Best Car Jacks: Lift Your Ride Quickly and Safely

When you’ve got a job that requires lifting your car off the ground, you want a jack that’s not only strong but will let you lift with confidence, especially if you’re planning to climb underneath it. If you’re planning to rotate your tires, change a flat or your brake pads, or perform any other DIY car repair that involves accessing underneath your car, it’s important to have a jack handy. 

Even if you’re not big into doing your own car repairs, you should still have a car jack for emergencies or occasional use. There is an abundance of choices when it comes to purchasing a jack for your car. I’ve done much of the leg work for you and came up with a list of my favorites.

Summary List

• Best Overall: LiftMaster 3 Ton Heavy Duty Ultra Low Profile Steel Floor Jack
• Best Value: Big Red Torin Steel Scissor Lift Jack
• Honorable Mention: Torin Hydraulic Trolley Service/Floor Jack Combo
• Best Bottle Jack: Powerbuilt 3 Ton Bottle Jack and Jack Stands in One
• Most Versatile: Powerbuilt 2 Ton Triple Lift Floor Jack

Our Methodology

When it comes to choosing the best car jacks, I wanted to provide you with a well-rounded list that features a good variety of reputable manufacturers with solid track records of providing high-quality, reliable products. I included a range of price points to suit any budget. I also focused on car jacks that have a history of gleaning plenty of positive reviews from real-life users. For more information on the selection criteria, click this link to The Drive’s Gear About page, which explains our methodology further.

Best Car Jacks: Reviews & Recommendations

Our Verdict on Car Jacks

When it comes to the best overall lifting capacity, range, durability, and dependability, my top overall pick has to be the LiftMaster 3 Ton Heavy Duty Ultra Low Profile Steel Floor Jack. It’s a rugged and dependable floor jack that’s ideal for most everyday applications. For a compact and budget-friendly choice, check out the Big Red Torin Steel Scissor Lift Jack. This super affordable option is great for keeping in your garage and it’s also compact enough to store in your trunk for emergency use.

FAQs 

You’ve got questions. The Drive has answers.

Q: What are the different types of car jacks?

A: The most common car jacks are floor jacks, scissor jacks, or bottle jacks. Floor jacks are also known as trolley jacks. They’re great for use inside your garage since they’re large and roll on wheels or metal casters. They’re also the priciest of the options. Scissor jacks are easy-to-use, budget-friendly, and compact manual-lifting jacks that are great for everyday or emergency use. Lastly, bottle jacks are compact hydraulic jacks that can be great for indoor or off-road use on a wide variety of vehicles.

Q: How much does a car jack cost?

A: You can get a reliable, compact, yet rugged scissor or floor jack for as little as $20 to $50. Most bottle jacks, low-profile jacks, and some floor jacks can be purchased for $75 to 150. If you’re looking for a more heavy-duty jack that offers more lifting height or weight capacity and plenty of safety features, be prepared to spend upwards of $200.

Q: Is a floor jack with a long pump handle the best?

A: A floor jack with a long pump handle gives you the convenience of not having to get on the ground to pump up the jack. While these are usually the more rugged, heavy-duty choice, depending on your needs, they might not be the best. If you’re stuck out in the wilderness or on the side of the road with a flat, you’ll want a compact, easy-to-use bottle or scissor jack that doesn’t weigh 50 pounds.