DeWalt 10 cu. ft. Swivel Cart

I put the DeWalt swivel cart through a full season of yard cleanup, hardscape work, and firewood hauling. It’s a hybrid: part wheelbarrow, part tow-behind yard trailer, with a bed that both swivels and tilts. That combination turns out to be more than a gimmick—it changes where you can dump, how you maneuver, and how much you can safely move in one go.

Setup and first impressions

Out of the box you get the tub, a welded undercarriage built from square tube, two pneumatic tires, and a single bag of hardware. The frame looks overbuilt in a good way—straight welds, stout brackets, and a hitch that folds to convert from towing to wheelbarrow mode. The bed is a thick polyethylene, which won’t rust and shrugs off abrasion from gravel and logs better than thin steel pans.

The manufacturer quotes an approximate 15-minute assembly. In my shop, it took closer to an hour. Nothing was difficult, but the hardware isn’t individually labeled. Plan to sort bolts and spacers by length and diameter first—it will save time and rework.

Tools I used:
- Metric sockets (13 mm and 14 mm covered most of it), plus a larger one for the wheel nuts
- A 13 mm open wrench
- A large Phillips screwdriver
- A tape measure or calipers to sort fasteners

Once assembled, the cart stands solidly and can be stored on its front end to save floor space, which is handy in a crowded garage.

Two modes, one frame

The folding hitch is the linchpin of the design. In wheelbarrow mode, the hitch swings down to create a third leg for stable loading, and you steer from rubber-coated handles. In trailer mode, the hitch pins to a lawn tractor or ATV. Switching is quick: pull a pin, swing, latch. What I learned fast is that you need to pick your mode before loading—changing it under a full bucket of gravel isn’t practical. Plan your workflow accordingly.

Build quality and design choices

• Undercarriage: The welded square-tube frame handles torsion and bumps without flexing. Over uneven ground and when side-swiveling to dump, the rigidity matters.
• Bed material: Polyethylene takes impacts well. I tossed in cobbles, split oak rounds, and wet clay; it scuffed but didn’t dent. It also won’t rust if it lives outside.
• Wheels and hubs: The pneumatic tires are wide, with aggressive tread that grips sod and gravel. Mine arrived properly inflated and the hubs were greaseable, a service-friendly touch for long-term use.

Swivel and dump: more than a party trick

The bed swivels up to 110 degrees and the dump angle is 52 degrees. Practically, that means:
- You can dump to either side along a fence line or garden bed without jockeying the whole cart around.
- On loose material—mulch, dry soil, leaves—the 52-degree tip empties cleanly.
- With sticky loads (wet clay, compacted compost), expect to give it a nudge with a shovel near the front of the tub, where the angle isn’t as steep.

The latch is positive and reachable with gloves, and the pivot feels secure. I never had it self-release on bumps, which was a concern before testing.

Performance under load

Capacity is 10 cubic feet, which is a noticeable step up from a typical homeowner wheelbarrow. What matters more is how much you can actually move safely. Here’s where the dual-wheel stance shines:

• Wheelbarrow mode: The two wheels distribute weight and resist tipping, especially across side slopes or rutted lawn. Moving a heaped load of river rock felt controlled rather than precarious. Because the tub rides about a foot off the ground, you don’t lift as high to start a push; that saves your back over a long day.
• Tow-behind mode: Behind a garden tractor, the cart tracks straight and behaves predictably over humps and curbs. The frame didn’t shimmy or flex even with dense loads like wet sand or pavers.

Maneuverability is naturally different from a single-wheel barrow. You won’t pivot on a dime at the front. But because the bed swivels, you can still place material precisely without threading the entire frame into tight spots.

Ergonomics

• Handles: The rubber sleeves help with grip, especially with gloves on, and dampen vibration.
• Balance: The axle position feels well-chosen. In wheelbarrow mode, the load biases toward the wheels, so your hands carry less of the weight. That’s less fatigue when you’re on your tenth trip.
• Hitch stowage: Once the hitch is folded for hand use, it’s effectively locked in by the load. If you forget and pile in material, you won’t redeploy it to tow without dumping. Not a flaw, just a practical note to set your mode first.

Assembly notes and tips

The cart is straightforward, but a few tips will make the process smoother:
- Pre-sort hardware by length and diameter. Lay them out with sticky notes.
- Read ahead one step in the instructions to confirm orientation. Some spacers and brackets can be reversed and still fit; the “correct” orientation matters later.
- Leave fasteners finger-tight until the major subassemblies are in place; then square it up and torque them.

Expect a bit of head-scratching if you’re not used to pictogram instructions. Using the online PDF and zooming in helped me confirm part orientation.

Maintenance and durability

• Grease fittings on the hubs mean you can keep the bearings happy. A couple pumps at the start of the season is smart.
• Check tire pressure periodically; underinflated tires make the cart feel sluggish and increase rolling resistance.
• Re-torque hardware after the first few uses. The frame settles, especially around the bed pivot.
• The poly tub cleans up with a hose and won’t corrode. UV will eventually age any plastic; if you can store it out of direct sun, do.

After months of use, the frame paint still looks good, the swivel action is tight with no clunk, and the tub shows only cosmetic scuffs.

Where it excels—and where it doesn’t

Strengths:
- Stable, confidence-inspiring hauling on uneven ground
- Swivel dump lets you place material exactly where you need it
- Quick conversion between tow-behind and hand-push modes
- Overbuilt frame that feels ready for years of abuse
- Rust-proof tub and greaseable hubs support long-term ownership

Trade-offs:
- Assembly is more involved than the “15 minutes” suggests; budget an hour
- Two-wheel front end reduces tight pivoting compared to a single-wheel barrow
- You can’t flip modes after loading—decide before you fill it
- The 52-degree dump angle won’t fully eject sticky material without a little help

Who it’s for

• Homeowners and acreage owners who split time between garden beds, tree work, and driveway projects
• Anyone towing with a lawn tractor but still wanting a nimble hand cart for tighter spaces
• Users who value stability and capacity over tight-turn agility

If your primary need is squeezing a barrow down narrow pathways and turning on the front wheel, a single-wheel design may still be better. For most yard, landscape, and small-farm tasks, the stability and swivel dump outweigh the turning-radius trade-off.

Recommendation

I recommend the DeWalt swivel cart. It pairs a rigid, welded undercarriage with a versatile bed that genuinely speeds up material placement. Stability is its standout trait; moving heavy, awkward loads feels safer and less fatiguing than with a traditional single-wheel barrow. Plan for a longer-than-advertised assembly and decide your mode before you load, and you’ll be rewarded with a durable, low-maintenance hauler that adapts to both hand and tow work. The three-year limited warranty and serviceable hubs round out a package that should hold up for many seasons.