How to choose the right forklift

Start with the load weight. Weigh your heaviest regular pallet, not your average one, and choose a capacity with some margin above it. A forklift loses lift height and stability as the load gets heavier, so undersizing causes problems you will not see until the unit is under real load.

Next, measure your lift height. If you are stacking racking above about 6 metres in a narrow aisle, a reach truck usually outperforms a counterbalance forklift. Our guide on forklift vs reach truck covers that choice in more detail.

Check your aisle width and turning space. A standard counterbalance forklift needs roughly 3.5 to 4 metres to turn with a pallet loaded. If your aisles are narrower than that, you need either a smaller-mast unit or a reach truck.

Decide on power. Electric suits indoor, flat-floor work with lower running costs. Diesel suits outdoor work, rough ground and continuous multi-shift use, while gasoline and LPG engines are a cleaner-running alternative when a combustion unit needs to work indoors or in a partly enclosed space. See our guide on electric vs diesel forklift for the full comparison.

Message us your load, lift height, aisle width and terrain on Viber, and we will recommend a unit and quote it.