A cherry picker is a type of aerial work platform used to lift people and tools to high or hard-to-reach areas. It features a hydraulic lifting arm (boom) with a small platform or bucket at the end. Cherry pickers are commonly used for maintenance, construction, tree trimming, and utility work.
Understanding Cherry Pickers: Aerial Work Platforms Explained
You’ve seen them before: the long, mechanical arm lifting a utility worker to a power cable, or a painter to the top of a building. That machine is a cherry picker, a type of aerial work platform designed to safely get people to hard-to-reach spots.
Its name comes directly from its original use helping workers pick fruit in orchards. While the official industry term for these machines is Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs), most people still know them by their simpler, original name.
Articulating vs. Telescopic: How Cherry Pickers Reach Tricky Spots
Not all cherry picker arms work the same way. While they all lift people high into the air, the main difference comes down to how they get there. This splits them into two key types of mobile elevating work platforms: articulating booms and telescopic booms, each designed for a different kind of job.
The articulated capability makes it perfect for navigating around obstacles on the ground or in the air. Its joints let it reach up and over objects, while counterweights and stabilizers keep the machine balanced and safe during operation.
A telescopic boom, on the other hand, extends straight out in one line, just like a classic telescope. It doesn’t bend, but it offers the greatest possible forward reach. This makes it the go-to choice when there’s a clear, direct path to the work area, such as reaching the top of a utility pole or washing windows on a tall, flat building.
Cherry Pickers Vs Scissor Lifts
You’ve likely also seen a scissor lift, which is often confused with a cherry picker. The key difference between these aerial lifts is their movement: a scissor lift platform only moves straight up and down, like an outdoor lift. A cherry picker, however, can go up and out, offering far more directional reach.
A scissor lift’s main advantage is its large, stable platform, providing more space for people and tools. This makes it a perfect alternative to a cherry picker for jobs on a flat vertical surface, like teams painting a wall or installing a sign where they only need to go straight up.
The choice between them comes down to access. If you just need to get straight up, a scissor lift is efficient. But for reaching a tricky, specific location, the cherry picker’s flexible boom is the only tool for the job.
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