Shopping Trolley Choices

[laura_seabrook]

I had to go out today to return some library books (and pick one up) so I decided to do a bit of shopping, and also to shop around for "granny trolleys". I'm sure there's a better name for these things - they have a rigid frame with a handle at top, and wheels at the bottom, with a big shopping bag attached.

Trolley Tests

I already have too, but I left one at QC (I used it to carry Querelle in) and the other one is in the shed being used as a container for something or other (it's not that practicable as it has a plywood base and the bag is only the sides attached by grommets - stuff falls out the bottom all the time). Anyway, I thought I'd see what was in the shops at Glendale Stocklands. I came up with three:

• a cheap $15 one from Woollies that has the bag attached by Velcro;
• a cheap one at K-Mart ($25) that like the one I left at QC, doesn't have a rigid frame (so it can fold up) and has thermo insulation; and
• a more expensive one at K-Mart ($50) which has a rigid frame, thermo insulation, extra pockets, "triple" wheels, and maybe 25% more volume than the one at Woollies.

After a but of consideration I bought the cheapest from Woollies.

I considered getting the cheap one from K-Mart, but the flaw in the design (apart from having the handle straps too short) is that the wheel/stand part of it folds underneath you when you least expect it! The $50 looked impressive, but I could have bought three of the Woollies ones for the same price (although I wouldn't have a third arm and hand to carry the last one).

The triple wheel configuration, while good on steps, didn't look so good to use in 500 metres of street, where only 10 metres has a side walk (it killed the wheels on my suitcase last Saturday)! When I did a bit of shopping at Glendale while coming home from QC, it was a real pain to carry two many bags and a suitcase. The one I bought (apart from falling off the frame on the bus) navigated the street easily, and I know I can get replacement wheels from Bunnings.

Also, K-Mart are just plain expensive, and as I plan to go to the university later this week, I'll check out Big-W for this sort of thing too.

I envisage that I'll need two of these things, and then do smaller amounts of shopping more often. If I still have $2.50 bus tickets, it'll all be part of the trip. I already do this to an extent, doing a "pet food run" and a "me food run". It's all a matter of planning.

Gasp - I'm starting to feel older and older. I always associated these things with old age pensioners. Still, if it works, I should do it.