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Working on cars is a physically demanding job. And the more hardcore you get, the heavier the lift gets—literally. As someone who works on their car alone 90 percent of the time, I try to stay in shape so I can easily manage the parts I’m handling. Still, no matter how many veggies you eat, some parts are just too much to manage. Even a 20-pound fiberglass hood can be a bit of a chore to lug around because it’s just so awkward. That’s where tools like the Grabo Pro-Lifter 20 vacuum lifter come in.
By now, I’m sure you’ve seen ads for the Grabo Pro-Lifter 20 somewhere on the web. It’s a cordless electric vacuum lifter that’ll give you a handle on virtually any flat object. The marketing clearly targets contractors in the construction world, with demonstrations of it lifting everything from sheetrock to, well, regular rocks.
When I first saw the ads for the Grabo Pro-Lifter I knew right away what it’d be good for in an automotive setting. And when the Grabo reps sent one my way for review, I confirmed it. While it is a bit expensive, it just might be worth adding to your arsenal if you’re regularly handling big, awkward parts that pose a risk to your bottom dollar or lower back.
The Bottom Line
Grabo’s Pro-Lifter 20 vacuum lifter is a solid addition to a mechanic’s arsenal who’s regularly tasked with lifting big, heavy body panels or glass. It’s priced out of reason for the average DIYer and hobbyist but just might save costly parts.
| Grabo Pro-Lifter 20 | |
|---|---|
| Performance | 9/10 |
| Quality | 8/10 |
| Value | 6/10 |
| Ease of Use | 9/10 |
| Overall | 8/10 |
The Rundown on Grabo’s Electric Vacuum Lifter
The Grabo Pro-Lifter 20 electric vacuum lifter is a pretty handy tool that’s not too dissimilar to the suction cup lifter you bought that one time you needed to install a windshield. Don’t just write it off as an over-engineered version of a basic tool, though. The biggest separating factor—aside from the whole electric thing—is that as opposed to a rubber seal that requires a nearly perfectly smooth surface to create suction, the Grabo Pro-Lifter uses a special replaceable foam seal. This allows it to create a seal on coarse surfaces that regular suction cup lifters simply can’t grip. It’ll also hold up to 375 pounds.
The operation of the Grabo Pro-Lifter is simple. You turn it on and press the foam seal onto the surface of the object you’re lifting. Then, you press the start button, and it’ll create a vacuum seal that turns it into a temporary carry handle. A smart digital pressure sensor automatically determines how much pressure is needed for the object you’re lifting. You don’t need to mess around with settings before you start. It also uses the sensor to automatically maintain that pressure as long as the start button is active. Once you’re done moving the item, you simply press the start button again to deactivate it. Then you press the pressure release button to break the seal, and move on.
The Grabo Pro-Lifter has a nice, solid, comfortable handle to help provide grip on heavy or awkward objects. It can also be set up with straps to further aid with lifting. The base price is $299.00. That is substantially more than the regular suction cup lifters you can grab for a couple bucks. However, this is a much more advanced tool that can easily be justified in the right setting.
Testing Grabo Pro-Lifter
It doesn’t take much imagination to see how the Grabo Pro-Lifter fits into the automotive world. Working on cars often means handling awkward body panels that one person really can’t really bully around on their own. The weight isn’t necessarily an issue, you just can’t quite find the right way to hold it by yourself. The Grabo, just like the regular suction cup lifters mentioned earlier, creates a handle to help you manage whatever you’re lifting.
Testing the Grabo out essentially consisted of me picking things up and moving them around the shop. Toolboxes, body panels, glass, you name it, I stuck the Grabo to it. I might not have the biggest collection of cars and parts but I have enough variety to see how the Grabo does in the real world.
The Grabo Pro-Lifter does an excellent job grabbing onto flat and slightly concave surfaces. While some radical, sweeping panels might be an issue, it’ll build vacuum on most shapes you come across in this environment. Items like hoods and windshields are no problem for the Grabo. I even stuck it to the rusty old roof that’s hanging out behind my shop. I wasn’t surprised that it sticks to smooth surfaces, but seeing how well it does with a coarse, rusty panel like that is super impressive. It’s not just a superficial hold, either. I am able to carry it around without the Grabo sliding free.
There’s really nothing I can say bad about the Grabo other than it is a bit expensive for a DIYer and many pros to justify. It’s easy to use, it’s built really well, and it does what it’s designed to. And while I don’t have any large, flat items near the 400-pound mark, I have been using it as a pull handle to move the Charger in and out of the shop when I’m too lazy to get the keys. Enough to have total confidence in the provided weight rating.
The Verdict on Grabo’s Electric Vacuum Lifter
At the end of the day, the Grabo Pro-Lifter is a universal handle that you ought to consider if you’re regularly lifting heavy, particularly delicate items where control is critical. It only takes a few seconds longer to set up than regular suction cup lifters and offers a strong, self-monitored seal you can count on. The peace of mind provided is really nice if you’re dealing with fragile, rare, and expensive parts that we frequently deal with in the automotive world.
It makes perfect sense for a professional who regularly deals with that sort of thing. The Grabo will adhere to whatever it is you’re lifting, making it easier to move around. In a fast-paced setting or a one-person show, it can really make all the difference in the world. Having a nice, solid grip on something means you’re far less likely to drop or damage it, and it might save you thousands in the long run. The ease of use and smart sensors simply help it fit a bit better into an existing workflow and build quality certainly feels up to the task.
Thinking of it that way for that person, the $299.00 price isn’t that hard to get past. I don’t think it’s something DIYers really need to consider, though, simply due to how little they’ll actually use it. Unless you’re dealing with a sizable personal fleet, it just makes more sense to call up your friend, who’s always eager to lend a hand with your cool projects if you’ve got something awkward to lift. And let’s not forget that those cheap suction cup lifters do work really well for the most part.
