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Power Wheelbarrow Best Buy
Wendy Wellnitz, La Crescent, Minn.: “My cordless, power-assist wheelbarrow from Makita was a real find. I picked it up used for only $200 (tool only). New ones sell for around $1,200.
    “So far, I’ve only used it for moving crushed rock. It’s ideal for heavy loads with its 290-lb. capacity. The all-steel, 3-cu. ft. bucket stays locked until easily released when tipping to empty. The bucket latch was a little off, making it a bit tricky to hook it up, but it was used. I expect the new ones are just fine.
    “With a standard wheelbarrow, it’s really easy to lose your center of gravity. We have an oversized 2-wheel wheelbarrow, which, while more stable, is awkward to maneuver. The Makita, with its three wheels, offers the best of both, even if it doesn’t have a small turning radius.
    “Operating it on even ground was easy, although it did tip with the first load on some uneven ground. Like the oversized 2-wheel, it was awkward in tight spaces. Unlike it, the forward/reverse gears make it easy to reposition.
    “It claims 100 min. of run time with two 5-Ah batteries, although it’ll run on a single battery. Between stopping to load and unload, 100 mins. covers a lot of ground. Speaking of covering ground, the faster of the two forward speeds is handy in transit between jobs around the yard.
    “It’s exceedingly quiet. You can’t even tell it is running. We had looked at gas-powered wheelbarrows in the past, but they’re noisy and would likely be left on when loading and unloading. The battery assist is only on when needed.
    “When moving light loads like wood chips and smaller amounts of dirt, I’ll still go with the standard wheelbarrow. However, with heavy pavers, concrete blocks, and crushed rock, the power wheelbarrow will be my first choice. Perhaps when I’m 85, I’ll even use it for wood chips.”


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2023 - Volume #47, Issue #4