The 5 Best Grocery Shopping Carts, Tested and Reviewed

Oct 14, 2024

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They're grocery game changers.

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Food & Wine / Food52

Whether you’re loading up on supermarket staples or toting a farmer’s market bounty, a personal shopping cart can make getting groceries home much easier. A common sight at open-air markets in other parts of the world, the cart sometimes called a shopping trolley is catching on stateside as a solution to carrying a heavy haul by hand.

In addition to carrying your produce, eggs, and wine, some wheeled carts can roll heavier cargo, like 5-gallon water jugs or a case of soda. We put 13 shopping carts to the test to see how well they could transport these items. We looked for carts we could easily maneuver, with wheels that could turn well and (in some cases) climb stairs without getting stuck. While the ideal size depends on your needs, we looked for carts large enough to hold multiple items but compact enough to store in small spaces. Read on to learn more about our favorites.

Its lightweight, compact design holds a lot more than we expected.

The bag’s base could use a little more structure.

When it comes to toting groceries, this shopping cart by VersaCart is outstanding. It’s got a durable alloy steel frame and an extra-large, detachable, covered poly blend canvas bag that can hold up to 120 pounds. Swiveling double wheels make it easy to maneuver, and the entire cart folds down to a very compact size for storage, especially if you’re short on space.

In our tests, we were impressed with the spacious and smart design of the cart, which allowed us to pack groceries into it efficiently. This cart is also equipped with two handles, which helped us move the cart through our testing “obstacle course” with plenty of control, and the double wheels made it pretty easy to go up and down stairs. Best of all, none of the items shifted and our groceries came out unscathed, including delicate items like bread and eggs. We couldn’t find much we disliked about this cart, though we do think it could benefit from some additional structure at the bottom of the grocery bag — something that can be remedied with a piece of cardboard if needed.

Dimensions: 22.5 x 18.75 x 37.5 inches | Weight: 9 pounds | Load Capacity: 120 pounds

Compact and lightweight, it keeps items secure thanks to a zipper closure.

It’s got a limited capacity and could use another external pocket for personal items.

When your grocery haul includes temperature-sensitive items like ice cream, eggs, or meat, an insulated cooler is a smart idea. A portable upgrade from a soft cooler, this cart is compact and light, but it can tote up to 120 pounds and has a 4-gallon capacity. During testing, we were able to pull and steer this cart as easily as a wheeled suitcase.

The zippered front compartment and side mesh pockets provide additional storage for other loose items or cans. It kept everything secure in our tests — not even an egg broke. It also features a telescoping handle and ball-bearing wheels, and the unit folds flat when you want to stow it away. As the name suggests, it is extra compact, and though we were able to fit a decent amount of groceries in the cooler, it wouldn’t take care of our larger grocery runs.

Dimensions: 13.5 x 13.5 x 10.75 inches | Weight: 3 pounds | Load Capacity: 120 pounds

A large grocery haul is no problem for this cart. It also folds flat for storage.

Its large holes require that items be bagged or boxed, so we’d recommend adding a liner. It’s also pretty heavy on its own.

This metal shopping cart is a simple and durable option for hauling produce and more. It’s equipped with a large main compartment and a smaller basket, which is perfect for holding personal items while you shop. The heavy-duty wheels swivel easily for better maneuverability, and the entire cart folds down for storage.

We found its capacity generous, with one caveat: since the baskets are not lined, you may want to utilize reusable grocery bags so items don't fall through its holes. That being said, we were able to fit our test grocery haul in with no problem. We also found it easy to pull around thanks to fully rotating wheels that worked well even in tighter turns. We also think anyone who is on the tall side will appreciate the extra height of this cart’s handles, making it easier to use without having to bend over.

Dimensions: 40.2 x 23.3 x 21.1 inches | Weight: 16 pounds | Load Capacity: 50 to 70 pounds

It’s stylish, lightweight, and easy to push and pull.

The wheels are fixed, making it harder to turn than other carts. It’s also expensive and on the bulkier side for storage.

If you aren’t regularly carting produce through an open-air market in the South of France, this wicker basket cart might make you feel as if you do. This stylish shopping cart is made from natural rattan on a metal frame with large wheels that make pulling it around fairly effortless. It can carry up to 55 pounds and comes backed by a one-year warranty.

We liked this cart’s overall performance thanks to its lightweight build, which made it easy to push and pull. While we think the handle design could benefit from more grip, we found the height fairly comfortable, even for someone tall. The rounded basket design doesn’t allow for the most efficient packing, but it’s roomy and it accommodated our grocery hauls easily — no bruised produce or breakage during our tests.

Dimensions: 15.7 x 20.5 inches (basket), 37 inches (with handle) | Weight: 8 pounds | Load Capacity: 55 pounds

The three-wheel design excels at climbing stairs. The bag is also durable and generously sized.

The turning radius for this cart is very wide. We also wonder how durable the wheels will be over time.

If you regularly contend with stairs when getting your groceries home, this is the perfect shopping cart for you. Equipped with a triple-wheel design specifically for climbing stairs, the Rolser immediately won us over with this function. The downside of the wheels: their wide turning radius makes navigating tighter turns challenging.

This cart also features a spacious bag with a drawstring and flap closure to keep contents secure while in transit. It had plenty of room for our groceries and then some. A zippered pocket on the back of the bag offers a place to store personal items, like a wallet, phone, and grocery list. We were able to haul groceries with zero damage, and we even used the cart without the bag to lug a 5-gallon water jug, making this one of the more versatile options on our list. And you can simply fold it flat for easy storage.

Dimensions: 42.72 x 19.09 x 15.16 inches | Weight: 6 pounds | Load Capacity: 88 pounds

The VersaCart Transit snagged the top spot on our list thanks to its spacious and smart design. It was super easy to maneuver, with two handles and swiveling double wheels that gave us extra control and allowed it to turn easily, and we love the fact that the entire cart folds down for compact storage.

We picked 13 top-rated shopping carts and tested them side by side to see how they handled hauling groceries: bags of produce, wine, soda, a loaf of bread, and eggs. We assessed each cart’s maneuverability by pushing and pulling it through an obstacle course — of sorts — that involved tight turns and stairs, noting any comfort issues. For models that could function as dollies, we repeated the test to carry a 5-gallon water jug through the same course. Lastly, we folded the carts, when applicable, and noted how easy they were to store.

When selecting a shopping cart, design plays an important factor in how it will perform. Models that fold flat for storage are convenient when you’re limited on space; those with a square basket shape are easier to pack than those that are round. Some carts feature bags or baskets that have a zip, drawstring, or flap closure to keep contents secure. You can also find certain models with an external pocket for personal items.

Many of the options on this list feature a metal frame, which is typically the most sturdy. You’ll also want to consider the material of the basket or bag/liner: heavy-duty polyester and coated canvas are excellent for keeping groceries contained. Be sure to pick an option that is easy to clean, as you’ll want to be able to handle any accidental spills or spots without too much hassle.

Look for a model that’s sized appropriately for your typical grocery shopping load: too large and your items will have room to shift around; too small and you’ll run out of room. Also, be sure to double-check the load capacity of your cart. Even if a cart has enough physical space to carry a lot of cargo, you’ll want to ensure the cart can carry its weight.

Handle height and grip contribute a lot to the maneuverability of a shopping cart. You may prefer an adjustable, telescoping handle versus one with a fixed height. Wheel design is also essential, as certain wheels make it easy to navigate tight turns, while others are designed to assist in going up and down stairs but have a larger turning radius. Note that while a cart may be easy to move when it’s empty, adding weight can change that, so consider doing a test run at home before fully loading it at the grocery store.

It depends. Simple, unlined shopping carts can be found for under $40 but may be more compact and have smaller weight capacities than more expensive versions. Shopping trolleys with a bag range from around $50 to $100 depending on the make and materials. Shopping carts over $100 tend to have specialized features, like stair-climbing wheels, telescoping handles, removable bags, heavier load capacities, and the ability to convert into a dolly.

Anything with compact storage is great for an apartment, especially if you’re low on space. If you live in a walk-up apartment, you also might want a shopping cart with a triple-wheel design meant for stairs. But, you can do without the specialized wheels if your cart is light enough to carry up the stairs.

dbest products Stair Climber Trolley Dolly ($93 at Amazon)

Built with a similar wheel design to our other stair-climbing favorite, this lightweight, more affordable version performed well in our tests, with no damage to our grocery haul. However, this is on the compact side, so depending on what your typical grocery needs are, this may be too small for larger shopping runs.

dbest products Cruiser Cart with Bag Bundle Shopping Cover ($55 at Amazon)

We really liked the wide, cushioned handlebar and overall maneuverability of this cart. It’s also lightweight and folds up easily for storage. The simple bag design doesn’t feature any additional pockets or straps, but if you’re looking for a straightforward shopping cart that just gets the job done, this is a solid option.

Costway Folding Shopping Cart ($55 at Walmart)

This cart is almost identical to our Best Metal pick, with slightly different wheels. We found it to be sturdy, very spacious, and very easy to maneuver even when making tight turns. Since it lacks an inner lining, whatever you’re hauling needs to be already bagged or boxed so items don’t slip through the spacing of the cart’s sides and bottom. But it’s a workhorse, handling up to 88 pounds, and at a price that can’t be beaten.

While we liked the large capacity of the Hulken Shopping Cart, we found it challenging to control when rolling it through our testing course. The Honshine Foldable Cart with Stair Climbing Wheels is a lightweight cart with a telescoping handle and wheels to aid in climbing stairs, but we are a bit wary of its overall durability. The Handy Sandy Travel Wagon Deluxe folds flat for storage and has a zip-top closure to keep contents secure. Yet, we thought the handle height made it feel too short for anyone over 5’4”, and its sensitive spinner wheels made it difficult to keep the cart under control.

Bernadette Machard de Gramont is an LA-based freelance writer specializing in food, wine, cookware, and other kitchen and home products. After a two-year stint at Williams Sonoma headquarters in San Francisco, she now researches and tests a variety of cookware, bakeware, and wine tools, and interviews field experts for their insight.