Crunching, bending over backward, flashlight in your mouth, tools in your hands, squinting to see while you desperately try to get the smallest fix in your car?
If at least a portion of this sounds all too familiar to you, then you’re in dire need of a car lift in your home garage.
Whether you have multiple vehicles that you want to stack, or you are an aspiring mechanic just learning the ropes, doing the majority of your repairs, a decent car lift is essential.
To ensure that you will get what you need, I will assist you in your search for the best car lifts for home garage!
Top 6 Best Car Lifts for Home Garage In 2020
1. TRIUMPH NT-9 9000Lbs Two Post Floor Plate Auto Lift
As we approach your quest to search for the best automotive lift for home garage, I know just where we should begin our journey.
A great starting point, the Triumph NT-9 2 post car lift, is a reliable car lift made from high-quality materials.
Initially, this car lift might seem small. However, this Triumph car lift has a lifting capacity of 4.5 tons, which should be more than enough for a home garage and a sweet 220V motor to power the hydraulic pump.
When I tested it, I estimated that the time this car lift needs to lift the vehicle is 40 seconds sharp!
Along with its speed, the height is impressive, as well. It goes as high as 72 inches, which means definitely no more crouching.
My experience with installing this auto lift was a bit of a rocky road, but I managed to do it quite painlessly in the end.
This being said, I have to point out that the instructions were not very helpful, but thank God for YouTube!
Pros:
- Very durable, made of high-grade steel
- Weight capacity is 4.5 tons
- Height capacity 72 inches
- 3 tons of capacity
- Reasonably priced for an amazing value
Cons:
- The instruction manual isn’t clear
Seeing as this list is off to a great start, I consider this to be among in the best 2 post car lift category!
2. BendPak QuickJack BL-5000SLX Portable Lift
The Triumph NT-9 2 post car lift set pretty high standards, but there are plenty more attention-worthy car lifts in the game.
If you are scouring for quality portable car lifts for home garage, I have picked the impressive BendPak QuickJack BL-5000SLX to match your needs.
Its distinct advantage over other car lifts is that it does not take up too much of your garage space. Being lightweight, small, and powerful makes it just the perfect tool to enhance your home garage with.
I particularly enjoyed the overall simplicity of this portable QuickJack. The part of the process that I am always wary of is the installation; however, with BendPak’s detailed instructional video it was a breeze!
Some might consider its size a disadvantage, but its prowess lies in the stability and the ability to successfully fulfill its purpose, which is enough for me.
If your deciding factor is limited storage space as well as a small garage, then be sure that this car lift is definitely the one for you as it is easy to store due to its compact size.
However, the elephant in the room considering this car lift is the price. It does come with a considerably hefty price tag, but with all of its qualities combined, it is not for nothing.
Pros:
- Easily portable & easy to store
- Stable and safe
- Perfect for home use
- Well-made
Cons:
- A hefty price tag
If you are stuck in the process of selecting an automotive gear for yourself and you have limited garage space, I highly recommend this small car lift for home garage.
3. TRIUMPH NSS-8 8000Lbs 4 Post Storage Service Lift
Scouring the market for only the best 4 post car lifts can end now as I have tried and tested dozens of them.
Another triumph from Triumph, the NSS-8, is the leading 4 post car lift in the market for a reason. This top-rated car passed my tests with flying colors, and if I had to use two words to describe it: safe & stable.
With a lifting capacity of 4 tons, this 4 post lift reaches the maximum height of 84 inches, which is more than enough for a home garage. It really encompasses the needs of taller people who want to service their cars in the comfort of their own home.
This car lift comes with a handful of handy features and accessories.
My favorite one has to be the automatic lock, which will have your lift locked in a particular position. So, if you happen to experience a sudden power cut, you won’t have to worry about your car lift.
After these good parts, I want to say that the installation of this car lift doesn’t need to be a feat of individuality.
Pros:
- 4 posts for maximum safety and stability
- 4 tons of capacity
- Automatic lock
- Maximum height of 84 inches
Cons:
- The installing instructions are vague
- Beginners will find it difficult to install
- Requires a lot of space
As a seasoned mechanic who has installed and tested dozens upon dozens of car lifts, it took me one whole day to assemble this baby. Other than that, it offers a lot and is well worth the price!
4. BendPak Portable Mid-Rise Scissor Car Lift
.To make sure that everyone feels included, it’s time to attend to the needs of light-duty trucks and low-profile vehicles.
A scissor car lift for home garage is the most appropriate tool for the specifications and the requirements of low-profile vehicles, which is why I’ve selected BendPak’s MD-6XP.
Do not let its size fool you. Its maximum weight capacity stands at an impressive 3 tons, which is what makes this small car lift extremely useful.
One of its many strengths lies in its speed. It took well under a minute to get the car lift to reach its maximum height with a car on top of it.
In combination with speed, this car lift makes little to no noise, and the entire lifting process is sleek and smooth.
This car lift ensures maximum safety even in the direst of situations. For example, if you were to lose hydraulic fluid pressure, the manufacturers made this lift extra safe by equipping it with safety arms, so lift failure is impossible.
To top it all off, the installation procedure was a breeze compared to some previous models.
Pros:
- Easy to install and store
- Portable, safe & small
- Smooth and efficient
- Reaches maximum height under a minute
- 3 tons of capacity
Cons:
- Not suitable for heavy-duty vehicles
Even single post car lifts for home garage have safety as their priority, and they don’t take up much space. But with this one, you can get so much more.
If your needs are such that you have a small or limited garage space, this car lift is something you should definitely consider.
5. BendPak Dual-Width 2-Post Asymmetric Car Lift
One of the best 2 post car lift models that I have tested is BendPak’s XPR-10AS, and you are about to see why.
Good residential car lifts in garages are hard to find, but the versatility of this one convinced me otherwise.
First and foremost, what is different about this car lift is that it is asymmetric, which means that it will allow you to open the doors of the vehicles as well.
However, there is the revolutionary Tru-Metric carriage in combination with smart design that will allow you the ability to load your vehicles either symmetrically or asymmetrically.
What makes this a worthy investment is a sole fact that the manufacturers did not differentiate between professional car shops and a home garage owner at all. This means that you get a professionally set car lift at a reasonable, commercial price.
BendPak really didn’t come to play with dual features on this one.
I have to mention that the safety standards are not only well met but go above the typical OSHA/ALI/ETL requirements, which is something deserving of praise on the manufacturer’s side.
The only “downside” to this high-quality product is that you will need a forklift to set it up and to unload it. Other than that, you are in the clear.
Pros:
- Detailed instructional manual
- Durable and well-made
- Tru-Metric arm design
- 5 tons of capacity
- Maximum safety guaranteed
Cons:
- Forklift needed for setup & unloading
Quite certain to call this the best auto lift for home garage!
6. Auto Lift Car-Park-8 4 Post Parking Storage Car Lift
What made me initially interested in this car lift is its eye-catching and aesthetically pleasing design.
With its luxurious looks, it stands apart from other car lifts that I have tested. What made me want to include it in my top reviews is its durability and accentuated safety features.
With its 4 tons of lifting capacity, there should be a lot more to color me impressed when it comes to a car lift with its capabilities. This is where the fun starts.
With its carriage is wholly enclosed, this car lift is also enhanced by an internal lock ladder system that comes with auto engage locking bar if there should be any commotion or cable failure.
For extra stability, it is equipped with extra-large slider blocks, and its cables are made of the highest quality material.
To further simplify the matters, the manufacturers made operation super simple by placing the lock release handle near the power unit. My last comment on this car lift is that it is simple, stable, and safe.
The only noticeable downside about it is that the instruction manual can definitely be improved; however, the entire process is mostly intuitive.
Pros:
- High-quality materials
- Weight capacity is 4 tons
- Great value for the price
- The design is top-notch
Cons:
- The instruction manual isn’t clear
For your pick at residential car lifts in garages, I wholeheartedly recommend considering AutoLift’s 4 post car lift.
How to Choose the Best Car Lifts for Home Garage
And now that I’ve gone through the top products competing for the title of the best car lift for home garage let me say a couple of words that helped me find my ideal pick.
Why should we spend time on this in the first place? Well, it’s simple – different customers have different needs. What works for me, doesn’t have to work for you.
With that in mind, knowing more about what makes a good car lift for home garage as well as what alternatives are available on the market will definitely help you make a more educated pick.
So, what do you need to take into consideration to find the best car lift for home garage?
Type of the lift
Based on their design, all car lifts for home garages can be divided into three groups:
- Scissor-style – These lifts are, by far, the easiest to use and install. However, although they are perfectly suitable for quick repairs, they are very underpowered compared to the following types.
- Two-post lifts – As the name suggests, they use two posts to lift the vehicle so they take less space than four-post lifts. But, this novelty comes at the cost of their carrying capacity. Good for small garages and shops.
- Four-post lifts – Finally, we have the four-post lifts that are able to lift even the heaviest vehicles on the market. On the other hand, they are very expensive and weigh over 2,000 pounds themselves so they are good only for professional permanent installations
Weight capacity
After all, car lifts are designed to lift the cars – the heavier the better. But, if you are going to use this unit only for your family vehicle and service smaller cars, there is no need to go overboard with this.
For instance, the weight of average family vehicles ranges between 2,600 pounds (1,200 kg) to 4400 pounds (2000 kg). SUVs are a bit more robust so they can go all the way 5,300 pounds (2,400 kg).
So, if you are buying a unit for a family garage there is no need to go beyond 6,000 pounds.
Safety features
When we take a look at the numbers above we can see that, if they are not properly secured, every small slip or collapse of the hanging vehicle can cause fatal injuries. Therefore, you should try to get a unit with as many available safety features as possible.
Where should you set your lower bar? Well, let’s say that the auto-locking mechanism when the vehicle is ascending and the lock bar mechanism for when the vehicle is going down are a good place to start.
Power supply
Last but not least I would like to remind you that hydraulic car lifts consume excessive amounts of power.
However, as long as you are staying below the magic 6,000-pound mark I have mentioned above, most of the available car lifts will be able to work with the regular household appliance voltage of 110V.
However, going past the 6,000-pound weight capacity will bring you firmly into the industrial-grade sector so you will need to provide the power source of 220V.
FAQs
1. How high does my garage need to be for a lift?
To have the best garage car lift in your home garage, you will need to meet the following requirements: typically, anything between 11 and 12-foot clearance from floor to the ceiling should be the minimum requirement for a 2-post or a 4-post lift.
2. How much does it cost to put a lift in your garage?
Apart from the price of your car lift, you might want to consider some additional investments, such as:
- The installation of the lift by professionals (usually around $800)
- Anchoring the car lift to the garage floor (usually $250, but if you have both operations performed at once, the cost may be less)
If you’re a seasoned DIYer, of course, you can save the money for installation, but I suggest that you get a professional service.
3. Can I put a car lift in my garage?
Before you purchase a lift, you need to make sure that your garage can accommodate one.
Is your garage wide enough for a car lift?
Is there enough ceiling clearance that I mentioned above?
Is the garage floor sturdy enough to support the additional weight?
Is the car lift you’re considering compatible with your vehicle, and do you have all the necessary accessories to run it (e.g., a compressor, if required)?
If your answer to these questions is “yes”, you can put a car lift in your garage right away! If not, well, you might need to make some adjustments.
Conclusion
Now that you are reaching the end of your researching journey, you are all juiced up on my synthesized knowledge, and you are more than ready to buy your own car lift.
I have tried, rated, and tested these car lifts for you, but now comes the time to select my favorite, which was maybe evident from the beginning – Triumph NT-9 2 post car lift.
The reason this is the best car lift for home garage is its mighty lifting power and capacity alongside its keen compact size, its ease of operation, and its top-notch safety measures.
You will surely not be disappointed with any of my other picks, too.
I am Dave McCurdy I am the content developer on the ecodrivingusa.com website. I have 6 years of experience in marketing as an automotive major.
A building was plowed, and there was gas. Building the foundation is reinforced concrete, reinforced concrete wall, span creating sub-foundation with more reinforced concrete on it. There is a car lift and stairs in the model. I have original drawings and blueprints for the building as well as three photo albums of the building construction.
The upper deck also has two skylights and temperature-controlled windows for thermal and roof access and I will tell you what its flat roof for a thousand square feet is great for sitting. Go up there with whiskey and cigar and just relax.
I mean, I’m 31 years old and can’t imagine so many girls being too excited about lifting cars. It’s certainly interesting but the prettier flex will have a great open house concept and unique decor. What do you have for the wall? Concrete contact?
This damn sounds great. I personally would probably not use the elevator and cover it with a large rug but I can see its value for gear heads.
I will take a few cars from my uncle’s hands, (Berkel R / T Charger, Swinger and ’72 Trans Am 455 to get started). He is hoarding them in a garage and wants me to finally start restoring them.
Coincidentally, I’m also in the market to build myself a garage.
I hope to have a 2 car garage as wide as one or two elevators. Can use them to store another car.
What type of elevator and which one fits my needs best?
I will use them for: Restoring and storing cars
Had planned for my own garage for a while … 6 inch thick concrete would be enough for a two lift with a 7000 lbs truck on the lift. But 8 inch thick concrete will allow you to drive a better seller! A large steel bar that pops up with your size should be in the $ 10,000 range. On top of the concrete and allow it to run about 15,000 dollars. Just run this circle for me!
The main question is how much ceiling space do you have? I have a scissor lift in the middle of the morning at my house that costs about $ 1600. It’s great to work with two posts at my store, but they won’t be suitable without hitting the ceiling.
I Just love your Blog super interesting and informative