The 6 Best Shopping Carts of 2024: It happens to all of us: you grab one too many things to carry while at the grocery store, and before you know it, your arms are doing a balancing act as you carry your bags back to your block or car parked at the farmer’s market. That’s when your own shopping cart can be a lifesaver. We spent 12 hours testing 12 personal options in The Lab to find a shopping cart that can carry over 100 pounds, or one that can make it successfully up and down the stairs of your apartment building.
We loaded up our carts with a carton of fragile eggs, bottles of wine, a loaf of French bread, a bag of produce, and a heavy six-pack of canned drinks, then spent one day weaving our way through an obstacle course all in the name of simulating a real-life quick trip to the store. As we discovered after all our hands-on testing, the best shopping carts make shopping a breeze and won’t take up too much space when stored in a closet or your car’s trunk. (That’s essential; you also need room for your grocery bags!) Every cart on our list passed our test, and left groceries protected and undamaged.
So, no matter if you’re constantly at the store stocking up on weekly groceries, or you live in the city and walk to everything, our top picks have the design, capacity, and maneuverability you’ll need to make outings easy.
The 6 Best Shopping Carts of 2024
Best Overall
VersaCart Transit
PHOTO: Amazon
| What We Like | What We Don’t Like |
| Spacious capacity Swivel, eight-wheel design Comes with a detachable bag and lid Ergonomic handles that are easy to grip | Base of the bag lacks support |
For less than $100, our top pick, the VersaCart Transit, hits the mark on so many must-have features. We think it’s spacious and durable enough to easily carry most grocery loads with its unique eight-wheel design. Plus, it’s foldable, akin to a baby’s stroller, so you can store it in a closet or the trunk of your car with ease.
The cart’s frame is constructed from durable alloy steel, while the detachable, water-resistant bag is made of heavy-duty, polyblend canvas and has a secure top that closes so your items are protected from rain and less likely to fall out.
The great thing is that this cart is equipped with both metal and canvas. The metal makes this cart sturdy and wipeable, and the canvas ensures that everything stays intact in your cart. We found that the bag itself can be used independently as a tote and then clipped into the cart, but we did notice that the mesh-like base could use more structure. We think a flat and solid insert would be a welcome addition to add stability to the tote.
Still, we like that the tote is square-shaped and spacious, so you can efficiently pack your cart with groceries and still have plenty of room. In comparison to the other carts we tested, the VersaCart’s superb swivel wheels made it glide extra-smoothly, allowing for 360-degree rotation. Plus, we like that its handle turns with ease while rounding corners on shopping aisles. With its capacity to hold up to 120 pounds, it aced our stair challenge, leaving the groceries we loaded inside in perfect condition.
Even in our long-term testing, we found that this cart carries quite a bit of groceries, which is nice if you are shopping for a family or carrying a big haul.
During our test, we ultimately felt in control of the cart and could easily make our way around the traffic cones we set up. That’s largely because the cart’s two handles have ridges that are comfortable to grip and effortless to maneuver, allowing you to push and lift the cart as you travel along your path. Just know that compared to some of our other picks, this is a bigger cart, so it’s a bit awkward and bulky to carry when not in use.
Still, after six months, it continues to hold up well, and we still feel that it’s a high quality product.
Dimensions: 37.5 x 18.75 x 22.5 inches | Weight: 9 pounds | Weight Capacity: 120 pounds | Number of Wheels: 8 | Assembly Required: No
Best Value
dbest Cruiser Cart with Shopping Cover
| What We Like | What We Don’t Like |
| Wide, comfortable handlebar Collapsible and easy to store Front stand, so it’s sturdy | Height of handle not adjustable |
Similar to our best overall pick, the dbest Cruiser Cart comes with a metal frame and removable bag. Unlike our top option, which has an impressive eight wheels, this cart sports two that are easy enough to maneuver, even when shopping at a crowded farmer’s market, but won’t offer the same extra-smooth navigation. Compared to our best overall option, the dbest is also smaller (by roughly 14 inches) in size and capacity, so it may not be the best option for someone who likes to make major grocery store runs.
All that being said, we like that the handle is wide and wrapped with foam, providing plenty of comfort. We just wish the handle was also adjustable, especially for taller people. (Our tester was 5’5” tall, and the cart worked just fine. But if you are taller than 6′, you might chose another option, because the handle might be too short.) When not at a tilt, the shopping cart has a little front stand that helps keep it in place and prevents it from knocking over.
This cart rolled along easily during our shopping course test and made it up and down stairs without damaging any groceries. It’s also a bonus that the bag has a drawstring top, so everything stays securely in place and won’t fall out. In some ways, it’s more secure than the lid of our best overall pick, but the drawstring also makes it a tad more cumbersome to get in and out of the shopping cart.
We like the cart’s slim profile once it’s folded up; it’s perfect for storing on the side of a refrigerator or propped up in a closet when not in use. You should know, though, that the tires are big, so it will not fold up completely flat—if that’s what you are looking for. As for its DIY assembly, all you need to do is pop on its two tires, which you can snap into place in less than 15 minutes—no tools required.
Although it lacks bells and whistles, it’s a solid product that’s held up well over testing, even after six months.
Dimensions: 35 x 4 x 19 inches | Weight: 6 pounds | Weight Capacity: 55 pounds | Number of Wheels: 2 | Assembly Required: Yes
Best Insulated
dbest Products Ultra Compact Cooler
| What We Like | What We Don’t Like |
| Secure, zippered main compartment Variety of pockets to hold smaller items Retractable, locking handle | Not as roomy |
If you’re worried about keeping your groceries cool, or you’re visiting a farmers’ market on a warm day, the dbest Cooler Smart Cart is our top pick for an insulated shopping cart. With a 4-gallon capacity (equal to 36 cans of soda), it isn’t as large as some of our other options, but its functionality is its biggest draw. As an insulated cart, we’d use this cart to keep wedges of cheese or a carton of milk cold, or pack it up for a day at the park or on the beach.
We also love the retractable handle that locks into place, and that this cooler cart has a zippered main pocket on the front and mesh pockets on the sides of the bag to carry smaller grocery items. As for the main compartment, expect groceries to stay secure with a zippered enclosure and ride along smoothly on a set of ball-bearing wheels. During our test, all of our groceries stayed intact through our timed obstacle course, where we rolled grocery-filled carts in and out of traffic cones.
Like many of our other picks, the cart conveniently folds down, making it super compact and flat for storage or stowing away in your car’s trunk. The added bonus with this cart (beyond the insulation, which is its biggest draw) is that the wheels are a touch smaller than some of our bigger picks, such as our best overall pick, the VersaCart Transit, making it less bulky when packing it up.
During long-term testing, we found that this cooler won’t leak, even when left for hours in the sun. It’s a bit petite compared to our other options on this list, so it’s best for a small family. In our real world testing, we found we could really only comfortably fit a six-pack, a few water bottles, and enough food for a beach day for a family of three. We also noted that it’s way less cumbersome than carrying around a traditional handheld cooler when it comes to keeping drinks and frozen items cold.
Dimensions: 13.5 x 13.5 x 10.75 inches | Weight: 3 pounds | Weight Capacity: 120 pounds | Number of Wheels: 2 | Assembly Required: No
Best for Small-Space Living
Costway Folding Utility Shopping Cart
| What We Like | What We Don’t Like |
| Two-compartment design Folds up easily Lightweight and manageable | Handle slides around No liner or bag |
For apartment or small-space living, we suggest opting for the Costway Folding Utility Shopping Cart, because it’s lightweight, yet still has plenty of room inside for your groceries, market finds, and more.
While it weighs 8.5 pounds (making it one of our lighter picks), its cubed, roomy design means you can carry up to 45 pounds at one time. But, what sets this heavy-duty cart apart is its two compartments. You can keep fragile items—such as wine bottles, a box of crackers, or a jar of mustard—in the front section of the cart to ensure they won’t break. During our long-term testing, we found that this cart especially works well carrying heavier items.
We found that the handle does slide around a bit, but this cart’s capabilities outshine any flaws. We love that it has swivel, all-terrain, front wheels and large back wheels to make it easy to maneuver around the market and on stairs as you shop. During long-term testing, we found that this cart can easily be stored in a coat closet, after folding it up and leaving it upright.
Just keep in mind, this model does not contain a bag or liner, like our best value pick, the dbest Cruiser Cart with Bag Bundle Shopping Cover. A few small items slipped out from the main basket during our testing. But it’s a quick fix: you can easily place your own reusable grocery bags inside or load smaller items in the front part of the cart.
Dimensions: 17 x 19 x 35/37.5 inches | Weight: 8.5 pounds | Weight Capacity: 45 pounds | Number of Wheels: 4 | Assembly Required: No
Best Folding
Amazon Basics Foldable Shopping Utility Cart
| What We Like | What We Don’t Like |
| Secures with a hook Two compartments Lies flat when folded down | No liner or bag |
All of our cart options on this list are foldable, but we found that this Amazon pick took up less space in storage, while still carrying a large load (up to 70 pounds). In truth, we could have fit five times the amount of groceries we tested in this cart’s baskets. Compared to our other carts, it’s one of our bigger options, measuring in at 40 x 24.5 x 21 inches.
It has a utility-inspired, no-frills metal design, which comes with swivel wheels. In our experience, it easily folded and unfolded, making it efficient for shoppers who need to whip out a cart regularly and in an instant. Once folded, it lies flat and takes up little space (unlike some of our carts with totes or big wheels). Plus, we discovered the cart has a small hook that securely clips the back and front together to fold it flat, which means you won’t have to worry about it accidentally opening while you’re carrying it.
During long-term testing, we noticed that this cart is loud, so take that into consideration. We liken it to using a regular metal grocery cart at the store. After two months of use, we happily noted that the cart continued to maneuver corners well and easily handled going over bumps and cracks.
We also found that this cart is a little difficult to drag up three flights of stairs, so we’d suggest this option for someone living on the ground floor or who only has a few steps to go up. But, overall, the wheels have held up great over our long-term testing, and the cart continues to perform well.
We also love that this shopping cart has two compartments, just like our best for small-living pick, the Costway Folding Utility Shopping Cart, to keep smaller items separate, like a crate of fragile berries or a jar of artichoke hearts. This extra front basket is especially useful because there are no liners or tote with this cart, which means small items may slip through the cart’s grid-like pattern if you’re not careful.
Dimensions: 40 x 24.5 x 21 inches | Weight: 16 pounds | Weight Capacity: 70 pounds | Number of Wheels: 4 | Assembly Required: No
Best for Stairs
dbest Products Stair Climber Trolley
| What We Like | What We Don’t Like |
| Detachable, secure tote Works as a dolly Comes in multiple colors | Small bag design |
If you constantly go up and down stairs to retrieve groceries or drugstore items, a shopping cart that can handle bumps is what you need. We suggest the dbest products Trolley Dolly Foldable Shopping Cart in this instance, because this handy shopping cart is constructed from alloy steel with a detachable polyester shopping bag, which uses both velcro and a drawstring tie to keep items from falling out.
Besides being lightweight to carry (it’s four pounds and the lightest on our list), you’ll also find plenty of pockets on the bag, too. Plus, the tote bags come in a variety of colors (such as blue, yellow, and red), so you can pick your favorite hue.
Best of all, you can remove the tote altogether and transform the cart into a six-wheeled dolly for carrying packages or lugging items to your car. It’s one of our favorites because it has a lightweight design, yet still holds up to 110 pounds—even while climbing stairs.
We just wish the cart had a longer handle because our tester was 5’2” and had to bend down a little. We also noted that the tote was a little small for a major grocery haul, but the dolly design is a total standout.
As for long-term testing, this cart still held up well after six months, easily handling speed bumps and going over tougher terrain, such as cracks, climbing stairs, potholes, and curbs. We also noted that the protective bag has held up in the rain.
Dimensions: 15 x 13.5 x 37.25 inches | Weight: 4 pounds | Weight Capacity: 110 pounds | Number of Wheels: 6 | Assembly Required: No
Final Verdict
Our best overall shopping cart is the VersaCart Transit, which sports an impressive eight-wheel design. We love this cart because it has it all: a metal frame with a detachable canvas tote, a compact design that folds up easily, and smooth maneuverability with a comfy handle. For our best value pick, the dbest Cruiser Cart with Bag Bundle Shopping Cover has our vote. While it does require a bit of assembly, we love that it delivers a heavy-duty metal frame, folds up in seconds, and has a wide handle covered in cushy foam.
How We Tested the Shopping Carts
We tested over 20 shopping carts in The Lab by filling them up with everyday groceries, including eggs, bread, bottles of wine, a loaf of French bread, a bag of produce, and a heavy six-pack of canned drinks. We ran them through a timed obstacle course, complete with traffic cones and stairs. Here’s what we looked for when testing to find the best of the best personal shopping carts.
- Effectiveness and Durability: We took the shopping carts on a simulated grocery trip. We made sure to use the carts as we would in a real-life setting, twisting in and out of traffic cones like we would down grocery aisles and food displays. We also traveled up and down stairs to make sure our carts were secure. The ones we selected in this list all passed the test, leaving zero groceries damaged. But we know that running through a simulated grocery trip won’t speak to how long these carts will last over time. That’s why we continued to test these shopping carts and updated our results after two and then six months to report on their long-term durability.
- Ease of Use and Design: We noted any shopping carts that had liners and bags to hold items securely in place. Some had a drawstring closure, while others relied on a zipper and pockets. Our favorites seemed to lean toward the zippers and pockets to keep items safe. We also analyzed the cart’s material choice, such as a sturdy steel frame or a water-resistant fabric material. A sturdy frame seemed to be a good option, offering plenty of stability. Another important consideration was how easily the cart folded up, knowing that many users would prefer an option that could conveniently be stored in a car trunk or on the side of a closet.
- Value: After assessing each shopping cart’s performance, we reviewed the price of each cart, ranging from $46 to $150, and considered whether it was reflective of the product’s value and features.
What to Look for in a Shopping Cart
Think About Size and Capacity
When looking for a personal shopping cart, Christina Giaquinto, professional organizer of Modular Closets, says to consider the capacity and how much space you need for how you shop. “When it comes to groceries, some people shop in bulk and get everything at once while others shop for only a few days,” she explains. “So, depending on your personal preference of shopping, I would get a cart that fits those needs.”
We suggest looking for a compact option if you live in an apartment or need to walk a couple of blocks to gather groceries. “The best size is going to be approximately 15 x 13.5 x 37.25 inches—this isn’t too bulky where you can’t move it, but still allows you to fit a lot of items in it,” she says.
A shopping cart within this size range is the 9-pound VersaCart Transit (our best overall choice), which is a little bigger than others on our list, but is compact and folds up quickly like a stroller. When it comes to apartment dwellers, we suggest the Costway Folding Utility Shopping Cart (our best for small-space living), because it weighs just 8 pounds and has a roomy feel, so you can load up on plenty of supplies.
In addition to the actual dimensions of a cart (while in use and folded up), it’s equally important to consider weight capacity. Do you buy big bags of rice? Do you regularly stock up on heavy cans of tomato soup? Weight capacity often depends on a shopping cart’s material, so we think that’s worth considering, too. For example, heavy-duty options like the AmazonBasics Foldable Shopping Utility Cart (our best folding) is made of metal and can hold up to 70 pounds, and the dbest products Trolley Dolly Foldable Shopping Cart (our best for stairs) is constructed of steel and polyester and holds up to 110 pounds.
Consider Wheel Design
Once you think about how your cart should function for your needs, we also suggest studying how many wheels it has and its overall construction. You might see a swivel design, allowing for 360-degree rotation. This allows a cart to turn easily in all directions, allowing you to maneuver quickly in a crowded market. Another option is ball-bearing wheels, which are usually made of steel or ceramic for durability and strength. For example, the dbest products Ultra Compact Cooler Smart Cart, our best insulated pick, is constructed as a cooler and has two ball-bearing wheels, making it easy enough to transport a load of groceries that are perishable. Then, there are carts with special wheels, like the dbest products Trolley Dolly Foldable Shopping cart, our best for stairs suggestion. It has a dolly-like design with an attachable, weather-proof tote and six wheels made especially for handling stairs and high curbs.
Choose the Best Material
Polyester and metal are great materials, depending on which cart and style fits you best, suggests Giaquinto. We agree. Both of these materials are durable, so you can navigate aisles knowing your cart isn’t going to collapse or topple over.
A great example of this is our best overall pick, the VersaCart Transit, which has both a metal frame with a detachable canvas tote. We found that shopping carts utilizing polyester-made totes can be detachable and may even be machine washable, which we think is a big plus if your cart should ever get dirty.
A metal construction, which is wipeable for easy cleaning, can also be a smart choice, especially if you need to load up on heavy items. For example, we tested the dbest products Trolley Dolly Foldable Shopping Cart, our best for stairs pick, and its frame is made of alloy steel and can easily tote a five-gallon jug of water.
Pick the Proper Storage and Organization
To make your load easier, we also suggest looking at a cart’s storage options, including whether or not it comes with a detachable bag or if it has pockets. Depending on how much shopping you intend to do, you might also want to think about a cart that has more than one compartment.
We like the Costway Folding Utility Shopping Cart (our best for small-space living), which has a useful, two-compartment design and can hold up to 45 pounds of groceries. With two baskets, you can place smaller items up front and use the main compartment for larger or boxed groceries, like a stack of toilet paper, cereal, or a box of soda.
We also think pockets are pretty convenient, too. If you frequent a farmers’ market, the portable dbest products Ultra Compact Cooler Smart Cart, our best insulated option, keeps your items chilled and comes equipped with both zippered and mesh pockets, so you can store a jar of specialty olives or bottles of craft soda without worrying it will slip out and get damaged.
The Checkout Counter
Before you check out, consider these products you may also need.
- Scout Original Deano: Holding up to 75 pounds of groceries, these lightweight totes, which we named as our best overall reusable grocery bag, are a perfect addition for carts without liners.
- Mrs. Meyer’s All-Purpose Spray, Lemon Verbena: If your shopping cart’s tires start to look dull, spiff them up with a good ol’ all-purpose spray like Mrs. Meyer’s, which we easily ranked as our best-scented cleaner.
- Amazon Basics Microfiber Cloth (Pack of 24): Along with a good cleaner, keep your shopping cart looking snappy with this set of highly absorbent cleaning cloths, which are safe to use on a variety of surfaces.
Why Trust The Spruce?
Michelle Lau is an editor at The Spruce, specializing in appliances, cleaning, organization, and home tech. For this story, she analyzed our shopping cart testing results from The Lab, looking at each option’s material, capacity, and design. She currently uses the dbest products Trolley Dolly Foldable Shopping Cart (our best for stairs pick) regularly while shopping at her local farmers’ market, filling it to the brim with veggies, fruits, and fresh fish packed on ice.
Our Experts:
- Christina Giaquinto, professional organizer of Modular Closets
- Marisa Viglione, senior editor at The Spruce
