Straddle Stacker vs Counterbalanced Stacker: 4 Tests That Decide It (With Real Prices)
Buy a straddle stacker when the pallets you handle sit on open floor with room on both sides, and buy a counterbalanced stacker when they do not: pallets on the floor level of a rack with neighbors on each side, loads inside a trailer, or anything you have to pick nose-first with nothing beside it. The straddle design puts two legs on the floor outside the pallet and costs less. The counterbalanced design puts nothing forward of the forks and pays for that with weight, length, and price. On Warehouse Gear Hub today the EKKO EA15A-118 semi-electric straddle stacker is $3,950.00 and the Apollolift A-3048 counterbalanced stacker is $10,400.00, both rated at 3,300 lb and 118 in of lift. Four tests, taken in order, sort out which one you need, with numbers from the manufacturers' spec sheets and the loading rule quoted from 29 CFR 1910.178.
- What is the difference between a straddle stacker and a counterbalanced stacker?
- Test 1: What is under your pallet?
- Test 2: What is on the floor where you pick and place?
- Test 3: Does it have to work a trailer, a tight aisle, or a low door?
- Test 4: How heavy is the load, and how far out does it sit?
- Which stacker should you buy?
- Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a straddle stacker and a counterbalanced stacker?
Every walkie stacker has to keep a raised load from tipping the machine forward. The three designs solve that in three places, and the place decides what the stacker can and cannot pick up.
- Fork-over (fixed-leg) stacker. Two legs run directly under the forks and ride inside the pallet, the same way a pallet jack does. Cheapest and narrowest, and it needs a pallet that is open underneath.
- Straddle stacker. Two adjustable legs sit outside the forks and straddle the pallet on the floor. On the EKKO EA15A-118 the inside width between the legs adjusts from 35 to 51 in, per EKKO's EA15A spec sheet. The pallet's bottom does not matter; the room beside it does.
- Counterbalanced stacker. No legs forward of the forks at all. The load is balanced by mass behind the drive wheel, which is why Apollolift lists the A-3048 at 3,460 lb service weight, against the 1,430 lb EKKO lists for the EB14C-118 straddle model.
| Design | Model we stock | Capacity at load center | Lift height | Forks lowered | Turning radius | Service weight | Price as listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fork-over, full electric | Apollolift A-3033 | 3,300 lb at 23.6 in | 98 in | 3.5 in | 53.7 in | Not listed | $4,390.00 |
| Straddle, semi-electric | EKKO EA15A-118 | 3,300 lb at 20 in | 118 in | 2.6 in | 59 in | 1,212 lb | $3,950.00 |
| Straddle, full electric | EKKO EB14C-118 | 3,000 lb at 20 in | 118 in | 2.6 in | 57.5 in | 1,430 lb | $5,299.10 |
| Counterbalanced, full electric | Apollolift A-3048 | 3,300 lb at 19.7 in | 118 in | 1.4 in | 66.9 in | 3,460 lb | $10,400.00 |
Read the service weight column twice. The counterbalanced stacker outweighs both EKKO straddle models put together because that mass is the counterweight. Every dollar of the price gap between the EA15A-118 and the A-3048 buys steel behind the drive wheel, not capacity or height, which are the same on both.
Test 1: What is under your pallet?
Turn one of your pallets over before you price anything. A fork-over stacker and a pallet jack share the same rule: their front wheels ride inside the pallet, under the forks, so the pallet has to be open along the bottom where those wheels roll. A stringer pallet with its bottom boards spaced apart passes. A pallet with a full bottom deck, a perimeter base, or a skid on solid runners does not. Apollolift's own stacker buying guide calls this "one of the most common purchasing mistakes," and the A-3033 product listing says it plainly: fixed forks suit EU-type pallets.
Pallet construction is where this goes wrong. AllGood Pallets' comparison of block and stringer pallets notes that a block pallet's bottom deck "can take different forms, including parallel base, perimeter frame, or cruciform designs." A perimeter frame or cruciform base is a closed bottom as far as a fork-over stacker is concerned, and the supplier's packing list will not warn you.
A straddle stacker skips the test. Its legs go around the outside of the pallet, so what is underneath is irrelevant as long as the pallet fits between the legs (35 to 51 in inside on the EA15A-118, 35.4 to 51.2 in on the EB14C-118) and there is floor beside it for the legs to occupy. A counterbalanced stacker skips it too, from the other direction: the A-3048's forks sit 1.4 in off the floor when lowered and nothing travels under or beside the load, so any pallet with a fork opening taller than that is fair game.
If every pallet in your building is a standard GMA stringer pallet on open floor, the fork-over stacker is the least expensive way to get 3,300 lb to 98 in. If even one supplier ships on closed-bottom block pallets, cross it off and move to the next test.
Powered drive and lift, 650 W drive and 2,200 W lift motors, Curtis controller, gel batteries with 110V built-in charger, 98 in lift, 31.5 in overall width.
Test 2: What is on the floor where you pick and place?
This is the test that catches straddle buyers, and it is the one competitor guides skip. A straddle stacker's legs need clear floor on both sides of the pallet at the moment of pickup and at the moment of set-down. Picture the bottom position of a rack bay with a pallet already sitting in the next slot over: the leg on that side has nowhere to go. The same applies to a pallet pushed against a wall, a pallet with a machine base beside it, or a floor-level rack position where cabinets or stock were put down in front of the beam after the rack went up. Owners on equipment forums describe the problem in one sentence: you cannot have anything on the floor where you are trying to stack.
Racking adds a second version of the same constraint. To set a pallet on the first beam, the legs have to pass under that beam or beside the upright. Measure the clear height under your lowest beam and the clear width between uprights before you order a straddle unit, and compare them against the leg dimensions on the spec sheet.
A counterbalanced stacker has none of this. The A-3048 picks a pallet with pallets on both sides of it and sets one down on the floor of a bay with 1.4 in of fork clearance. That is the whole reason it exists, and it is the reason the machine is 109.4 in long and turns in 66.9 in against 59 in for the EA15A-118. Apollolift lists a recommended aisle width of 128 in for it. If your aisles are narrower than that, you have found the tradeoff: the counterbalanced stacker reaches floor positions the straddle cannot, in aisles the straddle fits and it does not.
Powered lift, manual push, 118 in lift, forks adjustable 8.66 to 32 in, straddle legs 35 to 51 in, 12V/120Ah battery with internal charger.
Test 3: Does it have to work a trailer, a tight aisle, or a low door?
Trailers. Pallets loaded two across in a trailer sit inches from each other and from the wall. A straddle leg needs floor on both sides of the pallet, and the spec sheet puts a number on it: at its widest leg setting the EB14C-118 is 61 in across, 21 in wider than a 40 in pallet. A counterbalanced stacker at 34.6 in overall width drives in behind a pallet and takes it with nothing beside the forks. That is why a counterbalanced unit is the stacker to pair with a receiving door when there is no forklift on site.
Grades. Apollolift rates the A-3048 at 5% gradeability loaded and 10% empty. That covers a gentle dock plate and rules out a real ramp. The federal rule at 29 CFR 1910.178(n)(7) adds the operating discipline: "Grades shall be ascended or descended slowly," and on grades over 10 percent "loaded trucks shall be driven with the load upgrade." The EKKO semi-electric EA15A-118 is pushed by hand, so on any grade the operator is the drive motor and the brake.
Aisles. The two EKKO straddle models turn in 59 in and 57.5 in. The A-3033 fork-over turns in 53.7 in with a recommended aisle of 87.3 in. The A-3048 needs 66.9 in and a 128 in aisle. Measure the aisle you will actually stack in, not the main drive lane.
Doors and ceilings. The lowered mast height is what has to clear a doorway or a mezzanine edge with the forks down: 85 in on both EKKO straddle models, 81.3 in on the A-3048, 72.4 in on the A-3033. Extended, the masts reach 146.5 in (EB14C-118) and 146.1 in (A-3048), so check sprinkler heads and light fixtures over the top rack position.
Test 4: How heavy is the load, and how far out does it sit?
Rated capacity on a stacker is a pair of numbers, not one. EKKO rates the EA15A-118 at 3,300 lb with a 20 in load center; Apollolift rates the A-3048 at 3,300 lb with a 19.7 in load center. The load center is the distance from the fork face to the center of gravity of the load. A 48 in deep pallet loaded evenly puts its center 24 in out, past the rated point, so the nameplate number does not apply to it. Rate the stacker to your heaviest pallet at its actual center of gravity, and if the load sits past the rated center, get the derated figure from the manufacturer in writing before you buy.
The regulation is short on this point. 29 CFR 1910.178(o)(2) says "Only loads within the rated capacity of the truck shall be handled," and paragraph (a)(6) requires that "all nameplates and markings are in place and are maintained in a legible condition." Paragraph (a)(4) closes the loophole some buyers reach for: modifications that affect capacity "shall not be performed by the customer or user without manufacturers prior written approval." Adding a counterweight to a straddle stacker to make it behave like a counterbalanced one is exactly that kind of modification.
Two capacity details separate the straddle models. The full-electric EB14C-118 is rated at 3,000 lb, 300 lb under the semi-electric EA15A-118, so a shop with 3,200 lb pallets keeps the manual-push unit or steps up to the A-3048. And the EA15A-118 runs on a 12V/120Ah lead-acid battery with a 12V/15A internal charger that powers only the lift; the EB14C-118 carries a 24V/85Ah pack with a 24V/10A internal charger and drives under power. If the route is long or the shift is full, the drive motor is worth more than the 300 lb.
Powered drive and lift, Curtis controller, 2.2 kW lift motor, 118 in lift, straddle legs 35.4 to 51.2 in, 24V/85Ah battery with internal charger.
Which stacker should you buy?
Match your building to the line that describes it.
- Open-bottom GMA pallets, open floor, loads to 3,300 lb, 98 in of lift is enough: Apollolift A-3033 fork-over ($4,390.00). Narrowest unit in the table at 31.5 in wide.
- Any pallet type, clear floor beside the load, a few lifts a day: EKKO EA15A-118 straddle ($3,950.00). Powered lift, manual push, 3,300 lb at 20 in, 118 in of lift, and the lowest price in the table.
- Same layout, but the stacker travels all shift: EKKO EB14C-118 straddle ($5,299.10). Powered drive and lift, Curtis controller, 3,000 lb at 20 in.
- Closed-bottom pallets on rack floor positions, trailers, or pickups with something on both sides of the load: Apollolift A-3048 counterbalanced ($10,400.00). Confirm your stacking aisle is at least 128 in first.
- Loads that never leave the floor: a pallet jack, not a stacker. Our electric vs manual pallet jack guide covers that decision with prices.
- Loads over 3,300 lb, or lift over 118 in with a rider: the forklift collection starts where stackers stop.
No straddle legs, 750 W drive and 2,200 W lift motors, 118 in lift, dual 12V gel batteries with integrated 110V charger, 1-year limited warranty.
Every model above is in the stackers collection. If your situation lands between two lines, call 1-800-794-1049, 8 AM to 4 PM Central, with your pallet type, your heaviest load, the clear width of your stacking aisle, and the height of your lowest beam. We will size it in one call and send a written quote for approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a straddle stacker pick up closed-bottom pallets?
Yes, on open floor. The legs straddle the outside of the pallet, so the bottom deck never touches them. The pallet has to fit between the legs (35 to 51 in inside on the EKKO EA15A-118) and there has to be clear floor on both sides for the legs. Inside a trailer or a full rack bay, that clearance is gone and a counterbalanced stacker is the answer.
Can a fork-over stacker pick up closed-bottom pallets?
No. Its front wheels run inside the pallet under the forks, the same as a pallet jack, so a full bottom deck, a perimeter base, or solid runners block it. Apollolift's A-3033 listing states that its fixed forks suit EU-type pallets, and Apollolift's buying guide names this as one of the most common stacker purchasing mistakes.
Do you need OSHA certification to operate a walkie stacker?
For any powered model, yes. The scope paragraph of 29 CFR 1910.178(a)(1) covers "motorized hand trucks, and other specialized industrial trucks powered by electric motors," and paragraph (l)(1)(i) requires that "each powered industrial truck operator is competent to operate a powered industrial truck safely, as demonstrated by successful completion of the training and evaluation specified in this paragraph (l)." That includes the semi-electric EA15A-118, which lifts under power even though it is pushed by hand. Paragraph (l)(2)(iii) lets you keep it in-house: training and evaluation "shall be conducted by persons who have the knowledge, training, and experience to train powered industrial truck operators and evaluate their competence."
Can a walkie stacker unload a truck trailer?
A counterbalanced stacker can, because nothing extends beside or under the load. The Apollolift A-3048 is 34.6 in wide with forks lowered to 1.4 in, and it is rated for 5% grades loaded, which covers a dock plate. A straddle stacker needs floor beside the pallet for its legs, which is the room a two-across trailer load does not have.
How much does a counterbalanced stacker cost compared with a straddle stacker?
On Warehouse Gear Hub as of this writing, the Apollolift A-3048 counterbalanced stacker (3,300 lb, 118 in) is $10,400.00. The EKKO EA15A-118 semi-electric straddle stacker with the same capacity and lift height is $3,950.00, and the full-electric EKKO EB14C-118 straddle stacker is $5,299.10. The Apollolift A-3033 fork-over stacker is $4,390.00. Prices are on each product page and change with the manufacturer's list.
How wide an aisle does a walkie stacker need?
Apollolift lists a recommended aisle width of 128 in for the A-3048 counterbalanced stacker and 87.3 in for the A-3033 fork-over. EKKO publishes turning radius instead: 59 in for the EA15A-118 and 57.5 in for the EB14C-118. Measure the aisle where you will actually stack, with product in the racks, and compare it to the number for the model you are pricing.
Run the four tests, then buy once
Fork-over, straddle, and counterbalanced stackers in stock, with capacity, load center, and lowered mast height listed on every product page.
Shop stackers →Authorized EKKO and UltraTech dealer. Questions on pallet fit, aisle width, or a multi-unit quote: call 1-800-794-1049 (8 AM to 4 PM Central) or email info@warehousegearhub.com.