Route Starter Checklist
Everything it takes to move, stock, service and protect your first machines, in 10 groups. We picked one product for each job, so there is nothing to compare. Tick what you still need and check out once.
- Tick the items you do not own yet.
- Open every Amazon item in one Amazon cart.
- Grab the few things Amazon does not sell from the short list.
As an Amazon Associate VendBuddy earns from qualifying purchases. Some other links on this page are affiliate links too. We never show prices here because they change; Amazon shows the current one in your cart.
Moving machines
A loaded snack machine weighs 500 to 900 lb. Most first-week damage happens on the move, not on the route.
- Harper Trucks appliance hand truck on Amazon
The strap-and-ratchet appliance truck that actually holds a full machine on stairs and ramps.
Alternative Strongway 1,200 lb industrial hand truck on AmazonHeavier frame and a higher weight limit if you move combo or drink machines.
- SIMPLI-Magic convertible hand truck on Amazon
Two wheels for boxes, four for a stack of cases. This is the restock-day cart, not the move-day one.
- Magline aluminum hand truck on Amazon
Light enough to lift into a van alone. Good for countertop and small machines.
- Riosoc electric stair-climbing hand truck on Amazon
Only if your locations have stairs and no freight elevator. It does the climbing for you.
- Everest ratchet strap on Amazon
Holds the machine to the truck and the truck to the van wall. Buy two.
- Shoulder Dolly two-person lifting strap on Amazon
Lets two people carry a machine over a curb or a single step without bending.
Alternative Forearm Forklift lifting straps on AmazonCheaper forearm version; fine for lighter machines.
- Slipstick GorillaSliders furniture sliders on Amazon
Slide the machine the last few feet into its spot without scratching the client’s floor.
- ONEON furniture lifter and mover set on Amazon
Lifts one side so you can get sliders or rollers underneath.
Restock and route
What lives in the vehicle. Good route gear turns a two-hour service run into a forty-minute one.
- Sterilite 27-gallon industrial totes, 4-pack on Amazon
One tote per location, packed the night before from your restock list.
- HIKEMOON folding wagon cart on Amazon
Carries two totes from the parking lot to the machine in one trip.
- Coleman 100-quart rolling cooler on Amazon
Keeps drinks and fresh items cold between stops in summer.
- Brother P-touch label maker on Amazon
Label every spiral and shelf with the product and the price you charge, so restocks stay right.
- AcuRite wireless fridge thermometer on Amazon
Shows the inside temperature of a drink or fresh machine without opening it.
- REIBII 5-tier heavy-duty shelving on Amazon
Garage or storage-unit shelving for backstock, one shelf per product family.
- MELIPRON steel cargo van shelving on Amazon
Only if you run a van. Keeps totes from sliding around on every turn.
Cash handling
Card readers take most sales now, but a coin and bill machine still fills a bank bag every week.
- Cassida C300 coin counter and sorter on Amazon
Counts and sorts a week of quarters in minutes, and wraps them.
- SMARTAKE zipper bank bags, 10-pack on Amazon
One bag per machine so you can see which location earned what.
Maintenance
Most service calls are a dirty bill validator, a loose connector or a dead outlet. These fix all three.
- KICTeam bill acceptor cleaning cards on Amazon
Run one through the validator monthly; it fixes most rejected bills.
Alternative Heigble presaturated cleaning cards, 30-pack on AmazonBigger pack if you run several machines.
- Alternative Klein Tools 32910 7-in-1 impact socket set on Amazon
One handle, seven sizes, fits in a pocket.
- JOREST 152-in-1 precision screwdriver set on Amazon
For card reader brackets, keypads and display boards.
Security
Cheap insurance against the one bad night every operator eventually has.
- DELSWIN steel security cable on Amazon
Ties the machine to a fixed point so it cannot be wheeled out.
- WYZE Cam OG security camera, 2-pack on Amazon
Settles "the machine ate my dollar" in seconds and deters break-ins.
- Joyfolk universal T-handle vending locks, 2-pack on Amazon
Replace the factory lock on a used machine; the old owner may still have keys.
Payments
Card readers raise sales on most machines. Signs tell people the machine takes cards before they walk away.
- Nayax cashless card reader at Nayax
Tap, chip and phone pay, plus sales data per machine. Sold by Nayax, not Amazon.
- newnewshow 4x6 acrylic sign holders, 6-pack on Amazon
A small "Request a product" or price sign on the counter next to the machine.
Office and route log
The records that keep tax time short. Mileage is often the biggest deduction a small route has.
- Adams vehicle mileage and expense journal on Amazon
Write down every route day in the vehicle, the same day.
- Epson WorkForce ES-50 portable scanner on Amazon
Scan Sam’s Club and Costco receipts the night you shop.
- QuickBooks bookkeeping at Intuit
Books per machine and per location, ready for your tax preparer. Software, sold by Intuit.
- Keeper expense and write-off tracker at Keeper
Finds write-offs in your card statements. An app, not a product on Amazon.
Books
Three books operators keep recommending to each other, and our own guide.
- The Vending Machine Playbook on Amazon
Our step-by-step guide from zero machines to a real route (Kindle).
Starter stock
Your first fill. Bulk packs from a warehouse club usually beat Amazon on cost per unit, so most of these are not Amazon links.
- Frito-Lay Classic Mix variety pack, 50 count at Sam’s Club
The safest first chip mix for an office or gym.
Incidentals
Small things that make long route days easier.
- Anker 323 USB-C car charger on Amazon
Your phone is your route sheet, card reader app and map. Keep it charged.
Check out once
Tick the items you need above. They collect here and in your Amazon list.
Open all 0 Amazon items in your Amazon cartOne link, one Amazon tab, every ticked item already in your cart. Amazon may ask you to sign in first. Your list also stays in the "My Amazon list" button on every VendBuddy page.
Also buy at
These are not sold on Amazon, so each one opens its own store.
Your first-month paperwork
The paperwork side of the same first month: the Vending Business Starter Kit, the AI Location Pitch Pack, the Vending Location Playbook. Instant download, paid here on VendBuddy, not on Amazon.
Add the Get Started Bundle — $69 →Only need one? Single kits: the Vending Business Starter Kit ($27), the AI Location Pitch Pack ($27) — pick one kit.
As an Amazon Associate VendBuddy earns from qualifying purchases.
Questions
Do I need all 50 items?
No. A first snack machine needs a way to move it, a way to restock it, a way to collect cash and a lock. Most people tick 6 to 10 lines.
Why one product per line?
Because comparing ten hand trucks is time you could spend finding a location. Where a second option really fits a different situation, we show it behind "Show the alternative".
Why are some items not on Amazon?
Card readers come from the processor, and bulk snack packs are usually cheaper per unit at a warehouse club. Those links open the store that sells them.