Wheelbarrow Buyers Guide


This guide has been written to help you make the
right choice when buying a wheelbarrow in the UK. In the UK currently there are
at least 30 different types of wheelbarrow, from the basic garden barrow to a
sophisticated battery powered motorised wheelbarrow.

There are also numerous manufactures both at home and abroad and of course

a vast range of models to choose from. And all with different prices and specification.

This guide is an attempt to give you a little more understanding of the range

of wheelbarrows available and help you decide which is best.


History

Chuko Liang (181-234 A.D.) is considered to have invented the wheelbarrow as

a way to move injured soldiers from battle. The wheelbarrow did not exist in

Europe before the eleventh or twelfth century (earliest depiction is in Chartres

Cathedral).


Wheelbarrow design has not really changed much in almost a thousand

years. James Dyson inventor of the cyclone vacuum cleaner developed the ballbarrow

marrying suburban kitsch with ease of use. Much more recently America car giant

Daimler Chrysler has developed an innovative range of wheelbarrows featuring

flat-free tyres, long-life wheel bearing and longer handles for easier lifting.


Types of wheelbarrow

Wheelbarrows can be characterised into several different types dependent on

the likely use for the barrow. These types or categories include:

• The Basic garden wheelbarrow

• Nurseries & Professional Gardeners

• Builders Construction Wheelbarrow

• Dual Wheeled Wheelbarrows and Carts

• Speciality Wheelbarrows £15 - £550


The Basic Garden Wheelbarrow £20 -

£60


This is probably the most common type of wheelbarrow and range from ones that

are extremely lightweight and flimsy to wheelbarrows that are extremely well

made and designed from many years service. Prices range from around £20

up to £60 and like everything in life you pay for what you get. The Jeep

Mini is a good quality garden wheelbarrow at the upper end of the market but

is well made and designed for longer life with features such as oil impregnated

wheel bushing and powder coated baked on paint.

Visit any out of town DIY superstore and you will find plenty of choice at the

cheaper end of the market with prices from as little as £15 although the

quality may be poor and so unlikely to last very long.


Nurseries & Professional Gardeners

Wheelbarrows in this category tend to be of much better quality and designed

for a much longer life. The tubs are usually polyethylene rather than plastic

for longer life. The steel used in the frame and construction tends to be good

quality and is galvanised or powder coated to protect against rust.


A typical example of this type of barrow is the Big Bertha from Jeep and sold

by Gardenmania.

The Big Bertha has a long life polyethylene tub, easy-lift handlebars with soft

grips and guaranteed for five years. It also has flat-free tyres guaranteed

for the life of the wheelbarrow.


Builders Construction Wheelbarrow

The traditional builders wheelbarrow has been the standard wheelbarrow for builders

in the UK for many years. Made from mild steel with a simple tube tyre it is

an effective if utilitarian tool for the job.


The problem is much of the time these barrows are used to move concrete or

mortar around a building site. All these contain cement which is a highly corrosive

alkaline against steel. Meaning after only a year or so the wheelbarrow will

end in a very sorry state indeed.


Many builders accept this and so only spend as little as possible on a wheelbarrow

and then throw it away in a few months or a year when the jobs finished. But

some such as landscape gardeners, DIY enthusiasts or stonemasons might want

a quality wheelbarrow that will last a number of years.


There are quality wheelbarrows available to cater for this need. One of these

is the Jeep Wrangler 6.


The Wrangler 6 represents the very top end of the quality-building wheelbarrow.

All the metal is powder coated and then baked in an oven to give maximum protection

against corrosion. Besides the guaranteed flat-free tyre and easy lift handles

it has other innovative features such as wheel bearings designed for very long

life and a leak-proof metal tub (very useful when mixing mortar or cement in

the barrow).


Dual Wheeled Wheelbarrows and Carts

In the strictest sense of the word these are not really wheelbarrows at all

as they have two wheels. But they are a very important and specialist type of

wheelbarrow that can cater for the need of their users.


These barrows are particularly useful when greater stability is required or

if the barrow is carrying very heavy loads.

An example of a dual wheelbarrow is the Jeep Monster. This has an enormous 8

cubic foot capacity tub and will happily carry any load but it is also stable

and self-balancing when being pushed.


Speciality Wheelbarrows £15 - £550

There was a time when a wheelbarrow simply had a wheel, a tub and some handlebars

all joined together so you could push it along. No so these days. The wheelbarrow

has evolved and now there is probably a barrow to suit every occasion and need.


Typical of these is the recent phenomenon of the folding wheelbarrow. These

tend to be very light but strong and can often carry up to 40kg. Their real

benefit is they need little storage space as they can easily be stowed away

or hung on the wall. They normally cost from £15 - £40.


Just released by Stadium is the Rhino Runna the so called "Flexi Tub

Wheelbarrow". This has been designed to take the flexible plastic or rubber

tubs that are now commonly used by horse owners, builders and gardeners to move

things around. Easy to use but also should save on the back. Currently online

excusive at Gardenmania.


At the other end of the scale is the motorised wheelbarrow. This is usually

powered by an electric motor and although you'll still need to lift the

handlebars the motor will take the effort out of pushing it.


About the Author

David Howlett co-runs a UK based gardening website called Gardenmania. They are developing a range of Gardening Guides at: http://www.gardenmania.co.uk/gardenguides
.