What's the brand of your durable urban shopping cart?

June 2, 2017 9:44 AM

You know, the one-handled cart with wheels that city folk use to lug heavy groceries home, like onions and watermelons that you otherwise can't stuff into a backpack.

It looks like this.I've noticed there aren't many choices whenever I look, and the carts always seem like they'd break after two uses. I need sturdy tires (for 1 mile roundtrips). Please help me cart groceries now that the weather is nice and I can get my five fruits & veggies per day!

posted by honey badger to Food & Drink (12 answers total)

Mine is an Easy Wheels. It's okay. It's lasted ... hm, maybe ten years, but then I don't use it in the winter. The cart itself is pretty durable, but the wheels are not in fact easy. They don't corner at all and they're not good in weather conditions, although I make 1-mile trips on the sidewalk regularly when there's no snow or mud out. And there's no parking brake, so if you leave it for a second you need to be sure you're on level ground.

All in all, it's pretty good for what I paid for it, which was $30 at the time. If you get this one (or any one) be sure to buy a liner too, so that items don't fall through the gaps in the wires, which are much wider than a grocery cart's. I had this problem a lot before I got one.
posted by Countess Elena at 10:03 AM on June 2, 2017

I admired a durable-looking version the other day. The person whose cart it was told me that it was an altered cart made with golf cart wheels and rebar.
posted by aniola at 10:31 AM on June 2, 2017

For purposes of a Google search, those carts are often referring to as "granny carts." (Not passing on the propriety of calling it that, but that's the search you want.)
posted by holborne at 10:38 AM on June 2, 2017 [3 favorites]

Mine is an Easy Wheels. It's okay. It's lasted ... hm, maybe ten years, but then I don't use it in the winter. The cart itself is pretty durable, but the wheels are not in fact easy. They don't corner at all and they're not good in weather conditions, although I make 1-mile trips on the sidewalk regularly when there's no snow or mud out. And there's no parking brake, so if you leave it for a second you need to be sure you're on level ground.

Same, I own the red one and have had it for about eight or nine years. No issues aside from pre liner and the turning issues Countess referenced. What I like about it is it's light - so easy enough to carry down the five flights empty. Only downside, wish I'd thought further - not wide enough for laundry bag so my next one will encompass that thought.
posted by TravellingCari at 10:50 AM on June 2, 2017

Best answer: Mine is from Lee Valley Tools -- 4 years old and super sturdy! It's called the Ultimate Carryall.
posted by Lescha at 11:30 AM on June 2, 2017

Mine is from Ikea (it's an older model than the one in the link, but looks the same). It's pretty sturdy and the wheels have good clearance so it doesn't get stuck on curbs very often. I've used it quite often for groceries and whatnot. Only complaints are that the bag isn't really secure at the bottom so once in a while it slips off the metal frame, and the top seems less roomy than the bottom. But, y'know, it's cheap.
posted by curagea at 11:49 AM on June 2, 2017

Best answer: This cart has made it through two Chicago winters and is holding up nicely. Highly recommended.
posted by bdk3clash at 12:26 PM on June 2, 2017

I have this one from the Container Store. No problems after 10 years. I'm probably an average user in terms of wear and tear.
posted by slenderloris at 12:39 PM on June 2, 2017

Best answer: I have a Rolser Neo which is, um, a luxury import from Europe. I'm usually not inclined to spend a lot of money on stuff like this but I use it every day and all the other carts I looked at seemed very rickety. I've been using the Rolser for 3 years now and it looks like new! The cover isn't only helpful for when it rains bit also in summer weather (don't want my chicken and lettuce sitting in the sun for an hour!)
posted by The Toad at 1:09 PM on June 2, 2017

We use a red wagon for our groceries. The wheels are big so that curbs are no problem, and you can get four+plus canvas grocery bags on it. It rattles a bit as you go down the sidewalk, but that's part of its charm. When you're not getting groceries, you can give the kid/s a ride.
posted by BostonTerrier at 1:19 PM on June 2, 2017

Oh also I bought a cheap bike lock and lock up my cart when I go inside the grocery store, because for some reason I can't explain lugging the cart around the store would be an affront to my dignity.
posted by bdk3clash at 2:34 PM on June 2, 2017 [1 favorite]

We've had the one that slenderloris linked to for a decade. We use it tens of times per year, several blocks at a time. I agree it doesn't look like much, but it's been plenty sturdy. I've filled it to the brim with veggies, my son rode around in it when he was 5, even used it to haul piles of newspaper around, and those are heavy! The only problem I've ever had was one of the axle clips got pushed out so the wheel fell off. Replaced the clip and it was good as new.
posted by wnissen at 4:20 PM on June 2, 2017