The 3 Best Compact Floor Jacks For Your Garage
If you work on cars you need a good compact floor jack. In this article I reviewed the best compact floor jacks for the money so you can choose the perfect jack for your garage.
The 3 Best compact floor jacks:
Arcan Quick rise 2-Ton floor jack (best overall)
Big Red Torin Service Floor Jack (best to keep in the car)
Jegs Professional Low Profile 3 Ton Aluminum Car Jack (best for low cars)
Choosing the best compact floor jack shouldn’t be difficult read on to find the best option for you.
Let’s Get Started …
There is no need to spend HUGE money on a car jack, all you need is a safe jack that gets what you need done safely, for a reasonable price. When choosing a jack there’s a few things to consider.
The last thing you need is a old and unsafe jack! It puts you at risk every time you use it. You also want to avoid buying a huge clunker of a jack that is heavy and takes up a ton of room in your garage. In this article I will go over 3 Compact floor jacks that are safe and small, all while being lighter than ones found in professional shops.
Why buy a new jack?
New jacks are more maneuverable, safer, and lighter than ever. Compact floor jacks from yesterdays were clumsy and very dangerous due to their small footprint and lifting stability. Today’s compact floor jacks are much stronger and safer than ever, many are made out of aluminum which makes for a great light weight floor jack. A new jack will keep you safer when working under a car…Period.
Always use jack stands, never rely on just the jack when working under a vehicle.
What to look for in a good floor jack.
Here’s the deal, you are buying a product that is going to be lifting and holding up your vehicle, you don’t want to take a chance of getting hurt or worse by using a low capacity old floor jack.
The first thing to look at is the lifting capacity of the jack. Floor jacks range from 1 to 20 tons of lifting capacity. On average compact floor jacks have a 2 to 3 ton capacity. Depending on your vehicle’s weight you should decide how much capacity you need always go higher than lower.
What it’s made of ? Compact floor jacks are made from either steel or aluminum, steel is heavier and is a great option. Aluminum is much lighter which makes it easier to move around and store.
Does it have bypass and overload valves? I personally think this is a very good feature. Inside these jacks have safety valving that will not allow the hydraulic ram to be overloaded this is great for safety.
Standard rise or quick rise? Some jacks have a rapid rise feature that will get a car off the ground in just a few pumps, others are standard lift and will take a few more pumps to get there, all in all not a big deal to me.
Does the jack meet or exceed the ASME PASE-2019 SAFETY STANDARD?
This may be the biggest one, does the jack meet strict requirements of this important safety standard? I don’t know about you but I feel a little safer knowing my jack meets the ASME standards.
What Is The Best Compact Floor Jack For Your Garage?
1. Arcan Quick rise 2-Ton floor jack
The Arcan quick rise aluminum car jack is awesome in many ways. Made from high quality aircraft grade aluminum and boasting a generous 4,000 pound lifting capacity this is the best jack on this list overall.
Some features the Arcan offers
I like the Arcan quick rise aluminum car jack, it provides good value and ease of use while still looking great. The two piece handle makes it easy to store and get around.
2. Big Red Torin Service Floor Jack
The Big Red Torin service floor jack is a great entry level jack that I love because it comes with a nice case and is perfect for keeping in the car for emergencies. The jacks that come in vehicles are more dangerous than they are helpful. This floor jack provides a great option you can keep in the trunk and use in the garage when you need it.
What I like about the Torin Big Red Jack
The Torin Big Red trolley jack is the perfect jack to keep in the trunk or take with you on off road adventures. The ease of use, great lifting capacity and overall value of this jack make it a great choice for the budget minded that need a great floor jack here and there.
3. Jegs Professional Low Profile 3 Ton Aluminum Car Jack
This is a jack worth mentioning on our list, targeted to the more serious mechanic this floor jack has everything you need to get it done. Made from aluminum keeps this jack light and easy to maneuver around the garage.
Why The Jegs jack shines
If you are looking for a jack that is a step above the “homeowner” level, this is the jack for you. Surprisingly the price of the Jegs comes in lower than you might expect for a jack of this caliber. You can get this jack for under $300 bucks!
Wrapping up
If you are looking for a jack that is compact and easy to store the three above are great choices. All three of these will get the job done depending on your needs. The Jeg’s is the strongest for heavy duty repairs that are more consistent (think side work) while the Torin big red is more for every once in a while and emergencies.
I like the Arcan most overall, it boasts smooth design and function and as the most expensive on the list I would say it’s still my top choice.
Remember, a compact car jack is only as good as the person using it. Use jack stands and always lift your vehicle at the correct points.
Scoot is a Dad, ASE certified mechanic, and blogger. He has been in the automotive business for over 25 Years.
Very helpful. Now if I need to jack up my car and pull off the rim for repair I know what to get. I have an suv so I think the blue jack is best.
Thanks
Absolutely Karen. The Arcan will be a perfect choice for your suv. Be sure to contact the correct points on your vehicle while lifting …. Enjoy!