What Is The Best Floor Jack On The Market? (2022 Edition)
If you’re going to be putting in work on your car, you’re going to need a great floor jack. But you probably don’t buy floor jacks often. You have to rely on your floor jack to keep the car off of your head, so you don’t want to purchase the wrong one.
In this article, we’ll walk you through a few of the best floor jack options on the market so that you will know what to look for when you buy one for yourself. By the time you’re done, you’ll be racing to jack up your car and get to work.
Page Contents
- What To Look For In A Floor jack
- Top 10 Floor Jacks Ranked and Reviewed
- 1. Blackhawk B6350 Black/Red Fast Lift Service Jack
- 2. Torin Big Red Hydraulic Trolley Floor Jack: SUV / Extended Height
- 3. Pittsburgh Automotive 3-Ton Heavy-Duty Ultra Low Profile Steel Floor Jack
- 4. Liftmaster 3-Ton Heavy-Duty Ultra Low Profile Steel Floor Jack with Quick Lift
- 5. Arcan ALJ3T Aluminum Floor Jack
- 8. Torin Big Red Steel Scissor Jack
- 9. Prolift X767 Low Profile Floor Jack
- 10. Powerbuilt Heavy-Duty Triple Lift Jack
- Frequently Asked Questions
- How Long Should My Floor jack Last?
- How Do I Know If My Floor jack Can Jack Up My Car?
- How Do I Pick A Floorjack For A Car With Odd Dimensions?
- How High Does My Floorjack Need To Jack?
- Why Does the Profile of a Floor Jack Matter?
- What About Lift Height?
- What Lifting Capacity Do I Need?
- What Are Your Choices for Floor Jack Materials?
What To Look For In A Floor jack
Now that you’re acquainted with the strongest and the tallest floor jacks it’s time to analyze what features you need from your floor jack to have a safe and successful car repair session.
First, your floor jack needs to protect you while you are working. The jack is responsible for holding the car up in the air. Cars are heavy. The best floor jacks are rated to three tons, but some are rated for less.
Do yourself a favor and get a floor jack that is rated for three tons. Even if you don’t plan on jacking up cars that weigh that much, you will appreciate the added assurance that you are operating well within the jack’s weight capacity.
Safety goes beyond mere weight requirements, however. You should also opt for a floor jack that contains safety features which prevent you from using the jack incorrectly. When you are using a floor jack, it is possible to accidentally overfill the jack.
Overfilling the jack gives it a bit more height than it would otherwise have at the expense of safety. The best floor jacks have an overflow valve which prevents you from overfilling the jack in the first place.
Likewise, good floor jacks have a bypass valve which will, in theory, prevent the jack from crashing down in the event of a failure somewhere else. The bypass valve is a great safety feature, but using the jack properly in the first place might make it redundant.
Aside from safety features, the best floor jacks use multiple pumps. Adding more than one pump helps you to exert less effort while you are raising the car. Especially if you plan on jacking up more than one car per day, you will need a floor jack that magnifies your strength more than others.
There is a tradeoff with additional pumps, however. Each pump is heavy and contributes significantly to the weight of the floor jack. Most floor jacks have wheels or castors — critical features –, but excessive weight can still make them a hassle to use.
Remember that the easier it is for you to jack up the car, the heavier the jack itself will be in almost all cases. If you plan on leaving your jack mostly in one spot, the weight will not be very much of a concern.
You will need to maneuver the jack into position for each car that you jack up, however. For most purposes, two pumps are the sweet spot between jack weight and ease-of-jacking.
Finally, good floor jacks are durable. Floor jacks are built to withstand high amounts of pressure, and you want to be able to rely on your jack to weather that pressure effectively. That’s where less durable floor jacks will start to give you anxiety, even if they don’t break.
Compare The Top 3 Best Floor Jacks of 2022
Top 10 Floor Jacks Ranked and Reviewed
1. Blackhawk B6350 Black/Red Fast Lift Service Jack
The Blackhawk B6350 Black/Red Fast Lift Service Jack is a reliable and novice-friendly floor jack which you can use right out of the box.
Pros
- Great for beginners
- Heavy-duty construction
- High positioning tolerance
Cons
- Limited jack height
- Low wheel quality
This floorjack’s cheerful red exterior belies its great feature set. Especially for novices, the over-pumping protection bypass device is a lifesaver. The bypass device will prevent you from accidentally setting up an unsafe jack by jacking too high while also preserving the lifetime of the unit.
The swivel-saddle features of the floor jack are also helpful, especially if you don’t have a naturally good feeling for how to position the base of the jack. You will have a slightly higher tolerance for error in your jack positioning with this floor jack than you would with others.
Overall, the build quality of this floor jack is fairly high. While it isn’t a top-of-the-line unit, it will be more than sufficient for occasional jacking.
2. Torin Big Red Hydraulic Trolley Floor Jack: SUV / Extended Height
The Torin Big Red Hydraulic Trolley Floor Jack: SUV / Extended Height is an inexpensive yet functional floor jack which provides a lot of height capability at the expense of ease of use.
Pros
- High jack height
- Swiveling castors
- 3-ton capacity
Cons
- No pump bypass device
- Some assembly required
If you plan on jacking up cars that are a bit bigger than your average compact, it pays to invest in an extended height floor jack like the Torin Big Red. It’s tough to find another floor jack that can jack as high as the Torin at the same price point. You’ll be able to jack up to 21 inches in the air.
While the Torin does have 360-degree swiveling casters to help make positioning a bit easier, the jack itself lacks a few features like a bypass device. Because it doesn’t have these features, you should take care to understand how to reach the maximum height of the jack safely.
Beginners may not want to test their luck with the Torin. Experts will have no problem using it, however.
3. Pittsburgh Automotive 3-Ton Heavy-Duty Ultra Low Profile Steel Floor Jack
The Pittsburgh Automotive 3-Ton Heavy-Duty Ultra Low Profile Steel Floor Jack with Rapid Pump Quick Lift is a tried-and-tested floor jack that combines high durability with a basic feature set to appeal to professionals who plan on using their equipment until it breaks.
Pros
- Very durable
- Slim profile
- Can get under low-riding cars easily
Cons
- Lower jack height
- May require maintenance
Pittsburgh Automotive’s floor jack is simple but durable. Surprisingly, the unit is fairly lightweight, meaning that you won’t need to struggle while lugging it from storage into the garage. The low profile of this jack makes it ideal for cars which ride very close to the ground.
The overall jack height of this floor jack isn’t the most impressive, nor are its ease of use features. You may even need to lubricate the jackshaft from time to time. On the other hand, this jack is nearly indestructible.
Professional car mechanics will appreciate this jack’s maneuverability and durability. Novices may struggle with the fact that only one set of the jack’s wheels are swivel-castors, and that there is not an automatic pump bypass device.
4. Liftmaster 3-Ton Heavy-Duty Ultra Low Profile Steel Floor Jack with Quick Lift
The Liftmaster 3 Ton Heavy-Duty Ultra Low Profile Steel Floor Jack with Quick Lift is a top-of-the-line floor jack that has a feature set which will make every mechanic jealous.
Pros
- Very high build quality
- High jack height
- Low profile
- Great safety features
Cons
- Heavy
With a three-inch low profile and a high jack, the Liftmaster has a lot to brag about. Thanks to the Liftmaster’s Quick Lift dual pump system, it takes very little effort to make a car weighing a couple of tons jack into the air.
As far as positioning goes, the castors are effective at making it a snap. Furthermore, the castors are protected but also padded. This means that you won’t have to worry about something damaging the castors — or the castors damaging your body when they scrape against you by accident.
The jack’s other safety features are impeccable. The bypass device works effectively, and all of the sharp edges of the jack are protected by a bumper to avoid harming anyone else. These bumpers also help to protect the vehicle getting jacked from any unwanted scrapes.
5. Arcan ALJ3T Aluminum Floor Jack
The Arcan ALJ3T Aluminum Floor Jack is an ultra-durable jack which is built to last until the end of time.
Pros
- Extremely durable
- Bypass valve and also overload valve
- Handle for easy positioning
Cons
- Average jack height
- Heavier than most other floor jacks
The Arcan ALJ3T is the most heavy-duty floor jack that we’ll review today. This floor jack is built like a tank. All of the aluminum sidings are anywhere between two and ten times thicker than other equivalent jacks.
Because the jack is made out of aluminum, it can accomplish this massive skeleton without weighing a ton. While it’s still heavier than most other floor jacks even the heaviest of abuse will leave the unit fully intact.
The aluminum siding tends to scratch easily, but the other features of the jack more than makeup for it. The gripping handles on the sides of the jack are a great aid in positioning the jack exactly where you want it.
Though there is only one pair of swiveling castors, you won’t need to replace them anytime soon. Furthermore, you won’t need to worry about jack failure causing injuries. There is a bypass valve and also an overload valve, which will force you to use the jack safely.
8. Torin Big Red Steel Scissor Jack
Scissor style jacks are usually not the most stable option ,but The Torin Big Red has a wide enough base that it feels quite sturdy even when fully extended.
Pros
- This jack has an economical price tag.
- It can lift 3,000 lbs.
- The small size means that you can easily store it in your trunk as an alternative to your factory roadside jack.
- It has a broad base that makes it more stable than the average scissor jack.
Cons
- Lacks the lift capacity and stability of larger jacks, and it does not have a hydraulic system to aid with lifting.
- It is slightly bulkier than standard factory jacks that get included with your car.
This small floor jack can provide lifting power. This jack stands at less than one-half-foot tall when not extended, it is only about 18 inches long, and it weighs in at just over seven lbs.
In addition to using it in your garage, it is small enough that you could carry it in your car to act as a roadside jack that you can use to change a flat tire.
It is also quite powerful, with the ability to lift 3,000 lbs.
9. Prolift X767 Low Profile Floor Jack
This jack features heavy-duty steel construction, which means that it can provide long-term durability, and it is resistant to rust.
Pros
- This jack has a lower price than many other 2 ton jacks on the market.
- It has a low profile, which means that you can use it on low-riding cars.
- You get several premium safety features.
- The stainless steel construction body protects against rust and provides long-term durability.
Cons
- The maximum lift height is only 14 inches, which is less than some competitors.
- The 2 ton lift capacity may be insufficient for larger vehicles such as full-size SUVs and pickups.
This model is on the cheaper end of the price spectrum. However, it can still lift two tons with ease. Furthermore, it has a low profile, so it is an ideal option if you have a low-riding car. Plus, steel floor jacks are cheaper than aluminum models, so this product sits at the lower end of the floor-jack price range.
The X767 also has several useful safety features. You get a built-safety valve that ensures that you do not lift more weight than the jack can handle. There is also a bypass feature that guarantees that you never over pump the jack.
10. Powerbuilt Heavy-Duty Triple Lift Jack
The jack is well made. It has a 2 ton lifting capacity, and it an all steel construction that makes it durable and easy to use in a variety of conditions.
Pros
- You can use this jack on a variety of vehicles and equipment.
- A 12-inch lift pad and stabilizing accessories make it possible to lift different vehicles and equipment.
- The sturdy steel construction is durable and gives the Powerbuilt Heavy-Duty a 2 ton lifting capacity.
Cons
- Because of its high profile, this jack does not work with some cars that ride low off the ground.
- The maximum lift height is 17.5”, which may not be tall enough for some vehicles or pieces of equipment.
The Powerbuilt Heavy Duty Triple Lift Jack is a multipurpose tool. In addition to cars, its design allows you to lift other types of vehicles, such as tractors or motorcycles. It has a saddle pad, which you can remove or affix depending on what you are raising.
The jack also comes with other features, such as tie-down hooks and a lift platform that is 12 inches long.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Should My Floor jack Last?
Floor jack lifetime depends on how frequently you use it and how well you take care of it. If you take good care of your floor jack by avoiding mechanical trauma, cleaning it often, and lubricating the moving parts, a floor jack will last a long time.
If, on the other hand, you are regularly putting your floor jack through a high amount of stress, it won’t last as long. In general, floor jacks are very durable pieces of equipment. You should plan to buy one floor jack per decade.
How Do I Know If My Floor jack Can Jack Up My Car?
Most floor jacks are rated for three tons of jacking. Luckily, you don’t need to speculate about how much weight capacity your floor jack can support. At the bottom of the floorjack, there should be a large sticker or engraving on the face of the jack.
The engraving should tell you the jack’s maximum and minimum jack heights, weight capacity, and basic operating instructions. Compare the dimensions of your car to the instructions and see if your car falls within the range.
As a rule of thumb, three-ton jacks should be enough for consumer cars and SUVs. Any larger vehicle should be weighed first.
How Do I Pick A Floorjack For A Car With Odd Dimensions?
Floor jacks come in all shapes and sizes. This includes shapes and sizes intended for very low, very high, or very wide cars. The statistic which you need to examine is the jack’s minimum and maximum heights.
Cars that ride very close to the ground will need to be jacked up significantly higher — sometimes by as much as 12 inches — than those that ride at a normal level. There are typically jacks which advertise themselves as suited for these cars.
Importantly, the jack itself must first be small enough to fit under a low-riding car! If the jack can’t be snuck underneath the bottom trim, there is no chance that the jack will work to jack up the car on its own.
This is why there are certain jacks with a very slim profile and others which make no effort to sprawl upward.
How High Does My Floorjack Need To Jack?
The standard floorjack height capacity is around 21 inches. For most cars, this will be a sufficient amount of jacking. Remember, you need to jack the car high enough such that you can roll yourself underneath it and have a comfortable room to work.
Depending on your body’s depth and the height of your floor roller which you will lie on, the car may need to be jacked higher. Most floor rollers are only three or four inches tall, but some may be as much as six inches tall.
Every additional inch which on your floor roller is another inch that your floorjack will need to hold up the car. Likewise, if you’ve been drinking a few too many beers or eating too many burgers, you’ll need to jack up the car higher depending on your waist size to remain comfortable.
Your arm length is also a relevant factor in the height of your floorjack. You typically will be working with bent arms rather than fully extended arms. If your arms are fairly long, you will still need to jack up the car a few inches higher to give yourself room to work with a bent arm.
Why Does the Profile of a Floor Jack Matter?
There are a couple of reasons why a floor jack profile matters. First, you need to get a jack that will fit under your vehicle. Certain sports cars sit low, so a floor jack with a high profile might not fit underneath them. On the other hand, a jack with a higher profile may have a higher maximum lift height. One type of jack profile is never the best for every user, but you do need to choose a jack that can work with your vehicles.
What About Lift Height?
Lift height requirements can vary depending on what you plan to do with your floor jack. If you want to change tires or oil, the lift height might not be an essential variable for you. However, if you wish to perform more involved work under your car, then you need a jack with a higher maximum height.
What Lifting Capacity Do I Need?
Most standard floor jacks have a 2 ton lifting capacity. This level of muscle is sufficient for most standard cars and even many trucks, minivans, and SUVs. However, if you have a full-size SUV, full-size pickup truck, or other large commercial vehicles, this standard lifting capacity may not be enough.
For these vehicles, you may need a heavy-duty floor jack. Luckily, many floor jacks have safety features that prevent you from lifting cars that are beyond its lifting capacity. If you work with different types of vehicles, such as safety feature can prove invaluable.
You should also be aware that some smaller lifts, such as scissor lifts that manufacturers commonly include as roadside jacks for changing flat tires, only have a 1.5-ton lifting capacity.
What Are Your Choices for Floor Jack Materials?
Floors jack components are usually either steel or aluminum. Each has a set of advantages and disadvantages. Aluminum jacks are lighter and, therefore, more comfortable to maneuver and get into place. Both jacks typically have the same lifting capacity, so steel jacks are not necessarily “stronger” than aluminum jacks. The design of the unit and its lifting arm are the real features that decide the lifting capacity of a floor jack.
Is there any reason to get a steel jack? Steel jacks tend to be cheaper than their aluminum counterparts. If you do not need to move your jack much, for example, if you only use it in your garage, then you can save money by opting for a steel floor jack.
