We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn More ›
Like all gardeners and DIY landscapers, I often find it necessary to move heavy items and materials, such as bags of mulch, gravel, young trees, and paving stones. Over the years, I’ve owned a variety of utility carts, wheelbarrows, and hand trucks. All of them have come in handy at times, but to be honest, they take up a good deal of real estate in a too-small garage. I figured I had to have all of them to cover all my hauling-need bases, though.
Then I heard about the WORX Aerocart—an innovative hauling device that literally transforms in order to carry an array of items and materials. It’s a cart. No, it’s a dolly. Wait, now it’s a wheelbarrow. The Aerocart is all those and more, but how well does it really work?
I tested the 8-in-1 Aerocart along with some optional accessories—a wagon kit, a tub organizer, and a firewood hauler. Keep reading to learn both the pros and cons of this multipurpose hauling helper and find out whether it’s a worthwhile investment for the average DIYer.
WORX Aerocart: At a Glance
Rating: 9.25/10
PROS
- Hauls up to 300 pounds
- Multipurpose garden dump cart—converts from cart to dolly to wheelbarrow
- Exceptionally well balanced
- Made from quality materials
CONS
- Assembly and transforming instructions could be better
- Some accessories must be ordered separately
Get the WORX Aerocart at:
What is the WORX Aerocart?
When I first heard about the WORX Aerocart, I was slightly skeptical. It was advertised as an 8-in-1 cart that transforms from a yard cart into multiple other hauling-type tools. In my experience, transforming-type carriers are typically weaker at their moving points such as hinges and swivel supports.
I’m happy to report I was wrong when it comes to the WORX Aerocart—it transformed more efficiently than I expected, and it offered a good deal of hauling assistance. I tested all of its advertised functions—the basic cart comes with a cylinder support for moving large buckets or even a heavy propane tank, a bag holder that holds open the top of a disposable lawn bag for filling with leaves or debris, a harness for moving heavy pots, and a mesh support for moving landscape rocks.
How easy is the WORX Aerocart to assemble?
The WORX Aerocart is not difficult to assemble, but I would have appreciated better instructions. Images are printed on one side of the instruction sheet, and the details are printed on the other side. I found myself repeatedly flipping back and forth between the two.
All items required for assembly—nuts, bolts, and the like—were included, as was a wrench for securing them. That was a big plus. It took me about 20 minutes to assemble the Aerocart (including the extra accessories) and learn how it transformed from one type of hauler to another.
Is the WORX Aerocart easy to use?
Overall, the Aerocart is pretty simple to use, although learning to adjust its optional support legs, which are attached to its wheel base, took some practice. When the support legs are folded down, the wheels lock in position beneath the hauling bin and the Aerocart becomes a two-wheel wheelbarrow.
When the support legs are folded up along the side of the cart, the Aerocart transforms into a dolly—or hand truck—for moving large items in an upright position. In either configuration, the cart is solid and offers substantial support. I found it much easier to balance the Aerocart in wheelbarrow mode than it is to balance a one-wheel wheelbarrow, which tends to topple to the side if it is fully loaded.
The optional wagon kit I tested, which turns the Aerocart into a four-wheeled cart, was a bit more complex to use. Attaching it required moving the wheelbase to the dolly position and removing the two handlebars from the cart. After that, I slipped the front end of the wagon kit into place, inserted the extendable handle, and had a cart I could pull around. A nice bonus with the wagon kit is a seat that fits on the top of the cart for sitting and weeding and a drink carrier for holding a beverage.
How comfortable is the WORX Aerocart to use?
The manufacturer says the Aerocart will make hauling 200 pounds feel like you’re moving just 17 pounds in either dolly or wheelbarrow mode. I had no way of verifying that claim, but it sounds reasonably accurate. I loaded up the cart with heavy cinder bricks, firewood, and other materials, and it was always simple to maneuver.
In wheelbarrow mode, the Aerocart is easy to tip forward and dump, and in dolly mode, it features optional front extension bars that hold items too wide to fit in the bin of the cart itself. One big plus is the padded, nonslip grips on the handles. These handles allowed me to get a firm grasp when lifting the cart in wheelbarrow mode. Even after I’d inadvertently parked the Aerocart in the path of a sprinkler and the handles got soaked, they didn’t get slippery.
Will the WORX Aerocart withstand common hauling tasks?
The ability to handle multiple everyday hauling tasks is where the WORX Aerocart shines.
Previously, I’ve struggled to lift heavy pots and place them on a dolly platform to push them to a different location. While that works, it’s challenging to lift the pots on and off the platform. With the Aerocart, there was no need to do that. One of the basic (included) accessories is a harness that hangs from the ends of the extended support arms and slips over the rim of a large pot. With the harness in place, I could roll the cart (pot and all) until I was ready to put the pot down. No struggle required.
Wheelbarrow mode is just as handy; the only caveat is that the steel bin is slightly on the small side compared to other wheelbarrow bins. Still, by using the extended support arms, I could pile on oversize items, such as long logs and boards, that I couldn’t have hauled on a standard wheelbarrow without them slipping off. The support arms function similar to the forks on a forklift.
The optional firewood carrier I tried out allowed me to load a large number of logs on the cart. The carrier, which is just a broad, tarp-type strap that attaches at the top and the bottom of the cart, kept the logs from rolling out. It allowed me to haul enough logs to make a single trip rather than two trips. However, if someone didn’t have far to go to move the logs, it might not be worth the time it takes to hook up the firewood carrier.
Is the WORX Aerocart worth the cost?
The WORX Aerocart sells for $229 from the manufacturer and for $179.99 on Amazon and at Tractor Supply Co. In my opinion, it’s worth the lower price if you need a single carrier that can perform multiple hauling tasks. It takes up about the same amount of storage space as a traditional dolly when positioned against a garage wall, so it’s a space saver.
However, at $179.99, it’s a bit on the pricey side if you use only one of its functions. It becomes more cost-effective when it replaces a separate dolly and wheelbarrow and if you use its full set of transforming functions.
For me, it’s worth the cost because it takes up less room in the garage, and I don’t have to store multiple haulers. Of the optional accessories I tested, my favorite is the wagon kit conversion because it transforms the Aerocart into a four-wheeled utility cart and offers a seat and a drink carrier. The wagon kit runs $80.99 at Tractor Supply Co., but I feel it’s a good investment. At $54.99, I’d pass on the firewood carrier, but I might shell out the $31.77 for the tub organizer because it served to keep all my garden tools and products upright and organized.
Is the WORX Aerocart right for you?
Whether the Aerocart is right for you will depend on two main factors; first, the type of hauling you typically do. If you move only lightweight materials a short distance, you might find it more cost-effective to buy a wheelbarrow. If, however, you haul a variety of heavy materials and items, such as landscaping materials, heavy propane tanks, bricks, and debris, the Aerocart will be a boon.
The second factor to consider is how much storage space is available. The WORX Aerocart is a space saver. This single carrier will take up no more room than a standard upright dolly, but it replaces the need for a dolly and a wheelbarrow. Plus, with the wagon kit, it also serves as a four-wheel rolling garden cart.
For those like me who can never seem to find enough room to pull my car into the garage because it’s packed with gardening supplies, bikes, and other items, the WORX Aerocart is a well-designed addition to my garden tool repertoire.
Where to Buy the WORX Aerocart
The Best Garden Carts
In addition to testing the WORX Aerocart, I tested and reviewed several of the best garden carts available today. The Aerocart by WORX earned our Runner-Up award, coming in second only to a self-powered cart that moved via battery power.
During testing, each cart was loaded up and used to haul various materials and items. Some carts held heavy loads; other carts held lighter loads. Each cart was scored using a rubric based on how it performed in various areas, including ease of assembly, efficiency, the quality of the materials, and how well it performed when used as directed.
