Best Car Lift for Home Garage: Your Guide on What to Buy
Even if you are not a professional mechanic, if you do a lot of auto repairs at home, it makes sense to invest in a car lift. The main function of such equipment is to raise your car to a level wherein you will feel more comfortable working. This prevents the need to go underneath and hence, you will have a better sight of what is underneath your car.
In the rest of this post, I will let you know some of the top picks for the best car lift for your home garage. With too many options, you should not pick just any product. Aside from identifying some of the noteworthy brands and models, I will also provide you with insights on some of the most important things to consider.
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Benefits of Having a Car Lift in the Garage
The high cost of a car lift can easily discourage many people from having one. Nonetheless, if you are aware of its many benefits, it will be easier to be compelled that you need to have this in your garage:
- Work Like a Pro: The best reason is perhaps for you to be able to lift your car so that you can work on what is underneath. There is no need to crawl under the car if there are maintenance works that you need to do.
- Double your Parking Space: If you have a small garage but you have two cars to park, an auto lift will offer the perfect solution. It is like automatically adding another floor to your garage.
- Protect your Car: This is especially true if you live in an area that is often flooded. If the car is elevated, it will not be easily ruined by the flood. To add, this also makes the car harder to access for thieves.
Types of Car Lift
As you try to decide which product is best for your garage, one of the first things that you need to do is to decide on which type is best suited for your needs:
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- Two-Post Lift: If you have a small garage, this is the perfect choice for you as it comes with only two posts, and hence, it will consume minimal space. They are equipped with swing arms that travel along two columns to lift the car.
- Four-Post Lift: If space is not an issue, this is a good choice. As the name implies, there are four posts, which will ensure better stability of the vehicle that is being lifted. This is ideal if you have a heavy car since its lifting capacity is higher compared to two-post lifts.
- Scissors Lift: This is a broad product category that basically refers to any kind of lift that uses an accordion-like mechanism for lifting. They usually have a low profile and will be easy to transfer from one location to another.
It is impossible to say which one is the best of the three types of auto lifts. At the end of the day, it is your personal needs that will dictate which is the perfect option for you. From your budget to the size of your car to the type of vehicle that will be lifted, there are several considerations that will matter.
Essential Factors to Consider
To make it easier for you to arrive at the right decision, these are some of the most important things that will have an impact on your purchase.
- Size: Before you start shopping, you should take a look at the garage and measure the space that is available. This will make it easier to decide which auto lift is best for your needs.
- Capacity: Think of the car that you have and its overall weight. See to it that the car lift will be able to support its weight. Always follow the weight restrictions that are provided by the manufacturer of the car lift so as not to compromise safety.
- Ease of Use: From the installation to the operation of the car lift, pick one that is user-friendly. The manufacturer must provide comprehensive instructions so that you will be able to do things in a manner that is straightforward.
- Materials: You have to make sure that it is made from premium materials that will withstand the test of time. They should resist external elements, such as rust and corrosion so that they can demonstrate top-notch quality even through the years.
- Warranty: Stay away from a product that does not come with a warranty from the manufacturer. The minimum warranty should be one year. The longer, the better. This is going to provide you with peace of mind since the product is covered against defects during the warranty period, which means that your investment is protected.
Top Picks for the Best Car Lift for Home Garage
If you are clueless about which product is the best option, below are five of the choices that should be part of your list.
1. Triumph NT-9 Two-Post Floor Plate Lift
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This two-post lift has a height of 111 inches and a width of 132 inches. The maximum weight that it can lift, moreover, is 9,000 pounds.
Its installation is quite easy, but the instructions provided by the manufacturer are a bit vague. There are two posts. In each post, there are four anchor bolts that will have the most secured in its position.
Aside from the posts, it is also inclusive of a hydraulic motor, which is also worth praising because of its impressive lifting performance. It comes with a pump that has a single-phase motor, dump-valve handle, and fluid reservoir.
This product comes with a variable lifting speed. Nonetheless, this does not mean that such speed can be adjusted depending on what you prefer. Rather, the lifting speed will depend on the weight of your car.
Since there are only two posts, one of the best things about this product is its space-efficient design, making it the perfect addition to small garages.
Pros:
- Made from high-quality steel
- Lifting capacity is high
Cons:
- You need to have at least a 4-inch slab of concrete
- Instructions on its assembly are vague
Overall
This two-post car lift is meant for permanent installation in the garage. Each post has four bolts that keep it secured on the floor. It has a maximum weight capacity of 9,000 pounds.
2. Dannmar MaxJax Portable 2-post Lift
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Portability – this is the best reason why this product has an edge over its competing models. Unlike most that are designed for permanent installation, this lift can be easily transferred to a new location when desired.
To make it portable, there are wheel kits that are attached to the side of each post. Even if the post is made from a heavy and strong material, having it transferred is sure to be easy because of the inclusion of wheels.
The maximum capacity of the lift is 6,000 pounds, which is smaller compared to the product mentioned above. Nonetheless, for most cars, this will be more than enough.
The design is similar to the car lift that has been mentioned above. There are also two posts made from a material that is hard to rival when it comes to strength. Because of the design, it is compact and an ideal choice if you have limited space in your garage.
Pros:
- Easy to move to a different location
- Space-efficient design
- Assembly is easy to accomplish
Cons:
- Customer support can be unresponsive
- Cylinders can be prone to leaking
Overall
This 6,000-pound lift consumes minimal space, making it a great option for small garages. Its best asset is perhaps its portability, allowing users to transfer it with ease.
3. BendPak Portable Car Lift
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This is another option that you will love if you have a small garage. This is because of the fact that the two-post design is beneficial in terms of consuming minimal space without having to compromise its lifting capability.
It comes with a portable power unit and a cart. Similar to the lift that has been reviewed above, this is excellent in terms of its mobility. Because of the wheeled design, you will not have a problem when there is a need to transfer, even if the posts are heavy.
It is also worth noting that it comes with a safety lock bar. Multiple lock positions are available, depending on what is needed for a specific task.
The lift also has adjustable arm assemblies, providing users with the flexibility to have it customized based on what you need for the job.
With a maximum capacity of 6,000 pounds and given the strength of the materials that are used, you can be confident that this will be an impressive choice.
Pros:
- Provides easy access to your car
- Posts have durable construction
- Save a lot of space
Cons:
- Installation can be quite tricky
- Heavy
Overall
With a maximum lifting capacity of 6,000 pounds, this scissor lift has a wheeled design, which makes it excellent in terms of mobility, even if the materials used are heavy.
4. Triumph NSS-8 4-post Car Lift
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Unlike the three products that have been discussed above, this one comes with four posts. This means that the assembly will require a bit more effort, but this is definitely one thing that you can do. Despite having four posts, with the caster kit, you will not have too much difficulty in moving it around.
The lift has a maximum weight capacity of 8,000 pounds. Meanwhile, the overall height is 84 inches, the overall length is 175 inches, the runway length is 165 inches, and the drive-through width is 93 inches.
The 110-volt motor that is included in the package is also noteworthy because of its reliability. Frustration will be lesser as the motor will deliver a performance that is almost fail-proof.
This lift comes with a single, smart column and three dependent columns. In most cases, the hydraulic unit is going to be mounted on the right column, the one in the front.
Pros:
- Easy to move around
- Ensures stability of the vehicle when lifted
- Made from excellent materials
Cons:
- Consumes a lot of space in the garage
Overall
With a maximum capacity of 8,000 pounds, this 4-post car lift is perfect for bigger garages because of the space that it will consume. It has casters, which will make it easy to move the posts.
5. Triumph NTO-10A Two-Post Floor Lift
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Of the five products that have been mentioned in this buying guide, this is the one with the highest maximum lifting capacity, which is at 10,000 pounds. Meanwhile, the overall height is 145 inches while the overall width is 133 inches.
One of the features that you will love in this lift is the three-stage arm. With the latter, you will be able to easily reach different types of vehicles, making it easy for you to accomplish a specific task.
It is also a good thing that it comes with three-piece rubber door guards, which is beneficial in terms of lessening the likelihood that your car will suffer from external damage.
Meanwhile, the swing arm handles are designed to enable the user to easily and quickly position the arms.
Pros:
- High lifting capacity
- Space-efficient design
- Easy to assemble
Cons:
- Hardware can be missing
Overall
If you have a heavy vehicle, this car lift will be an ideal choice as it has a maximum capacity of 10,000 pounds. It is also space-saving since there are only two posts.
Conclusion
With the options that have been mentioned above for the best car lift for a home garage, which one can provide excellent value for money? As for me, I would say it is a Triumph NT-9 Two-Post Floor Plate Lift. From its lifting capacity to its performance to its durability, you can expect that this will be a reliable choice.
Are there other things that you need to perform basic car repairs in your garage? Click here and our buying guides can provide you with valuable insights.
