Top 4 compared
The best wheelbarrows
Soil, logs, bags of compost and the odd load of rubble moved round the garden in one go.
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The top 4 at a glance
A wheelbarrow carries what’s too heavy or too messy to lug by hand, on one wheel at the front with two handles and two legs at the back. Tubs come in galvanised steel, which takes rough treatment from bricks and stone, or polypropylene, which won’t rust and is far less prone to the dents metal picks up.
Every barrow here runs on a single air-filled tyre, which rolls more softly over lawn and gravel than a solid wheel, though it wants topping up with a pump now and then. The maximum load is each maker’s own figure for what it will carry, so it’s worth matching to the heaviest job planned, such as wet soil or paving slabs.
What matters
- A width that fits through your side gate.
- A big tyre with a deep tread, for soft or muddy ground.
- A powder-coated or galvanised frame, against rust.
- Soft-grip handles, for a long day’s barrowing.
#1KCT 85L Galvanised Steel Wheelbarrow (GWB204)
£39.99 RRP
A deep 85-litre galvanised steel tub on a powder-coated frame, rated by KCT for 160kg, which covers most garden jobs from barrowing compost to shifting a stack of bricks. It sits between the light 65-litre barrows and the heavy-duty kind.
What owners say: Owners like how well balanced it feels, and say it rolls easily from lawn to path and back.
A closer look: Fit all the bolts loosely first and only tighten them once the tub, legs and wheel line up, which saves fighting with holes that don’t quite meet. At 66cm wide it suits most garden paths, and the deep tub keeps a load of soil or bark from spilling over the sides.
- Powder-coated steel frame
- Deep tub limits spills
- Easy-grip handles
Best for: Shifting soil and bark round the garden
- Capacity
- 85L
- Maximum load
- 160kg
- Tub
- Galvanised steel
- Tyre
- Pneumatic
- Length x width
- 145 x 66cm
#2Gardebruk Heavy Duty Wheelbarrow (100L, plastic tub)
£30–£50
A 100-litre polypropylene tub that won’t rust and is far less prone to denting than steel, rated for 250kg like its galvanised twin, on a big 40cm air-filled tyre with a steel rim and a deep tread for soft ground.
What owners say: Owners rate the room it has for big loads and find it still light enough to steer when it’s full.
Heads up: Check the nuts and bolts after the first few heavy loads and tighten any that have worked loose, so the frame stays rigid.
A closer look: Plastic hoses clean after muck or wet soil and won’t rust if the barrow is left out in the rain. At 67cm it’s the widest here, so measure any side gate before choosing it, and keep the tyre pumped up firm for the heaviest loads.
- Won’t rust, resists dents
- Deep tread for soft ground
- Steel wheel rim
- Hose it clean after muck
Best for: Heavy loads and allotments
- Capacity
- 100L
- Maximum load
- 250kg
- Tub
- Polypropylene
- Tyre
- Pneumatic, 40cm
- Length x width
- 140 x 67cm
#3Gardebruk Heavy Duty Wheelbarrow (100L, galvanised tub)
£50–£75
The steel version of Gardebruk’s 250kg barrow: a 100-litre galvanised tray on the same frame, with a 40cm air-filled tyre on a steel rim and an off-road tread for mud and rough ground. Steel is the tub for bricks, rubble and stone.
What owners say: Owners find it sturdy with plenty of room for big loads, though some say it arrived dented or with a puncture, and that the bolt holes didn’t all line up.
Heads up: Check the tray and tyre when it arrives: a few owners found dents or a flat, which are easier to sort out before it’s built.
A closer look: Build it with the bolts finger-tight until the tray, legs and wheel sit square, then tighten them all, which gets round holes that don’t quite meet. Tip rubble in rather than dropping it from a height, and hose the tray down after cement or wet clay so nothing sets on the galvanising.
- Off-road tread for mud
- Steel wheel rim
Best for: Building jobs on muddy ground
- Capacity
- 100L
- Maximum load
- 250kg
- Tub
- Galvanised steel
- Tyre
- Pneumatic, 40cm
- Length x width
- 140 x 58cm
#4Neo 65L Galvanised Wheelbarrow
£20–£30
A light galvanised barrow for the everyday round of compost, bark, weeds and tools, with soft grips and a 32cm air-filled tyre. At 60cm across, it fits through narrow gates and along paths between beds.
What owners say: Owners find it nimble to push around the garden, and handy for all sorts of jobs because it weighs so little.
A closer look: Neo gives 100kg as its limit, so it’s at its best with leaves, compost, bark and tools; for bricks or wet clay, fill it part-way. Light and narrow, it’s easy to tip and steer around beds on a small plot.
- Fits through narrow gates
- Soft-grip handles
Best for: Small plots and narrow gates
- Capacity
- 65L
- Maximum load
- 100kg
- Tub
- Galvanised steel
- Tyre
- Pneumatic, 32cm
- Length x width
- 130 x 60cm
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 4.
| Feature | #1KCT 85L | #2Gardebruk 100L | #3Gardebruk galvanised 100L | #4Neo 65L |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best plastic tub | Best budget | ||
| Picked Rating | 8.6 | 8.5 | 8.4 | 8.1 |
| Price | £39.99 RRP | £30–£50 | £50–£75 | £20–£30 |
| Capacity | 85L | 100L | 100L | 65L |
| Maximum load | 160kg | 250kg | 250kg | 100kg |
| Tub | Galvanised steel | Polypropylene | Galvanised steel | Galvanised steel |
| Tyre | Pneumatic | Pneumatic, 40cm | Pneumatic, 40cm | Pneumatic, 32cm |
| Length x width | 145 x 66cm | 140 x 67cm | 140 x 58cm | 130 x 60cm |
| Best for | Shifting soil and bark round the garden | Heavy loads and allotments | Building jobs on muddy ground | Small plots and narrow gates |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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