The 6 Best Shopping Carts of 2024, According to Testing

Best Overall

VersaCart Transit

Design4.8/5
Capacity5/5
Maneuverability5/5
Durability5/5
Value5/5
It’s spacious and can maneuver well, even up a flight of stairs.

It’s spacious and can maneuver well, even up a flight of stairs.

The mesh-like bag doesn’t allow for much stability when packing items.

The mesh-like bag doesn’t allow for much stability when packing items.

Overall, our favorite shopping cart was the VersaCart Transit. During testing, we found that this cart was spacious enough to carry groceries and still have more room for more.

We liked that the bag features a top flap, which means your bags won’t get wet if you get caught in rain or snow on the way home from the supermarket. The bag itself was strong and durable with a square design that makes it easy to pack items efficiently.

During testing, we liked that the bag can even be detached and used as a bag on its own. However, we were disappointed that there wasn’t an insert for the bottom to give it more structure/stability.

Maneuverability was a cinch thanks to a whopping eight wheels—two at each corner—so this pick could spin, take corners, and go up/down stairs easily. The handles on this shopping cart weren’t adjustable, but taller individuals should have no problem pushing or pulling it.

We appreciate that it’s easy to lift while folded, and unlike other carts on our list, it can be pulled while folded without trouble. The best part was that we found it simple to lift and pull the cart up a set of stairs—a bonus feature to some, but a very necessary one to city dwellers traversing subway steps or walk-up apartment buildings.

The sleek design when folded makes it perfect for stowing in a vehicle or small apartment when not in use. We think all these features make this cart a great value for the price.

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK

Best Budget

dbest Cruiser Cart with Shopping Cover

Design4.8/5
Capacity4.8/5
Maneuverability4.6/5
Durability5/5
Value4.5/5
It’s easy to maneuver, plus the bag can be used on its own as a tote.

It’s easy to maneuver, plus the bag can be used on its own as a tote.

The bag doesn’t have pockets or another place to store fragile items, like eggs or wine bottles.

The bag doesn’t have pockets or another place to store fragile items, like eggs or wine bottles.

If you don’t want to invest a lot in a shopping cart that you might only use occasionally or you want a spare to stow in a car trunk, the Dbest Products Cruiser Cart is the best option. This folds up quite slim, so it doesn’t need much room when it’s not in use.

We liked the bag that lines the cart, but it would have been even better if it had internal pockets to secure smaller or breakable items. The bag is removable, so it’s a nice option to use as a shoulder tote on its own.

The cart’s handle height isn’t adjustable, but it was comfortable enough for someone around 5’5”; taller individuals might want a cart with a taller or at least an adjustable handle.

The wheels are a bit bulky, but maneuvering it was easy, even up the stairs, which was a nice surprise for a budget-friendly cart. It’s a simple, practical design that offers a good value for the price.

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK

Best Metal

Amazon Basics Foldable Shopping Utility Cart

Design4.4/5
Capacity5/5
Maneuverability4.4/5
Durability4.5/5
Value5/5
It holds a ton of stuff, so it’s perfect for a large haul of bagged groceries.

It holds a ton of stuff, so it’s perfect for a large haul of bagged groceries.

It’s not great for small items, plus the wheels aren’t designed to take on stairs.

It’s not great for small items, plus the wheels aren’t designed to take on stairs.

The Amazon Basics Foldable Shopping Utility Cart was one of the best shopping carts we tested. This cart is huge, so it’s perfect for grocery hauls or other large shopping trips.

The handle is padded for comfort and it’s higher than other carts we tested, so we appreciated not having to bend over to maneuver it. That’s a good thing, because this cart is a bit heavy even when empty, so consider that if you plan to take this in and out of a car.

While the cart holds a lot, the main compartment has large openings that make it difficult to hold small groceries and other loose items. It would have been nice if it came with a liner which would solve that problem, but you’ll have to purchase one separately.

That’s where the smaller basket on the back comes in handy, leaving the main compartment for bags and other larger items. Otherwise, we liked how it folds/unfolds quite easily, and that there’s a helpful hook that clips the cart together to fold flat.

The cart moved well on flat stretches, but it didn’t do as well in tight spots and on stairs. The wheels aren’t really designed for stairs, though, so you’ll have a learning curve if you’re planning to maneuver this up the steps to your place.

However, for the size and adequate maneuverability on flat pavement, we still thought it was a good value. As long as you’re smart about how to load (or avoid loading) smaller items, this is a great choice for supermarket trips.

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK

Best Heavy-Duty

Costway Folding Utility Shopping Cart

Design4.3/5
Capacity5/5
Maneuverability4.1/5
Durability4.5/5
Value4.3/5
It’s quite large and the sturdy wheels make it easy to maneuver on flat surfaces.

It’s quite large and the sturdy wheels make it easy to maneuver on flat surfaces.

It’s not great for going upstairs.

It’s not great for going upstairs.

The Costway Folding Shopping Cart felt like we were pushing a smaller grocery cart at times, but unlike those at your local market, this folds up and clips together.

The cart features two spacious sections for convenient loading, though it's best to add a liner or keep everything in bags to avoid spilling through the openings. The main section is best for larger items or bagged items with a slimmer compartment in the back.

Despite its bulkiness, it can be carted upstairs on the back wheels. It’s too big to lift on its own otherwise, plus it tends to fold in on itself if you attempt to move it that way. The smaller front wheels rotate, which helps with mobility, but we found that all four wheels worked quite well without sticking, which made maneuvering around cones during testing a breeze.

The plastic handle has a grooved grip, but it slid around a lot during testing. Overall, we thought the cart was a good value for its capacity and maneuverability.

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK

Best for Stairs

dbest Products Stair Climber Trolley

Design4.2/5
Capacity4.5/5
Maneuverability4.6/5
Durability5/5
Value4/5
The wheels are designed for smooth transport, even up stairs.

The wheels are designed for smooth transport, even up stairs.

The cart isn’t suited for huge grocery hauls, plus the handle isn’t high enough for taller users.

The cart isn’t suited for huge grocery hauls, plus the handle isn’t high enough for taller users.

Want to carry groceries up the stairs in one trip? The Dbest Products Stair Climber Trolley Dolly can actually scale stairs without a hassle.

It was a cinch to pull up the stairs during testing, which is not something we can say for every shopping cart on this list. It also maneuvered around corners quite well, though we thought it would be even better if the wheels swiveled.

We like that this cart folds up to be nice and compact, too, so it’s perfect for storing in a trunk or a closet. The canvas bag has both a drawstring and a velcro lid to secure the contents. The drawback is that the bag isn’t big enough for a huge haul, so we think it’s better for quicker shopping trips.

Still, we appreciate that there are two outer zipper pockets for storing smaller items to which you might need immediate access. Taller users might find the stationary handle to be a bit low. We would like it even more if the bag were bigger or insulated, but overall, it’s super efficient for those who need to traverse subway steps or live in walk-up apartments.

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK

Best Cooler

dbest Products Ultra Compact Cooler

Design5/5
Capacity5/5
Maneuverability5/5
Durability5/5
Value5/5
It has an adjustable handle and maneuvers easily, much like a small carry-on suitcase.

It has an adjustable handle and maneuvers easily, much like a small carry-on suitcase.

It has limited capacity compared to other carts.

It has limited capacity compared to other carts.

Whether you’re heading to a tailgate party or home from the store after scoring a deal on your favorite wine, the Dbest Products Ultra Compact Cooler Smart Cart comes in clutch. It looks and maneuvers much like a small suitcase, right down to the retractable handle.

The cart is quite lightweight on its own, but it holds up to four gallons. You can collapse the bag for easier storage and lower the handle, but otherwise, this does not fold up like the other carts on our list.

Like a suitcase, this cart is much better for pulling. We found it rolled easily and took turns smoothly. The wheels can glide up stairs, but we preferred using the handle to carry it up instead.

Overall, we had no complaints at all about how this cart functioned. It’s easy to see that it doesn’t hold as many items as other carts, but it kept the ones that it could hold safe and intact, so it’s good for fragile items like wine bottles and eggs.

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK