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A grabber tool, which can extend the user’s reach from 26 inches to 40 inches, can help make everyday tasks safer and more manageable. A grabber tool’s large jaws can grip onto items ranging from bottles to small pieces of glass. Some even feature integrated magnets that make it easier to pick up small metal objects, such as a set of keys.
This guide explains the most essential features to consider when shopping for the best grabber tool and includes some of the best options on the market.
- BEST OVERALL: RMS Featherweight The Original Reacher
- BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Tacklife Upgrade Reacher Grabber Tool
- BEST WITH SUCTION CUPS: Vive Suction Cup Reacher Grabber Tool
- BEST EXTRA-LONG: EZPIK 40″ Long Reach Grabber Tool
- BEST FOR ELDERLY USERS: Jellas Reacher Grabber Tool
What to Consider When Choosing the Best Grabber Tool
While length may be the most important attribute when selecting a tool designed to extend one’s reach, other factors can make a big difference in a tool’s usefulness, including maneuverability, grabbing mechanism, and weight. Ahead, learn more about these and other factors that vary among grabber reacher tools.
Intended Use
Grabber tools are designed for several purposes. These handy tools make reaching objects easier for those who may have difficulty standing or bending over. For example, they are helpful for picking up trash, eliminating the need to constantly bend over to grab pieces of debris off the ground. Grabbers designed to help those with mobility issues are typically lighter and shorter than grabber tools intended for other purposes, making them easier to handle.
Grabbers also are useful for reaching objects from a shelf, replacing the need for a ladder or step stool. They are even helpful assistants for cleaning the trim above windows and dusting ceiling fans. For these purposes, the length of the grabber is important to maximize functionality.
Many also have useful features such as folding shafts and clips that allow the user to carry them or attach them to a wheelchair so they are readily available. Some models have other handy features such as LED lights that aid with visibility and shoehorns that help with putting on one’s shoes.
Shaft Material and Length
Most grabber tools have an aluminum shaft, which is lightweight, strong, and resists corrosion. Grabber tools range in length from shorter 26-inch models up to longer 40-inch models.
Longer grabbers are ideal for reaching objects that are higher off the ground than one might otherwise be able to access without a ladder. They also can be useful helpers for routine maintenance around the house, such as changing a light bulb or collecting trash around a property.
Though they don’t offer as much reach, shorter grabbers are easier to maneuver. They can help those with mobility issues pick up objects and handle tasks like gathering toys and clothes off the floor in a child’s room.
Ergonomics
Many of the best grabbers are easy to grip and comfortable on the hand while applying pressure to hold the jaws closed around an object. These handles have a molded grip that conforms to the hand so that pressure is distributed evenly over the hand, which makes it more comfortable to grip when applying constant pressure to the trigger while maneuvering an object. Most grabbers also have handles with rubberized coatings to prevent the tool from slipping out of a user’s hand while using it.
Some grabbers also fold to 90-degree angles, making it easier to reach items that may be at the back of a high shelf or cabinet. Others have a mechanism that allows the user to lock the jaws once they grip an object.
Weight and Maneuverability
Weight and maneuverability play a significant role in determining how easy a grabber is to use. A grabber needs to be light enough for users so that it’s easy for them to manipulate the tool. Most grabbers are made of lightweight aluminum and weigh between 9 and 13 ounces.
How much weight a tool can effectively hold in its grippers is an important feature. Lighter-duty grabbers can handle up to 5 pounds, while heavy-duty grabbers have a higher weight limit of up to 12 pounds.
Maneuverability also is key. Some grabbers are foldable with a joint at the midpoint of the shaft. This joint allows the user to adjust the grabber to angles of 45 or 90 degrees to reach the back of a shelf or even into a gutter.
Grabbing Mechanism
The grabbing mechanism consists of a handle with a large trigger that operates a broad set of jaws. When the operator applies pressure to the trigger, it causes the jaws to close on an object. Most jaws feature a rounded shape with a wide 4- to 5-inch opening in the rear that can grip larger items, such as a glass or a bottle. These jaws typically have a nonslip coating that prevents objects from sliding out of the grabber while being moved. Some grabbers have suction cups on the jaws which allow the grabber to pick up delicate items, such as a glass, with less pressure.
The jaws taper to a front that is narrow enough to pick up smaller objects, such as small pieces of glass or a set of keys. There also are grabbers that have rotating heads that allow the user to better position the grabber for gripping objects.
Storage
Access to a grabber is important, as it isn’t much help if it’s not handy when needed, and this can be a bigger challenge for those with mobility limitations. With that in mind, many grabbers have designs that make them easy to store and access.
Some fold completely in half, allowing a 30-inch grabber to reduce to just 15 inches in size. This foldability allows the grabber to fit in a drawer or a cabinet. Loops or clips on the shaft or handle enable the user to hang the grabber when not in use or attach the grabber to a wheelchair so it’s readily available when needed.
Our Top Picks
To help narrow the field to some of the best grabber tools for different needs, the following products were selected based on the above considerations. As these are some of the best options on the market, any of the grabber reacher tools below can make accessing those out-of-reach objects an easier task.
Best Overall
RMS Featherweight The Original Reacher
Though this reacher may not have the length or foldability of more expensive models, its affordable price and quality construction make it a worthy tool for various needs. A soft foam coating on the jaws allows it to grip objects and hold them firmly in place, while a hook side helps snatch items with loops. Magnets integrated into the tip of the jaws make it easier to pick up smaller metal objects.
At 26 inches long, this grabber is long enough to extend reach while remaining short enough to maneuver easily. At just over 9 ounces, it’s one of the lighter grabbers on the market. A sizable ergonomic grip allows the user to keep a secure hold on the reacher while grabbing objects. A handy yellow clip lets the user attach the grabber to a cane, walker, or wheelchair, making it accessible.
Product Specs
- Length: 26 inches
- Material: Aluminum and foam
- Weight: 9.6 ounces
Pros
- Hook side
- Magnetic tip
- Ergonomic grip
- Clip attaches to walkers, wheelchairs, canes, and more
- Wide-mouth claw
Cons
- Doesn’t fold
Get the RMS grabber tool on Amazon or at Walmart.
Best Bang for the Buck
Tacklife Upgrade Reacher Grabber Tool
With its light weight, ample length, and foldability, this grabber tool from Tacklife meets a variety of needs. Rotating jaws and a shaft that can fold to any angle between 45 and 180 degrees allow the user to access virtually any spot. At 34 inches long when fully extended and weighing less than 10 ounces, the Tacklife is easy to maneuver whether sitting or standing. Other features make it more functional, including a magnetic tip that allows it to more easily grab metal items, such as a set of keys or coins.
The lightweight aluminum construction gives this grabber a weight capacity of 12 pounds, while a thick rubberized layer on the jaws allows it to firmly grasp heavier objects. A soft ergonomic handle and a large trigger make holding the jaws closed easy, while a small loop at the top of the handle allows the user to hang it in a convenient spot when not in use.
Product Specs
- Length: 34 inches
- Material: Aluminum
- Weight: 10 ounces
Pros
- Folds between 45 and 180 degrees
- Magnetic tip
- Suitable for heavier objects; 12-pound weight capacity
- Rubberized layer
- Ergonomic handle and large trigger
Cons
- Some users report issues using the cable and trigger
Get the Tacklife grabber tool at Walmart.
Best with Suctions Cups
Vive Suction Cup Reacher Grabber Tool
With its powerful suction-cup grips and ample 32-inch length, this reacher is well suited to gripping delicate out-of-reach objects. The cups will grip smooth surfaces without the need for a lot of pressure, making them ideal for changing a light bulb in an out-of-reach light fixture or grabbing glasses and mugs from a high shelf. Keep in mind, these cups must be cleaned periodically to work properly.
A handle with a rubberized grip is comfortable to hold while maintaining even pressure on the trigger. Aluminum construction keeps this reacher lightweight at less than 9 ounces, making it easy to maneuver, whether sitting or standing. A loop end on the handle allows the user to conveniently hang the reacher when not in use so it’s easily accessible when needed.
Product Specs
- Length: 32 inches
- Material: Aluminum
- Weight: 8.8 ounces
Pros
- Suction-cup grabber
- Rubberized grip
- Loop end
Cons
- Cups must be cleaned periodically
- Doesn’t fold
Get the Vive grabber tool on Amazon or at Walmart.
Best Extra-Long
Ezpik 40u0022 Long Reach Grabber Tool
With its 40-inch length, this model is one of the longest grabber reacher tools on the market, making it ideal for grabbing items off a high shelf or picking up garbage around the yard. A head that rotates up to 180 degrees makes it easy to position the wide jaws for picking up items. Jaws with a 4-inch-wide throat can grip a bottle, while a narrow tip is suitable for picking up smaller objects.
The jaws feature a nonskid coating that can grip small pieces of glass or bulky pieces of garbage, such as cans, bottles, and newspapers. The claws also have an integrated magnet, which makes picking up smaller pieces of metal easier. A foldable design makes this grabber easy to store or transport. Despite its long length, it weighs less than 10 ounces.
Product Specs
- Length: 40 inches
- Material: Aluminum and stainless steel
- Weight: 9.5 ounces
Pros
- 180-degree rotating head
- Wide, nonskid magnetic jaws
- Foldable
- Metal hanging hook
Cons
- Pricey
- Some users report manufacturing defects
Get the EZPik grabber tool on Amazon or at Walmart.
Best for Elderly Users
Jellas Reacher Grabber Tool
With lightweight, innovative design features suitable for those with mobility problems, this reacher grabber tool from Jellas is a worthy option for elderly users. For a grabber tool to be useful, it must be able to handle a variety of tasks, and this one does. Its large rubberized gripper jaws and 32-inch length mean it can pick up many types of objects, while a magnetic tip makes picking up keys off the floor easy.
The jaws rotate, and the shaft is foldable, allowing the user to grab objects from various positions and angles. It also has some innovative extra features, including a handle with an integrated shoehorn that helps those who have difficulty bending over to put on their shoes. Aluminum construction keeps this grabber tool at a manageable weight of 12 ounces.
Product Specs
- Length: 32 inches
- Material: Aluminum
- Weight: 12 ounces
Pros
- Rotating jaws
- Magnetic tip
- Large rubberized grip jaws
- Foldable shaft
- Shoehorn end
Cons
- Some users report manufacturing defects
Get the Jellas grabber tool on Amazon or at Walmart.
Our Verdict
For a reliable reacher grabber tool, we recommend the RMS grabber tool. This versatile gadget comes with a hook side, a clip, a wide-mouth claw, and a magnetic tip. Alternatively, the Tacklife grabber tool is a budget friendly-choice that folds between 45 and 180 degrees, has a magnetic tip, a large trigger, and an ergonomic handle for easy maneuvering.
How We Chose the Best Grabber Tools
We researched the most sought-after grabber tools in their respective categories and discovered that the best models are determined by their length, materials, weight, and the other special features included by top brands.
While searching for the best grabber reacher tools available, the most popular options among users were the 32- to 40-inch-long aluminum grabbers that, at 9 to 12 ounces, were also light. Select options also come with ergonomic handles, large triggers, wide-mouth jaws, rotating heads, and suction cups to provide a secure hold on a variety of large and small objects. Many of these top picks also offer multiple uses with magnetic tips, shoehorns, and clips built-in for versatility and convenience.
FAQs
Now that you know more about the many features and capabilities of grabber reacher tools, there may be some new or lingering questions. Read on for answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about these devices.
Q: What is a grabber used for?
A grabber is useful for a variety of purposes. It can be an invaluable tool for those who struggle to stand or bend over, allowing them to reach objects and operate appliances they may not otherwise be able to reach. They also can be valuable tools for reaching items from high shelves or collecting trash without straining one’s back or risking injury from touching broken glass.
Q: How do grabbers work?
Grabbers have large handles with triggers that operate a set of jaws. When the operator squeezes the trigger on the handle, it pulls a wire that runs through the shaft to the jaws, causing the jaws to close and grip on an object.
Q: How do you use a reacher grabber?
Use a reacher grabber by extending the grabber until the jaws are around the desired object. Squeeze the trigger to close the jaws on the item. Maintain pressure on the trigger and move the object to a location where it can be accessed without the grabber.