Everything you need to know about scissor lifts

Do you need a safe, convenient and versatile way to transport members of your team to height? Well, a scissor lift is a great solution. In this guide, we’ll look at the key features of a scissor lift, the height options available and consider the differences between scissor lifts and cherry pickers.

What are the Key Features of a Scissor Lift?

A scissor lift is supported by criss-cross braces that extend upwards and safely transport your team to height. They usually have a very large platform, meaning several of your workforce (and their materials) can all fit on the platform at the same time. This means you can get the job done quickly, and you can save time and money without compromising worker safety.

Crucially though, it’s important to know that scissor lifts only move vertically, so they’re not suitable if you need help moving up and around obstacles, or need a piece of machinery that can help you reach outwards.

But, scissor lifts are available in a variety of heights, so if you only need to move vertically, you’ll have no problem finding a scissor lift that suits your needs. For example, our range of scissor lift hire options includes everything from 7m scissor lifts for smaller jobs, to 34m scissor lifts that can take you to great heights. Narrow options are also available if you’re struggling for space on site.

What Height Scissor Lift Can I Get?

We have an extensive range of scissor lifts available, but our most popular scissor lift hire solutions include:

7m Scissor Lift Hire

Our 7m scissor lift hire option is the smallest scissor lift in the range. It’s ideal for maintenance work, and it’s the perfect replacement for ladders, scaffolding or access towers.

10m Scissor Lift Hire

If you need a greater working height, then consider our 10m scissor lift hire option. It’s a highly versatile piece of equipment that’s particularly popular with warehousing and installation clients and, if access is an issue, a narrow 10m scissor lift is also available.

14m Scissor Lift Hire

If you need even greater height, then consider 14m scissor lift hire. It’s particularly popular with warehouse managers, large home builders and heating, ventilation and air conditioning specialists. For a little bit of extra reach, you can also try our 17m scissor lift hire solution.

21.5m Scissor Lift Hire

Our 21.5m scissor lift hire option is suitable for a variety of construction and maintenance applications. It also makes it easy for several members of your team to reach height safely.

34m Scissor Lift Hire

Our 34m scissor lift hire solution is powered by diesel. It’s our largest scissor lift that’s available for hire and it’s popular with cleaning companies, facilities managers and warehousing personnel.

The Difference Between Scissor Lifts and Cherry Pickers

The main difference between a scissor lift and a cherry picker is that scissor lifts only extend upwards. Although scissor lifts can sometimes move a few feet horizontally with the help of an extension deck, they’re generally only designed to move up and down.

But, cherry pickers are supported by hydraulic arms, so they’re capable of manoeuvring around obstacles and getting to those hard-to-reach places. Cherry pickers also reach even higher than scissor lifts do, so they could be more useful if you need to reach higher than 34m.

Another key difference is that a cherry picker has a much smaller basket than a scissor lift does, which means it cannot transport as many workers and their equipment at once. If you need to transport multiple workers and their tools at a time, then scissor lift hire is likely to be more appropriate for you.

Finally, cherry picker hire is also much more expensive than scissor lift hire. So, if you just need transport so your team can work at height, then you’ll find that scissor lift hire is cheaper and more convenient. But, if you do need to reach out or manoeuvre around obstacles, a cherry picker could be a better choice.

Scissor Lift Hire from YardLink

If you’re searching for scissor lift hire in London, look no further than right here at YardLink. Our scissor lifts come from some of the world’s leading manufacturers, and we’re proud to offer Genie scissor lift hire to all of our customers. Plus, the high availability of our scissor lifts for hire also means that your scissor lift could be delivered on the same or the very next day.

If you’re interested in learning more about the cost per day for scissor lift hire, then please call us. Our friendly and knowledgeable team will be more than happy to help you and provide you with a full quotation.