Mark Humphreys gets to grips with the Grabo.
Are you getting a grip, struggling to hold on, or letting things slip? Well, here is a wonderful little invention that may bring you back from the brink. I was recently asked to product test an electric vacuum grabber. “A what?”, I hear you say. Well, yes – I said the same, to be fair.
It’s a battery-operated suction cup that allows you to grab hold of almost any surface, rough or smooth, and claims it has been tested to lift up to 375lbs. I have been in the building industry for over 35 years now and, as we all can testify, lifting and carrying materials around homes or building sites isn’t one of the most pleasant parts of our day.
My trade is tiling and, given that the trend in tiles seem to be that they are getting larger and heavier, I am always on the side of anything that can make my day easier. Recently, I laid 45m of 800×800 marble tiles, which were very heavy, and very cumbersome. It was on that job that I tried out the Grabo for the first time. I’ll be honest with you – it’s a game changer. If your trade involves having to move heavy materials imagine if you could simply put a handle on them. Well, that’s what the Grabo does.
I was able to pick up and carry 20lb tiles with one hand. I simply attached the Grabo, pressed the button and away I went. The suction is so good I could carry the tiles by my side with total confidence, and never once did they slip – the grip is that strong. Then, when placing the tile, I could again single handedly put the tile directly in position, with the added bonus of being able to lift it again if the floor needed building up.
The Grabo comes with two rechargeable batteries. I used the device constantly on a single battery charge for two and a half days. There are indicator lights that tell keep you informed of the charge level and it can hold its grip for up to an hour even if the battery fails.
Overall, it has immediately become an essential bit of kit, just as electric whisks did after years of mixing by hand, a tool for helping you carry safely and confidently surely is a must in my book.
The Grabo will work on both rough and smooth surfaces, enabling you to carry anything from plasterboard to fence posts, it will grip to almost any surface and, like I said at the top, I really think it’s a game changer.
I have always adhered to the saying, ‘never give a sucker an even break’. Well, I think I have just changed my mind; I’m certainly holding on to one of these.
For further information on the Grabo visit https://grabo.com/
