It’s one of those small tools that quietly changes daily life. A reacher grabber—sometimes called a hand grip pick up tool—extends your arm so you can reach things on a high shelf or down on the floor without bending or stretching. Some have magnets for coins or small metal objects, some rotate, some are extra long. What they all share is the ability to help people retrieve items that would otherwise be just out of reach.
I don’t need to do much research to answer whether they work: yes, they really do.
A Tool That Meets You Where You Are
Aging has a way of prompting new strategies for old routines. There was a time I prided myself on doing everything myself, no matter how awkward or inconvenient. Then came arthritis, stiff knees, and the occasional tumble of a dropped item that I could no longer reach. Suddenly, a tool that extends my reach isn’t just convenient—it’s essential.
Nine years ago, after knee replacement surgery, my medical team recommended a reacher grabber along with a walker and cane. It was helpful then, and today, with arthritis limiting my flexibility, it has returned to full-time use.
Reach Extenders in Every Room
When my old bottom-freezer refrigerator suddenly failed, I had to replace it quickly with a top-freezer model. I realized immediately that the crispers and bottom shelf would be hard to reach. A new grabber was in order. Amazon offered dozens of options, and I settled on the RMS 19 and 32-inch grabbers (now the slightly longer RMS 21-inch and 34-inch grabbers). Their rotating claws, comfortable grip, and different lengths make daily tasks easier in ways I didn’t anticipate.
My older Duro-Med DMI grabber also has its charms: a magnet for small metal objects, a slim profile to reach behind furniture, and a short bar that helps pull out pots. Each has features suited to different tasks.
Daily Life Made Easier
With these grabbers, I can:
- Reach items on shelves at home and in stores
- Lift shoes from the closet
- Pick up dropped items (frequent thanks to arthritic hands)
- Retrieve things from lower shelves and floors
- Empty the bottom dishwasher rack
- Spread sheets or blankets across the bed
- Pull laundry from the hamper, washer, and dryer
Even outdoors, they are helpful: picking up litter, small branches, or sturdier vegetables in the garden. Both grabbers are easy to clean and maintain, which makes keeping them around as simple as using them.
It’s remarkable how such a modest tool can make so much of daily life easier, preserving independence and reducing strain. Simple inventions like this remind me that small adjustments can make living with change less frustrating, even as flexibility and strength diminish.
Kudos to whoever invented the reacher grabber. It’s quietly transformative.
My mother needs an extension of her arm since she can no longer reach cupboards. I’m glad to know these grabbers really work, so I might buy her an EZ Reacher to help her get the ingredients she needs on the shelves. I think it’s partly due to aging, so I hope that I find one on a good store that can help her out.
I use mine dozens of times every day. A reg long reacher is just too long but this little booger is just right. I love it.