The first things you think about in foodservice are usually recipes, cooking techniques and even food sourcing. But behind the scenes there’s a good deal of material handling, safe food storage and many other less sexy activities that need to be done right, easily and efficiently to keep your operation running smoothly. There are a variety of material handling equipment pieces needed for most commercial and institutional foodservice operations from platform trucks to dollies to hand trucks. Platform trucks are often needed in larger operations or facilities, but most foodservice operations, no matter their size, have need of a reliable and durable hand truck.
A hand tuck is invaluable for material handling, whether it’s to move boxes, crates, even kitchen equipment. When selecting a hand truck, here are the top five features to consider:
1. Load Capacity – all hand trucks are designed to manage heavy loads, but load capacity will vary from model to model. It’s important to think about how you will use your hand truck and what the anticipated load weight will be and make sure the hand truck you select has a load capacity that will accommodate your needs.
2. Height – it’s important to check the height of any hand truck you are considering. Height refers to the distance from the bottom lip, or nose, to the top of the hand truck. Some hand trucks have a height of 50” or just over four feet, while others will be 60” or five feet or taller. A hand truck that is too short is difficult to push or pull and the user will have to bend over when moving objects which can cause back strain or injury. If you are using a hand truck that is too tall, it will be difficult to move heavy loads because the user cannot generate adequate force to push the truck.
3. Folding or Non-folding Lip – while a non-folding hand truck is the most common type of hand truck available, folding hand trucks are convenient for storage and convenient transport when not in use. As the name suggest, a folding hand truck, like the Wesco Mini mover, Wesco Maxi Mover and Wesco Mega Mover hand trucks allow you to fold the lip up to make them more compact when not in use.
4. Stair Climbing – All hand trucks feature an L-shaped frame with wheels and handles, however, stair climbing hand trucks are distinguishable from traditional hand trucks by having an extra set of wheels. Instead of having only two wheels on the bottom, stair climbing hand trucks will have four to six wheels that allow them to easily climb stairs.
5. Material – while most all hand trucks are made of metal, they will be made of different types of metals. Aluminum hand trucks are lightweight, inexpensive and have the added benefit of being rust and corrosion resistant. Steel hand trucks are heavier than aluminum but are typically stronger and more durable.
When shopping for hand trucks, be sure to think about where you will use your hand truck, whether you will need to transport it from one location to another, how much weight you will need to be able to move, and who will be using it so you find the right height. Cook’s offers a wide variety of hand trucks in steel, aluminum, fixed height or folding.
