What Is a Picking Trolley? Types and Warehouse Uses
A picking trolley is a wheeled trolley that warehouse staff push around the aisles to collect items for customer orders. It carries the picked goods from the shelves to packing or dispatch, so pickers make fewer trips and handle stock less.
This guide explains the main types of picking trolley, how they are used in warehouses, and what to check before you buy one.
What Is a Picking Trolley?
An order picking trolley is a manual handling aid built for one job: moving a picker and their collected items through a warehouse quickly and safely. Most have a flat deck or several shelves, a push handle and four castors, usually two swivel and two fixed, with brakes on some models.
Picking trolleys sit between a hand basket and a forklift. They carry far more than a person can, but they are light enough to push by hand and narrow enough for picking aisles.
Types of Picking Trolley
| Type | What it looks like | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Platform (flatbed) picking trolley | A single flat deck with a push handle, often folding | Boxes, cartons and bulky single items |
| Multi-shelf picking trolley | Two or three shelves on one frame | Picking several orders at once (batch picking) |
| Tote picking trolley | Shelves or frames that hold plastic totes or crates | Small items sorted into one tote per order |
| Ladder picking trolley | A trolley with built-in steps | Reaching higher shelves safely |
| Roll cage | A wheeled mesh cage, also called a cage trolley | Large picks that go straight onto delivery vehicles |
Roll cages are often used as picking trolleys in retail distribution, because picked stock can go straight from the aisle onto the lorry. Read our guide to cage trolleys for the main types.
Picking Trolley Specifications: What to Check
The right picking trolley depends on what you pick and where. Our new picking trolley is a folding platform model:
| Spec | Picking Trolley (new) |
|---|---|
| Load capacity | 250kg |
| Deck length x width | 900 x 590mm |
| Height (handle up) | 870mm |
| Height (handle folded) | 278mm |
| Weight | 15.5kg |
Load capacity. Choose a trolley rated above the heaviest order you pick, not the average one.
Deck size. Match the deck to your typical cartons or totes, and check it fits your narrowest aisle.
Castors. Swivel castors make tight turns easier; fixed castors keep the trolley tracking straight. Braked castors stop it rolling away while loading. Worn castors make any trolley hard to push, so keep spares such as our red/grey swivel braked castors.
Folding. A folding handle lets trolleys stack flat when not in use. The trolley above folds down to 278mm.
Handle height. A handle at roughly waist height reduces strain over a long shift.
How Picking Trolleys Are Used in a Warehouse
Single order picking. One picker collects one order at a time. A platform picking trolley is usually enough.
Batch picking. One picker collects several orders in one walk, sorting each into its own shelf or tote. Multi-shelf and tote trolleys work best here.
Zone picking. Each picker covers one zone and passes the trolley or totes on to the next zone, then to packing.
Replenishment. The same trolleys move stock from the goods-in area back to pick faces.
For moving stacked crates and totes rather than picking, a double tote box dolly is often quicker. For larger loads, see our guide to cages on wheels.
Benefits of Using Picking Trolleys
- Fewer trips. Pickers carry more per walk, so orders are picked faster.
- Less manual handling. Goods are pushed, not carried, which reduces strain and injury risk.
- Fewer picking errors. Shelves and totes keep each order separate.
- Flexibility. Trolleys move wherever they are needed, without fixed equipment or trained drivers.
Picking Trolley vs Roll Cage
| Picking trolley | Roll cage | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Picking and moving orders inside the warehouse | Picking and moving stock onto vehicles and into stores |
| Sides | Open deck or shelves | Mesh sides that keep loads contained |
| Weight | Light, easy to push | Heavier, stronger |
| Storage | Folds flat (folding models) | Nests (A-frame models) |
Many warehouses use both: picking trolleys for small, fast picks and roll cages for larger orders bound for stores.
FAQ
Which type of picking trolley is best for a warehouse?
It depends on how you pick. A platform trolley suits single orders and bulky cartons, a multi-shelf or tote trolley suits batch picking of small items, and a roll cage suits large orders that go straight onto delivery vehicles.
What is the difference between a picking trolley and an order picking trolley?
There is no real difference. “Order picking trolley” is simply a fuller name for the same equipment.
How much weight can a picking trolley carry?
It depends on the model. Our new folding picking trolley carries up to 250kg.
Do picking trolleys fold?
Many platform models do. Our picking trolley folds down to 278mm high for storage.
What castors should a picking trolley have?
Most use two swivel and two fixed castors. Braked castors stop the trolley moving while you load it.
Can I use a roll cage as a picking trolley?
Yes. Roll cages are widely used for picking in retail distribution, especially when picked stock goes straight onto delivery vehicles.
Find the Right Picking Trolley
Distribution Maintenance supplies new picking trolleys, roll cages and handling equipment, and repairs trolleys and cages across the UK from our depots in Harlow and Grantham.
Browse our new trolleys, request a quote or contact our team today.
