In the heavy-lifting world of painting, a bad back is bad news. Given that, for this issue we picked two tools specifically designed to reduce the wear and tear on your back.

While neither is new to the market, we’ve heard enough good things about them that we thought they were worth sharing with those who might not be familiar with them.

THE HANDY LADDER PAIL SAVES TIME—AND YOUR BACK

Holding a bucket of paint on a ladder takes a toll on your hand and your back and—as we all know— climbing up and down a ladder to refill your brush or roller is a time-consuming pain. Thanks to a clever design, the HANDy Ladder Pail solves both of those problems.

Using a patented bracket that securely attaches to standard step and extension ladders, this rugged pail holds more than a full gallon of coating. Plus, a built-in magnetic brush holder offers a convenient place to store your brush up and out of the coating—and out of the way of your roller.

The Ladder Pail works with up to a 9-1/2″ roller. A built-in paint grid lets you regulate the amount of paint on the roller and provides a handy place to hook your roller when not in use. And between uses, the Ladder Pail sits flush and level on the floor.

Disposable liners (sold in packs of two) are available to save you time on cleanup, and to make switching colors easy. The HANDy Ladder Pail is proudly made in the U.S.A.

The HANDy Ladder Pail and liners are available in most paint and hardware stores and can be ordered online via Amazon.com

It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been doing it, at the end of the day, lifting and lugging buckets is hard work. Enter the Bucket Buggy to make the job a lot easier.

The Bucket Buggy was built with pros in mind. Made with non-marring rubber wheels, it lets you move buckets loaded up to 85 pounds effortlessly—and it even rolls up curbs and stairs. Designed with a lock-in-place strap and a built-in fender brake, you never have to worry about tipped or runaway buckets again. The handle articulates, allowing you to easily haul your coatings where you need them, then adjust the handle out of the way while you do your work—and even move the open bucket of paint—without worry. And should you need to lift it, the handle can be positioned over the center of the bucket to provide easy, spill-proof lifting. The handle telescopes and the entire device folds flat, making it easy to lift, transport, and store. The Bucket Buggy features an all-steel frame and a fiberglass-reinforced polymer construction built to last.

The Bucket Buggy is available via HomeDepot.com, ebay.com and Amazon.com