What Is a Stacker Forklift?

A stacker forklift, also known as a walkie-stacker or a pedestrian stacker, is a type of walk-behind forklift that is made to lift and stack pallets in a warehouse or an area behind a store. Stacker forklift models are all moved via foot power, meaning an employee walks behind the forklift to move it back and forth. They are made for stacking, so the lifting height potential is usually high, around 70 inches (about 1.78 meters) or higher, and they have a relatively high lifting weight potential. These forklifts use electricity for the forklift section, so they have to be charged via a wall-charger.

All stacker forklift units are made so an employee can push them from behind, without having to drive the forklift around. There is a motor that allows the forklift to move when pushed; when the motor is not engaged, the forklift will be stationary. While this lowers the overall lifting potential and speed, it makes it easier for employees to move, and also decreases the chance and danger of crashing into another person or object. These forklifts have an arm that the employee holds, and move and buttons that make the forklift move back and forth or lift, respectively. The controls are simple, so employees can learn to use these pallet stackers quickly.

The main use of a stacker forklift is to stack pallets on top of each other to conserve space. These are mainly found in smaller warehouses, where drive forklifts are not needed, or in the back room of retail and food stores. This machine is made for pallet stacking, so the models usually can lift from 70 inches (about 1.78 meters) to more than 100 inches (2.54 meters). The lifting potential ranges from around 1,000 pounds (453.59 kilograms) to 3,000 pounds (1,360.77 kilograms), which makes it useful for most warehouses where the products are not especially heavy and stronger forklifts are not needed. Some stacker forklifts have higher lifting weight potential, but this is not the norm.

Stacker forklifts use electrical power for the motor and the lifting unit, and usually come in 12- or 24-volt systems. Higher voltage means better lifting and a stronger motor. This means that, when the stacker forklift is not in use, it should be plugged into an outlet so the battery can charge. If the forklift is not frequently plugged in to charge, it may stop mid-motion, which decreases productivity.