Choosing Equipment
Pallet Truck vs Stacker vs Counterbalance: Choosing the Right Truck
Four machine types, one decision. Lift height and aisle width settle it faster than any spec sheet — here is the selection logic we use on site surveys.
7 min read · Last updated 7 August 2026
Choose by lift height first. Ground-level movement only means a hand or powered pallet truck. Lifting to around 1.6–5.5 m in tight aisles means a pallet stacker. Working above 5.5 m in narrow aisles means a reach truck. Loading lorries, working outdoors, or handling heavy or awkward loads at moderate height means a counterbalance. Aisle width is the second filter: counterbalance trucks need roughly 3.5–4 m of working aisle, stackers around 2.2–2.6 m, and reach trucks about 2.7–3 m.
Quick selector
| Machine | Lift height | Aisle needed | Typical job |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hand pallet truck | Break-out only | Any | Moving pallets on the flat, deliveries, retail back-of-house |
| Powered pallet truck | Break-out only | Any | Trailer unloading, long horizontal runs, order picking |
| Pallet stacker | 1.6–5.5 m | 2.2–2.6 m | Low and mid-level racking, mezzanine feed |
| Reach truck | 6–12 m | 2.7–3.0 m | Narrow-aisle high racking |
| Counterbalance | 3–7 m typical | 3.5–4.0 m | Loading bays, yards, heavy or awkward loads |
Five questions that settle it
- What is the highest beam you need to place a pallet on, measured to the top beam level?
- What is the narrowest working aisle, measured between pallet overhangs rather than racking uprights?
- What is the heaviest load, and where is its centre of gravity?
- Does the truck need to leave the building — onto tarmac, a ramp, or broken ground?
- How many hours a day will it actually run, and across how many shifts?
Capacity is not the number on the badge
A 2.0 t truck does not lift 2.0 t at full height with a side shift fitted. Always work from the capacity plate for the actual mast, attachment and load centre — de-rating catches people out constantly.
Common mistakes
- ›Buying a counterbalance for a building whose aisles cannot accommodate it, then losing pallet positions to widen them.
- ›Ignoring closed mast height and hitting a door lintel or a container roof.
- ›Sizing on the average load instead of the worst load.
- ›Forgetting free lift when working inside containers or under a mezzanine.
- ›Choosing cushion tyres for a yard, or pneumatics for a polished food-grade floor.
Getting it right on your site
A free 60–90 minute site survey removes the guesswork: we measure aisles, beam heights, door openings and floor condition, watch the actual shift pattern, and put the recommendation in writing with the capacity plate figures for your loads.
Frequently asked questions
Written by
The AWE Forklifts Team
Materials handling engineers, trainers and account managers, Rathcoole, Co. Dublin
AWE has supplied, hired, serviced and inspected materials handling equipment for Irish industry since 1985. Our guides are written by the same engineers who service the trucks, the instructors who deliver operator training, and the account managers who quote the hire rates — not by outside copywriters.
- Trading in Ireland since 1985
- Authorised Xilin forklift dealer for Ireland
- Official MasterMover electric tug distributor for Ireland
- Dublin workshop, parts store and training facility
- Nationwide mobile engineers, 4-hour contract SLA
Technically reviewed by AWE sales engineering, Rathcoole, Co. Dublin.
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