We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Shopping Home Reviews Organization Reviews The 6 Best Shopping Carts of 2024, According to Testing You won’t have to worry about lugging heavy bags thanks to these carts. By Barbara Bellesi Zito Barbara Bellesi Zito Barbara Bellesi Zito is a freelance writer with nearly two decades of experience covering various home and lifestyle topics, including real estate and home improvement trends, home and garden products, personal finance, and shopping trends. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on February 12, 2024 In This Article Expand Jump to a Section Our top picks Reviews The Bottom Line Our Testing Process What to Know Before Shopping Others We Tested Your Questions, Answered Who We Are What Is BHG Recommends? Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock When it comes to lugging heavy bags of groceries, shopping carts are a game changer. After all, they allow you to carry more bags without making your arms sore in the process. With so many options out there, however, it can be difficult to choose the best option for your needs. According to Leslie Kilgour, a professional organizer and founder of Get It Straight, having a shopping cart “makes life a lot easier for people who do not own a car and who do their shopping locally in their neighborhood. While grocery delivery services are convenient, they are costly, so a sturdy shopping cart comes in clutch, especially for those who need assistance carrying multiple bags at one time.” To determine the best shopping carts, we tried twelve options at our testing lab in Des Moines, Iowa. During testing, we evaluated each option for its design, maneuverability, capacity, and value. We also consulted Kilgour on what to look for in the best shopping cart. What We Tested Design: We evaluated design based on if the handles were comfortable to use, if the height was adjustable, and how easy it was to lift the cart when it was empty and folded. We also took note of any additional features, how easily the cart could fold, and if any zippers, clips, or fasteners worked well. Maneuverability: We set up an obstacle course and walked through it with each of the shopping carts. Afterwards, we noted how well it could turn, as well as how smoothly it went around the course. Durability: Durability was based on how well the groceries held up after being moved through the obstacle course. We also noted if the cart felt strong or flimsy, and if there was any noticeable damage. Capacity: To test capacity, we filled each cart with a carton of eggs, two bottles of wine, one grouping of canned drinks (six cans), one package of French bread, and one bag of produce. We then evaluated how well the groceries fit in each cart, as well as if any of the groceries were damaged. Value: Value was based on what we liked and disliked about the shopping cart, as well as if we thought the price was fair given our experience with it. Our Top Picks Best Overall: VersaCart Transit at Amazon ($85) Jump to Review Best Budget: dbest Cruiser Cart with Shopping Cover at Amazon ($49) Jump to Review Best Metal: Amazon Basics Foldable Shopping Utility Cart at Amazon ($67) Jump to Review Best Heavy-Duty: Costway Folding Utility Shopping Cart at Amazon ($55) Jump to Review Best for Stairs: dbest Products Stair Climber Trolley at Amazon ($90) Jump to Review Best Cooler: dbest Products Ultra Compact Cooler at Amazon ($40) Jump to Review Best Overall VersaCart Transit Amazon View On Amazon $85 View On Wayfair $85 View On Walmart $85 Our Ratings Design 4.8/5 Capacity 5/5 Maneuverability 5/5 Durability 5/5 Value 5/5 Why You Should Get It It’s spacious and can maneuver well, even up a flight of stairs. Keep in Mind The mesh-like bag doesn’t allow for much stability when packing items. Overall, our favorite shopping cart was the VersaCart Transit. During testing, we found that this cart was spacious enough to carry groceries and still have more room for more. We liked that the bag features a top flap, which means your bags won’t get wet if you get caught in rain or snow on the way home from the supermarket. The bag itself was strong and durable with a square design that makes it easy to pack items efficiently. During testing, we liked that the bag can even be detached and used as a bag on its own. However, we were disappointed that there wasn’t an insert for the bottom to give it more structure/stability. Maneuverability was a cinch thanks to a whopping eight wheels—two at each corner—so this pick could spin, take corners, and go up/down stairs easily. The handles on this shopping cart weren’t adjustable, but taller individuals should have no problem pushing or pulling it. We appreciate that it’s easy to lift while folded, and unlike other carts on our list, it can be pulled while folded without trouble. The best part was that we found it simple to lift and pull the cart up a set of stairs—a bonus feature to some, but a very necessary one to city dwellers traversing subway steps or walk-up apartment buildings. The sleek design when folded makes it perfect for stowing in a vehicle or small apartment when not in use. We think all these features make this cart a great value for the price. Product Details: Material: Alloy steel frame, pvc bag | Dimensions: 18.75 x 37.5 x 22.5 inches | Folded Dimensions: 8 x 43 x 9 inches | Weight: 9 pounds | Weight Capacity: 120 pounds | Folding: Yes | Wheels: Yes Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Best Budget dbest Cruiser Cart with Shopping Cover Amazon View On Amazon $49 Our Ratings Design 4.8/5 Capacity 4.8/5 Maneuverability 4.6/5 Durability 5/5 Value 4.5/5 Why You Should Get It It’s easy to maneuver, plus the bag can be used on its own as a tote. Keep in Mind The bag doesn’t have pockets or another place to store fragile items, like eggs or wine bottles. If you don’t want to invest a lot in a shopping cart that you might only use occasionally or you want a spare to stow in a car trunk, the Dbest Products Cruiser Cart is the best option. This folds up quite slim, so it doesn’t need much room when it’s not in use. We liked the bag that lines the cart, but it would have been even better if it had internal pockets to secure smaller or breakable items. The bag is removable, so it’s a nice option to use as a shoulder tote on its own. The cart’s handle height isn’t adjustable, but it was comfortable enough for someone around 5’5”; taller individuals might want a cart with a taller or at least an adjustable handle. The wheels are a bit bulky, but maneuvering it was easy, even up the stairs, which was a nice surprise for a budget-friendly cart. It’s a simple, practical design that offers a good value for the price. Product Details: Material: Plastic | Dimensions: 18 x 36 x 18 inches | Folded Dimensions: 18 x 36 x 6.5 inches | Weight: 6 pounds | Weight Capacity: 55 pounds | Folding: Yes | Wheels: Yes Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Best Metal Amazon Basics Foldable Shopping Utility Cart Amazon View On Amazon $67 Our Ratings Design 4.4/5 Capacity 5/5 Maneuverability 4.4/5 Durability 4.5/5 Value 5/5 Why You Should Get It It holds a ton of stuff, so it’s perfect for a large haul of bagged groceries. Keep in Mind It’s not great for small items, plus the wheels aren’t designed to take on stairs. The Amazon Basics Foldable Shopping Utility Cart was one of the best shopping carts we tested. This cart is huge, so it’s perfect for grocery hauls or other large shopping trips. The handle is padded for comfort and it’s higher than other carts we tested, so we appreciated not having to bend over to maneuver it. That’s a good thing, because this cart is a bit heavy even when empty, so consider that if you plan to take this in and out of a car. While the cart holds a lot, the main compartment has large openings that make it difficult to hold small groceries and other loose items. It would have been nice if it came with a liner which would solve that problem, but you’ll have to purchase one separately. That’s where the smaller basket on the back comes in handy, leaving the main compartment for bags and other larger items. Otherwise, we liked how it folds/unfolds quite easily, and that there’s a helpful hook that clips the cart together to fold flat. The cart moved well on flat stretches, but it didn’t do as well in tight spots and on stairs. The wheels aren’t really designed for stairs, though, so you’ll have a learning curve if you’re planning to maneuver this up the steps to your place. However, for the size and adequate maneuverability on flat pavement, we still thought it was a good value. As long as you’re smart about how to load (or avoid loading) smaller items, this is a great choice for supermarket trips. Product Details: Material: Metal | Dimensions: 40.2 x 23.3 x 21.1 inches | Folded Dimensions: 45.2 x 23.3 x 7.5 inches | Weight: 16 pounds | Weight Capacity: 70 pounds | Folding: Yes | Wheels: Yes Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Best Heavy-Duty Costway Folding Utility Shopping Cart Walmart View On Amazon $55 View On Target $60 View On Walmart $55 Our Ratings Design 4.3/5 Capacity 5/5 Maneuverability 4.1/5 Durability 4.5/5 Value 4.3/5 Why You Should Get It It’s quite large and the sturdy wheels make it easy to maneuver on flat surfaces. Keep in Mind It’s not great for going upstairs. The Costway Folding Shopping Cart felt like we were pushing a smaller grocery cart at times, but unlike those at your local market, this folds up and clips together. The cart features two spacious sections for convenient loading, though it's best to add a liner or keep everything in bags to avoid spilling through the openings. The main section is best for larger items or bagged items with a slimmer compartment in the back. Despite its bulkiness, it can be carted upstairs on the back wheels. It’s too big to lift on its own otherwise, plus it tends to fold in on itself if you attempt to move it that way. The smaller front wheels rotate, which helps with mobility, but we found that all four wheels worked quite well without sticking, which made maneuvering around cones during testing a breeze. The plastic handle has a grooved grip, but it slid around a lot during testing. Overall, we thought the cart was a good value for its capacity and maneuverability. Product Details: Material: Steel and rubber | Dimensions: 24 x 39.6 x 24.4 inches | Folded Dimensions: 24 x 8.7 x 44.5 x 24 inches | Weight: 13 pounds | Weight Capacity: 88 pounds | Folding: Yes | Wheels: Yes Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Best for Stairs dbest Products Stair Climber Trolley Amazon View On Amazon $90 View On Lowe's $79 Our Ratings Design 4.2/5 Capacity 4.5/5 Maneuverability 4.6/5 Durability 5/5 Value 4/5 Why You Should Get It The wheels are designed for smooth transport, even up stairs. Keep in Mind The cart isn’t suited for huge grocery hauls, plus the handle isn’t high enough for taller users. Want to carry groceries up the stairs in one trip? The Dbest Products Stair Climber Trolley Dolly can actually scale stairs without a hassle. It was a cinch to pull up the stairs during testing, which is not something we can say for every shopping cart on this list. It also maneuvered around corners quite well, though we thought it would be even better if the wheels swiveled. We like that this cart folds up to be nice and compact, too, so it’s perfect for storing in a trunk or a closet. The canvas bag has both a drawstring and a velcro lid to secure the contents. The drawback is that the bag isn’t big enough for a huge haul, so we think it’s better for quicker shopping trips. Still, we appreciate that there are two outer zipper pockets for storing smaller items to which you might need immediate access. Taller users might find the stationary handle to be a bit low. We would like it even more if the bag were bigger or insulated, but overall, it’s super efficient for those who need to traverse subway steps or live in walk-up apartments. Product Details: Material: Polyester | Dimensions: 17.5 x 38.5 x 18 inches | Folded Dimensions: 10.5 x 26 x 18 inches | Weight: 5 pounds | Weight Capacity: 110 pounds | Folding: Yes | Wheels: Yes Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Best Cooler dbest Products Ultra Compact Cooler Amazon View On Amazon $40 View On Walmart $40 View On QVC $55 Our Ratings Design 5/5 Capacity 5/5 Maneuverability 5/5 Durability 5/5 Value 5/5 Why You Should Get It It has an adjustable handle and maneuvers easily, much like a small carry-on suitcase. Keep in Mind It has limited capacity compared to other carts. Whether you’re heading to a tailgate party or home from the store after scoring a deal on your favorite wine, the Dbest Products Ultra Compact Cooler Smart Cart comes in clutch. It looks and maneuvers much like a small suitcase, right down to the retractable handle. The cart is quite lightweight on its own, but it holds up to four gallons. You can collapse the bag for easier storage and lower the handle, but otherwise, this does not fold up like the other carts on our list. Like a suitcase, this cart is much better for pulling. We found it rolled easily and took turns smoothly. The wheels can glide up stairs, but we preferred using the handle to carry it up instead. Overall, we had no complaints at all about how this cart functioned. It’s easy to see that it doesn’t hold as many items as other carts, but it kept the ones that it could hold safe and intact, so it’s good for fragile items like wine bottles and eggs. Product Details: Material: Polyester | Dimensions: 13.5 x 13.5 x 10.75 inches | Folded Dimensions: N/a | Weight: 3 pounds | Weight Capacity: 4 gallons | Folding: No | Wheels: Yes Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock The Bottom Line The VersaCart Transit topped our list for its spacious storage and easy maneuverability even on stairs. It also folds up for convenient storage, which is ideal especially for those who live in a small space. Our Testing Process We got rolling right away to find the best shopping carts, first by observing how easy it was to maneuver and lift them while empty. Then, we filled them with a small grocery load including a carton of eggs, a six-pack of canned drinks, a loaf of French bread, some produce, and two bottles of wine. Next, we took each full cart through an obstacle course to simulate an actual trek through the city streets, including a set of stairs to simulate subway or apartment stairs. We also timed ourselves to see how easy it was to cut turns and traverse stairs. Upon reaching the finish line, we inspected the contents of each cart, noting if there was any breakage or other damage to the food and drinks. For dolly-type carts, we took to the same course a second time, this time removing the bag and loading up a full water cooler to test for mobility. After emptying the carts, we folded each one up, noting how easy and compact (or not) each was for storage. We made our final selections for our best shopping carts list based on durability, mobility, size, capacity, and overall value. Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock What to Know About Shopping Carts Before Shopping Material Many of the products on our best shopping carts list are made from sturdy metal. If you plan to roll through city streets with a full load of groceries, this indeed might be the most durable option for you. However, if you plan to make small, quick shopping trips, you might consider a smaller polyester version like the Dbest products Ultra Compact Cooler Smart Cart, which offers much better structure and insulation than the larger yet sturdy metal carts. Dimensions There’s two sets of shopping cart dimensions you’ll want to note—those of when it’s open and ready for use and those of when it’s closed and ready for storage. Ideally, you’ll want a cart that’s spacious enough for whatever you need it to carry. However, if you’re short on space at home, you’ll want to choose one that folds up compactly to fit easily in a closet or stay tucked away in the trunk of a car. Note that all of our favorite shopping carts are foldable except for the Dbest Products Ultra Compact Cooler Smart Cart, our best cooler option. Weight Even though wheels make it easy to get around with a full shopping cart, you’ll still need to consider the weight of the empty cart to understand its true portability. For example, if you’ll be lifting the car in and out of the trunk often, then you’ll want a lightweight cart that won’t turn the task into an arm workout. Most importantly, if you’ll be rolling up and down stairs, you’ll need to consider the weight of the cart plus its contents so that you don’t damage your shopping haul or injure yourself in the process. “Make sure it’s not too big for you to wield,” says Kilgour. “You don't want to be taken down by a shopping cart.” Capacity The best shopping carts are the ones that meet your needs for getting around town. Some shopping carts are designed for big grocery hauls while some are perfect for toting just a few items from the convenience mart or liquor store down the street. If you need to do a large grocery store trip, consider our best overall pick, the VersaCart Transit. During testing, we were able to fit all of groceries and still have room for more items. Maneuverability Don’t assume all shopping cart wheels are made the same, especially if stairs are involved. “Make sure the wheels are strong and roll well, " says Kilgour. If you need a shopping cart that can handle stairs, we highly recommend the Dbest Products Stair Climber Trolley Dolly. The wheels are designed for easy transport, which made it easy to use during testing. You’ll also want to consider the handle. Some shopping carts come with handles that are adjustable in height, so you can find what works best for your own height. Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Other Shopping Carts We Tested Honshine Foldable Cart with Stair Climbing Wheels The Honshine Foldable Cart with Stair Climbing Wheels is a lightweight, plastic cart that we thought was too lightweight to tote anything heavy or fragile. The adjustable luggage-type handle simply wasn’t long enough, so this is not a great option for taller individuals. Olli Ella Rattan Big Luggy Rolling Market Cart The wicker design on the Olli Ella Rattan Big Luggy Rolling Market Cart looks great, but made for a creaky-sounding experience. While we were able to store a lot of groceries in it, the basket’s round design got in the way of packing it. We also found the wheels to be too rigid for toting upstairs, and we would have preferred the handle to have a grip. Rolser Stair-Climbing Rolling Cart We loved how the three-wheel design on the Rolser Stair-Climbing Rolling Cart made it easy to tote this upstairs, but it did make it more difficult to cut around corners. Though this is a more attractive cart than most, we thought the flimsier design didn’t warrant the high price tag. Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock Your Questions, Answered How much should I expect to spend on a shopping cart? All of the products that made our best shopping carts list come in at under $100, the Dbest Products Cruiser Cart being one of the least expensive options. If you’ll be using your cart on a regular basis, we think it’s worth splurging on something that will last. Plus, if you’ve been having groceries delivered, the money you save in delivery fees will most likely pay for the cost of any shopping cart you purchase. What can you use a shopping cart for? Aside from hauling groceries, you can use a shopping cart for transporting just about anything else you can fit in it, including loads of laundry. “Laundry is really heavy and the shopping cart can help you get more loads done in a time frame,” Kilgour says. Other uses might include toting work or sports equipment and party supplies. “It's just a handy, necessary tool to have in your home,” she says. Do shopping carts need a lot of space for storage? No, provided you get one that folds. “I'm a huge fan of foldable or collapsible shopping carts because you can store them in a small space, like in a closet or even under the bed, and pull them out when you need them,” Kilgour says. Who We Are Barbara Bellesi Zito is a freelance writer from Staten Island, New York, covering all things home and lifestyle for Better Homes & Gardens. To compile this list of the best shopping carts, Barbara analyzed lab insights from our testing site in Des Moines, Iowa. She also consulted Leslie Kilgour, professional organizer and founder of Get It Straight in Long Island, New York. What Is BHG Recommends? Next to all of the products on this list, you may have noticed our BHG Recommends seal of approval. Products that earn the seal have been put through rigorous testing to make sure they're worth a spot in your home. We buy most of the products we test ourselves, but occasionally we are provided samples by companies if buying isn't an option. In these cases, we use the same testing criteria we use to test the purchased products. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit