There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to deciding on a pallet jack. There is a multitude of options available, and it’s essential to understand the application and the best solutions to fit your company’s long-term needs and incur cost savings over time, not just go with the lowest sticker price. It’s important to identify and understand how the business operates and what you really need in terms of keeping your employees safe and happy and your operations up and running.

What Are the Considerations When Choosing Pallet Jacks?

When a customer requests a quote, it’s vital that we work with you to understand the application and if you require light-duty, medium-duty, or heavy-duty pallet jacks. Those three options also determine what you will need for power (batteries).

Other application factors include:

• Environment: The type of environment, from clean and dry to salty and wet to a freezer where the pallet jack will have heavier wear and tear.
• Runtime: We also look at average runtime to determine the right solution. Our goal is to provide less downtime and gain efficiency while giving you the most value in the long run.
• Maintenance: How will you be maintaining them? How frequently are you plugging the jack in to the charger?
• Floor conditions: If the floors are not in good shape, there will be much more wear and tear.

Once the application is determined, a recommendation can be made on the type of pallet jack:

• Light – low hours, light usage
• Medium – regular use throughout the day
• Heavy – multiple shifts, a freezer or corrosive environment, longer hours – heavily dependent on using the jack throughout the day

Pricing Pallet Jacks

Pallet jack price is determined based on the power, the type of battery, and any additional options provided by the factory, like access control or application specific.

Five Different Batteries to Choose from Based on the Application and Environment:

• 8210 Options

  • Wet Cell: This has the lowest upfront cost, requires watering/maintenance, has a six-month warranty, and has the shortest life cycle; it is meant for light duty.
  • Maintenance-free, sealed battery pack: Does not require watering; 12-month warranty; the next step up from the first option.
  • Nexsys Thin Plate Pure Lead: No watering, no maintenance, opportunity charge – so you need to plug it in throughout the day, and a 2+1 year warranty; meant for medium applications.
  • Industrial Lead Acid: Heavy duty for longer shifts, requires watering and the purchase of a separate charger i.e., does not have an onboard charger.

• 8250 Option

  • Lithium-ion Battery: Fully designed for heavy-duty, multiple shift applications, zero maintenance, on-board charger, access control, extra safety features. It has a 5-year warranty and longest life cycle of any battery provided on the market.

The Cost/Benefit Analysis when Selecting a Pallet Jack

Many customers make the mistake of buying more than they need because they are running into issues on busy days with their battery life, or their maintenance department is spending too much time trying to repair them, leading to significant downtime, a lot of man-hours, and wasted money. You can buy fewer pallet jacks and they can last twice as long if you spend more money upfront. This helps eliminate the need for the maintenance department to work on the jacks day in and day out, freeing them up for other pressing needs around the building.

We’ll Help You Hit the Pallet Jack “Jackpot”

Our team provides comprehensive and thought-out solutions for your pallet jack needs. We help you save money in the end and reduce aggravation. The more easily you can move pallets, the more efficiently you can shift products. The above application considerations will help you identify where to start. Then, our team is can help you select the right pallet jack for your organization. It’s like hitting the “jackpot”. If you have questions, please contact us today.