Every electric wheelbarrow and power cart gets a score from 0 to 100% built from five factors, which maps onto the 5-point rating shown on the site (a 0% score would be 1.5 stars; a perfect score, 5). Each factor is scored against fixed reference points, not against the other products in the list, so adding a new model never moves another model’s rating. Products are grouped by build, wheelbarrow, dump cart and tracked, and capacity and power are scored on scales set for each build.
| Factor | Measures | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Value | price per pound of load capacity | 30% |
| Capacity | rated load | 15% |
| Power | motor or engine power | 15% |
| Features | powered dump, reverse and flat-free tires | 15% |
| Warranty | warranty length | 25% |
Where the numbers come from
Load capacity, bed volume, motor or engine power, battery, speed, features, weight and warranty come from the maker’s product page, spec sheet or manual, or the maker’s own listing copy where that is all that’s published. Prices are checked at Amazon and the maker’s own store, and the lowest is used.
The factors
Value is the current price divided by the rated load capacity, on a log scale, so halving the price per pound always counts the same. $6 per lb scores zero and $1 per lb full marks.
Capacity is the maker’s rated load on flat ground. For a wheelbarrow, 200 lb scores zero and 500 lb full marks; for a dump cart, 300 lb scores zero and 1,000 lb full marks; for a tracked barrow, 500 lb scores zero and 1,500 lb full marks. Lower ratings for slopes are listed on the product page but not scored.
Power is the rated motor power, on a log scale. For a gas engine it’s the rated horsepower times 746 W. For a wheelbarrow or dump cart, 180 W scores zero and 1,000 W full marks; for a tracked barrow, 800 W scores zero and 5,000 W full marks.
Features is 40% for a powered dump, where the bed tips by motor or hydraulics, 30% for reverse and 30% for flat-free tires, solid or foam filled; tracked machines count as flat free. A feature the maker doesn’t mention counts as missing; only when none of the three is published does the factor get the neutral score.
Warranty is the maker’s warranty: 1 year scores zero and 3 years full marks.
What isn’t scored
Bed volume, battery capacity and voltage, engine size, top speed, rated incline and weight are listed but not scored.
Missing data
If a figure isn’t published, that factor gets the neutral middle score (50) and the product page marks it as estimated. The exception is warranty: a maker that doesn’t publish one gets no warranty counted, so that factor scores zero, the same as the shortest warranty on the scale, and is marked estimated.
Ties and discontinued models
Products are ranked by score within each group. Discontinued models stay listed but rank below every current model and can be hidden with the “Hide discontinued” filter.