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The best shopping trolley for elderly people: what to look for
Stable, light and easy to pull: the features that matter in a shopping trolley for an older person, and the trolleys that have them.
The best shopping trolley for an elderly person is light when empty, stable when full, has large wheels that roll over kerbs, and a handle at the right height so there is no stooping. For most older people that means a four wheel trolley that is pushed, or a two wheel trolley with 20 cm wheels and a removable bag. Here is what matters and why, and the trolleys of ours that have it.
What to look for
1. Weight you can lift
The trolley gets lifted onto the bus, up the step at the front door and over the threshold. An empty trolley should weigh 2 kg to 5 kg. Aluminium frames are lightest; iron frames are stronger but heavier. If the trolley will only ever be pushed on the pavement, the frame weight matters less than the next three things.
2. Push, not pull
A two wheel trolley tilts back and hangs off the hand, so every kerb and every stop is taken by the wrist and shoulder. A four wheel trolley stands up on its own and is pushed with both hands, like a pram, and the frame carries the weight. For anyone with arthritis in the hands, a bad back or a replaced hip, four wheels are kinder. The Ezzyrol 50L cooler trolley has two large rear wheels and two swivelling front wheels, so it turns in a shop aisle, and a handle that adjusts from 64 cm to 94 cm.
3. Wheel size
Small wheels stop dead at a kerb and the trolley tips. Wheels of 20 cm or more roll up and over. Our 50L two wheel trolley has 21 cm wheels and a foam grip handle, and the Masman 50L has 20.5 cm wheels on an aluminium frame.
4. Handle height
The handle should sit at wrist height when standing straight, roughly 85 cm to 95 cm for most adults. Fixed handles on cheap trolleys are often lower. An adjustable handle solves it for a taller person, and the foam grips on our aluminium trolleys are easier to hold than bare plastic.
5. A bag that comes off
The last few metres indoors are the hard part. A bag that unclips from the frame can be carried in by someone else, or emptied on the frame at the door. Many of our trolleys have detachable bags, and the 74 litre trolley's bag has its own carry strap.
6. Not too big
A trolley is only useful if it can be moved when full. For one person's weekly shop, 45 to 50 litres is enough. Going up to 74 or 75 litres makes sense only for two people, or for a trolley that is never lifted.
A trolley is not a walking aid
A shopping trolley is for carrying shopping, not for leaning on. Four wheel trolleys feel steady, but they have no brakes and will roll away on a slope. Anyone who needs support when walking should use a walking frame or a rollator and pull a light two wheel trolley with the other hand, or push the trolley with the shopping while a companion walks alongside. An occupational therapist can advise on what is safe for a particular person.
Our suggestions
- Light and simple: Ezzyrol 45L heavy duty, aluminium frame, takes 25 kg, click-on wheels.
- Pushed, with a cool bag: Ezzyrol 50L four wheel cooler, adjustable handle, swivel front wheels.
- Big wheels for kerbs: Ezzyrol 50L two wheel with 21 cm wheels and an insulated front pocket.
- Steps at home: a six wheel stair climbing trolley.
Questions people ask
What is the best shopping trolley for elderly people?
A four wheel trolley that is pushed, with large wheels and an adjustable handle, for anyone with a bad back or sore hands; or a light two wheel trolley with 20 cm wheels and a removable bag for someone who takes the bus.
Are four wheel shopping trolleys safe for the elderly?
Yes for carrying shopping. They are not walking aids: they have no brakes and should not be leaned on. Use a rollator or frame for support and the trolley for the load.
How heavy is a shopping trolley?
Empty, 2 kg to 5 kg depending on the frame. Full of a weekly shop, 15 kg to 25 kg, which is why pushing beats carrying.
Can you get a shopping trolley on the NHS?
Not usually. Shopping trolleys are not prescribed equipment, but an occupational therapist can advise on a safe type, and they cost from under £20.
Which shopping trolley is easiest to pull?
One with large wheels, 20 cm or more, on a light aluminium frame with a foam grip handle. Small wheels and a heavy frame make every kerb a lift.