Get A Grip

Get A Grip is a portable plastic handle with large spring-loaded suction cups. It's designed to be attached without tools to a smooth, even and clean surface. The infomercial claims that it's strong enough to be used as a safety handle, but that promise hold up in the reviews we read.   

Many reviewers take issue with the claims made in the infomercial, which depicts people using it as a safety handle in the shower. As some reviewers point out, the product's instructions say it cannot hold body weight or even maintain balance to prevent falls. "We'd feel much better knowing our grandmothers were hoisting themselves on an elegant, strong built-in rather than a pair of plastic suction cups with no mechanical connection," says Harry Sawyers of Popular Mechanics. The ad even shows a man climbing on a series of Get A Grip handles used as a ladder, yet the instructions say it's not for outdoor use.   

Reviewers complain that it takes strength to lock the Get A Grip handle onto a surface and that it doesn't always stay attached. At TV station KFVS (Cape Girardeau, Mo.), testers find that cleaning the suction cups help, and ConsumerReports.org notes that some versions come with larger suction cups that hold more weight. Quite a few reviewers say that even when the Get A Grip handle is applied to an ideal surface, testers can yank it off.

The best use for the Get A Grip handle seems to be as an accessory for pushing or pulling something. For example, a user reviewing the handle at Sears.com recommends mounting it on a glass sliding door to make it easier for someone with limited hand strength to open and close the door. At an assisted-living facility, a reviewer finds it convenient as a push/pull handle for rolling objects, but not as a permanent safety handle. Some users say they do use it as a shower handle, but test it carefully before putting any weight on it. Reviewers report that the handle may stay secure for days or weeks, then suddenly fall off.

We found the most thorough tests of the Get A Grip handle at ConsumerReports.org and at PopularMechanics.com. A review at KDKA (Pittsburgh) is also noteworthy because it reports on tests by two people over a three-week period, while a reviewer at KPLC (Lake Charles, La.) tries the handle for a variety of purposes. Reviews at KFVS (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) and at StarReviews.com test the Get A Grip for shorter periods of time. We also found useful owner-written reviews at Amazon.com and Sears.com.