Crane Fitness Hand Grip Strengthener

Last Updated on July 9, 2023

This post contains affiliate links. Joshua also contributed to this post.

Come late December, Aldi starts rotating all kinds of health and fitness products into stores to help people get in shape for the new year. Exercise equipment includes big ticket items such as indoor bikes, and even a treadmill in 2020, along with medium-sized exercise gear such as pedal exercisers, resistance tubes, kettle bells, and rollup fitness mats and folding fitness mats. Aldi also sells a number of smaller exercise products. In December of 2021, I spotted a jump rope with weights, a jump rope with digital counter, a hand grip strengthener, and ankle or wrist weights at Aldi.

I bought the hand grip strengthener in hopes that it would be useful for helping me open jars and stave off health challenges such as arthritis.

Crane Fitness Hand Grip Strengthener

The Crane Fitness Hand Grip Strengthener cost $6.99 at the time of publication. The various jump ropes and the ankle/wrist weights also cost $6.99, as all of these products were sold together out of the same mixed case. These are all Aldi Finds, which means they’re only in stores for a short time. Aldi also won’t ship them to you.

In early 2020, Aldi sold a 2-pack of what looks like the same hand grips for $3.99. The 2021 hand grip costs $3 more and only includes one grip.

The Crane Fitness Hand Grip Strengthener appears nearly identical to the NIYIKOW branded grip strengthener, which I found for sale on Amazon. The only difference I see between the NIYIKOW-branded grip and the Crane grip is that the NIYIKOW one features weight resistance marked in kilograms instead of pounds.

We don’t know if NIYIKOW (which calls itself a brand on its website, not a company) has any connection to supplying the grips to Aldi, or if they are just another seller for the same Chinese-based supplier. The contact page on NIYIKOW’s website lists a mailing address for a storefront or apartment in Minneapolis, Minnesota, but the information on the website appears to be written by a non-native English speaker. Likewise, the Amazon seller page for NIYIKOW lists it as being based out of China.

Aldi, for its part, doesn’t have any after-sales information on the grips. The manual does, however, note that they are made in China.

At the time of publication, you could get a two-pack of the NIYIKOW grips for about $12 or a single NIYIKOW grip for around $10 on Amazon, so whether the Aldi grip strengthener is a good deal depends on which Amazon listing you’re looking at and how many grip strengtheners you want to buy. I also noticed that while the NIYIKOW grips have good reviews overall on Amazon, sitting at about 4.5 stars, some of the reviews include complaints about the grips breaking. Time will tell how my Crane grip holds up.

Crane Fitness Hand Grip Strengthener

The back of the Crane Fitness Hand Grip Strengthener box. (Click to enlarge.)

Here’s more information on the Aldi Crane hand grip strengthener:

  • Offers smooth training resistance adjustment from 22–88 lbs.
  • Improves grip strength and strengthens forearms
  • Provides efficient strength training
  • Features a practical and handy design that’s ideal for when you’re on the go
  • Made in China

It does not come with a warranty or after-sales support.

The package notes that, “as with any exercise program, consult your physician before you begin.”

This comes with the hand grip strengthener plus manuals in English and Spanish.

Crane Fitness Hand Grip Strengthener

Crane Fitness Hand Grip Strengthener plus manuals in English and Spanish.

Using the hand grip strengthener is very simple. Just set the training resistance by turning the small knob on the front of the device in the appropriate direction. The grip strengthener has a poundage graphic printed on the side, and as you turn the resistance knob, the attached large spring on the device will move slightly to give you a rough idea of how many pounds of resistance you’ve set it at.

Once you have the resistance set where you want it, just hold the grip strengthener with one hand and squeeze the grip, then loosen the grip. Repeat as desired.

Crane Fitness Hand Grip Strengthener

The manual unfolded. (Click to enlarge.)

The manual states to make sure you train in a way that’s consistent with your ability level. It says too much resistance can potentially lead to ligaments and tendons being overextended, so start easy and gradually work your way up. 

If you need to, you can clean the hand grip strengthener with a soft, slightly damp cloth. Allow it to dry thoroughly after cleaning. Don’t use aggressive, abrasive cleaning agents or cleaning agents that contain solvents.

Store the hand grip strengthener in a dry place where it is protected from frost and direct sunlight. Also keep in mind that it’s not a children’s toy and should kept out of reach of children.

Crane Fitness Hand Grip Strengthener

Overall, this is easy to use, and its small size means you can use it in a lot of different places. You can store it in a home gym, in a basket or drawer or on an end table in a living room, on a nightstand, or in a purse or backpack for times when you’re on the go.

The Verdict:

The Crane Fitness Hand Grip Strengthener is a small, nifty device that helps you improve your grip and strengthen your forearms, which can be helpful for everyday tasks such as opening jars or carrying luggage. It also may help stave off issues such as arthritis. The Crane hand grip strengthener is easy to use, and the resistance can be adjusted so you can start out easy and work up to a harder setting. I’m not sure how long this grip strengthener will last, but my initial impression is good.

About Rachael

Rachael is the Co-founder of Aldi Reviewer. When she isn't busy shopping at Aldi, she enjoys cooking, gardening, writing gothic romance, and collecting more houseplants than she probably should. You can learn more about her at rachaelsjohnston.com.

3 Comments

  1. Hi Rachel,

    I am wondering,……..how is this item holding up? Would you buy it again?

    Thank you,
    Joe

  2. Thank you for the input. I noticed the price dropped a few days ago. It’s either $4.49 or $4.99 right now. (Or thereabouts)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *