The 10 Best Dump Trailers

Editor's Notes

October 07, 2020:

Our rankings for this category remained relatively stable through this round of updates, with most of our selections still proving to be great picks. We did, however, decide on removing the Polar Hybrid LG600 due to availability issues, replacing it with the Bannon Utility — which boasts a 1,600-pound weight capacity and a host of clever design considerations that other options missed, like brackets to store garden rakes, shovels and chainsaws, and a built-in tray to accommodate a gas can or – if it’s a Sunday – even a beer cooler.

It’s important to note that these rankings are focused on small dump trailers that can be hauled by a riding lawn mower or ATV. For the average user, the models we’ve listed here will offer ample utility to do work around the yard, and some may even be suitable for use by some landscaping contractors, but we in no way intend to confuse these options with full-size dump trailers that are hauled by truck and overbuilt to be ready for heavy-duty work.

A few things to think about for this category:

Capacity: This consideration is twofold. If you’re planning on hauling heavy materials, like landscaping boulders, then you might be most interested in a given unit’s weight capacity, which dictates the maximum payload it can accommodate. On the low end, models like the Arnold EZ Stow have 800-pound weight capacities, while the Bannon Utility was the most-capable option we ranked in this respect, with a 1,600-pound weight capacity.

If you’re hauling lighter materials, like mulch or even leaves in fall time, then storage capacity is likely the metric you should be most concerned with. At six cubic feet, the Gorilla Carts Heavy-Duty is the slightest model we ranked, while others – like the Swisher Multi-Purpose and Bannon Utility – have capacities in excess of 20 cubic feet.

Hydraulic Assistance: Unlike their truck-hauled cousins, which can typically dump their load with the simple push of a button, the small trailers we ranked on this list generally require manual dumping, which – while still much easier than shovelling – requires a bit of elbow grease. To lessen the load, advanced options in this category – like the Oxcart Lift-Assist and Realtree Half-Ton Hauler – feature hydraulic lift assistance, which shoulders much of the load for you, and makes dumping much easier.

Tires: There’s a good chance they’ll be the first thing to go on your trailer, so it’s worth not only looking into whether your trailer’s sporting quality rubber, but how much it will cost to replace, if and when it goes. Owing to its laundry-list of great features, we ranked the Bannon Utility quite high on our list, but some users have noted that because it uses irregular tires, the only option to replace them is to go through the company, which can amount to a considerable expense. The Realtree Half-Ton Hauler stands out with its four-ply, run-flat tires that will still get your load where it’s gotta go, even if they’re punctured by a nail.

December 13, 2018:

Listed a variety of trailers designed to accommodate pin and ball hitches, including attachments for small off-road vehicles such as ATVs, UTVs, garden tractors, riding mowers and snowmobiles.