With a high-quality apple picker, the late-summer harvest of fruit in your green living room is a lot easier. With the help of this practical utensil, you don't have to bend down or climb a ladder - as long as the fruit picker has an ergonomic and sufficiently long telescopic handle. You can find out what else is important when making a purchase in our guide.
With an apple picker, apples can also be reached far up
Our recommendations
our recommendation
Fiskars fruit picker for Fiskars QuikFit stems, tool head, length: 32 cm, glass fiber reinforced plastic/cotton, black/orange, QuikFit, 1000693
22.95 EUR To the product| Material picking crown | plastic (reinforced) |
|---|---|
| Material catch bag | cotton (washable) |
| Flexible grip joint | Yes |
| handle incl. | no |
| Suitable for | large and small fruit |
Most Amazon reviewers are enthusiastic about the Fiskars fruit picker. They praise the well thought-out - Finnish-inspired - construction of the teeth, which should make it possible to pick smaller and larger fruit without any problems "without tearing down half the tree". Another advantage: the rather large catch bag. Some customers describe the attachment to the separately available telescopic handle as difficult.
our recommendation
WOLF-Garten multi-star jointed fruit picker RG-M; 7242000
13.99 EUR To the product| Material picking crown | plastic |
|---|---|
| Material catch bag | cotton (washable) |
| Flexible grip joint | Yes |
| handle incl. | no |
| Suitable for | large and small fruit |
The fruit picker from WOLF-Garten is characterized by similar properties as our comparison winner - only it does without the Finnish design of the picking crown, which is instead classically designed. The majority of reviewers on Amazon see the fruit picker as a useful garden tool that serves its purpose. It is unclear whether the catch bag is really made of cotton. Several buyers say it is made of plastic.
our recommendation
Master Fruit Picker Comfort | Powder-coated steel with protective caps | Ø 130 mm | cotton bag | apple picker | Harvest Hands | fruit picker
EUR 10.95 To the product| Material picking crown | steel and plastic |
|---|---|
| Material catch bag | cotton (washable) |
| Flexible grip joint | no |
| handle incl. | no |
| Suitable for | large and small fruit |
The materials and the processing quality of the Meister fruit picker would undoubtedly deserve first place in our comparison. The low price also speaks for this device. In addition, the reviewers at Amazon are very impressed with the fruit harvest with the "masterful" apple picker. Why does he still "only" take third place? Because unfortunately he doesn't have a flexible grip joint.
Purchase Criteria
materials
material of the stem: The handle of an apple picker is made of either wood, aluminum or plastic. Wooden versions are not extendable and are therefore cheaper. In contrast, you can usually adjust the height of aluminum and plastic handles and thus adapt them to your height on the one hand and the height of the tree on the other. The modern designs also have the advantage of being extremely easy to care for.
Material of the picking crown: The thing is clear here - if you tend to harvest large fruits such as apples or pears, you should opt for an apple picker with a rounded, serrated crown made of resistant metal (e.g. aluminum) or steel. This optimally withstands the hard-skinned fruit and makes it easier for you to quickly pick or collect the fruit. If you would like to use the fruit picker to increasingly harvest smaller types of fruit such as cherries or plums, a plastic picking crown is sufficient.
Material of the catch bag: The apple picker's bag should be made of a tear-resistant, stretchable material and be washable. Cotton meets all the criteria and is therefore the best solution - especially since the natural fiber is also considered skin-friendly. There are also fruit picker catcher bags made from synthetic fabrics such as polyester. However, these are less stretchy than cotton and can (rather) trigger allergic reactions.
tips
For harvesting fruit with a delicate surface, we recommend using a coverless bag with a foam cushion inside. The padding cushions the picked fruit so softly that pressure points are avoided for the most part.
Spacing of the spikes at the picking crown
When buying your apple picker, pay attention to the spacing of the teeth. With larger fruits such as apples and pears, the spikes can be a little further apart. However, when it comes to picking smaller fruits such as cherries, plums or berries, the distance between two prongs should be a maximum of one to two centimetres. Otherwise, the delicate fruit could fall through the gaps very easily, increasing the harvesting effort for the gardener.
capacity of the catch bag
The more fruit you want to collect in one operation and literally endure in terms of weight, the larger the capacity of the collection bag should be.
Flexible grip joint
If the link between the apple picker and the stem has a flexible gripping joint, you can rotate the gripping device up to 180 degrees as required. This allows you to not only harvest the fruit from top to bottom, but to rotate the fruit picker and pivot it left or right with ease.
Ergonomic handle
The handle of the apple picker should be ergonomic. Some manufacturers offer their fruit pickers with a so-called telescopic handle. The latter is characterized by the fact that it can be adjusted in height. If you decide on a model with a fixed handle, make sure that the length harmonises with your height. How to prevent back pain. And: Depending on whether you want to pick the fruit directly from the tree, the handle must of course be able to handle the same height without you needing a ladder again.
Telescopic handles have the advantage of being flexible. However, they are generally less stable than solid stems. It is best to read a few reviews from other customers to get an impression of whether the respective telescopic handle is convincing in terms of robustness and how user-friendly the adjustment mechanism is designed.
Generally important: Does the handle fit well in the hand? Is it safe and comfortable to grip?
Ideally, the stem should already come with your chosen apple picker (rarely the case). Otherwise you should order a suitable model separately.
tips
Do you already own the Gardena combisystem handle? Then it's worth ordering the combisystem fruit picker - for a cheap harvesting solution.
our recommendation
Gardena combisystem fruit picker: practical harvest helper, suitable for all combisystem handles, with adjustable handle (3115-20)
13.59 EUR To the productfrequently asked Questions
What is an apple picker?
An apple picker, also known as a fruit picker, is an extremely practical harvest helper. The garden tool makes it possible to harvest apples and other fruit from the tree without a ladder and without bending down from the ground.
An apple picker usually consists of three parts:
- Handle (often retractable and extendable, commonly made of aluminum)
- Plucking crown (plastic or metal/steel ring with spikes)
- Catch bag (removable and usually washable)
What is the difference between apple pickers and apple gatherers?
Apple pickers, unlike classic apple pickers, are only suitable for fruit picking on the ground. They are also known as roller collectors because they have a special rounded basket whose struts open automatically when the gardener rolls the device over a piece of fruit. With an apple picker, the harvest is particularly comfortable, but not as flexible as with the apple picker.
tips
The terms apple picker and apple gatherer are often used synonymously.
our recommendation
Gardena combisystem roller collector: the fruit collector for collecting without bending down, for fruit approx. 4 to 9 cm, easy to empty, compatible with Gardena combisystem handles (3108-20)
EUR 38.80 To the productWhat brands offer good apple pickers?
Many well-known brands make working apple pickers. These include, among others:
- Gardena
- WOLF garden
- Fiskars
- master
Where is the best place to buy an apple picker?
You can find solid apple pickers in well-stocked hardware stores - whether Bauhaus, OBI, Hornbach, hagebaumarkt or toom. Depending on the season, discounters such as ALDI or Lidl sometimes have affordable apple pickers in their range for hobby gardeners. However, Amazon offers the largest selection.
How much does an apple picker cost?
The apple picker is a comparatively inexpensive garden tool. Good models are available from around ten euros. For fruit pickers from well-known brands such as Fiskars or Gardena, you have to reckon with around 20 to 50 euros for the combination of picker and telescopic handle.
Can I build an apple picker myself?
Yes, that is quite possible with a few utensils and a little manual skill. You will find instructions on how to do this in the Garden Journal.
youtubeequipment
stalk
If the handle is not already included in the scope of delivery of the apple picker, you must also order a model that is suitable for the device and your individual requirements.
our recommendation
WOLF-Garten - Aluminum variable handle 170-300 cm multi-star ZM-V3 NEW 2022-2023, red, 170x4x5 cm; 71AED012650
47.21 EUR To the productstorage box
In order to store all the fruits of one type collected with the apple picker in a compact and safe way, simply buy boxes in the right sizes for your needs.
our recommendation