Updated on Aug. 01, 2024
While gardening is a form of therapy for me, the weeds are discouraging and overwhelming. But after trying Grampa’s Weeder, I have hope.
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As an organic gardener and steward of pollinators, I avoid chemicals. As a result, weeds happen, no matter how much mulch I use. I have a love/hate relationship with my wildflowers/weeds (especially when they produce pretty flowers). I wish they weren’t so aggressive and such indiscriminate multipliers. Unfortunately, digging weeds by hand is increasingly time-consuming and body-aching work. Luckily, I found a solution: Grampa’s Weeder.
For homeowners who want to do yard work quickly and painlessly, a stand-up weed puller reduces the need to dig, bend, stoop, or kneel while weeding. Grampa’s Weeder is ideal for people with physical limitations because it makes pulling weeds simple and easy. If you’re searching for adaptive gardening tools or want to make yard clean-up easier on your body, this tool uses old-school ingenuity that still works today.
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This stand-up weed puller uses leverage to pull weeds. The tool features a forged steel foot lever and articulating claw that digs around the root of the weed. Simply tilt the handle and the lever closes the claw, extracting the weed and root in one easy move.
Originally invented in 1913, Grampa’s Weeder stopped production in 1941 for the war effort. Decades later, the owners found the old tool and updated it with a steel head and strong bamboo handle. This low-tech, yet highly effective, stand-up weed puller now enjoys a huge fan base.
Grampa’s Weeder is strong and smooth with a slender design that allows you to work around other plants. The 45-inch smooth wooden handle is comfortable and simple to maneuver (not awkward like a hoe). It weighs a mere 2.3 pounds, making it effortless to lift the tool to remove the weed from the claw without bending over.
Operating the tool is a snap, thanks to the foot lever and claw that do the work for you. Cleverly, the directions are imprinted on the handle. When it’s passed down to the next generation (which is how Grampa’s Weeder made its encore appearance), your grandkids will know exactly how to use it.
My flower beds, lawn and vegetable plots are plagued with dandelions, thistles, fleabane, prickly lettuce and wild carrots, to name a few aggressive guests. The day Grampa’s Weeder arrived, the ground was dry and drought-stricken, which wasn’t ideal for pulling weeds with any tool, but I had to try. The fleabane growing on my lawn came out surprisingly easy, and I loved how effortless it was to capture the root. In a few instances, the root broke off, but at least the plant wouldn’t go to seed and spread more unwanted guests. Next, I tackled a patch of young thistles. To my amazement, it pulled them out with the entire taproot intact. No thorns left in my hands or gloves!
I have prickly lettuce growing everywhere. When we finally got a soaking rain, I thought it was an opportune time to pull weeds. However, the soil was still too wet, and the claws clogged with mud. I waited until the next day when the soil dried out more, which made a huge difference, and the tool worked like magic. With one step on the lever and a tilt of the handle, Grampa’s Weeder gently pulls up the weed with little disturbance to nearby plants.
With less fatigue, I found myself working longer and I quickly saw progress. It was easy to move around my yard with this lightweight tool in one hand and weed bin in the other. The nagging chore of pulling weeds was suddenly becoming painless—and satisfying.
It’s all about leverage, baby! Just center the claws over the weed, then step on the lever to let the tool dig in. Next, remove your foot and lean the handle downward. The claw tightens around the root when the handle is tilted and pulls the root out. Center, Press, Lean. Yes, it’s that easy. (Psst! The directions for Grampa’s Weeder are stamped on its wooden handle.)
With over 43,000 ratings and an average of 4.5 out of five stars, you know Grampa’s Weeder has to be legit. Here’s what real-life users have to say:
Charles May, a five-star reviewer, loves the ease of use and versatility, and writes, ”It is sturdy and solid. It doesn’t take a lot of effort to place over the weed and into the ground. Pry it up with the lever and PRESTO, another weed bites the dust. My yard is sandy, soft and hard in different places. It doesn’t matter with this product. It works! With a body ravaged by arthritis, I no longer have to kneel down or stoop over to rid my yard of dandelions.”
“I’ve seen these for years but never bought one,” shares Christa Opat, a verified purchaser. “This summer we’ve had little rain and the ground is as hard as brick in some areas. It was horrible trying to pull weeds—they break off at ground level and they’re back in a matter of days. Tried the weeder on some of the biggest weeds and it was like slicing butter with a hot knife.”
“I hate pulling dandelions and thistle, so when I saw this tool and the reviews, I had to try it! This is amazing and so easy to use. I pulled out so many weeds with the roots and all. No bending over and pulling, but it does only pull one weed at a time, but worth not having to get on your hands and knees,” says Michele M. Carbonara, another five-star reviewer.
Grampa’s Weeder truly is a game changer, according to my body. The biggest benefit is not having to bend over or squat for hours. It’s easy to use, and I can quickly move from one weed to the next. It’s lightweight and maneuvers easily, but best of all, it pulls out the root without digging or bending over to fetch it. This is the first year that I have hope that I can get my weeds under control, one weed at a time, without chemicals.
Grampa’s Weeder is available on Amazon for $40. You can also snag it at Walmart, Ace Hardware and Garrett Wade. You’ll thank yourself for grabbing this back-saving stand-up weeder. With the lifetime warranty, you’re investing in an effective tool that will last into the next generation when properly cared for. P.S. While you’re at it, also take a look at how Grampa’s Weeder compares to the CobraHead Weeder.
