When you’re trying to decide what material handling equipment is best for getting a task done, it’s important to know the right titles to discuss your different options. When it comes to material handling, some equipment names are used interchangeably, particularly when items have similar features or are used for similar purposes.

Two of the most common repeat offenders for this misnaming confusion is dolly and trolley. Possibly because they sound the same, people often use the terms trolley and dolly interchangeably, but is there a difference between the two?

Whether you’re moving house, renovating an office or simply buying some new fixtures for your home, heavy items and awkward furnishings can be a real pain in butt to transport… and a literal pain the back to manoeuvre from A to B.

Luckily, here at SafetyLiftinGear, we have a whole host of handy load moving solutions at our disposal! Our wheely good range of appliance dollies and appliance skates are specifically designed to make moving your new home/office additions a doddle.

Keep your spine in check and your body hernia-free with these easy-to-use transport essentials.

Ready? Let’s roll!

What are appliance skates?

While “appliance dolly” may be a well-known term, “appliance skates” is arguably a little less celebrated outside of manual labour circles.

In short, “appliance skates” simply refers to a specific kind of appliance dolly, namely those that resemble a giant roller skate.

This skating lingo also translates to other forms of moving equipment, with similar skating terms applied to related products, such as the wheel-less push/pull “ski slider”.

If you really want to get your skates on with a moving job, appliance skates provide a quick and easy solution to any moving job. Just don’t expect to perform a double axel with a fridge freezer in toe.

Heavy-duty appliance skates

For a wide range of purposes, big or small, our appliance dolly collection covers a whole array of jobs, ranging from 100kg plastic appliance skates for lighter loads, all the way up to our 600kg wooden appliance dolly for heavy-duty moving.

To put that in context, 100kg is about the weight of a beer keg while, on the other end of the scale, 600kg is about the weight of a cow. So, whether you planning on moving a beer, bovine or anything in between, we have the dolly for you!

Low-cost lifting gear for appliances

Available in both plastic and wood form, our various moving dollies are not only safe and suitable for a range of jobs, they’re also extremely cost-effective. Even our large appliance skates are very affordable, taking the strain off your wallet as well as your back.

Many of our dollies also come equipped with anti-slip mats for additional stability, greater grip and enhanced protection. Meanwhile, we also have a range of sizes to suit the task at hand. We even offer appliance skates with a foldable handle for easier load movement and manoeuvrability.

What’s more, in addition to traditional rectangular dollies, we also have round dollies and triangular dollies on offer as well. So, the next time you need to move a giant Toblerone or gargantuan tub of Pringles, keep us in mind!

Heavy lifting gear dolly skates

For larger appliances, our 5pc Heavy Duty Appliance Furniture Moving Set is the perfect solution.

Complete with a hoist handle for easy elevation, the four dolly skates can be easily placed under each corner of the item you need to move, allowing for hassle-free lifting and shifting from start to finish.

Perfect for kitchen appliances, lounge furniture or heavy boxes, these lifting skates are a versatile, one-stop solution to a myriad of moving conundrums.

Best of all, they also skate around the problem of dimensions, allowing you to easily move a range of sizeable items, regardless of their dimensions.

Useful appliance skates in the home

While it’s easy to assume that appliance dollies are predominantly for businesses and those in a trade involving heavy goods, they can also be a really useful item to have around the home.

Our 150kg Home Furniture Appliance Trolley in particular is a prime example of just that. Ideal for a whole range of homely goods, this product can be a real life-saver in any number of situations: from decorating a bedroom to a garage clear out.

Weighing in at just 0.5kg (500g), this dolly skate is actually lighter than a basketball, but don’t let its modest mass fool you – our lightweight lifter packs a surprisingly serious punch.

This diminutive dolly is capable of moving 300 times its own weight, with a maximum capacity of 150kg – that’s the equivalent to the average weight of a panda!

While it’s unlikely you’ll need to move a Chinese bear around your home, this appliance dolly can also be used for a whole host of more conventional household items, such as furniture or boxes of books.

Nevertheless, it’s comforting to know its panda-proof, should the situation arise...

Regardless of your moving job, an appliance dolly can be a godsend. So, remember, we’ve got your back – literally!

For more information on our appliance dollies and appliance skates, click below and check out the range of moving goods we have on offer.

Get A Move On!