Top 10 Tonka Trucks That Are A Toy Box Staple

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Durable, classic Tonka trucks are the indoor/outdoor toy all kids will love. While they may not be the all-metal design of years past, they’re more rust-resistant, lighter, and easier for young kids to play with – plus, they are significantly more affordable than all-metal designs. Plus, they won’t scratch flooring during inside play. We’re nostalgic for the classic Power Steel designs with their lifetime guarantee. Tonka still offers the Power Model line with added dynamic lights, sounds, and responsiveness to the moving parts and pieces, like beeping reverse warnings and hydraulic lift sounds. From classic dump trucks to bulldozers, there is a Tonka truck for everyone.

What You Should Know

  • Classic Tonka dump truck design

  • Steel bed for hauling heavy loads

  • 90% 4 or 5-star reviews

A retro throwback, Tonka’s best-known truck has to be their dump truck. Guaranteed for life, you’ll find these heavy-duty toys in sandboxes, mud puddles, or hauling the other toys in the backyard. You can really load up this little dump with a steel truck bed. If you can get your hand on a vintage version of this truck, reviewers say they’re still a little heavier with fewer plastic pieces, but this partial steel model is still worlds away from most ultra-lightweight trucks on the market. It weighs over five pounds and has over a thousand positive reviews.

Review Highlights: 

“While these aren’t built the way that the old old ones were that were about twice this metal thickness, this is a really good quality truck and my son loves it.”

What You Should Know

  • Light-up cab

  • Realistic sound effects

  • Made of plastic

While this isn’t one of the larger, fancy Tonka trucks available, it’s perfect for the littlest of hands. The cab lights up and kiddos will love the sound effects.

Reviewer Feedback: 

“My Great grandson loves this little truck, just the right size for his 2 yo hands. Durable too.”

What You Should Know

  • Steel scoop bucket

  • Hybrid plastic and steel construction

  • Reviewers note: treads don’t roll easily

This Tonka construction toy features a steel excavator bucket for heavy duty digging through packed dirt. It is partially made of plastic, like most of the current Tonka line, but the steel bucket ensures more durability through rough outdoor play.

What You Should Know

  • Movable bulldozer blade

  • Rubber tire treads

  • Blade won’t scratch indoor flooring

Kids love watching construction sites, and the appeal is understandable. Constant excitement and motion, loud noises, and major changes seem to happen overnight. If your little ones are deep in their own building projects, help them demo block towers, break ground, and clear their play spaces indoors or out with Tonka’s bulldozer toy.

Review Highlights

“Toy is extremely well made and will hold up to my grandson’s use for a long time. He loved it but maybe not as much as me because I got to relive my younger Tonka days too. I am sure he will get a lot of fun and use out of it.”

What You Should Know

  • Classic tow truck design

  • Four-position lift that really tows

  • Deep tread tires dig in for offroading

This two-pound tow truck hauls smaller vehicles with ease, and the sturdy tires work well in dirt or sand but won’t damage the flooring if kids play with it inside instead. Reviewers note that it can’t easily tow many matchbox cars; most don’t have the tow hook anywhere.

Review Highlights

“An absolute BIG HIT with the little man. He loves rolling this through mud, sand, grass and rocks. He’s thrown it a couple of times and it is still intact.”

What You Should Know

  • Lights and sounds powered by included AA batteries

  • Smaller, lighter, and less expensive than Tonka’s classic dump.

  • All plastic design

The updated version of Tonka’s classic dump truck toy is powered by motion and features working headlights and engine revving sounds. Roll in reverse to hear a cautionary beep beep beep. It weighs just two pounds, so it’s significantly lighter than Tonka’s regular dump truck.

Review Highlights

“I bought this for my nephew who is a 4-year-old for use as an indoor toy. He is having a great time with it and the engine and hydraulic sounds are well within the tolerable range for his parents. Great buy!”

What You Should Know

  • Comes with required batteries

  • Cab doors open with room inside for kids to put a toy driver

  • Extendable ladder doubles in size

Realistic lights and sounds means any kid can play fireman with this fire truck. Made of durable plastic and best suited to indoor play, the lever operated extendable ladder can set up for rescues or drop down while on the go. Reviewer Feedback: “Great for hours of imaginative play for years to come. It is also very sturdy as my one year old is not too gentle and it is withstanding his roughness. I almost didn’t buy it due to it’s price, but it was worth it, cheap toys break and don’t offer the many features this one does”

What You Should Know

  • Makes engine and reverse noises

  • Lights flash

  • Spin the mixer drum for hydraulic sound effects

All the sights and sounds of a construction site come along for the ride with this Power Mover cement mixer. It comes with the required batteries and makes hydraulic sounds and mixing noises when the drum is rotated.

Review Highlights

“My son loved it! 3 years old and very into construction vehicles. The sounds are great, as the truck makes a different beeping noise when going in reverse vs. going forward. Very realistic.”

What You Should Know

  • Covered by Tonka’s lifetime guarantee

  • Nearly 7lbs of heavy-duty toy

  • Covered by Tonka’s lifetime guarantee

This huge backhoe pairs well with Tonka’s classic dump truck. They’re compatible with size and weight and are some of the highest-rated Tonka trucks. Users note that the steel arm is quite stiff initially and has to be worn in slightly to be comfortable.

Review Highlights

“My grandson loves this backhoe. He has it in the sandbox in the backyard. It stays outdoors because it is huge. It has been there a year, and it still looks like new and holds up well, and he still plays with it.”

What You Should Know

  • Rotating cab

  • Movable arm and bucket

  • Vehicle may tip when the arm is fully extended

Watching cranes work at a construction site is a vivid childhood memory for many who grew up fascinated by vehicles. Let kids get the tough jobs done at home, even if their only architectural challenges involve sandcastles.

Review Highlights

“This is a great crane overall. I like its size and how beefy the wheels are. It’s easy enough to operate for my 2 1/2 year old son too. My only quibble is that it could use a counterweight to keep it from tipping over when in use, but my son is finding ways to deal with that issue.”

What You Should Know

  • For ages 3 and up

  • Mixing barrel rotates, but there’s no opening to actually put rocks or dirt inside

  • No lights or sound effects

Tough enough for outdoor play, but with wheels that won’t scuff or scratch flooring, this six pound concrete mixer toy is durable and well-reviewed. This classic Tonka truck comes with their lifetime guarantee and hybrid plastic and steel construction for rust resistance and durability. Unlike their Power series concrete mixer, this one is fueled by imagination only; no batteries required, and no light or sound effects. Reviewer Feedback: “My son is slightly big for a two year old and this truck was almost his size! Super big but what little boy doesn’t love that. Also it was slightly hard to turn but it’s probably for older kids.. Only downside was the cement mixer is hard to mix and it doesn’t make any noises.” 

What You Should Know

  • 13″ by 7″ by 7.5″

  • Front attached towing cable

  • Weighs over two pounds

A practical vehicle for a little construction worker, this pickup truck lets kids play foreman for a day. Pick up the right dress up gear and kids will have hours of pretend play fun.

Review Highlights

“What can I really say? It is a Tonka and made well. Tonka uses more plastic in their construction of these toys then they use too, but it is still a metal body, metal axles, and Tonka quality. Your kid(s) will love it!”

What You Should Know

  • Made with steel

  • Movable blade flattens and smoothes dirt

  • Ages 3 and up

Another solid choice from the Tonka Steel Classics line, the Road Grader, can be enjoyed indoors and outdoors in the dirt, sand, or gravel. The movable blade functions like a real road grader with materials, and the plastic material on the blade prevents potential ground damage.

Review Highlights

“This metal road grader was exactly what I needed and wanted. I was a little concerned that the blade was plastic but that is definitely not an issue. I am pleased with this purchase. My 5 year old grandson LOVES this toy!”

What You Should Know

  • Constructed with steel

  • Scoop and dump with articulated bucket

  • Ages 4 and Up

For the kiddo that has to have all the Tonka construction vehicles, this front loader is a necessity. The front loader functions like real equipment to transport dirt, rocks or sand thanks to the movable bucket.

Review Highlights

“As usual, Tonka trucks always deliver! Well-built, loads of fun, and hours of play! This grandmother highly recommends it.”


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