by Dan Livingston, on October 22, 2026 at 11:45 AM
For people who don't work in the material handling industry, most forklifts seem more or less the same. Some are bigger, some are smaller.
Order pickers and reach trucks are among the smaller models. From a distance, these lift trucks look similar. The operator stands rather than sits, and both take up considerably less space than a standard, sit-down fork truck. But appearances can be deceiving...
When parked, these two pieces of equipment look similar. But when you see them in action, the difference is obvious.
These key pieces of equipment are important for warehousing and distribution centers. While their settings are similar, the differences between order pickers and reach trucks are many.
What is an order picker?
Order pickers lift the operator and the load at the same time. A platform moves up and down the mast, giving the operator access to material stored on pallet racks beyond arms' reach. The Doosan-Bobcat BOP15S-9 has a 3000 lb. capacity and is available with a mast height of up to 300 inches.
Order pickers require harnesses and other safety equipment and are designed for retrieving items and cases from warehouse rack, not moving pallets.
What is a reach truck?
Reach trucks can do the same job as counterbalance forklifts in narrow and very narrow aisles. A reach truck has one set of wheels beneath the operator and two outer wheels attached to "legs" that distribute the load on either side of the mast. The mast is attached to a mechanism called a pantograph. The pantograph can extend outward to reach pallets stored in single or double-reach racking. These machines can have very tall masts and are popular at distribution and warehousing centers with narrow aisles.
Reach Trucks for Sale in Washington State
MidColumbia Forklift sells Toyota, Clark and Bobcat reach trucks. Toyota's standard reach truck, shown in the video above, has a 4500 lb. capacity. We also sell Toyota's specialty reach truck models, including the:
- Multidirectional Reach Truck
- High-Capacity Reach Truck
- Moving Mast Reach Truck
- Indoor/Outdoor Moving Mast Reach Truck
Clark's NPX reach truck has a 4500 capacity, and the base model includes some nice features. If you're a Clark loyalist, give us a call. A new or updated model may be on the horizon.
Bottom Line: What’s the difference between order pickers and reach trucks?
Put simply, a reach truck does the same job as a sit-down forklift but in narrow aisles. Order pickers, however, are designed specifically for order fulfillment. While you may sometimes see order pickers and reach trucks in the same facility, they fulfill very different needs.
Order pickers and reach trucks are just a few forklift alternatives that can help your business save money and operate more efficiently. Want to know more? Contact Mid-Columbia Forklift and MidCo Material Handling. Our friendly experts can help you choose the best equipment for your operational needs and budget.
Contact us online or by phone:
Auburn 253-854-5438
Pasco 509-547-7413
Wenatchee 509-663-9009
Yakima 509-457-5137
Related Reading
Reach Truck vs Forklift: What’s the Difference?
Top 4 Alternatives to Forklifts
Order Picker Forklifts: Everything You Need To Know
