UNGERProfessional 36” Nifty Nabber, Reacher Grabber Tool, Trash Picker Upper, Built-In Magnet and Ergonomic Grip, Outdoor Claw Pickup for Yard Clean Up, Reaching Assist for Seniors

Owned this grabber model for ten years of roadside litter pick-up. It's still working fine. The aluminum tongs eventually bent, hindering precise retrieval of small items like broken glass shards and bottle caps, but they were easily re-straightened to original performance specs. The rubber tips have held up well. Recently ordered another Unger for the occasional, rare volunteer wanting to join in the thrill of trash clean-up with vehicles whisking by mere feet away. For those with normal wingspan, the 36 inch version is most effective for walking pick-ups and placement into bags, although the 48 inch length can be handy for reaching out from UTVs, or snaring stuff under fences. Such trivia and ensuing deep insights into the American litterbug's questionable dietary and personal habits are made possible thanks to the North Carolina politicians who have rolled secondary roadside clean-up responsibility, which inmates used to do, onto an ever compliant and gullible private citizenry, attributable to that most abused of guises, "budgetary constraints." Because litter laws are seen as a warped challenge by many miscreants and largely unenforced by overburdened authorities, every day fulfills the promise of a generous snowfall from local slobs. In that vein, it doesn't take too long to appreciate the advantages of this particular grabber over, for instance, inferior offerings, let alone having to resort to gloved, or perhaps, bare hands. A couple of heavy, ripe Snuggie Overnight diapers and a few disgusting plastic bottles filled with once warm Copenhagen tobacco spit can convince the most skeptical . The Unger is lightweight and though it may initially appear that it might not hold up to vigorous use, that has not proven to be the case. It has effectively handled tons of trash. It is able to deftly snatch everything from tiny cigarette butts to all sizes of drink containers, beer cans and hefty glass whiskey bottles, notably all the flavored concoctions of Bootlegger Jack. Based on an unscientific survey of an estimated 7,500 samples, and for those swayed by the druthers of others, Bud Lite holds a five to one advantage over Keystone and Coors in terms of beer preference. Somewhere back at St. Louis corporate, that news of roadside market share surely must do those Dalmatians and Clydesdales proud. Meanwhile, the Unger really hits its stride in tackling the gamut of plastic shopping bags, candy wrappers, chip packaging, lids, straws and fast food garbage, deposits largely courtesy of the usual nearby suspects -- Ingles grocery, the Golden Arches, Sonic and those one-every-five-miles Dollar stores. In sum, there's very little that these businesses, which generously tout their environmental commitment, can throw at local roadsides that the Unger can't manage. While objects like tires, sofas and large appliances may be beyond Unger's design lift capacity, it works quite well for retrieving smaller items like dropped screws, nuts, bolts, etc., which invariably roll into hard to reach corners of the workshop floor. During summers, the Unger has competently removed dozens of linear feet of black snakes from around the chicken house to safer places without snafu. It probably would be great for retrieving golf balls. It should prove indispensable for the elderly or anyone where bending over constitutes impaired movement. Its utility is only limited by circumstance and imagination. When one reflects upon all their wasted, cheap product purchases over the years, Unger does not make that list -- a pleasant surprise, simply but ruggedly constructed and a decent after tax value, provided Amazon free shipping, of course. Given that the Unger is quite the bargain, don't care to know, but suspect it's made in China or possibly represent North Korean high tech, either of which might be a serious negative for some. Then again, if only the NC State Legislature could get inmates on the license plate assembly line to similarly crank out Unger-like grabbers of identical quality, many of us would feel better about use of our tax dollars. That's doubly the case when out there in wind and weather dodging traffic and knowing those who should be doing the work hang out in their climate-controlled surroundings, oblivious to proper land stewardship. Recommend this Unger product.

Bought this pick-up tool from Amazon and have been using it for about 2 weeks now. What a difference it's made in my life...and in unexpected ways too. The other night I was sitting at my desk filling my weekly medication pill boxes. I dropped a capsule...down it went in my lap, bounced off and rolled way back under the desk against the wall. The area under my desk is open but I still would have had to crawl under it to get to the pill. I could see the pill but these old bones don't let me get down on the ground any more. In cases like these I call my husband who's also getting up in years and is starting to find it really painful to get down on hands and knees to do my dirty work...lol. I remembered the Nifty Nabber in the kitchen. My wheelchair and I scooted in to get it and came back to see if I could pinch and drag the pill out. To my surprise my first attempt at actually picking up the capsule with this contraption WORKED!!! It grabbed that pill firmly allowing me to retrieve it without anyone's help. I was impressed with the finer than expected dexterity of the device.It worked as described in reaching items on shelves in the kitchen. Obviously weight is an issue. You can only pick up and retrieve items within a certain weight range. I've had no trouble picking up boxes of pasta, a standard size bottle of molasses (gripped firmly around the middle of the bottle), spices, etc. I don't think I'd trust it to grab anything breakable that weighed more than 2 lbs. In fact if it's breakable like glass or capable of making a huge mess if it drops, my limit is around 1 /12 lbs. It's not going to help you pick up a gallon glass jar of sugar on the top shelf of your kitchen cabinet. Be realistic in your expectations. You'll learn a little finesse in handling it over time. For example, before I came in here to write the review I grabbed a bottle of molasses off the shelf. It was a full bottle and weighed closer to 2 lbs. As I grabbed the bottle around the the waist just below the middle, I loosened my grip just a wee bit so the bottle leaned back against the end of the rod. I tightened my grip again to lift it down. Just little tricks you'll learn as you go along. I did a little rearranging. I brought all my heavier items to the lower shelves and put lighter weight items on the upper shelves. It's no trouble at all to use this so I'm not concerned about inconvenience.With my limitations, it's a winner in my book. From picking up odds and ends off the ground and floor, to retrieving run away pills under the desk, to expanding your kitchen cabinet space by being able to reach items on the tops shelves, this works. It's very sturdy. I'll be very surprised if I have any defect or functionality issues for years to come. For the price, if I get a good two years out of it and have to replace it, I will.