Shopping carts are super awesome! They can make or break a trip to the store. There are many different types of carts from different stores around Altoona. These are ratings of some of the most notable carts around.

Walmart: 4/10

When people think of shopping carts, they think Walmart. Sometimes shoppers get a decent cart, but more often than not, the wheels seem to have been used in both World Wars and were later repurposed for a shopping cart. The toddler seat rack is also lackluster, though it does have a seat belt buckle. Overall, not a great experience for shoppers.

Weis Markets: 7/10

Great mobility, and shoppers don’t ever really get poor wheels. Weis carts also have variety, shoppers can either get the standard one large bin cart with storage underneath, or shoppers can get the “double-basket” setup, featuring two smaller baskets, one on top and another on the bottom, replacing the storage rack. The one downside of these carts are the toddler seat racks. They can get pretty claustrophobic and the rack is prone to folding up and smacking the handles when not in use. Overall a significant step up from Walmart.

Target: 8/10

Although this store lacks the double-basket setup, do not let that fool you. Target shopping carts are some of the most reliable and smooth carts out there: a solid and sleek plastic frame with a single bin layout and wheels that move like butter across the polished floors of Target, and rarely have I ever gotten a poor wheel. The toddler seat rack is also super well made and has the kids in mind. It is clear that Target cares about the quality of their carts.

Dollar Tree: 8.5/10

This may shock readers but Dollar Tree seriously has some of the best shopping carts out there. Shoppers have the option of the double-basket or single bin setup and both deliver. The wheels are in surprisingly great shape, and both cart options are very spacious. The wheels really only have issues when hair builds up on them. Other than that, this is a sleeper pick for one of the best shopping carts out there. 

Five Below: 2/10

This is exactly how to NOT make a shopping cart. This cart is a carry basket-shopping cart hybrid with basket handles but wheels and one large handle to create a suitcase type cart. This is awful for use as a shopping cart. The contents of the basket are so close to the ground that shoppers have to bend down to carefully place items. The basket is very small and not very spacious at all. Not to mention there is also no toddler seat rack. The plastic wheels are very unstable and abhorrent for wheeling around. Overall this is the WORST shopping cart ever conceived and should have been kept as a basket.

Martin’s: 6.5/10

This is the standard cart. Martin’s offers both the standard and double-basket setup, both of which are just average. It’s hard to complain about these carts, they do the job and nothing else. The standard setups do feature a toddler seat rack with a buckle but with much better quality than Walmart. Shoppers will  sometimes get a poor wheel here and there, but overall, they do what’s asked of them and not much else.