Pump truck, pallet truck or pallet jack: which one to buy for your warehouse

What is a pump truck, and is it the same as a pallet truck or pallet jack?

A pump truck is a hand pallet truck, and so is a pallet jack. All three names describe the same piece of kit: a steel frame with two forks, a hydraulic pump worked by the handle, and rollers that let one person lift a loaded pallet clear of the floor and pull it across the warehouse. Drivers and cash and carry staff say pump truck, warehouse buyers say pallet truck, and anyone used to warehouse management software says pallet jack.

The search data backs this up. Over the last 12 months, UK Google searches for pallet truck scored 78 on Google Trends, pump truck 42 and pallet jack 9. Whichever term you use, the hand pallet truck range is the same, and what matters is capacity, fork size, wheel material and finish.

Which capacity do you need: 2 t, 2.5 t, 3 t or 5 t?

Capacity is the maximum load on the forks, spread evenly along them. Most trucks sold in the UK are 2 t, 2.5 t or 3 t, with 5 t for the heavy trades.

• 2 t: cash and carry aisles, grocery, drinks in cases and mixed wholesale pallets, most of which sit well inside a 2 t rating.
• 2.5 t: the common all-rounder. Same size truck, slightly heavier pump and frame, and the margin covers the odd heavy pallet of flour, sugar, oil or paper.
• 3 t: dense loads such as tiles, paving, steel or full drums, and any truck that works all day, because it runs inside its rating and lasts longer.
• 5 t: metal stockholders, machinery movers and stone yards. Expect a heavier truck with bigger rollers.

Our standard 2 t to 3 t manual hand pallet truck is from £68 ex VAT and the 5 t HPT-50 is from £210 ex VAT. A 5 t truck is heavier to push when empty, so do not over-specify for light goods.

Pump truck capacities and guide prices compared

Guide prices are ex VAT, converted from the factory list at a buffered exchange rate. Your written quote confirms price, freight, duty, VAT, minimum order and lead time.

All four are made to order at our partner factories and inspected before dispatch, with photos and video sent to you.

Fork length: 1150 mm standard, short or long?

1150 mm is the standard fork length and the right choice for most sites. It runs the full depth of a 1200 mm pallet without poking out of the far side into the next pallet or a passer-by.

Short forks, around 1070 mm, are for tight spaces: the back of a van, a goods lift, narrow shop aisles or half pallets. Long forks, 1220 mm, are for oversize pallets, stillages and long crates where 1150 mm forks would lift only the front of the load.

Fork width matters too. Trucks come in a narrow and a wide overall fork width, so measure the gap between the bearers on your pallets and put that figure on your order request. For low-entry or display pallets, ask for a low-height version.

PU or nylon wheels: which is right for your floor?

A pump truck has two steering wheels under the handle and load rollers under the fork tips. Their material decides how the truck feels to use and what it does to your floor.

• Polyurethane (PU): quieter, grips smooth concrete and painted floors, and does not mark tiles or vinyl. It is the default where customers or staff are close by. PU wears faster on rough or gritty surfaces.
• Nylon: harder, so it rolls with less effort under a heavy load and shrugs off wet floors, brine, cold stores and yard grit. It is louder and can mark a soft floor. Pick nylon for 3 t and 5 t trucks, outdoor loading and freezer rooms.

Look at the rollers as well. Tandem rollers, two per fork, spread the load, enter a damaged pallet more easily and cross dock plates and tail lift edges without jarring. On a delivery vehicle, tandem nylon rollers are the sensible spec.

Galvanised, stainless steel or weighing scale: when a special version pays for itself

Galvanised. A galvanised frame and forks resist rust in wet or salty conditions: outdoor yards, fish and meat markets, cold stores and anywhere the floor is hosed down. The galvanised HPT-30 is from £68 ex VAT, the same guide price as the painted truck, so if the truck ever goes outside it is the obvious choice.

Stainless steel. 304 grade stainless trucks go a step further for food production, dairies, pharmaceuticals and clean rooms, where the truck is washed with chemicals and painted steel would flake. They cost more than galvanised, so specify them only where needed.

Weighing scale. A scale pallet truck has load cells in the forks and a display on the chassis, so you weigh a pallet as you lift it: check deliveries, portion bulk stock, keep a vehicle inside its payload. Our 2.5 t to 3 t manual pallet truck with scale is from £151 ex VAT. Say whether you need check-weighing only or a scale approved for selling by weight, so your quote names the right one.

What to check before you buy a pump truck for a cash and carry or delivery vehicle

Run through this list before you send an order request.

1. Heaviest pallet, not the average. Rate the truck for the worst case, then add a margin.
2. Pallet sizes. Measure fork length against pallet depth and fork width against the bearer gap. Mixed pallets usually mean 1150 mm forks.
3. Floor and noise. Polished, painted or tiled floor with people nearby: PU. Wet, cold or rough: nylon.
4. Vehicle use. If the truck lives on a lorry or van, choose short forks, tandem nylon rollers and a hand brake, and count its own weight in the tail lift and payload limits.
5. Finish. Painted for dry indoor work, galvanised for wet or outdoor, stainless for food and pharma.
6. Quantity and paperwork. Most trucks are quoted from one unit; some come in packs, so see the minimum order page. Keep the inspection photos and video we send before dispatch with your warranty and returns paperwork.

In use, a pump truck is work equipment under PUWER 1998: suitable for the job, kept in good repair and inspected where wear could lead to danger. HSE's LOLER guidance explains when lifting equipment needs a thorough examination; confirm which applies with your competent person. Then email the team your pallet sizes and floor type and we will confirm the spec in a written quote.