Best Fruit Picker

All the information you need to know when buying the best fruit picker

Introduction

High-quality gardening tools are hard to come by. This is why having a fruit picker, which is well-made, sturdy, and can reach the heights you need it to reach, will help make your life far easier as a gardener. Whether you are simply picking fruit for the family, or sell at a small local farmers-market, or whether you are selling to major commercial distributors, the right tools will help you collect more fruit, in less time.

As such, we decided to research lots of different products so that we could give you a choice of only the best fruit pickers available. We also included the best budget and the cheapest fruit pickers so no matter what your needs are, there's a product for you.

Who can benefit from a fruit picker? Obviously, gardeners and those who work in a commercial profession picking fruit, will benefit from using one. However, even homeowners who pick fresh fruit for their family, can greatly benefit from using a fruit picker as well.

About fruit pickers

Fruit pickers are used, as their name implies, to help you pick fruit. You can easily collect oranges, pears, apples, and other fruits which grow above-head. The picker will assist you in reaching taller heights. It is also used to help you house more pieces of fruit at once. This means less picking, bending, stooping, and bending. It also means less pain if you are doing these tasks countless time as day.

When investing in a fruit picker, it isn’t solely about choosing a big one. Instead of just looking at capacity, you also want to consider how efficient it is. How quickly can you move and collect fruit? What type of fruit can it hold? And, other factors which will make picking fruit easier and faster, are a few of the features you want to consider when choosing your fruit picker.

FEATURES

Lightweight

Basket size

Adjustable

Bruise protection

Durability

  1. Lightweight – You want the tool to help you not hinder you. If it is very heavy it is going to weigh you down and it will slow you down. So, you want to choose lighter weight, efficient, and something that allows you to move quickly, when you are in a hurry to get the job done, and collect more volumes of fruit in less time.
  2. Basket size – Capacity is important. Again, you want to collect more, in a shorter period of time. So, you want a basket which can house more fruit, so you can easily gather more, without having to continue going up and down as you are working. The more it can hold, the easier your job will be in collecting fruit.
  3. Adjustable – An adjustable arm or pole is a must. This will allow you to reach higher heights, to collect more up high, and easily do your job, without undue stress or pain where you don’t want to suffer from such stress. An adjustable arm is a great way to reach more and higher, without having to worry about dropping items you collect.
  4. Bruise protection – When collecting delicate fruits, you don’t want to bruise it. So, you need a fruit picker which will help avoid just that. Look for something that makes it easy to collect, and softly house the fruit. This will eliminate bruising, and potentially damaging the fruit you have collected, when you are using the fruit picker to help you reach up and get to taller trees and heights.
  5. Durability – You don’t want something that is fragile or is going to break on you after a few uses. So, everything from the cage, to the collection pail, to the pole or arm, should be durable. Consider the material construction, reinforcements, and other design aspects, to ensure you choose the best product possible. You don’t have to overspend on a fruit collector. As long as you compare a few items, you can easily find a durable, high-quality picker, for a reasonable price when you are ready to choose one for your outdoor collection needs.
The Best Budget: Onuhu 13-foot Fruit Picker

This fruit picker has a 13’ pole. And, it can easily be adjusted depending on the fruit you are collecting, and how high or low the tree is to the ground, when you are collecting fruits. It is lightweight, made of aluminum, and the telescopic pole easily adjusts as needed.

Some features include:

  • The adjustable pole, allowing you to reach higher up as needed.
  • Lightweight aluminum base, so you can reach easily and avoid pain.
  • Rounded fruit basket. You can collect more fruit, and hold it, without bruising or damage.
Pros

A deeper basket, has a bruise-pad built into it. So, your fruit is protected, it won’t get banged up, and the basket can easily house more at once for collection needs. Prongs are built-in to help you easily hook the fruit and pull it down, with less stress and force.

Cons

The aluminum is light;however, it is also weaker than other materials. It might get damaged, especially if working in high-up, or very windy conditions. The lighter frame might also make it tough to get heavier or thicker fruits down, so you do have to pull down harder when reaching for certain fruits.

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The Cheapest Product: Bond Wood Handle Fruit Harvester

If you want a cheaper option, this might be a good choice for you to consider. It does have a thin, easy to grip, wooden pole. So, you might have to wear gloves when you are working with this fruit picker.

Some of the features include:

  • A telescopic, wooden grip handle. It is easy to hold onto, and durable.
  • The basket is wide, and can collect larger quantities of fruit at once.
  • An 8’ handle, is ideal for most trees in a home or smaller outdoor area.
Pros

The telescopic handle allows for an ergonomic grip when you are collecting fruit. It has a larger basket and it also has a bruise-pad. This is going to help keep your fruit ripe, and ensure you can avoid damaging it as you are collecting in larger quantities or if you are collecting larger fruits.

Cons

The handle does not adjust. It is also a wooden handle. So, this can cut or injure your hands. You might want to wear gloves when using this fruit picker, as it can splinter or break. It is a much cheaper price than other products. The handle can’t adjust, and it is only 8’, as opposed to 12-15’ with most other similar sized products.

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Best of the Best: Lopunny Fruit Picker

A 13’ pole, with the extender built into it, gives you more leverage, and easier time when reaching high up into trees. It is made of a poly-plastic grip, so it is easy on the hands, and you won’t get cuts, scrapes, or bruises, when you are working for extended periods of time.

Some features of this product include:

  • Adjustable grip pole, which can reach up to 13’ height.
  • Large collection basket, so you can hold more fruit at a time.
  • Easy to work, and durable material finish, doesn’t dent or break.
Pros
  • A 5-section extension pole gives you more command when working outdoors.
  • The basket has a built in protective guard, so you won’t damage or ruin your fruit.
  • Sponge grips are built on, so you don’t bruise or injure your hands when working.
Cons

This material is more prone to damage, denting, or other problems when working higher up. A telescopic pole can adjust from 3.5 to 13’. But, for taller heights, you are limited. A larger basket is capable of holding more fruit than others. But, even with the protective pad, it is likely that with more weight, you can easily bruise the fruit you are collecting, especially larger pieces of fruit in the basket.

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Ever-Sprout 13-foot Fruit Picker

Easy to work with, light in weight, and sturdy grip handle, are a few of the many benefits of choosing this fruit picker. It is made of a plastic material, which is light in weight, yet durable for year-round fruit picking.

Some features of this product include:

  • A fully adjustable grip pole. You can adjust with a twist, up to 13’ in height.
  • It easily locks into place once you have set your height, so it won’t move when trying to pull fruit down.
  • It has a large fruit basket, so you can collect more, with fewer attempts.
Pros

A twist on picker-basket is both easy to attach, and will remain in place when you are collecting fruit. It has a reach of up to 20’, which is longer than nearly any fruit basket you will find, due to the very large and long basket for collecting fruit.

Cons

It does have a bruise-free pad. But, with larger fruits, like mangoes, you can still bruise them if you are pulling with the overhead basket. The basket is also a bit bulkier and heavier than others, so you might have limitations on how much you can hold at once, when you are trying to work quickly when collecting fruit.

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Flexrake Fruit Picker

This is another great option for those who want something affordable. It is ideal if you are picking smaller fruits, in an outdoor home setting. It is small and compact, so ideal for a smaller outdoor area where you are collecting fruit from trees.

Some features of this collector include:

  • A simple, 2-piece set. It has the pole and the collector basket, nothing complex to set up.
  • The pole can reach up to 8’ in height. So, it is great for smaller trees.
  • It has a 2’ basket. It can hold large volumes of fruit when you are working outdoors, and want to do more in less time.
Pros

It is very light. It is very easy to set up, and there are no complex instructions. If you like simplicity, quick and easy work, and something that will make fruit collection as efficient as possible, you have found it with this fruit picker.

Cons

It is a bit simplistic for major outdoor collectors. For any large-scale job, you are going to find that this might slow you down, and that it is not able to hold as much fruit, as some of the other collection baskets you can purchase.

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FAQ
  • 1. Can a fruit picker collect any fruit?
  • Technically yes. But, they are best for larger fruits, like apples or oranges. They are intended to help you reach up, and avoid having to reach high above-head on your own. They are basically going to act as an extended arm, so you can do less heavy lifting and moving, and collect more fruit, more efficiently, in less time.
  • 2. How tall/long are fruit pickers?
  • You can find some which are 8-10’ tall or higher. Depending on how high trees are, the type of fruit you want to reach, and other factors, there are also adjustable fruit pickers. So, you have to compare a few options, to find the right one, for the types of fruit you are going to pick with the fruit picker.
  • 3. Do I need one to collect fruit?
  • No. But, if you are constantly suffering from back pain, cramping, or issues with back or neck pain, it might be because of the extra strain you are putting on your body when you don’t have to. A fruit picker can do much of the tougher work, so you can simply reap the benefits of the fruit you are collecting.
  • 4. What are they made of?
  • The picker basket is a plastic or similar material. It is something light so you can easily reach with it, and it should allow you to work quickly with the fruits you are collecting outside.
  • 5. Can I use one in a small home?
  • Yes. As long as you have fruit to collect above, such as apples or fruits growing higher up in trees, it can assist you. Although it is not necessary, and is usually not used to pick one or two fruits, for several, you can greatly benefit from using this simple tool as an extension to guide you up and reach more fruit.