I want one of these, but they're a pain to get on the bus when loaded and they're in the way of everyone else who needs to get by you. Plus, they don't fit in my purse.

#6 is the worst.

I see them sometimes at St. Lawrence Market in Toronto where the stalls are too small for its really really wide wheel-base. It looks sleek, but it's so wide in reality.

And, I've never seen anyone hang re-usable bags from them. Only plastic ones. Ugh..

I have a standard wire one, but I live within walking distance to the grocery store and the beer store. For the beer store it's invaluable (for getting a case or returning bottles).

I love my granny cart! I have a cheapo $20 one from Canadian Tire and it works great. But I only use it when I am walking to the grocery store because it is too hard to get on transit when full.

I use reusable grocery bags and tie the tops and pile them in to make sure nothing falls out. works great!

If the wheels are big enough, these are lovely for flea marketing, too.

I had a #5, which broke down within 6 months. It failed catastrophically on the way back from the laundromat, which was very unpleasant. #2 seems to be much more heavy-duty, and if I still needed a granny cart that's the one I'd get. The casters make turning in tight spaces much easier than with a fixed wheel cart.

Ikea has a really cheap one--it's like $19.99 (but has polka dots... which means that my husband will never use it). There are also really cheap ones over on Amazon, like this red one: http://tinyurl.com/d6vm8vo.

I really like using these when I'm on foot, but I tend to bike more frequently, and then load up my bike like a packhorse with a basket on the front, a basket on the back, and my backpack to carry the rest!

We've had #1 for like 4 years and it's still going strong! Love it.

Your links for #1 and #2 go to the same item: #1.

I use mine in the grocery store too. That way I don't have a huge cart clogging the aisle, and I never have to worry about buying too much food that won't fit. I don't understand people who put them folded up into a store shopping cart.

Thanks GreenKey - links have been fixed.

My mom and I bought our Thanksgiving turkey on foot and pushed it home in my shopping cart. The poor woman will never have grandkids by me, so we joked that the turkey was the baby in my stroller.

I bought at the Container Store a Playmarket cart similar to the one in this BB&B link, and it really does have a stroller feel to it. Ridiculously expensive at $100+, I did a lot of research and tried out different brands in stores and this one seemed the sturdiest and very well made. I figured I'd rather invest in something good than pay $35 for one that is only going to last 6 months. I take it the farmers market and all around the neighborhood on errands. Very well made, holds a ton.

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?sku=18822121&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=CMDwwPWgibYCFYtxOgodAwUAwg

I was just looking to purchase one of these for laundry. Great timing. :) As for people putting them in their shopping carts, the grocery shops around here have notices asking you to please use the store carts instead of your own baskets/bags/carts. Likely due to shoplifting especially when you have one of those liners in.

I bought #2 specifically for the smart wheels on the front. Unfortunately it has a design flaw where the front wheels will often get stuck while turning causing the cart to get jammed. I broke the wheels on my first one and brought it back to BBB. They replaced it but told me they get a lot of them back for that reason. My boyfriend bent the handle on the second one when the wheels jammed and it stopped short on him. It's fine if you are careful and move slowly but if you want to move at a normal brisk pace, you risk falling ass over teakettle when the wheels jam!

I was considering getting one of these when my boyfriend pointed out that someone has stashed Target carts in the parking deck to use to take groceries up. I'll probably still just get a cart. I think it's weird to use the Target carts but if they're as easy to break as everyone says...

Just fyi...if you do bring a "granny cart" to the grocery store, most large grocery store baskets can handle holding your cart, upside down (wheels up) in between the push handle bar and the small child basket. Makes shopping super easy! Unrelated, but you can also ball your winter coat up inside the small child's basket in a grocery cart and use the sleeve to nestle a cup of coffee. Keeps it warm and it shouldn't topple over as you shop. I have this all down to a science :)

@citymommy - you can usually ask the customer service desk at a large grocery store to keep your granny cart for you while you shop.

We inherited one from our old neighbours. It's the most rickety thing but it DOES get the beer empties back to the Beer Store. Just has to THUDclink-THUDclink-THUDclink down our front steps first.

Also- many grocery stores in NYC have little hooks on the front to attach your "granny cart" when needed. These things are great for laundry and shopping for Thanksgiving!

I don't drive and the nearest chain grocery store is a 20 minute walk from my apartment, all the in town shops can supply most of what I need, but not in one stop so I wanted to get a cart to ease schlepping.
My mother convinced me to buy #1, the transit when I was more interested in something like #2.
The transit cart is awkward and has to be pushed in front of you like a stroller. If like me your main need is to transport your purchases then the transit is a huge pain to get on and off of a bus and feels very bulky and attention grabby. I've been much more comfortable with something smaller that I can pull behind me and lift easier. I feel way less conspicuous and dorky being the only 20 something in a college town dragging their groceries home.

Have had #1 versacart for years, and no joke, can't walk a block with it without somebody asking where I got it - and that's in blue - that new red version looks cool, but it might be difficult to get your errands done with the attention it might draw!
The best part about it is the way that it folds up like an umbrella - much easier to store then the old metal type! And the cover comes in quite handy when you don't want people peering at your stuff of when it starts to rain or snow.

My cart is a piece of junk... I'm thinking about "finding" a miniature supermarket cart instead! Like one of those smallish WF ones.

In Europe, people don't like to show their groceries. So they have often-decoratively covered "caddies." The Cadillac of caddies is the Rolser. I have a cheaper model, with chic stripes a la Little Marcel, but I have seen quaint wicker, leopard print, red patent pleather, gigantic ruffles in a shade to match the lady's trench coat, not to mention all manner of clever puns/smart-alec comments written in various calligraphy styles.....here are some I found when I googled: http://www.teva.fr/mon-shopping/caddie-sac-course/

I have one like #6 that I used when I lived in DC where I could walk to the grocery store. The problem I had with it was that reusable bags with longer handles hung down too low and drug on the sidewalk. It's amazing how fast this makes a hole in the bottom of the bag - I only got halfway home on the first trip. After that I tied the handles of the bags to shorten them so they wouldn't drag.

I use one similar to #5 for laundry - heavy loads - and have never had a problem, even going a few blocks down a rough, construction-zone sidewalk. I recommend it!

I had a granny cart for laundry and some grocery shopping, and the wheels were terrible on city streets: small, poor plastic, rickety. For my birthday I got a Rolser shopping trolley (via Amazon) and it is built as well as a high end stroller. The above models will end up in the trash while the Rolser might end up a family heirloom...

I put a piece of cardboard own on the wire bottom to avoid things falling through or dragging. I've used a stroller to haul a giant watermelon. That was good because the heaviness was further up and easier to push.

The wire one folds down nicely for bus travel when empty. When full I walk and push it back. People give you the stink eye on buses, also hard to get on and off the tall step.

I've seen people using rolling suitcases for groceries too, similar concept to the caddy type ones.

I am living in Singapore and have the blue/ white polkadot Ikea cart. I regularly haul it backwards and forwards to the market in the sweaty tropical heat, it does the job admirably, and I get many 'trolley envy' glances.....

"In Europe, people don't like to show their groceries."

Not at all. Europe is many different countries with very different cultures.

I have an inexpensive one from Trader Joe's that I take to the Farmers' Market with me :)

My granny cart (similar to #2) was a lifesaver when I lived in downtown DC and didn't have a car for a few years. The nearest grocery store was half a mile away.

Don't be deterred by the strange looks on the bus/street. Those people are just jealous that you are hauling lots of heavy food home from the store with ease.

JamieO2, I'm jealous. About 6 months ago, we had those red TJ's ones in our local store for about a week and I made the mistake of dithering about buying one. Then they sold out and, like other items from TJs, never showed up again. I'm still holding out hope...

I have #5. I took it out once, and had to repair it immediately. The wheels are not going to stay, and I was lucky to get my groceries home.

We had something very similar to #1
http://www.naritatrading.com/products/product.asp?m=015
It holds a great deal but that means that purcxhases are almost at ground level unless you have done a Thanksgiving-scale shop in which case they are stacked on top of each other. We used it primarily at a farmers market and found it awkward to detach the canvas container from the frame and hoist it into the car trunk. It seems well made and it would be excellent for someone who needs to carry wash to a laundromat or central apt. bldg. laundry room.

When a supermarket was built downtown last year they promoted the Hook and Go #6. We bought one of those and have used it regularly to haul things three blocks. It folds up very compactly for storage, for carrying to the store, andcan easily go in the supermarkets own cart if you prefer not to shop into it. The supermarket sold it with their own reusable grocery bags although we prefer our own more washable ones. The bags being up higher makes it easy to shop into and means items aren't stacked on top of each other, however, it does mean the center of gravity is higher and it could be a bit tippy if you don't balance the load reasonably well. Unlike the person who felt it was unwieldy at farmers market, I find it maneuverable and certainly not nearly as space-consuming as children being hauled in little red wagons or friendly golden retrievers on long leashes.

One final factor to consider with any cart -- like a "rollaboard" suitcase do check if the handle will work for your height and stride. A number of these are fine for grannies who have shrunk with age but not for 6 footers.

I got a pretty sold granny cart at one of those All and Sundry shops along Mission here in SF, and it is so great. It's just large enough that I can still hoist it on the bus if it's full of groceries, and has repeated come in handy during the holidays when I needed to cart eight big boxes to the postal depot down the block.
Also great for wheeling boxes and bags full of Goodwill donations!

@merewether

St Lawrence Market is indoor and constantly packed with tourists. I mean packed, so #6 is really an inappropriate thing to be using. People also bring their giant strollers in and look all flustered when they can't actually move them anywhere. #6 is really made for the more spacious farmer's market, not a tight urban one. I guess my dislike for them also stems from one oblivious owner of said cart, who I kept running into at the market one day and her cart was very much in my way on a number of occasions without any acknowledgement.

I purchased a "rolling crate" from Staples for $20 two years ago and it still works great.It's designed to transport heavy boxes of files so it is very sturdy,made of extra strong plastic and metal.This crate can hold up to 70 pounds.When not in use the handle can be retracted and the whole unit folds into a flat square.