The best wheelbarrows to make light work of your gardening in 2024

Never waste time or effort again with a wheelbarrow ready and raring to go in your shed.

Best wheelbarrows

by Eleanor Weaver |
Updated on

The best wheelbarrow is perfect for shifting soil and moving heavy DIY materials - such a useful garden tool is great to have in your garden shed if you're an avid gardener or have a particularly large outdoor space. Having one to hand saves you time and effort from trawling heavy loads of homemade mulch or other matter around your garden, most likely having to take multiple trips. Additionally, it can also make sure you're not putting unnecessary strain on your back. We've put together a list of the best wheelbarrows for you.

You may be surprised to hear that wheelbarrows come in a range of shapes and sizes, so finding the right one for you might require a little more research than just buying the first one you spot at your local gardening centre.

Best wheelbarrows at a glance:

Best all-rounder: Neo Wheelbarrow - View on Amazon UK
Best traditional: Walsall Wheelbarrows 90Ltr Shire Plastic Green Wheelbarrow - View on Amazon UK
Best two-wheeled wheelbarrow: Oypla Heavy Duty 70L Garden Wheelbarrow - View on Amazon UK

We've done the heavy lifting for you and shared the best wheelbarrows for a range of requirements so you know exactly what you should be looking for.

Best wheelbarrows UK 2024

Best all-rounder

Neo® WheelbarrowNeo Direct

This robust wheelbarrow from Neo Direct makes handling heavy garden tasks a breeze. Made with soft handles to enable a better grip, and galvanised steel for additional strength and resilience, this wheelbarrow makes heavy-lifting jobs fast and easy. The load capacity is 150kg and the pneumatic tyres mean that it can be used on the roughest terrain.

Customer Review: "I wasn't expecting much as it was amazingly cheap - however it is a decent product for the price. Not up to builder's heavy-duty use but for general gardening and transporting items around it's surprisingly capable. I found assembly easy (you need a few spanners or sockets - but I guess pliers would do at a push). Much much better than the price would have you expect."

Pros

  • Made from galvanised steel for added strength and resilience
  • 150kg capacity

Cons

  • Assembly instructions tricky to understand

Best traditional

Walsall wheelbarrow Walsall

With over 60 years in the business, Walsall has a whole range of wheelbarrows well suited for gardening. Made of heavy-duty ribbed polypropylene with a steel frame, this 90-litre wheelbarrow can carry up to 125kgs which should be more than enough for gardening chores. It has comfortable ergonomic handles and a puncture-proof wheel so you can feel confident moving it across your outdoor terrain.

Customer Review: "Easy to assemble, lightweight to use, general purpose use, in the garden, on grass or soil, good size load carrying. Good value for money, I would recommend this product without hesitation.."

Pros

  • It has a large capacity
  • Lightweight and sturdy

Cons

  • Not considered the most suitable for heavy lifting work

Best for rough-terrain gardens

Another top pick from Walsall, this sturdy green barrow is ideal for everyday garden use with a light and durable polypropylene pan to reduce the overall weight and a tough 30mm tubular steel frame. With a capacity of 90 litres and a max. load of 125kg, we love that it has a heavy-duty, puncture-proof 250mm tire wheel for traversing rough and stony ground.

Customer Review: "This wheelbarrow is perfect for all garden work. Being made of tough plastic it does not rust and is light to use. It is also very good value for money."

Pros

  • We love that the heavy-duty tyres are puncture-proof
  • Steel frame

Cons

  • Reviewers found it a bit of a struggle to assemble

Best two-wheeled wheelbarrow

Unlike most wheelbarrows available, this pick from Oypla has two wheels, making it particularly great and stable for traversing flat ground. It has a 70-litre capacity, 150kg weight limit, and soft foam handles that make handling all the more comfortable. Made with a heavy-duty steel frame and strong plastic hopper, this wheelbarrow should be durable and fair well against weather.

Customer Review: "This is a great product, very stable and easy to manoeuvre. It has been used by my wife, who is slightly built, to move logs along a rough-surfaced path in woodland while I use the chainsaw. Easy for her on the level, more difficult to go up slopes. Very impressive. Also easy to assemble although instructions could have been clearer, you have to interpret a diagram but it's not that difficult. Top tip, assemble with bolts left loose, don't tighten up until all in place."

Pros

  • It has comfortable soft foam handles
  • Two wheels for better stability on flat ground

Cons

  • Reviewers found it quite difficult to assemble

Best value wheelbarrow

BQ Sovereign Orange WheelbarrowSovereign

For one of the best wheelbarrows that combines a large volume, heavy-load capacity, and affordable price, look no further than this wheelbarrow from B&Q. Arriving ready-assembled, this heavy-duty wheelbarrow can easily transport garden and building materials with pneumatic wheels for handling rough ground, a 200kg max. load, and 90-litre barrow. Made of metal and polypropylene, it's surprisingly lightweight at 11kg with a soft grip for comfortable handling.

Why we love it: Not only will this wheelbarrow stand up to the test of all your garden tasks, it's designed to easily transport your garden debris and comes in a fun orange colour. Bit of a change from the green.

Pros

  • Described as heavy-duty
  • Huge max. load of 200kg
  • Zero assembly required

Cons

  • We couldn't think of any!

Best cart-style

VonHaus wheelbarrowVonHaus/Amazon

VonHaus' cart-style wheelbarrow offers a wide, stable base with two built-in stands that make it a particularly stable choice. This wheelbarow's frame is made from durable steel and the whole thing weighs in at 12 kilograms. This cart's heavy-duty plastic tray measures in at 65 by 70 by 125cm and offers a capacity of up to 78 litres. Elsewhere there's pneumatic tyres and a large, soft-grip handle.

Customer review: "The barrow took about 40 minutes to put together, but once done, it proved immediately to be exactly what is promised to be. Balanced and easy to move a substantial amount up and down hills and manoeuvre around the garden is great. Handle being thicker makes it less tiring to grip as well. Good product, and the gardener was delighted."

Pros

  • Soft-grip handle
  • Dual pneumatic tyres

Cons

  • Shallow design

Best wheelbarrow for kids

Hortem Wheelbarrow SetHortem

Want to get your little ones involved in gardening? This bright and fun wheelbarrow features easy-to-hold durable rubber hand grips designed specifically for children ages three and over. Made of a durable, metal construction, kids can enjoy hours of fun using it to play or help mum or dad with gardening. It's designed just like an adult wheelbarrow so they'll enjoy copying along.

Customer Review: "It was easy enough to assemble. My son really loves it. It’s like a miniature version of an adult's one. Much better than plastic versions. Comes with gloves and tools that my son also loves."

Pros

  • Bright, fun, and colourful
  • Great for getting the kids involved

Cons

  • Reviewers found it a little fiddly to put together

Best lightweight wheelbarrow

Draper 78643 Expert Garden CaddyDraper

While this is technically called a garden caddy, this is a great alternative to the best wheelbarrows if you're looking for something that's lightweight, easy to move, affordable, and able to do the same job. Suitable for a variety of tasks in the garden, this plastic caddy has a deep bucket that can carry up to 40kg in weight, and even a clip for attaching your garden tools. Due to the smaller wheels, this would be best recommended for every day, landscaped gardens.

Customer Review: "This is marvellous. Well-made and great to use. Instead of dragging a heavy trug or wheelbarrow, this requires only one hand and is light enough to wheel around the garden even for my elderly Mum. It is also light enough to lift to tip out easily.

I use to primarily for pruning and later on, deadheading roses and it is my best-ever companion for this. I would like is a plugged drain in the base, which could be turned to drain out as it will fill with rain if left outside. Another reviewer suggests putting a bag over the top to stop the rain, but the wind here would blow a bag away over the hills. Maybe a removable clip-on watertight lid?

This is one of the best things for the garden I have ever bought. Highly recommended."

Pros

  • Affordable
  • Lightweight

Cons

  • Not designed for higher capacities like a traditional wheelbarrow

FAQs

Is steel or plastic best for a wheelbarrow?

There are two main materials used in wheelbarrows; those with a steel or plastic bucket. The best material for yours depends on the work you'll be carrying out with each type having different benefits.
Wheelbarrows with a steel bucket can bear more weight. They're best for heavy-duty tasks such as moving large rocks, plants, and stone slabs. However, steel can rust, and it will inevitably be heavier to move about too.
Wheelbarrows with a plastic bucket tend to be lighter, more affordable, and a good choice if you're just looking for a way to transport repotting compost, mix fertiliser, and smaller plants. The downfall with this type is that you need to be careful not to overload the bucket as the plastic could crack under excessive weight.

Is a one- or two-wheel wheelbarrow better?

A two-wheel wheelbarrow is more stable on level ground, but a one-wheel wheelbarrow is universally the best choice for manoeuvrability. Positioned in the central point of the wheelbarrow, a one-wheel provides greater control for movement and unloading, with the ability to wheel in small spaces, over planks, in water, and over uneven ground - great for gardens!

How long should a wheelbarrow last?

They can last for years, making them a great investment, but if you want your new piece of kit to go the distance, you'll need to care for them. Here are some tips for keeping yours in good nick. You should clean the bucket regularly and be sure to dry your wheelbarrow before putting it away. Store it in a dry place to prevent rust and warping. From time to time apply grease to the axles to maintain the wheels. Inflate your wheelbarrow wheel with a bicycle pump if it's looking flat. Finally, clean the handles regularly and sand wooden handles if they become a bit rough.

How do I keep my wheelbarrow from rusting?

Quite simply, shelter is from the elements as much as possible. When not in use, store your wheelbarrow in your garden shed, garage, or greenhouse and make sure it's as dry as possible when you do. You can also use a product like WD-40 on the wheels to keep them moving freely.

What to read next:

10 best garden forks to spruce up your soil

The best pressure washers for garden cleaning

Petrol lawnmowers to make trimming larger gardens easy

The best knee pads and kneelers for more comfortable gardening

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Eleanor Weaver is the Deputy Homes & Garden Product Editor for Modern Gardens, specialising in outdoor furniture, décor, and tools. She's always looking out for inspiration online for stylish and affordable designs, and enjoys spending time in nature.

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