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irisblue

(36,911 posts)
Mon Jan 5, 2026, 11:43 AM Jan 5

I need to buy a 'grabber for seniors' advice on what other got & liked.

--A grabber for seniors, also known as a reacher or picker-upper, is a handheld assistive tool with a trigger-operated claw (or jaws) at one end, used to extend reach and pick up objects without bending or stretching, helping those with limited mobility, arthritis, or low strength maintain independence for items on the floor, high shelves, or under furniture. -- from google


I went to pick up a package on the front porch and almost toppled to the concrete.

40 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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I need to buy a 'grabber for seniors' advice on what other got & liked. (Original Post) irisblue Jan 5 OP
Shoot. I could use one to take to the grocery store for all those things on damned high shelves! hlthe2b Jan 5 #1
Not sure the 1 I bought would be sturdy enough, esp for heavy items SheltieLover Jan 5 #12
I ordered this one & it works very well SheltieLover Jan 5 #2
That looks like a good one cyclonefence Jan 5 #3
Thx. I ordered one. irisblue Jan 5 #5
Yw, Iris SheltieLover Jan 5 #9
My walker is red, so I got a coordinating one irisblue Jan 5 #28
I hope it's a great match! SheltieLover Jan 5 #30
I just remembered, George McGovern's old post pointed me to this yseful little gadget. SheltieLover Jan 5 #11
Is it easy to squeeze? quaint Jan 5 #6
Yes. Very easy to squeeze. SheltieLover Jan 5 #7
Thanks! quaint Jan 5 #13
Yw! SheltieLover Jan 5 #15
I did order it. Pink. quaint Jan 5 #20
What brand is your heavy duty one? SheltieLover Jan 5 #21
It's an EZPIK. quaint Jan 5 #22
Thx! Nice gift! SheltieLover Jan 5 #23
Just arrived. Works good. quaint Jan 6 #37
So happy you like it! SheltieLover Jan 6 #38
I ordered one similar while I was recovering from bypass surgery. LuvLoogie Jan 5 #10
I don't think this one would be good for heavy things either SheltieLover Jan 5 #14
This is the one we use (we have one for each of us) Dave in VA Jan 5 #16
I find mine useful, too. Do you use yours for heavy objects? SheltieLover Jan 5 #17
It's limited to the width of the grabber Dave in VA Jan 5 #19
LOL SheltieLover Jan 6 #39
We have several Deep State Witch Jan 5 #4
Did you try a medical supplies store? My old Right Aid used to sell medical supplies. I bought my cane from there. Also debm55 Jan 5 #8
Designed for heavy duty tasks: Donkees Jan 5 #18
The angle of this image is intimidating irisblue Jan 5 #32
I got mine from Dollar Tree. Collimator Jan 5 #24
Make sure you look it over carefully. pandr32 Jan 5 #25
Every senior move I do almost all the seniors have these grabbers and use them all the time kimbutgar Jan 5 #26
Try home depot, Harbor Freight or Amazon Historic NY Jan 5 #27
I suggest a 6'2" model, male, maybe a 2001 year, trained in electrical and plumbing... ret5hd Jan 5 #29
It is too late in life for me to adopt a child irisblue Jan 5 #31
HEH Skittles Jan 5 #36
We have one but honestly, I'm so old we just order groceries and have them delivered to our door. CTyankee Jan 5 #33
I specify to put all packages on the wheelchair ramp NOT the front porch irisblue Jan 5 #34
Same here with grocery orders. SheltieLover Jan 6 #40
I have one JUST LIKE THIS some_of_us_are_sane Jan 5 #35

hlthe2b

(112,949 posts)
1. Shoot. I could use one to take to the grocery store for all those things on damned high shelves!
Mon Jan 5, 2026, 11:45 AM
Jan 5

Instead I climb up on the shelves knowing full well, one day that will be a bad decision.

Hopefully someone can recommend one for you. Good luck.

cyclonefence

(5,145 posts)
3. That looks like a good one
Mon Jan 5, 2026, 11:55 AM
Jan 5

and I'm going to order one today. I have a couple of lightweight ones in different rooms to use for stuff like picking up dropped Kleenex or newspapers. They're no big deal to slide under the edge of a chair for storage, so I think it's useful to have a few around the house.

SheltieLover

(77,118 posts)
9. Yw, Iris
Mon Jan 5, 2026, 12:11 PM
Jan 5

I hope you like yours as much as I like mine.

What color did you choose?

I got a purple one.

SheltieLover

(77,118 posts)
11. I just remembered, George McGovern's old post pointed me to this yseful little gadget.
Mon Jan 5, 2026, 12:12 PM
Jan 5

Ty, George.

SheltieLover

(77,118 posts)
7. Yes. Very easy to squeeze.
Mon Jan 5, 2026, 12:07 PM
Jan 5

The grabber ends do not align perfectly, but well enough to grab a chain on an overhead light.

quaint

(4,693 posts)
20. I did order it. Pink.
Mon Jan 5, 2026, 12:39 PM
Jan 5

Last edited Mon Jan 5, 2026, 08:52 PM - Edit history (1)

I have a heavy duty model that I have problems squeezing so don't use it much. Lately, I've been playing cat and knocking stuff down when I finger pull to the edge of the shelf. 🙄

SheltieLover

(77,118 posts)
23. Thx! Nice gift!
Mon Jan 5, 2026, 12:50 PM
Jan 5

Maybe you could oil it or put a different spring or something in it so you can use it?

LuvLoogie

(8,551 posts)
10. I ordered one similar while I was recovering from bypass surgery.
Mon Jan 5, 2026, 12:11 PM
Jan 5

I still use it as I'm short. I might get another that is stronger, though. I find mine doesn't have a strong enough grip for anything over a couple pounds.

Dave in VA

(2,260 posts)
16. This is the one we use (we have one for each of us)
Mon Jan 5, 2026, 12:32 PM
Jan 5

Had it a couple of years now. Use it to pick up small twigs in the yard, get things I drop, etc. Highly recommend!

Dave in VA

(2,260 posts)
19. It's limited to the width of the grabber
Mon Jan 5, 2026, 12:37 PM
Jan 5

but I really haven't found anything that I couldn't use it to pick up. (But I don't have any gold bars in the house )

Deep State Witch

(12,598 posts)
4. We have several
Mon Jan 5, 2026, 11:57 AM
Jan 5

Because we have high ceilings. We have 2 upstairs and one downstairs. We love them.

debm55

(56,409 posts)
8. Did you try a medical supplies store? My old Right Aid used to sell medical supplies. I bought my cane from there. Also
Mon Jan 5, 2026, 12:10 PM
Jan 5

Amazon. Wish you luck.

Collimator

(2,087 posts)
24. I got mine from Dollar Tree.
Mon Jan 5, 2026, 12:51 PM
Jan 5

Obviously, it's not a heavy duty model, but it works for my needs. Given the price point, having one in several locations is an added convenience. With scissors, I have one in the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and dining area pass-through. Why go hunting when you can just have one easily to hand?

pandr32

(13,828 posts)
25. Make sure you look it over carefully.
Mon Jan 5, 2026, 12:54 PM
Jan 5

There is so much crap on the market that doesn't work well. My husband bought me one at the local hardware store when my broken arms were healing and it looks like it would work, but won't even pick up a sock.

kimbutgar

(26,905 posts)
26. Every senior move I do almost all the seniors have these grabbers and use them all the time
Mon Jan 5, 2026, 12:56 PM
Jan 5

I have a couple of them myself and use them sometimes also. Great invention for everyone not just seniors !

Historic NY

(39,696 posts)
27. Try home depot, Harbor Freight or Amazon
Mon Jan 5, 2026, 01:05 PM
Jan 5

Amazon has a variety of them extendable and foldable . Don't buy a cheap one they are junk. I have one to reach top shelfs where I stock paper towels and toilet tissue. They come in handy for Dropped items in unreachable places.

Search Amazon best grabber tool for seniors

ret5hd

(22,235 posts)
29. I suggest a 6'2" model, male, maybe a 2001 year, trained in electrical and plumbing...
Mon Jan 5, 2026, 01:16 PM
Jan 5

handy for everything...moving, reaching, fixing.

Skittles

(169,802 posts)
36. HEH
Mon Jan 5, 2026, 08:19 PM
Jan 5

from the subject line I thought it meant for the supermarket - I cannot bring myself to walk around with a geezer grabber so I rely on tall people to get me products from those high shelves - I have found that tall folk tend to be quite nice about it, I truly appreciate them

CTyankee

(67,824 posts)
33. We have one but honestly, I'm so old we just order groceries and have them delivered to our door.
Mon Jan 5, 2026, 03:25 PM
Jan 5

It's an extra cost but we don't order too much as we are in a retirement village and have our dinner meal included. So all we need are some cans of soup for lunch and condiments and napkins/paper towels for our tiny little kitchenette in our apartment.

irisblue

(36,911 posts)
34. I specify to put all packages on the wheelchair ramp NOT the front porch
Mon Jan 5, 2026, 04:16 PM
Jan 5

The wally world people put it on the front porch & that involves a 6 inch step; some days that 6 inches may as well be 6 feet, today was that day.

I called a neighbor & he sent his kids over to help me. I got wonderful neighbors. The box has been unpacked.
Arthritis and aging sucks somedays

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