Hand trucks are upright material-handling vehicles that allow a single person to leverage a mechanical advantage to life large or heavy objects. Using a hand truck reduces the likelihood of injury by reducing the need for the manual lifting of objects over large distances. For industrial use, the frame of a hand truck is most commonly made of steel or aluminum and there exists a large variety of options, including foldable models, appliance trucks, drum trucks, convertible trucks and cylinder trucks.

The following guide will help you select the best hand truck model for your application and ensure that the job is being done in the most efficient way.

Steel Frames boast the highest material strength and greater resilience to impact and bending compared to other options, making them the ideal choice for industrial or heavy-duty use. However, steel frames have an increased weight in comparison to other types, which can cause strain over long-term use on uneven surfaces where manual lifting may be required. These truck styles are best suited for industrial use where heavy-duty performance is needed.

Aluminum Frames provide up to 25% less weight compared to similar steel hand truck frames, which allows for easier maneuvering. The do have slightly lower overall material strength compared to steel frames, although they are often still able to withstand similar loading capacities. Aluminum frame trucks are best suited for delivery or when lifting the truck may be required during use.

Folding Frames are typically built using a combination of plastic in conjunction with steel or aluminum and are one of the lightest frame options. This comes at the cost of having much lower material strength than fully aluminum or steel frames, resulting in a lower overall carrying capacity. Folding frames are best suited on delivery vehicles or for long distance travel where hand trucks are required.

Flat-Free Wheels are typically made from solid polyurethane material and are high performance wheels compared to pneumatic. These wheel types are ideal where long wheel life is required or on floors that may contain surface irregularities that could puncture the wheel.

Mold-On Rubber Wheels are heavy-duty industrial wheels that include a steel-iron core for rigidity and are capable of allowing smooth movement under extreme loads, while also being puncture resistant. Because of the more robust construction, mold-on rubber wheels are able to withstand higher load capacities compared to flat-free and pneumatic wheels.

Rubber Wheels exist with a variety of material configurations, generally with a metal or plastic hub and with a rubber outside tread. Rubber wheels typically do not boast the high overall capacity of full mold-on rubber with a steel-iron core, however they have excellent resistance to wear and are slightly more economical comparatively.

Pneumatic Wheels provide great performance and are lightweight options at an economic price. Ideal for flat and uneven terrain, these wheels have great bounce and require refilling, which can be done using most compressed air units.

General Purpose Hand Trucks have an upright frame to support loads and two wheels to provide maneuverability. They are non-convertible and are the most common type of hand truck for industrial use.
Ideally used for boxes, crates, bins, equipment and raw materials.

Convertible Hand Trucks feature two wheels and a vertical frame to support loads. The hand truck can be tilted into a horizontal position to engage additional wheels and create a horizontal bed for transporting goods. This horizontal configuration offers improved stability, higher capacity and a larger surface area to transport goods.
Ideally used for boxes, crates, bins, equipment and raw materials.

Folding Hand Trucks are generally lighter weight compared to alternative hand trucks and have the advantage of being able to be folded down to a smaller, more portable size for transport. These folding style hand trucks are best for when storage space is limited or when they are needed to be stored on a vehicle for transport.
Ideally used for boxes, crates, bins, equipment luggage and similar items.

Appliance Trucks feature either two or four wheel configurations to carry larger and heavier loads. They typically have taller and wider frames to accommodate these larger items and sometimes include stair climbers as well as strapping to secure the payload to the appliance truck.
Ideally used for vending machines, refrigerators, water heaters and other large appliances.

Pail and Drum Trucks feature a curved frame to better support pails and drums for transport. Often available in two and four wheel configurations to allow for more support during transit, they can also include chain or strapping options to prevent tipping or spillage of the transported goods.
Ideally used for buckets, pails, drums, barrels and other large, round containers.

Cylinder Trucks also feature curved frame and two and four-wheel configurations for reclined support. Typically, cylinder trucks include strapping or chains to fix the cylinder to the frame, ensuring limited unnecessary movement.
Ideally used for gas cylinders.