A wheelbarrow is a unique device because its pro is also its con. It has a high payload but if you maxed out the payload, it can become too heavy to be carted around, get over curbs and go up an incline. That said, giving it an electric motor is the next logical step.
While the payload of an electric-powered wheelbarrow remains pretty much the same as its non-powered counterparts, it will save your arms the agony of overexertion and/or strain. Despite the obvious advantages, electric-powered wheelbarrows aren’t common. There is a handful of brands making them and here are some of them we have found:
SuperHandy Wheelbarrow
Two-wheeled version:
This SuperHandy Wheelbarrow is a powered two-wheeled variant that is powered by a 48V DC 500W brushless motor. The motor can be paired with one or two 2 Ah/4 Ah lithium-ion batteries for 88.8 Wh or 177.6 Wh of juice which is good for up to 2.5 hours of heavy use on a single charge. It has a dual battery compart to support one or two batteries.
The brushless motor offers variable speeds of 0-5 km/h (3.1 mph) forward and 0-3.5 km/h (2.2 mph) reverse. It rolls on two large 13” pneumatic wheels, capable of a maximum incline of 12°, has a 330 lbs (150 kg) payload, and it has 4 cu.ft. (0.11 m3). Changing the direction and throttle can be found next to the grippy handles.
According to the listing, it includes an all-purpose modular cargo bed that can be used as a flatbed by removing or folding the cargo panels. However, we don’t see any product image indicating it to be the case.
The two-wheeled variant of the SuperHandy Wheelbarrow is an Amazon Exclusive only for the USA. The asking price is US$699.99.
Single wheel version:
The single-wheel version, on the other hand, is powered by a 24V 180W brushless motor paired with 12V 7Ah lead-acid batteries. You heard that right. Lead-acid battery. The battery is a Rechargeable Deep Cycle Non-spill Sealed Lead Acid Battery that supports a 24V series connection system to provide 168 Wh good for 2-5 hours of use on a single charge.
Beyond the motor and battery differences, the single-wheel performances are pretty much the same as the two-wheel model. It makes speeds of 0-5 km/h (3.1 mph) forward and 0-3.5 km/h (2.2 mph) reverse, has a max incline of 12° and a max payload of 330 lbs (150 kg), and has a cargo volume of 4 cu.ft. (0.11 m3). It also rolls on the 13-inch pneumatic wheel and the controls are identical to the two-wheeled variant.
The single-wheeled SuperHandy Wheelbarrow can be had for US$599.99.
Landworks Wheelbarrow
The Landworks Wheelbarrow is also a two-wheeled wheelbarrow. It is powered by a 24V 180W brushless motor, paired with a 12V 7 Ah AGM (Absorbent Glass Matted) Rechargeable Deep Cycle Non-spill Sealed Lead Acid Battery that supports a 24V (2x 12V) series connection system to provide 168 Wh that is good for up to 2.5 hours operation in between charges.
Strangely, it shared identical numbers with the SuperHandy Wheelbarrow. This means it has variable speeds of 0-5 km/h (3.1 mph) forward and 0-3.5 km/h (2.2 mph) reverse, has a max incline of 12°, a max capacity of 330 lbs (150 kg) and 4 cu.ft. And it also rolls on large 13” pneumatic wheels and has controls on the handles.
Wait a minute. They look identical too. Are they clones of each other? Probably. Anyhoo, it should not be much of a deal if they are getting pretty good reviews on Amazon. Ermmm, maybe?
The Landworks Wheelbarrow is available from Amazon for US$669.99. If it matters, this particular model was named Amazon’s Choice.
Makita XUC01X1 Power-assisted Wheelbarrow
The final electric-powered wheelbarrow we found is a three-wheeled wheelbarrow from power tool makers Makita, the Makita XUC01X1 Power-assisted Wheelbarrow.
It is powered by 18V LXT 6 Ah BL 1860 battery. Like the SuperHandy, it is able to accept two 18V for a 36V setup that is good for up to 100 minutes runtime. The second battery is, of course, optional and available as an add-on.
The XUC01X1 is powered by a Makita-built BL brushless motor that offers two-speed with a max speed of 2.5 mph (4 km/h) and the ability to tackle up to 12° incline. It has a max capacity of 290 lbs (132 kg) and has a 3 cu.ft. cargo volume.
The steel bucket can be removed and replaced with a steel tube flatbed (sold separately) to serve as a trolley.
The Makita XUC01X1 Power-assisted Wheelbarrow is a premium tool, though. It had a list price of a whopping US$1,338. But at the time of this post, we noted it is on 25% discount, going for US$999.
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