Pump It Up! The Best Car Jacks for 2023, Tested

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In the world of automotive gear, where tech often takes the front stage, there exists an unheralded analog soldier calmly serving its purpose: the trusty car jack. Like any unsung hero, the car jack steps into the spotlight only when needed, transforming the lifting of your vehicle from a Herculean task to a clear and easy series of movements. As handy as a set of car ramps can be, a trustworthy jack provides the necessary muscle when it comes to at-home car repairs and DIY maintenance jobs and should never be left out of any at-home tool kit.

Since the car jack and jack stand combo is such a necessity, here at the Gear Team we've set out to honor, compare, and test these humble heroes for all your car jack needs.

Things to Consider

Weight Capacity: Jacks have different weight capacities, so it is crucial that you choose a jack that can safely lift your vehicle. Confirm the vehicle's gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) on the door placard, and shop accordingly. Getting jacks that exceed your vehicle's GVWR is never a good idea.

Lifting Points: Confirm the lifting points on your owner's manual. Typical lifting points include cross members, frame rails, and reinforced pinch welds. If your vehicle is equipped with air springs, make sure to select the "jack mode" or a similar setting within the vehicle's settings. Failing to do so may result in massive frustration. Trust us.

Portability and Storage: If you plan to travel with or move your car jack frequently, you should take into account its weight, footprint, and portability.

Safety Features: Safety is supreme when it comes to working under your car, and you should always put jack stands under your vehicle before you creep beneath it. However, there are additional safety features that a typical car jack may offer, including locking mechanisms and bypass valves to prevent overloading.

Starting Height: The jack won't be doing much lifting if it can't fit beneath your car, so make sure you purchase a jack that can fit beneath the clearance of your vehicle. Take note, low-profile owners: This will be one of your largest considerations.

Lifting Range: How high should you go? You'll want to ensure the lifting range is, at the very least, high enough to fit the lowest setting of your jack stands. Also, consider the type of maintenance or repair you are conducting and ensure there is enough height clearance to perform that task.

Excessive Rust: It is important that your car does not show any signs of excessive rust. Excessive rusting could cause the jack to break through the lifting point, causing catastrophic failure. Not only is this dangerous, but it has the potential to render your car completely undrivable.

Scissor Jacks: Scissor jacks are typically provided with your vehicle for use in case of emergency. These are generally not recommended for regular garage use, which is why we've opted to leave them out of this test.

How We Tested Car Jacks

When testing our selection of car lifts, we kept it simple and data-driven. Equipped with a fancy laser measuring tool and a middle-of-the-road 2004 Toyota Corolla, we tested the following parameters:

• Lowest pad height (to determine vehicle clearance)

• Maximum lift height

• Pumps to reach max height (no load)

• Weight

• Dimensions

• Stress test: Does it sag over time?

After looking over our data and testing notes, we assessed which jacks were the best for certain situations. Here are our picks for the best car jacks.

B6530 Fast Lift

If you're looking for a simple, everyday garage jack, the Blackhawk B6530 may be the one for you. After a simple setup, we were amazed by this 87-pound beast's lift-per-pump, with a mere 1.5 pumps of the arm raising the jack to full height under no load.

During our tests, the Toyota Corolla was raised a generous 21.5 inches, providing ample space to slide two jack stands under the pinch welds. Additionally, the jack had the longest chassis design of the lot, making reaching the cross-member lifting point on our Corolla easy.

Overall, we feel the Blackhawk is a straightforward car jack that's effective and easy to use. The dual-piston hydraulic system provides smooth and efficient lifting, so we believe this jack is a worthy investment for DIYers and professionals alike.

Unijack

If you're the type who values efficiency and convenience, the Powerbuilt Unijack combines a classic bottle jack and jack stand into one space-saving tool.

In terms of safety features, the Powerbuilt was the one jack we tested that offered the most tactile safety feature, utilizing the familiar lock-drop mechanism we're used to seeing on jack stands and other hydraulic lifts.

While we loved the space-saving and safety features, the one downfall was the short lever, which resulted in a low pump-to-lift ratio. It took a whopping 46 pumps to get to the max height of 20.5 inches. If you're looking for a bright side, that means you could probably skip arm day at the gym.

Pneumatic Jack

Sick and tired of watching the cost of living rise by inflation? Why not watch your vehicle rise by inflation with the Vevor Pneumatic Jack instead? With an entirely different modus operandi, this jack requires a compressor to operate.

Instructions are simple: Attach the compressor, slowly open the valve, and watch in awe as the air jack lifts at an impressive rate. Lifting and lowering the air jack at a variable rate took a bit of practice, but it is possible to create a custom height by carefully opening and closing the valves. The maximum height we measured was 15.8 inches; plenty of room to lift the front vehicle for jack stands or a quick tire swap.