Rugged Reacher

I’ve been using the Unger Professional 42.5” Rugged Reacher Grabber for several weeks, and it has made grabbing items and reaching high or low spots so much easier. The long, sturdy handle is comfortable to hold, and the grabber mechanism works smoothly every time. It feels well-built and durable, making it perfect for both indoor and outdoor tasks. If you want a practical, reliable tool to extend your reach without strain, this is a solid choice.

This is my heaviest grabber. It’s also my sturdiest. The settings are stuck on beast mode. This grabber is pretty much your go to for when you are grabbing something very heavy. It can pretty much be used like a shovel when you have to grab and lift. I bought this for a Garage clean out and organization of a minor hoarder of farm supplies. I have lifted 1 gallon jugs, bowling pins, grabbed half or full 5 gallon fuel cans and drug them around, pulled very heavy tractor parts out of cabinets and deep shelves. These are not very precise grabbers as the grip surface is slightly curved with kind of a bubble jaw surface. The curve works very well though for getting a solid grip with little effort. This is also very heavy for a grabber, it is built like a tank. I wouldn’t use this primarily for general waste cleanup, but for heavy lifting it outclasses all the rest. This is more of a specific heavy lifting scenario type grabber, and for that function it is perfect.

I would have made this 5-stars as I have with other Unger products. It has the same obvious thoughtful performance and design elements that show the Unger designers well aware of how their products are used and who would be using it. However there are some differences to the standard Unger grabbers that people should be aware of. It is noticeably heavier and not made for just walking around and picking light things up here and there--a small jar on a shelf, or a scrap of paper or a dime dropped on the floor. it is for bigger things like scraps of 2 x's or bricks or bundles of tree limbs and such. It has a foam grip on the tube, but that only emphasizes the fact that it is really made for two-handed, hefty lifts. I also found the squeeze-trigger built into handle more awkward, giving less leverage than the handle triggers they use on their lighter models. This 42" model less useful than the 32" or 48" models in their lighter models. I bought 2 of these rugged grabbers, thinking they would be same as the regular models, with some added reinforcement., but I returned one of them when I saw the difference. The reinforcement is there, but it limits the functionality of the tool. Still a good product, but be aware of the difference from the lighter models and your specific uses for it. My 4-stars is only because I think Unger could have made a heavy-duty model that was lighter and with a better trigger mechanism, making it both more rugged and more versatile .

I recently purchased the Unger Professional 42.5” Rugged Reacher Grabber Tool with Rotating Head, and I’m genuinely impressed with its performance. The build quality is excellent—sturdy, well-balanced, and clearly designed for durability and everyday use. The aluminum construction feels strong without being heavy, making it easy to use for extended periods. The rotating head is a standout feature. It adjusts smoothly and locks into place, allowing me to reach items from multiple angles with precision. The rubberized jaws provide a firm, reliable grip on everything from small objects to heavier items, without slipping or causing damage. At 42.5 inches, the reach is perfect for accessing high shelves, behind appliances, or picking things up without bending. Overall, the functionality, comfort, and rugged construction exceeded my expectations—especially at this price point. I highly recommend this grabber tool to anyone looking for a dependable, well-made reacher that delivers excellent control and convenience.

I mounted hooks on my large lawn tractor to hold this grabber. As I cut the grass I constantly find branches that were blown out of trees after a heavy storm. This grabber is long enough that I can reach the branches on the ground and lift them up. However, the grabber is so long that I cannot place the branch into my other hand. So, when deciding which grabber to purchase, be sure to measure the distance between your thumbs with your arms outstretched. If I tow a yard trailer behind the tractor, then there is no problem moving the branch to the trailer. These grabbers are sturdy. I can lift substantial size branches which would break the inexpensive plastic grabbers I first started using. These have a larger-diameter tube running from handle to tongs than other grabbers. While this adds great strength, it also means that the standard command strip hooks are not large enough to hold this. I got strips with a wire hook that could be bent....and rebent the wire to hold the grabber tube. This works well as it holds the grabber securely so it doesn't fall out as the tractor bounces over bumps but the grabber can be removed by pulling. So think about mounting if you order this. My reason for low ease of use is partially due to length but mostly due to construction of the grabbing trigger. This was mentioned multiple times in other reviews and I understand what they are talking about. Simply put, it is very difficult to exert enough force with your hand squeezing the trigger to have the tongs hold an item tightly. The best I can do with some branches is to extend the grabber so it surrounds the branch loosely, squeeze tongs closed as best I can, then lift the branch by tilting the grabber. A redesign of the trigger mechanism is needed on this grabber to allow more force from the hand squeeze to reach the tongs. Bottom line: Very sturdy and well built grabber with tongs that are hard to forcefully squeeze shut and a bit too long to pass items from the tongs into your other hand.

This grabber has a couple of keys flaws that only make it suitable for light duty use. The first thing is the thrust ratio between the handle and the jaws. It doesn’t take much movement of the handle to make the jaws close all the way. This looks good on paper, but the result is that the grip force between the pads is poor. You could put a toddler’s finger between the jaws and squeeze the handle with all your might and the kid would giggle at the funny game you were playing. I bought this grabber to use while on my lawnmower so I wouldn’t have to get off my mower to pick up deadfall and the occasional tool left behind. It took me three attempts to pick up a shovel due to the pads slipping off of the shovel. I wasn’t trying to pick up the entire weight of the shovel, I just wanted to pick up the handle high enough for me to grab it. The jaws just kept slipping off of the smooth surface of the shovel. Which brings up the other “flaw”. The pads are a hard rubber which makes them durable, but reduces their ability to grip. Maybe Unger should give you slip-on sleeves made of silicone rubber? I guess the tool is OK if you can get the jaws to wrap all around the item you need to pick up, but my opinion is that they’re only good for picking up soda cans and cigarette butts. I think a tool (especially one touted as “rugged”or “professional”) should work the first time every time (In this case, without having to think about how best to grab the item in your way so it only takes one attempt).

Heavy duty and seem to be well made

Very good quality! Returned other model in favor of this one. We worth the additional cost for this one.

😺

It works

great product but hard to grip things as hand is not strong enough to grip clamping handle hard enough to hold larger heavier items

It's very sturdy and picks up heavy stuff well. Since I'm not tall, it was hard to remove the stuff picked up with my other hand.

I was very pleased when I unwrapped this tool! I previously had a good Reach Grabber Tool but when it stopped working I couldn't find another one of good quality... I finally found this one on Amazon and although I spent a bit more than others I had seen, I am very happy with how Rugged and Durable this tool is. I use the tool to pick leaves, twigs and other debris out of our pond and waterfall feature, and for general yard clean-up without having to bend over to do so. I like the long reach and ability to pivot the grabber for the best angle for easy pick-up. Great Product, very Heavy Duty Professional tool that I am sure will last years.