Installing a car lift inside of your home garage is the best possible upgrade you can do. It’s the ultimate tool for any mechanic or enthusiast as it allows you to safely and comfortably work underneath the car with ease.
Car lifts are available in a range of types that include 4 post, 2 post, scissor and ramps. However, depending upon the size of your garage, budget and its usage will determine the car lift that best suits your requirements.
If you want a quick answer, the best car lift for a home garage is the APlusLift HW-10KBP, which is a two post lift with a 10,000 LBS weight capacity and lifting range of up to 81 inches. If you require a portable car lift, the QuickJack BL-5000SLX is the best alternative that’s suitable for lifting cars up to 5,000 LBS in weight.
In terms of rating the car lifts within this article, we based our recommendations upon our own experience and various factors. As we own a two post lift that’s located in our home garage as well as having access to multiple others, we know what to look out for. The factors that were also considered included their weight capacity, lifting height, footprint, motor performance, warranty and value for money.
Table of Contents
Garage Car Lift Comparison
| Garage Car Lift | Type | Weight Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| APlusLift HW-10KBP | 2 Post | 10,000 LBS |
| TRIUMPH NSS-8 | 4 Post | 8,000 LBS |
| QuickJack 5175376 | Ramp | 5,000 LBS |
| Dannmar SX-6/XL | Scissor | 6,000 LBS |
| Triumph NT-9 | 2 Post | 9,000 LBS |
| Dannmar DM-10ACX | 2 Post | 10,000 LBS |
| BendPak MD-6XP | Scissor | 6,000 LBS |
Investing into a car lift for your home garage will provide you with a safer environment whilst working underneath a car. Relying on just a floor jack for lifting your car isn’t the safest method and it also doesn’t provide enough room for you to easily work underneath the car.
It’s important to note that before purchasing any car lift, you will want to ensure there is enough space in your garage. You will need the exact measurement of the floor space (length and width) and the total height, which includes the additional height of the vehicle whilst it’s on the lift.
Below is a list of the best garage car lifts that includes a 2 post, 4 post, ramp and scissor lift that are all suitable for home garages.
The Best Car Lifts For Home Garages
1. APlusLift 2 Post Home Garage Lift
The APlusLift 2 post car lift is a highly rated option that’s designed for cars, trucks and SUV’s. It has a weight capacity of 10,000 LBS and an intuitive double “S” column design and upgraded floor plate construction to improves its longevity. For complete peace of mind, this two post car lift has a CE certified lift structure and hydraulic system as well as a one year parts warranty.
Other features of the APlusLift HW-10KBP include:
- 1 year parts warranty
- Weight capacity of 10,000 LBS
- Lifting height of 83 inches
- Overall width of 113 inches
- 220V electric motor
- Durable powder coated finish
- All robot welded structure
- Drop-in pads
- 50 seconds to full lifting height
- Beveled diamond plate steel with supporting bracket
The APlusLift HW-10KBP combines performance and value for money to make for an excellent 2 post car lift. The larger weight capacity rating and upgraded floor plate design makes it perfect for the majority of vehicles. As long as you have the space available, it’s the best car lift for home garage use and it won’t disappoint.
Check it Out2. Triumph NSS-8 4 Post Car Lift
The benefit of choosing this style of home garage car lift is that you can store a car underneath the lifted car. The NSS-8 also has a time tested design, which ensures the lifted car can be locked in position for long periods.
Other features of the Triumph NSS-8 include:
- 8,000 LBS weight capacity
- 110V motor
- 2 vehicles stop plates
- 2 loading plates
- 84 inches height
- 175 inches length
- 93 inches drive through width
- 165 inches runway length
- Portable design
- Automatic safety locking in 10 positions
- Includes a caster kit, jack tray and 3 drip trays
The Triumph NSS-8 is the best 4 post car lift that allows you to safely leave lifted cars on the lift for extended periods of time. It also has the added benefit of being a portable car lift, which is due to the intuitive casters that are included within the package.
Check it Out3. BendPak QuickJack BL-5000SLX Portable Car Lift
The BendPak QuickJack is a popular portable car lift that uses a 110V AC motor to lift vehicles in the air. The brand offer many different models but the BL-5000SLX is the best of the bunch that can lift cars up to 5,000 LBS in weight.
It’s also designed to be completely portable and can even be used outside for those without a home garage. The compact construction also makes it easier to store when not in use too.
Other features of the BendPak QuickJack BL-5000SLX include:
- 5,000 LBS weight capacity
- Lifting range of 24 inches
- Remote handheld pendant control
- Dual locking positions with automatic safety lock
- Heavy duty 14 gauge welded steel frames
- Completely portable system
- Rubber lift block position
- Extended block trays
- Open center design
Due to the design, it’s the easiest car lift to setup and all that’s required is to connect it to a power source, position the jack frames and rubber blocks then press the up button. Once setup, it can then be easily stored with a 3 inch collapsed height.
Overall, the QuickJack BL-5000SLX is the best portable car lift for home garages. It’s the latest model by the brand and is highly desirable with all the latest features such as the automatic safety locks, heavy duty design and so much more.
Check it Out4. Dannmar Portable Mid-Rise Scissor Lift
Another portable car lift is the mid-rise scissor option by Dannmar, which is capable of lifting up to 6,000 LBS. It’s a mid-rise scissor car lift that provides a lift of up to 36 inches as well as an additional 3 inches whilst using the provided lift blocks. It also has an intuitive design with an adjustable arm assembly and multi-position safety lock, which makes it even more versatile.
Other features of the Dannmar SX-6/XL include:
- Portable motor cart with a tow handle
- 36 inches of lift or 39 inches with lift blocks
- Collapsed height of 5 inches
- 6,000 LBS weight capacity
- 5 lockable safety positions
The space saving design and portability of the Dannmar SX-6/XL car lift makes it a great option for home garages. Not everyone has the space for a fixed car lift but this scissor lift can be easily moved and stored away out of sight without taking up much space.
Check it Out5. Triumph NT-9 2 Post Car Lift
It uses a 220V motor that’s able to lift any vehicle up to 9,000 LBS to its maximum height in less than 40 seconds. The brand state that you can even use this car lift outside but the motor will need to be covered to avoid damage.
Other features of the Triumph NT-9 include:
- Weight capacity of 9,000 LBS
- 3 HP motor
- 111 inches height
- 132 inches width
- 106 inches width between posts
- 72 inches lifting height
- 4.5 inches lowered height
Overall, the Triumph NT-9 offers excellent value for the money and is also produced by a reputable brand for peace of mind. Before purchasing, it’s important that you check the height of your garage and that 4 inches of concrete is available for the floor plate installation.
Check it Out6. Dannmar 2-Post Asymmetric Garage Auto Lift
Another popular garage lift by the Dannmar brand is their DM-10ACX model. It’s a highly rated asymmetric wide truck and car lift with a weight capacity of 10,000 LBS. In order to safely lift large vehicles such as trucks or SUV’s, it uses a 220V 60 Hz motor and a mechanism with dual hydraulic direct drive cylinders.
Other features of the Dannmar DM-10ACX include:
- 2 post car lift setup
- 10,000 LBS weight capacity
- 30 degree rotated single piece columns
- Inside column width of 112 inches
- Overall width of 143.5 inches
- Single point safety release
- Max lift up to 69 inches
- 4.5 inch pad height
- Suitable for car or truck
- Made in the USA
The Dannmar DM-10ACX is a high quality 2 post car lift that’s suitable for most passenger vehicles. The single piece columns and dual hydraulic direct drive cylinders provide the perfect structure for reliably lifting cars.
Check it Out7. BendPak MD-6XP Portable Scissor Lift
An alternative to the 2 post and 4 post car lifts is the scissor lift. The BendPak MD-6XP is a great example that provides an impressive lifting weight capacity of 6,000 LBS. It also has great performance with the ability to lift from 4 to 48 inches in less than 45 seconds.
Other features of the BendPak MD-6XP include:
- Weight capacity of 6,000 LBS
- Powered by a 1-phase 110-220V motor
- Ideal for low cars as it lowers to 4 inches
- Small footprint that is ideal for small garages
- Multi-position safety lock
- Includes a truck adapter package
The BendPak MD-6XP is one of the best car lifts for small garages due to its small foot print. However, the main issue with a scissor lift is that it can make changing the transmission fluid difficult. This is due to the lifting platform covering the middle of the vehicle, which makes dropping the transmission pan virtually impossible. Therefore, if you do purchase a scissor lift, it’s worth baring this drawback in mind.
Check it OutHow We Rated The Car Lifts
As we are lucky enough to have a large home garage, we installed our very own two post lift inside it for working on cars. We chose this particular lift due to its performance and after using a wide range of other lifts. Due to our experience, we know what to look out for when searching for car lifts and our recommendations are based from our research as well as a number of factors. The factors considered to rate the car lifts in this article include their weight capacity, lifting height, footprint, motor performance, warranty and value for money.
Car Lift For Home Garage Buying Guide
Investing into a quality car lift for your garage can be a big investment. However, once you have installed it into your garage, it will completely transform how you work on your car going forward. Beforehand, it’s essential that you take measurements of your garage because car lifts take up a large amount of space.
The main dimension to consider is the ceiling height as both the 2 for 4 post car lifts will require at least 80 inches (and more) in height. However, there are plenty more factors to consider before you purchase your first car lift. For example, the type of car you plan on lifting in the air is another major factor to consider.
To help you make an informed buying decision, we have produced the below guide regarding garage car lifts.
Loading and Operation Safety
Safety is critical when it comes to using car lifts because if the car was to fall from the lift, it can cause serious injury and damage. Ensuring that the car lift is certified by approved regulations and there are detailed instructions will provide you with complete peace of mind that it’s safe to use.
Installation is just as important and you will want to ensure that you follow the instruction correctly. Each nut and bolt must be completely secured with no room for error. Many manufacturers may require you to use a torque wrench to ensure that each nut and bolt is tightened to the correct torque.
Of course, you can have the safest home garage car lift in the world but if the car is not loaded correctly, it will not be safe. For example, with a 2 post car lift, you must ensure that the car is directly in the center of the lift and each arm is securely on the jacking points.
Before lifting the vehicle fully in the air, we recommend lifting it slightly and checking that the car is level on the lift before going any further up. Once the vehicle has reached the maximum height you require, ensure the safety lock is engaged. This will avoid any stress on the hydraulics as well as improve the safety.
Desirable Features
After using car lifts for many years, when it came to purchasing my very own car lift for my home garage, there were certain features that I required. The first being low profile arms with adjustable pads to reach the bump stops. This allows access underneath low cars without causing any damage to the sill or side skirts of the car.
Most of the adjustable pads can only be moved a few inches but this makes a big difference. The other essential feature we required included door protectors that are located on the lift itself. If you have ever tried to get out of a car that’s placed between a two post car lift, you will understand how narrow it really is.
As you can see from the image above, the rubber pad provide the perfect solution to prevent damage to the car door. It also means you can rest the door on the pad to help with getting out of the car. You can also fit these as an aftermarket component if your garage lift doesn’t already have them installed.
Performance and Weight Capacity
Electric motors have improved massively over the years, which is great for use within car lifts. Most are able to handle the weight of a car and lift it to its maximum height in less than a minute.
Premium examples even come with a remote control to operate the lift, which means you can watch from a safe distance as the car goes up in the air.
The weight capacity is a rating that every car lift manufacturer must state. Depending upon the type of vehicles that you intend to place on the lift, you will want to ensure that the capacity is far greater than the weight of the vehicle.
2 Post vs 4 Post Car Lift
The 2 post lift is the cheaper alternative to a 4 post lift and are great for vehicle repairs and short term storage. The 4 post lift is usually a drive on car lift, which is less time consuming and is great for long term storage.
The length of time you wish to store your car on a lift should depend on what car lift you choose. All four wheels of a car would be supported by a 4 post lift, hence why it’s more suited for long term storage.
If you work on cars quite often, you will want what’s best for you. Working underneath a car is made a lot easier by having a lift, but even easier with a 2 post lift.
This is because a 4 post lift can get in the way and make it awkward using tools underneath the car. However, the sturdy drive on ramp makes it much easier to set the car up and position on the lift.
One issue that was rather irritating with my last two post garage lift was the height of the posts. Many of my cars are lowered and the posts couldn’t get under the car.
A 4 post car lift has a very low ground clearance, which makes loading low cars easier. However, with some 2 post car lifts, you are able to lower the post jacking points up and down.
Many people are put off from a 4 post lift due to the additional size it takes up when compared with the two post lift. However, it’s important to note that a 4 post lift can be portable with a caster kit that many come with. This is a drawback of a 2 post lift because it has to be bolted to the floor for maximum stability.
Maintenance of Lifts
Depending upon the usage of the car lift, you may never require any servicing. However, they do sometimes require maintenance from time to time. We highly advise that you regularly check for any leaks or corrosion and the hydraulic fluid levels. Safety is paramount when lifting vehicles onto the lift and you shouldn’t neglect the maintenance.
The above image is the hydraulic fluid reservoir of my very own home car lift. If you ever notice that the reservoir is low on fluid, you should get it topped up before using the car lift. There are many professionals that will be able to service the lift for a relatively cheap cost and it’s recommended to get it checked if you sense its not fully functioning.
Conclusion
If you have the height available in your garage, investing into a 2 post or 4 post car lift is highly recommended. They are solid and reliable and the only drawback is that they do take up room and some garages simply don’t have the space. Within this article, we have recommended the best car lifts on the market that cover all the different types. Although they are one of the most expensive tools, it’s worthwhile investing into the best.
