A type of forklift equipped with a hydraulic lift system and an elevated platform that raises the operator to access high storage locations safely and efficiently. Unlike standard forklifts that only lift pallets, cherry pickers allow workers to manually select individual items from elevated shelving, making them essential for order picking operations in high-bay warehouses.
These machines are particularly valuable for facilities with vertical storage systems where workers need to pick small quantities or specific SKUs from various shelf levels. For example, in an e-commerce fulfillment center, a cherry picker enables an operator to efficiently collect multiple items from different heights for a single customer order without requiring multiple trips or equipment changes. Modern cherry pickers often integrate with WMS technology to optimize picking routes and provide real-time inventory updates, significantly improving picking accuracy and productivity while maintaining worker safety at elevation.
