The 10 Best Panel Carriers
This wiki has been updated 20 times since it was first published in March of 2020. Any type of building materials that are supplied in sheet form, such as plywood, melamine or drywall, will undoubtedly cause difficulty when trying to move them. They are often heavy and awkward to hold, and can even cause serious injury if lifted incorrectly. These panel carriers make light work of the task, and eliminate some of the strain put upon your arms, shoulders and back. When users buy our independently chosen editorial choices, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. Pentagon Tools 83-DT5648
2. Lift Lender
3. PanelHook Gold
Editor's Notes
June 11, 2021:
We still suggest the same range of panel carriers, and the most important part of choosing one is still what you'll be using it for. A lot of construction sites will benefit from having the Stanley 93-301 or Lift Lender on hand because they're so quick and easy to use, and also highly affordable. For heavy loads, it's still tough to beat our #1 choice, the Pentagon Tools 83-DT5648, although the Bora Portamate is a very close second.
April 02, 2020:
We have all been taught the correct way to lift heavy objects safely, i.e. don't lift from a standing position or bent at the waist, rather, keep the back straight, crouch as close to the object as possible, and lift with the knees. However, this advice is almost impossible to follow when lifting very large and heavy items, in particular, we're referring to sheet or panel materials.
In this ranking, we have chosen some of the best solutions that should take the hard work, and risk of injury out of the equation. For one-handed applications, we have the Gator Lift and the FivePears Hand Clamp, both of which grip the material from the top and can be operated by a single individual. The Lift Lender, the PanelHook Gold, and the Weite Labor Saving are also single-handed tools, though they lift from the bottom, making it less likely for the objects to slip out. For very heavy sheet goods, or even natural stone slabs and kitchen countertops, a wheeled option would be the safest and easiest, such as the Bora Portamate, the FastCap 02120 and the Pentagon Tools 83-DT5648. The latter of which can carry up to 600 pounds.
4. Gator Lift
5. Bora Portamate
6. Bessey KFP
7. FastCap 02120
8. FivePears Hand Clamp
9. Stanley 93-301
10. Fityle Load Tools
Building PCs, remodeling, and cooking since he was young, quasi-renowned trumpeter Christopher Thomas traveled the USA performing at and organizing shows from an early age. His work experiences led him to open a catering company, eventually becoming a sous chef in several fine LA restaurants. He enjoys all sorts of barely necessary gadgets, specialty computing, cutting-edge video games, and modern social policy. He has given talks on debunking pseudoscience, the Dunning-Kruger effect, culinary technique, and traveling. After two decades of product and market research, Chris has a keen sense of what people want to know and how to explain it clearly. He delights in parsing complex subjects for anyone who will listen -- because teaching is the best way to ensure that you understand things yourself.