Forklifts can be a huge time and money saver, doing the job of 20 warehouse workers at once. With the ability to load over 100,000 pounds, forklifts can help your work stay on track, on budget, and on time. But, all of that is only possible with a forklift that is a good fit for your business.

So, how do you know how to choose the right forklift? When you take a look at the expansive inventory of lifts at NFE you’ll see forklifts come in all shapes and sizes. It comes down to a few simple points, all rooted in the fact that, before you purchase a forklift, you have to know your business inside and out. Selecting the wrong type of equipment can waste money and needed resources, and can even pose a danger to your workforce. However, if you spend time figuring out how to choose the right forklift, the payoff for your business can be well worth the energy you invest in the research. Here are a few tips to get you started:

1. Identify where the forklift will be used:

It’s important to determine if the equipment will be used indoors, such as in a warehouse, or in outside settings, such as on a work site. Like any heavy equipment, forklifts are designed for different environments and can weather varying conditions, based on their type.

2. Determine what the forklift will primarily be doing:

You need to know the jobs your forklift drivers will be tasked with in order to determine the capacity the equipment needs to have. Average forklifts may be able to carry up to 8,000 pounds, but different models can take on much more such as a rough terrain forklift, so you need to consider what types of projects the forklift will be used for.

3. Think about your space:

Depending on the environment in which the forklift will be deployed, it can come equipped with certain forks, attachments, clamps and even safety features like backup beepers. Measure the heights it would need to reach, as well as the space available in aisles it may need to navigate.

4. Explore power options:

Forklifts are powered in a number of different ways, such as through electricity, diesel, gasoline, propane or natural gas. Each has pros and cons, including cost and capacity, so you need to evaluate business objectives to determine which type is best.

5. Consider your budget:

Because of their impact on the business, forklifts are an investment, one that must be carefully considered to ensure it fits into the budget. One of the best ways to figure out how to choose the right forklift is to first examine how much you can spend and, if you’re looking to keep costs down, consider a high-quality used forklift, which can get the job done for less.