Cherry Picker vs Scissor Lift vs Boom Lift

If you’ve ever typed “cherry picker hire” into Google and ended up more confused than when you started, you’re not alone. The powered access world is full of overlapping names, similar-looking machines, and specs that mean nothing until someone explains them properly.

So here it is — a plain-English breakdown of the three main types of access equipment, when each one earns its place on site, and how to work out which you actually need before you pick up the phone.

First Things First: What’s a MEWP?

MEWP stands for Mobile Elevating Work Platform. It’s the industry term that covers all three machine types we’re talking about — scissor lifts, boom lifts, and cherry pickers. You’ll hear it used by hire companies, site managers, and the HSE alike.

If someone on site asks for a “MEWP”, they want access equipment. Your job is working out which kind.

Scissor Lifts: Straight Up, Stable, and Spacious

A scissor lift goes straight up. That’s the defining characteristic — the platform rises vertically on a set of crossed metal supports (the “scissor” mechanism), and that’s more or less where the movement ends.
What they lack in flexibility, they make up for in platform size and load capacity. Scissor lifts typically carry more weight and offer a larger working platform than boom lifts, which makes them the go-to choice when you’ve got multiple operatives, tools, and materials all needing to be at height at the same time.

When a scissor lift is the right call:

You’re working directly above where the machine is parked
You need a stable, spacious platform for multiple people or bulky materials
The ground is flat and firm (for electric models) or a construction site (for diesel)
You’re doing M&E installation, ceiling work, warehouse maintenance, or internal fit-outs

Baker’s scissor lift fleet includes:

Electric scissor lifts (our biggest category — 37+ units) are the workhorse of indoor access. Non-marking tyres, zero emissions, and quiet enough for occupied buildings. Models in our fleet run from compact 19ft machines (the Genie 1932, ideal for tight spaces and standard doorway clearance) right up to 40ft+ high-reach electrics for large warehouse or industrial environments.

Diesel scissor lifts are built for outdoor and rough terrain use — construction sites, groundworks, external cladding at low level. Our diesel fleet includes 3369 models (roughly 10m working height) which are consistently among our most-utilised machines.

One thing to remember: scissor lifts go up, not out. If your work point isn’t directly above where you can park the machine, a scissor lift won’t solve your problem — you need a boom.

Boom Lifts: Height, Reach, and the Ability to Go Around Things

A boom lift has an extendable arm — the “boom” — that can reach up and out, and in the case of articulating models, around obstacles too. This is what separates them from scissor lifts: horizontal outreach and up-and-over clearance.

There are two main types:

Articulating boom lifts (also called knuckle booms or cherry pickers)

The arm has multiple joints, like a knuckle, which means it can bend and flex to reach around obstacles. Need to get above a parapet wall, over a roof edge, or around a structural frame? An articulating boom is what you want. Working heights in Baker’s diesel articulating fleet start at around 15m (the Genie Z45/25 — our most-hired boom by a distance) and go up to over 20m with the Z60 and Z62 for larger, more demanding projects.

Telescopic boom lifts

The arm extends in a straight line for maximum horizontal reach on open sites. Less common in everyday construction hire, but the right tool for large-span structures, stadium work, or anything where you need serious outreach and there’s nothing to reach around.

When a boom lift is the right call:

You can’t position the machine directly beneath the work point
You need to clear an obstacle — a roofline, a structural member, a pipe run
You’re working on external cladding, fascia, or anything on a building face
You need serious working height — 15m and above
The site is on rough, uneven, or muddy ground (all Baker diesel booms are 4WD rough terrain)

Cherry Pickers: It’s Just Another Name for a Boom Lift

Here’s something that trips people up: a cherry picker isn’t a separate category of machine. It’s a nickname — usually applied to articulating boom lifts, because the original cherry picker was literally designed to pick fruit from the top of trees.

In UK plant hire, “cherry picker” and “articulating boom lift” are used interchangeably. When someone asks for a cherry picker, they almost always mean an articulating boom — the knuckle-jointed arm that can reach around as well as up. So if you’re asking “cherry picker vs boom lift” — you’re actually asking “articulating boom vs telescopic boom”, which we’ve covered above.

Side-by-Side: Scissor Lift vs Boom Lift vs Cherry Picker

	Scissor lift	Articulating boom / cherry picker	Telescopic boom
Movement	Vertical only	Up, out and around obstacles	Up and out (straight line)
Typical working height	6m – 14m+	10m – 20m+	20m+
Horizontal outreach	None	Up to ~7.5m (Z45/25)	Up to ~11.5m+
Platform size / capacity	Large — suits multiple people + materials	Smaller basket — typically 1–2 people	Smaller basket — typically 1–2 people
Best ground conditions	Flat slab (electric) or rough terrain (diesel)	Rough terrain, outdoor construction sites	Open outdoor sites
Typical use cases	M&E, fit-outs, warehouse, internal maintenance	Cladding, fascia, building maintenance, construction	Steel erection, large-span structures, infrastructure
Power options (Baker fleet)	Electric or diesel	Diesel (outdoor) or electric (smaller indoor models)	Diesel

How to Work Out Which One You Need

Answer these three questions and you’ll land on the right machine almost every time:

1. Is the work point directly above where you can park the machine?
Yes → scissor lift is your starting point.
No → you need a boom.

2. Is there anything between the machine and the work point you need to reach over or around?
Yes → articulating boom (cherry picker).
No, open access → telescopic boom may work, but articulating is usually fine too.

3. How many people and how much kit need to be on the platform at once?
Multiple people or heavy materials → scissor lift wins on platform size.
One or two people with hand tools → boom lift is fine.

If you’re still not sure after those three, just call us. Tell us the job, the height, and the site conditions — we’ll tell you what to bring.

What About Power Tower / Push-Around Lifts?

These are worth a mention because they often get forgotten in the cherry picker vs scissor lift conversation. Baker’s fleet includes push-around platforms — compact, non-powered units like the Boss X3X — which are ideal for low-level indoor access: reactive maintenance, light M&E work, retail fit-outs, and anywhere you need quick, no-fuss access up to around 4m. No IPAF required, no engine, no fuss. If the job is low-level and indoors, it’s worth asking whether a push-around is all you actually need.

Do You Need IPAF Training?

For scissor lifts: IPAF category 3a.
For boom lifts and cherry pickers: IPAF category 3b.

Both are legal requirements under the Work at Height Regulations 2005 — you must be trained and competent to operate a MEWP. Baker Training runs IPAF courses from our Sleaford centre, or we can come to your site.

Visit baker-training.co.uk or give us a call and we can sort the machine and the training in a single booking.

Can You Hire More Than One Type at Once?

Absolutely — and most of our customers do exactly this. A typical commercial fit-out might need to hire electric scissor lifts for internal ceiling work alongside a diesel boom for external cladding. Book both through Baker and you pay one consolidated delivery charge, not two separate ones. It’s one of the main reasons contractors keep coming back — fewer suppliers, fewer invoices, one point of contact.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a cherry picker the same as a boom lift?
In most cases, yes. Cherry picker is a colloquial name most commonly used for articulating boom lifts — the ones with the jointed arm that can reach around obstacles. In UK plant hire they’re used interchangeably.

Which is safer — a scissor lift or a boom lift?
Both are safe when operated correctly by a trained, IPAF-certified operator on suitable ground. Scissor lifts are inherently more stable due to their wider base and vertical-only movement. Boom lifts introduce more movement and require more careful ground assessment. Neither is categorically “safer” — it depends on the task, the site, and the operator.

Can I use a scissor lift outdoors?
Yes — if it’s a diesel or rough terrain model. Electric scissor lifts are designed for flat, solid surfaces and aren’t suited to soft or uneven ground. If you’re outdoors on a construction site, you want diesel.

What’s the maximum height a scissor lift can reach?
Baker’s scissor lift fleet covers working heights from around 6m up to 14m+ on our larger electric and diesel models. For anything above that, a boom lift is the right tool.

How do I know which size scissor lift or boom lift I need?
Tell us the height of your work point, the site conditions, and whether you need outreach. Our hire desk will spec the right machine. Call 01529 306 232.

Ready to Hire?

Whether you know exactly what you need or you’d like us to spec it for you — we’re easy to get hold of.
Call 01529 306 232 — our hire desk knows the fleet inside out and can usually turn around same-day delivery across Lincolnshire and the East Midlands.

Planned project? We can schedule UK-wide. Multiple machines? One delivery charge.

Get in touch at bakerplanthire.co.uk — or browse the fleet directly:

→ Scissor lifts
→ Boom lifts and cherry pickers
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