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Car lifts are a great way of saving space in your garage if you are a car enthusiast and have many cars but not enough space in your garage. They are also great for home mechanics that do many of their car repair work themselves. So, we have compiled a list of the best car lifts for home garages here.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Car Lift For Home Garage
- OUR TOP PICK: APlusLift HW-10KBP
- RUNNER-UP: TRIUMPH NSS-8
- BEST BUDGET OPTION: Auto Lift Car-Park-8
Table of Contents
Comparison Chart of the Best Car Lifts For Home Garages
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What Makes a Car Lift Great for Garage Use?
There are benefits of a car lift, but maybe not all are perfect for your home garage. That is why you should know about them to make a better decision. The two major reasons why people buy garage lifts are given below. See if they are what you need.
Two Post/Four Post
These two types of lifts are more stable, and you install them in your garage. The four-post design is perfect for storing cars. They generally have a higher weight capacity as well. So, if you have many cars and want to stack them for proper storage, these will be perfect.
Two-post lifts are used more for car maintenance. They give your car a lot of height so you can easily work beneath them. The four-post design can also be used for this, but if you are buying for a home garage, you have to check what you really need and the budget.
Portable Models
A portable lift is a smaller design that you can carry with you in the back or roof of your cars. If you ever run into trouble on the road like a punctured tire, you can make things easy by always having this. You might have seen these be used for race cars.
Review of the Best Car Lifts For Home Garages
Never buy a car lift blindly. It is a matter of safety of your car and yourself. It is a big investment and should be made carefully while keeping every aspect in mind. So here are the reviews of the best car lifts for a home garage that have all of these things.
Best Overall:
APlusLift HW-10KBP
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Users found it very durable and of high-quality, and given the price, it is very surprising, and you can’t get better. Its lift-up speed is pretty good comparatively. It does require some maintenance but some oiling every now and then does the job. Apart from the instructions, there is nothing really at fault here from the users.
Why it Stands Out to Us
Considering that it is a two-post car lift, it has a staggering capacity of 10,000 pounds. So, it is very sturdy and well made. The posts are made of a double S structure that you see in construction. It uses heavy-duty steel and is the ideal style.
The columns and carriage have a thickness of 13/64” and 15/64” respectively. It has a dual rather than a single hydraulic cylinder system. This creates more force as the force travels both in and out and is more stable.
When it comes to the arms that lift the car, it has both symmetric and asymmetric. The asymmetric arms position the car a little back, and the symmetric arms position it in the center. For safety, it has a lot of features including dibble point safety lock release, automatic arm lock restraints, power pump relieve valve, large diameter cables, and more.
Who Will Use This Most
This model is used mainly for car maintenance and repair rather than storage. Because it has a 10,000 pounds weight capacity, you can lift anything, including a full-size pickup truck and jeeps. It comes with its own truck adapters if needed. It is recommended that you should have a concrete thickness of 6 inches for installing this, so make sure that is what you have.
Bottom Line
In all, this is our best car lift because, for its price, it has many features and is very safe. There are more than enough safety features equipped with a very strong cable and column system that will keep your vehicle stable and lifted.
Runner-up:
TRIUMPH NSS-8
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
You’ll need help installing this one since it is bigger, but it is also very sturdy. Every bolt and nut that you’ll need is in there; you just have to follow the instructions. For the price, it has good quality and good weight capacity as well. The good thing is that the cables are pre-installed, so there’s one less thing to worry about.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This is a four-post lift that takes up more space, but in many cases, it is better than the two post versions. You get a higher maximum height with this model, i.e., 84 inches. The great thing about it is that it comes with accessories like a drip tray, caster kit, and jack tray.
Because you will probably be using it for storage, it is good to install the drip tray, so fluid from the upper vehicle doesn’t drip down. The caster kit contains wheels that you can attach to the lift to move it around the garage more easily since it is very heavy. And the jack tray will allow one side of the car to be lifted for small maintenance.
Who Will Use This Most
If you are looking for a proper storage car lift, then look no further. With a capacity of 8,000 pounds, it should be able to lift and handle any vehicle’s weight for the long term. It has a length and width of 175 and 93 inches, respectively, so check that your garage has enough space for it.
Bottom Line
Four post lifts take up more space and are difficult to install, but they are the best option when it comes to stacking cars. They are also the ones used commonly by big garages. They are very stable and reliable, depending on the quality and this one has high quality.
Best for the Money:
Auto Lift Car-Park-8
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
According to users, the installation requires a lot of manual labor, but that is to be expected because it is a four-post lift. After you get the lift installed, it is fairly simple to operate. It has a good height so you can easily stack two cars, one on the top and one at the bottom.
Why it Stands Out to Us
We like it because it includes accessories like dip trays, poly caster lit, jack tray, and approach ramps. The approach ramps are used to get your car on the lift easily. The ramps included with this are made of steel.
The columns of this lift have a ladder locking system that ensures you get variable height, depending on what you need, i.e., your car and garage height. There is also a cable safety system with cables made of aircraft quality material.
Who Will Use This Most
The weight capacity of this lift is 8,000 pounds, with dimensions of103.5” x 86.25” x 165.5” (overall width x height x length). Before purchasing, check that it will fit in your garage easily. You can use it for both storage and repair. It has 10 different locking positions. You can lock it in a lower position so you can do some work in the vehicle and on a higher position for storage.
Bottom Line
Based on a price and quality comparison, this is the best bet. You get a full 4 post car lift and high-quality large diameter cables. There are safety measures in place for secure locking of position and stability like large slider locks and auto engage lock safety system.
Best Portable Car Lift for Home Garage:
BendPak QuickJack BL-5000SLX
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Users report that this is a very handy little equipment that you can use on the go. It requires some learning, but it is fairly easy to set up. It makes things very easy, and at this low price, it’s very versatile. You can get a lot done with it. Of course, it has height limitations, but that comes with the design type.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The weight capacity of this small and portable design is 5,000 pounds. It will fit almost any car you might have. Its operation is as simple as putting the lift underneath the car and pressing the bottom on the control. It doesn’t take more than a minute to lift completely. It has an automatic safety lock, but you can also turn that off for a smoother lift. For its frame, it uses high quality reinforced steel.
Who Will Use This Most
Anyone who hates setting up heavy and giant structures, that are the two and four-post lifts, will find this to be the perfect alternative. Its weight-bearing capacity is pretty good considering the size. It’s good to have a manual with you when working, but make sure to measure your car to see if it fits within the post.
Bottom Line
There are many portable car lifts in the market, but due to the optimum combination of price, weight capacity, and quality, this is our top pick. With this, there will be no more floor jacks or having to lift each side one by one to change the tires. You can lift it all at once, even when on the road without assistance.
Best 2 Post Car Lift for Home Garage:
TRIUMPH NTO-9A
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers’ reports suggest that this lift is very easy to install, and bleeding the air out is as simple as raising and lowering the lift without the vehicle a few times. Everything you need for installation is included and doesn’t take too long if you can find good instructions. It seems to be well made and sturdy overall.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This lift has asymmetric posts and a weight capacity of 9,000 pounds. It features a single point lock release system that enables faster lifting than normal. There are three arms in the front that enable better reach on vehicles. It comes with its motor and floor mounting hardware, including everything you will need to install it. The lifting time is pretty quick at 40 seconds.
Who Will Use This Most
The overall height capacity of this lift is 145 inches and has a width of 133 inches. Make sure to check your garage dimensions. The 9,000 pounds capacity covers most vehicles one might have at home. This is used for repairing and maintenance mainly. Whether you are a small business owner or just want it for personal use, it will do the job.
Bottom Line
Two post car lifts are popular as they don’t take up as much space and are simpler to install. This lift has a very high weight capacity and uses heavy-duty material in its construction. It uses three horsepower motor with 220 volts to lift easily and give stability.
Best Hydraulic Car Lift for Home Garage:
TMG TPL45
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
It is a good quality design that is easy to install and work with. The material looks to be heavy-duty, and it keeps the vehicle stable. The lifting process is also quick and doesn’t take too long. Hydraulic lifts are always reliable, and this one does provide good value for money.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This two-post car lift has a weight capacity of 10,000 pounds. It has a two-point manual lock release for safety and three horsepower motor unit. There are symmetric and retractable arms that add length to the lift points. You also get height increment adapters with it. The material used is reinforced steel for durability.
Who Will Use This Most
This model has a maximum lifting height of 72 inches and a width of 100 inches. The overall dimensions for reference are 110” x 22” x 32”. This can be used for servicing and maintaining the car. It has compatibility with large pickup trucks as well as small cars.
Bottom Line
Despite being our last pick for car lifts, it does not lack in any way. It features a high-grade hydraulic motor with fast speed and high weight capacity. It should be able to fit easily in a standard-sized home garage. The value offered for money at this range is pretty good as well.
Best Car Lift for Small Garage:
BL-3500SLX by QuickJack
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Customer reviews suggest that this is a very sturdy portable lift that works much better than jacks. It can lift even BMWs easily. After you are done with bleeding out the air, it is very easy to use and lifts fairly quickly.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This portable lift is compact enough to be carried in the back of your car. You can easily perform on road maintenance within minutes. There are automatic safety lock bars with two positions. The accessories it comes with include a rubber lift blocks, jack frame, hydraulic hoses, aux hoses, quick-mount handles, and mini hydraulic power.
Who Will Use This Most
The weight capacity of this is 3,500 pounds with a lifting height of three to twenty inches (with rubber blocks). It will fit in any car with ease and is used for small on and off-road maintenance. If you don’t want to stack your cars and only perform small tasks like changing the tire yourself, then this is a better option.
Bottom Line
Overall, this is our top pick for small size garages. There is no hassle of space, installation, and labor. It is very easy to operate and fairly fast. Quality and durability have been ensured in the manufacturing process to give the best results for the money.
Pros and Cons of Installing a Car Lift in Your Garage
Car lifts have many benefits, as you will have seen from the reviews above. But that doesn’t mean you absolutely need them and as with many things, they do have some down points. Let’s look at what you should expect from these purchases.
Pros
Let’s first go through the pros
Compared to Floor Jacks/Jack Stands
Floor jacks can only lift one side of the car at a time, and they don’t have the capacity to lift too high. If you are planning on using them for tire changes, then they will be fine, but they will take more time as you have to repeat the process of setting up over and over again.
With car lifts, you get to lift the entire car at once and get things done quickly. They also provide much more height.
Jack stands, on the other hand, are just support for raised cars. They don’t actually have a motor and are probably the least safe of all.
Car Repair
If you know how to fix your car, then there is no reason to spend money on a mechanic. You can do it at home.
And if you do serious car repair work like oil changing, etc., then having a car lift at home is a must. You can easily reach below the car and get things done properly.
Space
Most of the time, when people install a car lift in their homes instead of buying a floor jack is because they have more than one or two cars that cannot fit into their garage. When you install a car lift, you can place one vehicle on the top of that and the other one below.
If you are a car enthusiast, you might have more than two cars, and you can install more lifts if space permits it.
Cons
Meanwhile, some limitations include:
Installation
Installation is the worst part of car lifts, especially large ones. You definitely will need a tow truck or some sort of help to get it off the delivery truck and in the garage. Most companies don’t provide this service, and you have to do it yourself. Then for installing, you need to have at least four people with you, and it takes a couple of hours.
Safety
If you don’t know what you are doing, then you might end up with some loose bolts, and you might not have done the air bleeding properly. This can lead to disasters. Your car can fall and, in the worst case, on someone standing below. You need to be sure of safety before using it.
Conclusion
To sum up, these are great things to have in your garage if you are good with cars and like to do your own servicing. If the nearest mechanic is too far or too expensive, then car lifts are your next best option. These are not only for your home, but if you want to open up a small garage business, they will get you started.
People Also Ask
Still not clear about these? For more information on lift safety, installation, and working, refer to these frequently asked questions below.
How Much Does it Cost to Put a Lift in Your Garage?
It costs somewhere between $500 and $1000 to put a lift in your garage. The cost will differ depending on where and the kind of lift you are installing.
Can I Put a Car Lift in My Garage?
Yes, you can definitely put a car lift in your garage. They come in different sizes so you can measure your garage and then compare before buying.
What is a Good Size Garage for a Car Lift?
Garages usually have about 10 feet in width and 20 feet in length. Car lifts are designed while keeping this in mind, so you should be able to install them in a standard-sized garage easily.
How Tall Does a Garage Ceiling Need to be for a Car Lift?
Having a 10 feet long garage is more than enough because usually, the maximum lifting height is about 7 feet.
