Pallet trucks are an absolute necessity for many warehouses. Many jobs cannot be even done without their assistance, and some warehouses spend their entire workday using them.
The issue here is which ones are better? The hand pallet trucks or the electric ones? In the following lines, we will try to focus on the given issue. Here’s what we got.
Hand Pallet Trucks
They are also known as manual pallet trucks. Typically, their capacity is up to 5,500 lbs. and they are pretty easy to operate.
Pros:
- A high-quality Hand Pallet Truck is a low maintenance type of machine and comes with an affordable price tag.
- These pallet trucks feature a very basic design which is suitable for pretty much all pallet sizes.
- There is no need for extensive training or certificate on how to operate this type of pallet truck. In most cases, you need to show to the operator how they work, and that’s it. Most people tend to pick up how they work rather fast, just by showing them once or twice how it’s done.
Cons
- Continuously moving loads from one to another end of a large facility can be quite strenuous.
- It is much easier to get injured while working with a hand pallet truck than with an electric one.
- The strength required the truck limits capacity of the staff.
Electric Pallet Trucks
The biggest difference between electric and hand pallet trucks is that the electric ones use an electric motor. The motor lowers and raises the forks, plus it propels the pallet truck. Because of that, forks can be raised quite high, and the pallet truck can be used for a couple of hours before it needs to be recharged. Its capacity range from 2,000 to 6,000 lbs. That’s for the basic electric pallet trucks. Certain models are much more powerful.
Certain ride-on models offer great visibility because the operator gets to stand on the equipment. As a result, the operator can easily avoid any collisions.
Very often, when products need to be moved horizontally and not vertically, electric ride-on pallet trucks are preferred more than forklifts.
Pros
- Excellent product, especially when it comes to large facilities.
- Not too much or almost any strain on the operator.
- Excellent for handling tall pallet stacks
Cons
- The operators need to be trained.
- They cost more than hand pallet trucks.
- Increased maintenance costs due to the electric motor and the controls.
- It takes longer to repair them because of all the electronics and their electric engine that can be only repaired by specialized technicians.
In Conclusion
Once you figure out which pallet truck suits your needs most, move on to the second most important thing – the brand. Choose a brand that has been on the market for many years, has all the quality assurance and safety certificates, top warranty, and a continuous flow of positive reviews. That pretty much sums as the top traits of a great brand. Stick to that, and you will surely make a top choice.
