residential moves, but they serve different purposes and offer distinct advantages. Let’s break down the differences between hand trucks and dollies to help you make the right choice for your operation.

What is a hand truck?

A hand truck is an L-shaped piece of equipment with two wheels and a small nose plate that slides under the load. It’s designed to tilt back, allowing the user to balance the load on the wheels and move it with ease.

Hand trucks are best for:

• Tall, narrow or stacked items (boxes, water cooler bottles or appliances).
• Frequent vertical transport, typically up and down a staircase.
• Single-use operator for use in tight spaces.

Some advantages of hand trucks are that they require minimal space to store, reduce strain on the back and shoulders and provide significant leverage for moving heavy or awkwardly shaped loads.

What is a dolly?

A dolly is a flat platform on four swivel casters, with or without handles. Unlike hand trucks, dollies keep the load horizontal and are pushed or pulled rather than tilted.

Dollies are best used for:

• Large, bulky or irregularly shaped items (furniture, crates or large containers).
• Moving heavy loads across flat surfaces.

Some advantages of dollies include their greater load stability during transport, they move in all directions with swivel casters and they can support more weight than most hand trucks.

Choosing the right tool for the job

When deciding which tool you should use, reflecting on the work you’ll need to do with your operation is essential. It really depends on what you’re moving, how far you’re going and how often you’ll need to move. If you’re moving boxes up and down the stairs or delivering water jugs to offices, you’ll want to use a hand truck. If you’re transporting a sofa across a showroom or shifting heavy machinery in a warehouse, you’ll want to use a dolly for more support.

Safety considerations

Safety is something that should be prioritized regardless of what tool you’re using. Here’s a quick rundown of how to use each tool safely and effectively.

Hand truck safety tips:

• Always center the load over the axle.
• Don’t overload beyond the capacity warning.
• Use both hands and maintain balance while tilting.
• Consider using models with stair-climbing wheels for multi-level jobs.

Dolly safety tips:

• Secure items with straps or bungee cords to avoid shifting.
• Use a helper for tall or heavy loads.
• Push rather than pull to prevent strain.
• Check that the casters are in good condition and free of debris.

When you might need both

Some operations can benefit from having both tools available. Both hand trucks and dollies excel in specific scenarios, but together they provide a complete solution for moving any load safely and efficiently. An example of a job where both would be helpful is warehouse operations, where speed and efficiency are essential. Therefore, workers can use hand trucks to transport cases of goods from pallets to staging areas, but then use the dolly for heavier machinery, oversized cartons or to move multiple items at once with more stability.

Using both tools can optimize speed, ergonomics and safety. When hand trucks and dollies are used together, they reduce fatigue, minimize strain on your team and improve site productivity on the job.

Conclusion

When choosing between a hand truck and a dolly, it comes down to how, what and where you’re moving. Hand trucks are best for stacked, upright loads and navigating tight spaces or stairs. Dollies are better for large, heavy or bulky items that require more stability and flat transport.

Still unsure of which tool you need for your operation? At Consolidated Truck and Caster, we offer a wide range of reliable, heavy-duty hand trucks, dollies and custom solutions to meet your specific needs. Contact us, and we’ll be happy to help you determine what is best for you.