![The moving dolly is extremely helpful during a house move.](https://www.mymovingreviews.com/move/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/moving-dolly-1.jpg)
Highlights
- The moving dolly is the most crucial equipment to have on moving day. It can help you move boxes, furniture, and appliances with minimal effort and minimum risk of damages and injuries.
- There are three different types of moving dollies – utility dollies, appliance dollies, and furniture dollies – and each of them is best suited for a different purpose and has its own specific advantages.
- In order to achieve maximum safety and efficiency during your move, you need to choose the right type of dolly for your needs and to know how to use it the right way.
Having the right tools for a job makes the job easier – everyone knows that. What not everyone may know, however, is what the right tools for a particular job are – or how to use them.
When it comes to moving, there are many useful pieces of equipment that can make the process faster, safer, and smoother – moving straps, moving dollies, furniture sliders, etc. Each of these specialized tools is extremely helpful, but the dolly is the most essential one to have on moving day.
Moving dollies can help you move anything – from bins and boxes to furniture and appliances – with minimal effort and minimum risk of damages and injuries. When used properly, they can save you time, save your back, and ensure the safety of your items and your property.
You just need to choose the right dolly for the job – and to know how to use it the right way.
How to choose the right dolly for your move
Moving dollies are said to be movers’ best friends. But what is a dolly and what is it used for?
A dolly for moving – also known as a moving cart – is basically a platform on wheels. It makes it possible to move large and heavy items without putting too much strain on the body and reduces the risk of damages and injuries during a move.
Using a dolly allows you to move several boxes at once, move items that weigh hundreds of pounds, move items over obstacles, and even move items up and down stairs. It speeds up the moving process (using a hand truck can cut loading/unloading time by 50%) and makes it safer (using a dolly eliminates the risk of dropping an item during your move and breaking it, causing property damage, or hurting yourself; it also saves you a lot of heavy lifting and, therefore, reduces the risk of injuries from lifting heavy objects).
Quality moving dollies are made of metal (so they can withstand heavy weight) and usually come with a strap (so the load can be easily secured). They may have solid rubber wheels (ideal for moving heavy objects across flat surfaces) or inflatable wheels (excellent for passing over obstacles and moving items up and down stairs).
There are different types of dollies each of which is better suited for a different purpose and has its own specific advantages:
Utility dolly
![Utility dolliea are very versatile and highly efficient.](https://www.mymovingreviews.com/move/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/utility-dolly.jpg)
When thinking of a dolly, the image that first comes to mind is a two-wheel, upright hand truck. There is a good reason why the traditional 2-wheel dolly is the most popular type of dolly – it’s extremely versatile, very easy to use, and highly efficient.
Typically made of aluminum or steel, utility dollies have tall, vertical backs and small horizontal platforms at the bottom where to set the load. The back and the platform form the distinct L shape of the upright utility dolly.
Also called a big wheel dolly, a hand truck usually has two large pneumatic wheels connected to an axle that act as shock absorbers when passing over obstacles (so you can safely move your load over thresholds and other obstructions and even up and down stairs) and a handle at the top (either a semicircular handlebar or two ergonomic handles covered in rubber grips), so you can easily navigate the dolly.
Most models come with durable elastic straps for securing the load to the frame of the dolly.
Generally, utility dollies can handle several hundred pounds of weight – the standard load capacity of a hand truck is about 500-600 lbs. You’re, however, advised to always check the maximum carrying capacity of a dolly before using it, as each model is different – a heavy-duty dolly can withstand up to 700 lbs., while a folding dolly can only handle up to 400 lbs.
Key takeaway: The utility dolly is an all-purpose dolly, widely considered the best dolly for moving. It is ideal for moving boxes, small furniture, and all kinds of small to medium sized household items – it allows you to stack and move several boxes at once, move lightweight furniture pieces like filing cabinets and small dressers, take items up or down stairs, and easily maneuver your load in tight spaces and around sharp corners. A hand truck, however, should not be used for moving large and heavy items like refrigerators and wardrobes.
Appliance dolly
Appliance dollies are very similar in appearance and structure to utility dollies, but they’re taller wider, and stronger.
Specifically designed for moving big, heavy appliances, such as refrigerators, washers, and dryers, appliance dollies are made of steel and can withstand great weights (the average load capacity of an appliance dolly is about 700 lbs., but some heavy duty models can handle up to 1,000 pounds).
Appliance dollies typically have small solid wheels (to roll more easily) and strong nylon ratchet straps (to secure the load in place). Some models even feature a locking auto-recoil mechanism or a special tightening handle for increased safety.
Most appliance dollies have dual continuous-flow handles for extra security and control and some even come with an additional handhold to help with steadying the load and moving on an incline.
Quality appliance dollies have rub rails, as well – to protect the finish of the transported appliance.
Key takeaway: The sturdy appliance dolly is your best choice when moving kitchen appliances and other bulky items. When considering the appliance dolly vs utility dolly dilemma, keep in mind that an appliance dolly has all the advantages of a regular hand truck plus a couple of added bonuses (bigger load capacity and better security), but it is more expensive and not as convenient as a utility dolly.
Furniture dolly
![The furniture moving dolly is your best option when moving large furniture.](https://www.mymovingreviews.com/move/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/furniture-dolly.jpg)
The furniture dolly is a flat dolly with a rectangular platform made of wood or steel and swivel wheels at each corner. The platform area is usually covered in carpet or rubber for added protection (the thick rubber or carpet padding cushions the transported furniture piece and prevents scuffing and other surface damage).
Unlike other dollies, a furniture moving dolly doesn’t have handles or built-in straps. Still, it is very easy to navigate (the 4-wheel dolly has a tight turning radius and the solid rubber wheels swivel 360 degrees, making the furniture dolly perfect for maneuvering large pieces in tight spaces) and can move just about anything (items of all sizes and shapes can fit on the flat dolly as the load is not confined in any way).
Furniture dollies can handle up to a thousand pounds, allowing you to easily move large and heavy furniture pieces or other bulky items. Keep in mind though that there is no lever or lifting mechanism, so it is not very easy to load a heavy object onto the dolly. Besides, a furniture dolly cannot be used on stairs.
Key takeaway: The heavy-duty, four-wheel furniture dolly is perfect for moving dressers, couches, desks, wall units, pianos and other big and heavy household items. Just remember that it cannot help you move items up or down stairs.
Dolly cart
A hand cart dolly is a combination of a furniture dolly and a hand truck – it has a large platform and four swivel wheels (like a furniture dolly), and a strong upright handle (like a utility dolly).
The large, sturdy platform withstands extreme weight and allows for better stability, the swivel wheels ensure great maneuverability, and the handle facilitates navigation and steering (it increases the control you have over the load and reduces the risk of bumping into walls and other obstacles while taking your items in or out of the home).
Despite their numerous advantages, however, dolly carts are not suitable for moving very long or very wide items that need to be balanced across the center of the dolly platform (such as couches, for example). And just like standard furniture dollies, 4-wheel cart dollies are difficult to load and cannot be used on stairs.
Key takeaway: The push cart dolly is ideal for moving extremely heavy items on flat surfaces, as well as for moving several heavy boxes at once. It can help streamline your work and save you a lot of time and effort on moving day.
Dolly prices
When choosing a dolly for your move, in addition to the specifics of different types of dollies, you will, no doubt, want to know the dolly cost as well. So, how much is a dolly?
Dolly prices are not very high – you can easily afford to buy a dolly and if you only need to rent one for the day of your move, you can get it really cheap:
![You may need two - or three - different kinds of dollies for your move.](https://www.mymovingreviews.com/move/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/moving-alternative-1.jpg)
- Furniture dollies are the cheapest of all moving dollies – You can purchase a simple flat dolly for as little as $20. Higher quality furniture moving dollies cost around $40 and heavy-duty models can go up to $60. When it comes to renting a dolly, rental truck companies and department stores typically offer furniture dollies for rent for about $7-$10 (up to $20 for high quality models);
- Hand trucks are fairly inexpensive as well – depending on their quality and load capacity, they can cost anywhere between $40 and $80. Utility dolly rental costs are around the $10 mark (up to $20 for heavy duty models);
- Dolly cart prices start at around $50 and go up to $90-$100, based on the quality of the push cart and the weight it can hold. You can rent a hand cart dolly for about $12-$15 a day (up to $20 for high end models);
- Appliance dollies are a bit pricier – depending on the exact model, they can cost up to $200 (the cheapest models start at $70). If you don’t want to buy an appliance dolly but just to rent one for the day of your move, you can expect to pay about $15-$20 (up to $25).
Choosing a moving dolly
Dollies come in different shapes and sizes – you can get a 2-wheel dolly or a 4-wheel dolly, a flat dolly or an upright dolly, a collapsible dolly or a convertible hand cart, a small dolly or a large dolly, etc. Now that you know the specifics, advantages, disadvantages, and costs of each type, you can easily choose the right one for you.
Consider the items you have for moving (small furniture, large furniture, appliances, specialty items, or just boxes) and the peculiarities of your origin and destination locations (stairs, tight spaces, etc.) and pick the dolly that best suits your needs – get a flat dolly if you need a dolly for moving heavy furniture, a hand truck if you need to take your items up or down stairs, an appliance dolly if you’re moving your kitchen appliances, etc. If necessary, get two (or even three) different types of dollies – what matters is to make your move as easy and safe as possible.
To do so, however, you need to not only choose the right dolly for the job, but also to know how to use it the right way.
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