It’s always useful to have a few handy tools within your arm’s reach. However, while some might seem like a convenience, some are an absolute must. To assist you in performing regular maintenance or repairs, you will need a floor jack as your loyal companion. In order to be as helpful as this tool can be, I’ve investigated the market, tried, and tested dozens of these to help you find the best floor jacks to accompany you.
What is then the best car jack?
It depends on your vehicle, where the weight of it and its profile are decisive aspects.
This is, in my opinion, one of the most important mechanical tools you can get. There are so many operations that require you to lift the car, you have to get a decent jack. It’s a very smart investment.
I’ve reviewed seven different car jacks (also known as floor jacks) to help you find the right one for your needs and budget.
From extremely low-profile jacks ideal for sport cars, to racing jacks that lift their whole range in just a few strokes, I’ve got you covered
There’s one thing any garage owner or mechanic can’t live without a floor jack. Screwdrivers and wrenches are one thing, but if you need to do change the oil, the tires, or get underneath your vehicle to perform repairs, a floor jack will quickly become your best friend.
Needless to say, if you just opened a shop or own a vehicle and plan on putting in a little elbow grease from time to time, a quality car floor jack should be at the top of your must-have list. After all, should a jack fail with you under it, some serious injuries may take place.
In this helpful guide, you’ll find all you need to know about floor jacks and which models to trust for your pride and joy. Based on serious research, years of experience, and actual hands-on use, our guide will point you in the right direction and shed some insight into these essential garage tools.
And remember, no floor jack is safe without a good jack stands to go along with it.
Accessories Frequently Purchased with this Item
Top Best Floor Jack Reviews (Updated 2020)
Like cars, not all floor jacks are created equal. Whether you drive a big 4×4 and have some money to spend or a compact and find yourself strapped for cash, one of the following first-class floor jacks is sure to be the perfect fit for you, your vehicle, and your needs.
Best Budget Floor Jack for Trucks and SUVs
- Hydraulic trolley floor jack is constructed with heavy duty steel,...
- Features a 3 ton (6,000 lb) capacity with a minimum lifting height of...
- Equipped with (2) large steel casters and (2) 360-degree swivel...
- Single piston quick lift pump allows you to easily raise the jack to...
- Built-in carrying handle allows for the floor jack to be lifted and...
Aptly coined “Big Red”, the Torin T83006 Big Red Steel SUV 3-Ton Service Jack features a bold bright red color and a quality steel construction that can withstand years of abuse. It’s also very stable. Thanks to its greater saddle surface area, you can work under your vehicle without worrying about it slipping or collapsing. Of course, wheel stands help too.,
Like the Powerzone above and other quality floor jacks, the wheels on this Torin also swivel, allowing you to move it around your garage with ease. To top it all off, it has an extremely generous 20-inch maximum lift height as well.
Excellent Choice for Both Low Ground Clearance Cars and High SUVs
Sure, it requires a lot of pumping in order to lift, but Big Red’s lifting ability is second to none in its price range. If you’re looking for an affordable and more than capable 3-ton jack for your car, SUV, or full-size truck, the Torin T83006 Big Red Steel SUV 3-Ton Service Jack shouldn’t disappoint.
- Great value
- Very well-made
- Good lift height
- Sturdy saddle
- Requires a lot of pumping to raise a vehicle
- Some reports of air in the hydraulic oil upon arrival
Best Low-Profile Floor Jack
- Extra low profile
- Lifting range of 3-1/2 inches to 14 inches
- Patented bypass device protects against over pumping for safe...
- Built-in safety valve provides overload protection. Rust Resistant
- Heavy duty steel construction provides long term durability
This Pro-Lift floor jack has one of the lowest profiles out there, making it a great choice for anyone with sports cars and other vehicles with low ground clearance. Like the Powerzone, it also has an integrated safety valve to prevent overload, which is a nice feature for its low price tag.
Everything considered this Pro-Lift lives up to its name and is an excellent low-profile jack. If your car sits low to the ground and you need a quality jack that won’t tear it up, it might just be the floor jack you’ve been searching for.
- Great low-profile design
- Sturdy steel construction
- Integrated safety valve feature
- Affordable price
- Shorter pump lever
- Not suitable for trucks or SUVs
Best Overall
- LIFT RANGE Provides the lowest low height (2 75”) and the highest...
- LOW PROFILE FRAME For easy access under low ground clearance vehicles
- DUAL PUMP PISTONS Quickly raises the floor jack saddle to load.Weight...
- STEEL CONSTRUCTION For heavy duty use
- UNIVERSAL JOINT RELEASE MECHANISM Provides precise control of jack
Arcan is known for crafting innovative, well-made tools that just plain work, and the Arcan XL 2T Black Low Profile Steel 2 Ton Service Jack is no exception. Featuring an impressively sleek design, it sits snug to the ground to easily lift snazzy sports cars and any low clearance vehicles.
That being said, it also drops nearly as fast, which may make you nervous, regardless of how long you’ve been wrenching on cars. Aside from this, and a higher price tag of course, the Arcan XL2T checks all of the boxes and then some.
- Sleek low-profile design
- Excellent build quality
- Innovative dual handle for faster lifting
- Overload safety valve
- Drops rather abruptly and could be smoother
- At the price point, a more maneuverable three-point wheel system would be nice
Best for the Wallet
- 360 degree Swivel Saddle For Solid Load Contact
- Lightweight For Fast Positioning and Maneuverability
- Heavy Gauge SteelFrameProvides Strength and Durability
- Rust Resistant Finish For Long Life
- Range 5-13 in
The Liftmaster floor jack is a heavy-duty hydraulic jack with a unique saddle that can swivel at a 60-degree angle for the best possible contact with your car, light truck, or motorcycle. Although it’s made out of steel like most quality floor jacks, the Liftmaster is also surprisingly lightweight, making it more maneuverable as well.
While it could live up to its name better by offering more than 13 inches of lift, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better floor jack at such a low price.
- Inexpensive
- Unique swivel saddle
- Heavy-duty steel construction
- Corrosion-resistant finish
- lightweight and portable
- Only suitable for smaller cars
- Limited lift
Best All-Around 2-Ton Jack
- This is highly durable
- Patented design features both a removable Lift saddle and padded Lift...
- Lifting capacity of 4, 000 pounds
- Locking safety bar holds jack in place once raised
- Easily lifts cars, trucks, atvs or removing/replacing transmissions or...
If you’re in need of a high-quality floor jack with plenty of lift for working on transmissions and a versatile design for working on a variety of vehicles, this Powerbuilt 4000 lb Triple Car Lift Jack won’t disappoint. It’s dependable, easy-to-use, and makes an ideal addition to any shop or garage.
Some of the Powerbuilt’s best features are its padded lift rail and removable lift saddle. Combined with its strength and build quality, it has no problems lifting cars, trucks, ATVs, and even motorcycles. Who makes the best floor jack? Alltrade Powerbuilt, I think.
The lift range is also impressive. While it doesn’t extend 24 inches like some floor jacks out there, it can lift any 2-ton vehicle up to 17.5 inches, which is more than serviceable for most vehicles.
- Durable and well-made
- Triple-lift action with padded lift rail
- Removable saddle
- Decent lift height
- Great casters
- Exceeds ANSI standards
- May need to be bled or topped with fluid prior to use
User-Friendly
- 4,000 pound capacity
- Maximum height 15 inch
- Swivel casters for easy positioning
The Performance Tool Floor Jack with 15-Inch Lift is a solid low-profile option that can fit underneath almost any car with no issues. Despite its heavy-duty steel frame, it only tips the scales at 33 pounds, making it one of the lightest 2-ton cheap floor jacks around.
Aside from its lightweight design, it’s also nice and compact, allowing you to easily store it in your trunk and move it around the garage. Plus, it comes equipped with metal swivel casters and can lift up to 15 inches.
- Very lightweight and compact
- Super easy to use
- Solid construction and overall design
- Great casters
- Best floor jack for the money
- Difficult to add oil
- Short lever
Perfect 3.5-Ton Jack
- Built-in internal safety valve and vent plug ensures safe operation
- Swivel saddle provides easy jack positioning and user safety.Saddle...
- 3.5-ton/7,000 lb. lift capacity
- Jack Size: 28 1/2" L x 13 3/4" W x 6 1/2" H
- Rugged universal joint for precise load control
It may be larger than many other jacks, but the Blackhawk B6350 Black/Red 3.5-Ton Fast Lift Service Jack can effortlessly lift almost anything. In fact, with a 3.5-ton lift capacity, it will lift almost any full-size truck. We’ve even heard rumors of it lifting a ’76 LTD!
To do so, the beefy black and red Blackhawk features a heavy-duty steel construction with rolled side frames for endless strength and stability. Other neat features of this beast of a floor jack include an internal safety valve and an easy-to-use extended handle for easier pumping.
Best of all, the Blackhawk only takes a few pumps to lift up to its 20-inch max height. It’s nice and smooth dropping motion is simply the icing on the cake! With a price tag that won’t break the bank as well, it’s easily one of the best 3.5-ton floor jacks on the market today.
- Very well-made
- 3.5-ton lift capacity
- 20-inch maximum lift
- Only takes a few pumps to fully lift
- Drops fast and smooth
- Best floor jack under 200
- Quite heavy as expected
- Larger rear casters would be nice
Floor Jack with Rapid Pump
- 【3 Ton Rated Capacity】It has 3ton rated capacity which is about...
- 【Compact and Portable Handle】This jack has compact volume, handle...
- 【Extra Safety】Its built-in safety valve provides overload...
- 【Heavy Duty Steel Construction】This jack is made from Q235 heavy...
- 【Swivel Rear Wheels】Equipped with 2 rear wheels swivel for easy...
Goplus isn’t the name you would expect to turn to when shopping for a floor jack. However, the Goplus 3-Ton Heavy Duty Steel Garage Floor Jack with Rapid Pump Quick Lift impresses in a number of ways.
Firstly, it’s rated for three tons and has a generous 19.88-inch maximum lift height. It also has a low-profile design to get underneath any car, not just the trucks and SUVs it’s more than capable of lifting. Plus, it features swivel rear wheels and a nice padded rubber saddle to protect your vehicle’s frame.
Where the Goplus really shines, however, is in its lifting ability. With rapid pump dual piston technology, it can lift most vehicles with just a few pumps. Add it all up and it’s safe to say this nifty floor jack deserves a real hard look.
- Fast-lifting dual piston design
- High lifting capacity
- Versatile lift height of nearly 20 inches
- Nice saddle
- Best floor jack under $100
- Not ANSI certified
- Doesn’t roll well without adding good bearing grease
Low Rider Jack
- 2.75" min height is ultra-low and ideal for sports cars, exotic cars,...
- 24" max height is versatile and lifts high enough for pick-ups and...
- Rapid rise technology with dual pump pistons reaches max height...
- 18" throw is long and reaches all lift points under vehicle
- Low profile design is consistent throughout the whole chassis,...
The Sunex 6602LP 2-Ton Low Rider Service Jack is an excellent heavy-duty floor jack with a low-profile design that allows it to lift virtually anything under 4,000 pounds. This steel service jack is right at home in the garage and can safely lift a variety of vehicles. From a Miata to a Tacoma, if you have a vehicle weighing less than two tons, it won’t let you down.
Why the high praise? Well, for starters it’s lowprofile alone is a major selling feature. However, it also provides you with an extra-long 24-inch maximum lift height and utilizes dual pump pistons for fast and effortless lifting action.
With all of these features and quality construction to boot, it’s a great floor jack for any car, crossover, or light truck. As far as versatility and usability are concerned, this Sunex is tops in its class.
- Quick lifting dual piston technology
- Versatile low-profile design
- Generous 24-inch maximum lift height
- Quick-release handle
- Sturdy steel construction
- best for lowered cars
- Drop is difficult to control
- Heavier than expected
Best 3-Ton Jack
- Rated capacity: 3 Ton (6000 pounds) with lift range 4 inch to 18-1/4...
- Jack is made of light weight aluminum frame to reduce product weight...
- Quick lifting hydraulic system saves time and is equipped with safety...
- Rubber padded saddle protects vehicle frame
- Rear wheels swivel for easy positioning
This 3-ton Powerzone floor jack is a hybrid of aluminum and steel, making it both strong and lightweight. The frame is made of aluminum, which adds to its maneuverability. Meanwhile, the arm of the floor jack is made of heavy-duty steel in order to stand up to the pressure and extreme resistance that comes with lifting a vehicle.
Unlike many other hydraulic jacks in its price point, this Powerzone has a generous maximum lift height of 18.25 inches. Plus, it lifts fast too, and there is a safety valve for the hydraulic cylinder to ensure it isn’t loaded beyond its max.
The saddle of the Powerzone is quite nice as well. It’s not made out of leather or anything, but it does have rubber padding to protect the frame of your car. The rear wheels also swivel, which is a nice touch and helps it maneuver around any size garage.
Did we mention it can lift up to three tons? All in all, it’s arguably the best 3-ton floor jack on the market today.
- Lifts up to three tons
- Hybrid aluminum and steel construction
- Hydraulic cylinder lifts fast with minimal pumps
- Decent 18.25-inch lift height
- Great for cars, trucks, and SUVs
- Solid overall value
- Could be easier to maneuver
- May need to add hydraulic oil prior to use
| PRODUCT NAME | QUALITY | |
|---|---|---|
| Torin T83006 (Editor’s Choice) | Best Budget Floor Jack for Trucks and SUVs | Check Price |
| Pro-Lift F-767 | Best Low Profile Jack | Check Price |
| Arcan XL2T | Best Floor Jack for Cars | Check Price |
| Liftmaster | Cheap Floor Jack | Check Price |
| Alltrade Powerbuilt 620422E | Best Floor Jack for Home Use | Check Price |
| Performance Tool W1614 | Good Aluminum Floor Jack | Check Price |
| Blackhawk B6350 | Best 3.5-Ton Floor Jack | Check Price |
| Goplus | Best Bloor Jack for a Truck | Check Price |
| Sunex 6602LP | Best for Wrangler Jeep | Check Price |
| Powerzone 380044 | Best Floor Jack for the Money | Check Price |
Buying a Good Floor Jack – Best Value Jack
As you can clearly see, there’s a wide variety of floor jacks out there for the picking. While it’s nice to have options, this makes choosing the right one for you and your needs easier said than done. To do so, you need to have some basic understanding of floor jacks and know what to look for.
Different Types of Floor Jacks
It’s important to know the different types of floor jacks before you go shopping for one. Fortunately, there are only three types of automotive jacks made in USA to choose from:
• Hydraulic Floor Jack
Most garage and car owners prefer hydraulics jacks due to their effectiveness and ease of use. When a hydraulic floor jack is pumped, hydraulic oil is transferred to the hydraulic oil chamber from the reservoir, which forces the jack’s saddle to begin rising.
• Bottle or Piston Jack
Bottle or piston jacks work very similar to hydraulic floor jacks. Only, rather than having along arm or lever, they’re designed in the shape of bottles. On the downside, bottle jacks are the opposite of low-profile and only suitable for large trucks and vehicles with plenty of ground clearance.
• Scissor Jack
Scissor jacks are inexpensive floor jacks that utilize a screw and a lead to lift a vehicle. These cheap jacks often come included with many vehicles, but they require a lot of effort and should only be used in emergency situations.
What to Consider When Buying a Floor Jack:
What to Consider When Buying a Floor Jack:• Weight Capacity
The weight capacity of a floor jack is an obvious yet often overlooked aspect that will play a critical role in its ability to safely and efficiently lift your vehicle. The more a jack can lift, the better. The weight capacity of a floor jack is rated in tons. If you have a small or mid-size car, a 2-ton floor jack will get the job done. On the other hand, a 3-ton jack or higher is best for trucks, vans, and SUVs.
• Build Quality
The build quality and materials used in the construction of a floor jack should be a deciding factor as well. Most quality floor jacks are made of steel, aluminum, or a hybrid of both metals. Steel jacks are heavy, strong, and relatively inexpensive. Aluminium jacks, however, are lighter, more portable, and usually, cost a little more.
• Maximum Height
The maximum height of a jack is essentially how high it can lift your vehicle. Some of the best floor jacks can extend up to 20 inches or more, while others top out as low as 13 inches. The higher a jack can lift, the more room you’ll have underneath!
• Ground Clearance
Like cars, jacks for home use have different heights and profiles. If you have a sports car or any vehicle that sits low to the ground, you’re going to need a low-profile floor jack. The last thing you want is to purchase a jack and wait for it to arrive only to find out it won’t fit underneath your car. So, take some quick measurements and keep clearance in mind when picking the right jack for you and your ride.
• Lifting Speed
The less you have to pump a jack handle to lift your car, the better. Fortunately, most good floor jacks only require about 15 pumps to lift an average vehicle. However, some floor jacks have dual-piston and handle designs, doubling their lifting speed.
• Warranty
Many floor jacks come with warranties of two years or longer, while others come with one-year warranties or none at all. Not only will a longer warranty take care of any fixes or provide you with a replacement if needed for a longer period of time, but it also says a lot about the quality of the jack and its manufacturer.
Essential Accessories
A floor jack alone will lift your car up, but a few other key accessories will make your wrench jobs easier and help ensure it stays safely put. Some other must-have related items include:
Nearly all floor jacks are “heavy-duty,” at least they are according to their advertising. However, this doesn’t they can’t fail. To protect yourself from being crushed, good jack stands should also be used. These simple supporting struts can be a real lifesaver, literally.
• Wheel Chocks
Wheel chocks are another simple yet incredibly important item to have in your garage arsenal when jacking up your car. Nothing more than wedges, you place them behind your car’s wheels while lifting to prevent it from rolling away. Wheel chocks are generally sold in pairs, and if you use them along with the emergency brake and jack stands, they can keep your car safely in place while you’re working underneath it.
• Ramps
There’s nothing special about ramps, but they can be real time saver for small jobs like quick oil changes. Rather than lugging out a floor jack, you can simply drive your car up onto them in order to free up space to crawl underneath. Just remember to put wheel chocks down to keep it from rolling down the ramp and out of your driveway. Also, while ramps can come in handy, they can’t provide you with the extra space and safety of a quality floor jack.
Also known as a car creeper, a mechanics creeper will make wrenching underneath your car much more comfortable. Rather than crawling and lying on cold hard concrete, a mechanics creeper will allow you lay comfortably and roll around underneath your car with ease. Basically sleds with wheels, mechanics creepers come in all shapes and sizes to help make working on your car as comfortable as possible.
Safety Tips for Using a Floor Jack
picture from supercheapauto.co.nz
FAQ
The Bottom Line
For me, the best car jack you can get is the Pro-Lift we reviewed. For the money, you get a jack that will serve you for 95% of the jobs you may need to do in your garage.
Well, there you have it. Not only do you now know the best floor jacks on the market in a variety of categories, but you also know what to look for when choosing the right floor jack for you and your vehicle. Remember to always consider the weight capacity, lift height, build quality, ground clearance, and lift speed of a floor jack when making your decision. With a little wisdom and thought, you’ll be able to enjoy an outstanding, high-quality floor jack for years to come!
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I have an 02 Corolla that needs new brake pads and probably a good look at the cv joints. Should I get a floor Jack or just use the Jack that comes with the car? Also the car has 200000 miles on it. Is it worth fixing up if I’m going to move to Arcata or should I just sell it as is. So far it’s got brake issues, windshield severely cracked and otherwise it can drive pretty good.
I have found that a floor jack makes it much easier to raise a vehicle off the ground. That being said, never work on a car that is just supported by a jack (other than changing a tire) always use jack stands to support the vehicle securely
whatsup guys,
so I’m lookin for a decent all around floor jack (preferably something with quick-life tech or something similar) that can be used for low to mid weight vehicles. also, im going to need something that is relatively low profile because ill be using it for off-road vehicles as well (4 wheelers etc.). I’ve been managing with a scissor type-jack with a larger than average saddle (needed for the 4 wheelers) but its a pain. I want to steer away from the twisting screw mechanism.
Hydraulic seems to be the way to go, does anyone have first-hand experience with one of the powerzone or arcan floor jacks? If not, do you have a better recommendation
Worth a look
Arcan ALJ3T Aluminum Floor Jack – 3 Ton Capacity
3-ton capacity while only weighing 56 pounds
Dual pump pistons for fast rising action, 3.6″ to 19.4″
Reinforced lift arm for added strength, chassis torsion control and durability
I have Torin T83006 and it works great. They also sell a cross bar adapter that allows you to make a T and for small/compact vehicles you can raise both axles at the same time. Makes it easier to do brake work. The only drawback is sometimes the lifting point and jack stand point are the same. Have to find a designated spot for jack stands. For brake and suspension work you can remove a tire and set the Jack Stand on the control arm. Flip flops in a work shop environment aside he does have a point about not using to support. That’s what jack stands are for.
Thanks for the great review and quality production. I just bought the Yellow Daytona yesterday as I noticed it doesn’t sit any higher than the LP Long reach model. I had two main areas I was hoping it would do well.
1.) 2008 Miata Sport, I wanted to be able to reach the front jack point and since both the Yellow or Orange Long Reach are the same height I found the longer reach ended up not even being needed as the yellow model slide under the car just as easily as the long reach. 2.) RAV4 Gen 3. I wanted a jack that could raise it up high enough to slide some wheel ramps under it so I could quickly and easily set the entire vehicle up on 4 ramps. I still need to test this as I did measure it and it is close. The long reach might be needed with that extra 1″ of lift.
I do agree with you the smaller jack pad would work better for me as well with a Miata, Sienna and Rav4. My hockey puck allows for a more pinpoint jack location though so not a big deal. Too bad we can’t buy alternate jack pads either small or large from HF.
So I think I will likely keep the yellow model as it is just as low as the long reach so I didn’t end up even needing that extra reach for that deep jack point on my Miata. I like the 3yr warranty and zerk fittings all over to properly grease it even though I don’t need that level of durability as I don’t use the jack all that often. Also there was $20 off the Yellow model that made it cheaper by $10 than the long reach. The only main feature I might like is the extra 1″ lift and foot lift.
Got a cheapie low profile jack from Walmart for 50 bucks so I could remove my wheels.
Long story short, it sucked. Mainly because the jacking lever was way too short and required God like force to get the car up more than 2 inches. I didn’t want to, but I may need to spring for a steel heavy duty one with a much longer lever. I’d like low profile since my current car is kind of low, and I’m still planning on that corvette some day…
I have a low profile Arcan 2 ton. It was $200 from Amazon, somehow shipped free despite weighing nearly 100 pounds … I got tired of the cheap autozone ones.
I still have to put wood under my front tires to lift the car D: but otherwise does easily lift the front and rear all at once. Putting the car on 4 jackstands is a 5 minute exercise or less now.
Torin Big Red Hydraulic Trolley Floor Jack is the Great Jack For My SUV!
First off, the price couldn’t be beat. Second, the riser piece really makes short work of taller vehicles. Works great! High quality construction. The red ring on the side of this lift in the picutre is the holder for the riser peice. This piece being removeable makes the lift good for any vehicle, which is a great benefit. Try beating this price anywhere!