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LOCKIETTA 2 PCS Hydraulic Car Ramps with Wheels, 11065LBS 5T Heavy Duty Car Ramp with Hydraulic Jack, Portable Car Lifts for Oil Changes for Home Garage, 9"-14.2" Lifts, Black
- Use Case: Home Garage, Vehicle Maintenance, Oil Changes
- Features: Portable, Non-Slip Surface, Low Profile
- Brand: Lockietta
- Update Design: Our hydraulic ramps for cars add 2 retractable wheels, easy to move and store. The oil change ramps for cars are compact, with dimensions of 45 x 14.2 x 12.6 inches, making them an excellent fit for home garages with limited space
- Sturdy and Durable: Our hydraulic car ramps are crafted from high-strength welded structural steel, providing exceptional durability. The heavy duty car ramps is finished with a protective paint coating to prevent rust and extend their lifespan
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10 Best Home Garage Car Lifts Picks of 2025
We picked the best best car lifts on the market today. Not sure which car lifts features to look for? Jump down to our savvy buying guide or FAQ section below.
Updated November 30, 2025
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Disclaimer: While we strive for accuracy, we cannot guarantee that all product features listed are complete or error-free. Please confirm the details with the retailer before making a purchase.
Car Lift Buying Guide
Jack Type
This is the most important decision. What you buy defines what you can do. The "car lift" category covers everything from simple ramps to professional-grade 2-post lifts. They are not all created equal, so let's break them down.
- 2 Post Lift: The auto shop classic. It lifts the car from the frame, giving you complete access to the wheels, suspension, and undercarriage. This is the top choice for serious repairs, but it requires a solid, thick concrete floor and good ceiling height.
- 4 Post Lift: A drive-on ramp system. This is the undisputed king of Storage / Parking (letting you park a second car underneath) and is fantastic for oil changes, exhaust work, and general inspections. It's less ideal for work that requires the wheels to be off, unless you also buy a rolling jack tray.
- Scissor Lift: These lifts raise the vehicle from the frame or unibody. They come in low-rise (for tires/brakes), mid-rise, and full-rise. Their narrow footprint makes them a great choice for tight garage bays where a 2-post or 4-post won't fit.
- Mid-Rise Lift: This is a category that often includes scissor lifts. It raises the car about 3-4 feet off the ground, perfect for wheel, brake, and body work. You won't be standing up underneath it, but you won't be on your back, either.
- Portable Lift: This usually refers to systems like the popular QuickJack. They are two-piece frame-engaging lifts that slide under the car, lifting it 1-2 feet. They are a massive upgrade from a floor jack and can be stowed away when not in use.
- Car Ramps: The simplest and cheapest solution. Just drive your car up onto them for basic access to the front or rear end. Perfect for a quick Oil Change, but very limited.
- Jack Stand: This is a non-negotiable safety device. It does not lift a car. You use it to support the car after you've lifted it with a jack. Never, ever work under a car supported only by a jack.
- Floor Jack: The workhorse of every home garage. This is the rolling jack you use to lift one corner or one end of the car at a time. You use this with jack stands.
- Hydraulic Dolly: These are used to move a vehicle around a shop or garage. You place one under each wheel, jack them up, and can then push the car in any direction. They are not for maintenance.
- Bottle Jack: A compact and powerful jack shaped like a bottle. They are great for high-clearance vehicles like trucks but are less stable than a floor jack for general-purpose lifting.
Your choice here boils down to your primary goal. Serious repairs point to a 2-post. Storage points to a 4-post. Hobbyist work in a tight space points to a mid-rise, scissor, or portable lift. Simple tasks can be handled by jacks and ramps.
Use Case
Why are you buying this? Being honest about your primary task will save you a lot of money and frustration. A lift designed for storage is clumsy for wheel work, and a lift for wheel work can't be used for storage.
- Storage / Parking: Your goal is to fit more cars in your garage. This is a one-answer test: you need a 4 Post Lift. It's the only type designed to safely store one vehicle over another for long periods.
- Home Garage: This implies a hobbyist or DIY-er. You value versatility and space efficiency. A Portable Lift, Mid-Rise Lift, or a Scissor Lift are all fantastic choices. A 2 Post or 4 Post is a great permanent upgrade if you have the space, ceiling height, and concrete.
- Professional Shop: You need reliability, speed, and safety certifications (like ALI certification). This is the land of heavy-duty 2 Post and 4 Post lifts that are built to be used all day, every day.
- Vehicle Maintenance: This is a broad term. If your maintenance involves wheels, brakes, or suspension, you need the wheels free. A 2 Post, Scissor Lift, or Portable Lift is your best bet.
- Oil Changes: The easiest job to accommodate. A 4 Post, Scissor Lift, Portable Lift, or even simple Car Ramps will all give you the access you need.
Match your primary use case to the lift type. Don't buy a 2-post lift if all you do is store your car for the winter; you'll be much happier with a 4-post.
Capacity & Height
This is where you match a lift to your specific car and garage. Get these numbers wrong, and the lift will be either unsafe or unusable. Always check the curb weight of your heaviest vehicle and the ceiling height of your garage first.
Capacity (How Much)
This is the total weight the lift is certified to hold. Always choose a capacity that is at least 25% over the weight of your heaviest vehicle for a safe margin.
- Under 3,000 lbs: For small compacts, side-by-sides, or lawn equipment.
- 3,001 - 5,000 lbs: Perfect for most sedans, sports cars, and small crossovers. Many portable lifts fall in this range.
- 5,001 - 7,000 lbs: Covers most minivans, larger sedans, and some SUVs.
- 7,001 - 9,000 lbs: A great all-around choice for a home shop, covering the vast majority of consumer SUVs and light-duty pickup trucks.
- 9,001 - 10,000 lbs: The "standard" for full-size 2-post and 4-post lifts. This will safely handle 3/4-ton trucks (like an F-250) and large SUVs.
- 10,001 - 12,000 lbs / Over 12,000 lbs: This is heavy-duty territory for 1-ton dually trucks, RVs, and commercial vehicles.
Max Height (How High)
This is how high the lift will raise your car. Remember to add the height of your car to this number to see if it will hit your ceiling.
- Under 12 in / 12 in to 24 in: This is the range for Jacks, Ramps, and Portable Lifts. It's enough to get you off your back and onto a creeper or stool for wheel and brake work.
- 25 in to 40 in: This is Mid-Rise Lift territory. It's great for wheel/brake/body work, but you will be bending or sitting on a stool to work underneath.
- 41 in to 65 in: This is a low-ceiling full lift. You'll be able to get under the car, but you will be crouching.
- 66 in to 75 in / Over 75 in: This is a full-rise lift. This is what you need to stand up and walk around comfortably underneath your car. You will typically need a 12-foot ceiling or higher to use this effectively.
Min Height (How Low)
This is the "drive-over" height or the minimum pad height. It is critical for low-profile vehicles.
- Under 4 in: This is what you need for sports cars, lowered cars, and exotics to avoid scraping the lift or needing to drive onto wooden planks first.
- 4 in to 6 in: A standard height that works for the vast majority of consumer cars, SUVs, and trucks.
- 7 in to 10 in / Over 10 in: This is fine for trucks but will be too tall for most standard cars to even drive over or get the lift arms under.
Measure your ceiling height and your car's weight before you add anything to your cart. This will narrow your search more than any other factor.
2-Post Details
If you're serious about repairs, you're probably looking at a 2-post lift. But even here, you have a few key design choices that will dramatically change how you use it.
- Clear Floor (Overhead): This design has a hydraulic line and sync cables running through a beam at the top, connecting the two posts. This means your floor is completely clear between the posts, which is a massive convenience for rolling toolboxes, transmission jacks, and creepers. This is the preferred design, but it requires a high ceiling (12+ feet).
- Floor Plate: This design has a metal plate on the ground (about 1-2 inches high) that covers the cables and lines connecting the posts. This is the only option for low-ceiling garages. The downside is that you have to roll your equipment over this plate every time.
- Symmetric: The posts are directly opposite each other, and all four lifting arms are roughly the same length. This design is best for long-wheelbase vehicles like trucks and vans, as it centers the load perfectly.
- Asymmetrical: The posts are rotated slightly, and the front arms are shorter than the rear arms. This allows you to set the car further back on the lift, which lines up the car's center of gravity and, more importantly, lets you open the car doors wider without hitting the post. This is the most common and convenient style for passenger cars.
- Combo (Symmetric/Asymmetrical): These versatile lifts have arms (often 3-stage) that can be configured to work in either mode, offering the most flexibility for a shop that works on both cars and trucks.
For a typical home garage with a 10-foot ceiling, a Floor Plate lift with Asymmetrical arms is often the most practical choice. If you have the height, a Clear Floor lift is a major upgrade.
Power & Safety
This covers the "how it works" and "will it fit" details. Don't overlook these; they are critical to your installation and safety.
Power
- 110V / 120V: This runs on a standard household plug. It's common on many home-garage lifts and portable systems. It's convenient but may lift slower and work the motor harder than a 220V setup.
- 220V: This requires a dedicated, high-voltage outlet (like for an electric dryer). This is the standard for professional lifts, as it's more efficient, lifts faster, and is better for the motor's longevity.
- Motor Power (HP): For electric-hydraulic lifts (most 2/4-post and scissor lifts), a motor between 2 HP to 3.5 HP is a very common and robust size that provides a good balance of speed and power.
Safety Locks
- Single Point Release: This is a premium feature. You pull one lever on one post, and it releases all the safety locks on both columns at the same time. This is a huge convenience.
- Double Point Release: This is the more basic system. You must walk to each post and manually pull a release cable or lever on both of them to lower the lift. It's cheaper, but more of a hassle.
- Mechanical / Self-Locking Ratchet: This is the sound you want to hear. As the lift goes up, you'll hear "clack-clack-clack" as heavy-duty metal latches fall into place. This is the core safety system that holds the car, so the hydraulics are only used for lifting, not holding.
- Pneumatic: Some high-end lifts use compressed air to release the locks, which is often tied to a simple button on the power unit.
Fitment
- Drive-Thru Width: This is the space between the posts. Measure the width of your widest vehicle (including the mirrors!) to make sure you can comfortably drive into it. A 95 in to 100 in width is common for cars, while you'll want Over 105 in for dually trucks.
Always check your garage's electrical panel before buying. A 220V lift is a great investment, but only if you have the circuit for it. And when it comes to locks, a single-point release is worth the extra money in time saved.
Features & Accessories
These are the add-ons and small design features that separate a basic lift from a great one. Look for kits that include the accessories you need, as buying them separately can be expensive.
- Portable: The lift is designed to be moved. This could mean it has a Caster Kit Included to roll it around the shop (common for 4-post and mid-rise lifts) or it's a multi-piece system like a Foldable / Wall-Mountable portable lift.
- Jack Tray Included: An essential accessory for a 4 Post Lift. This is a tray that slides between the runways, allowing you to use a bottle jack or sliding jack to lift the wheels off the ramp for brake and suspension work.
- Drip Trays Included: The number one accessory for Storage / Parking on a 4 Post Lift. These plastic trays hook between the runways to catch oil, coolant, and water from the car on top, protecting the car parked below.
- Truck Adapters Included: These are height extenders for the pads on a 2 Post Lift. They are absolutely necessary to safely reach the high-up, solid frame of a pickup truck or body-on-frame SUV.
- Low Profile: This means the lift arms or runways are extra-thin. This is a must-have feature if you own a sports car or lowered vehicle.
- Non-Slip Surface: A diamond-plate or textured-paint finish on 4 Post runways and Car Ramps. This is a key safety feature to prevent your tires from spinning, especially when wet.
Don't just look at the lift's price; look at what's in the box. A 4-post lift for storage is almost useless without drip trays, and a 2-post lift for a truck is unsafe without the proper adapters.
Brands
In the world of lifts, brand reputation matters. This is a piece of equipment that is holding thousands of pounds over your head, so quality, warranty, and customer support are key. While many brands exist, here are a few you'll see often on Amazon and in shops.
- BendPak: A top-tier, well-regarded brand. They are known for professional-grade 2-post, 4-post, and scissor lifts that are often ALI (Automotive Lift Institute) certified for safety. They are considered a benchmark for quality.
- QuickJack: This is BendPak's brand for Portable Lifts. They have become the go-to standard for home garages and track-day enthusiasts who want to get a car in the air quickly and safely without a permanent installation.
- Triumph: A very popular brand you'll see online, especially on Amazon. Triumph hits a great sweet spot, offering pro-level features (like 9,000-10,000 lb capacities and single-point releases) at a price point that's accessible to hobbyists.
- APlusLift: Another major player in the direct-to-consumer online market. They are known for offering very competitive pricing, especially on 2-post lifts, making them a common choice for home-shop builders on a budget.
- Amazon Basics / Torin: You won't find a 2-post lift from these brands, but for the fundamentals like Floor Jacks, Jack Stands, and Bottle Jacks, they offer reliable and budget-friendly options for the DIYer.
For a permanent, heavy-duty lift, brands like BendPak and Triumph are industry standards. For maximum portability, QuickJack is in a class of its own. For basic lifting, a highly-rated jack and stands from a brand like Torin or Amazon Basics is a safe bet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Your ceiling height is the single biggest factor in choosing a lift. For a 4-post or 2-post lift that allows you to fully stand underneath the vehicle (a "full-rise" lift), you will generally need a minimum of a 12-foot ceiling. For home garages with lower 10-foot ceilings, a "low-rise" lift, a mid-rise scissor lift, or a floor-plate style 2-post lift are much better options, as they are specifically designed for those constraints.
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This is a critical safety question. For a 4-post lift, which distributes the weight over four large plates, a standard 4-inch concrete slab is often sufficient. However, 2-post lifts are different. They create immense pressure in two small spots and require a minimum of 4 to 6 inches of 3,000 PSI reinforced concrete, with no cracks or expansion joints near the post locations, to be anchored safely.
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A 4-post lift is a "drive-on" lift, making it the best choice for vehicle storage, parking a second car underneath, and simple maintenance like oil changes. A 2-post lift engages the vehicle's frame, leaving the wheels hanging free. This makes it the superior choice for any "wheels-off" service, such as brake jobs, suspension work, and tire rotations.
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Many lifts designed for home garages are available with a 110V/120V motor, which can plug into a standard, dedicated household outlet. This is the most convenient option for a hobbyist. Lifts with 220V motors are more common in professional shops. While they require a special, high-voltage outlet to be installed by an electrician, they are more power-efficient and often lift the vehicle faster and with less strain on the motor.
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ALI (Automotive Lift Institute) certification is the industry's independent, third-party safety standard. An ALI-certified lift has been rigorously tested to ensure it meets strict structural, electrical, and performance standards. While often more expensive, choosing an ALI-certified lift gives you proven peace of mind that the product you are trusting to hold thousands of pounds over your head is built to be as safe as possible.
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The golden rule is to always buy a lift rated for at least 25-30% more than the curb weight of your heaviest vehicle. A 9,000 lb or 10,000 lb capacity lift is the most common and versatile choice for a home garage, as it safely covers everything from sports cars and sedans to most full-size pickup trucks and SUVs.
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If you are not installing the lift yourself, professional installation is a significant cost to budget for. Depending on your location, the type of lift, and the complexity of the job, you can expect to pay anywhere from $500 to over $2,000 for a professional to deliver, assemble, and install your lift. This does not include the cost of any electrical work (like a 220V outlet) or concrete work that may be required beforehand.
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For many home mechanics, a portable lift (like a QuickJack) is an excellent and practical solution. These systems are a massive upgrade from a floor jack and jack stands, lifting the entire vehicle 18-24 inches off the ground. They give you clear access to the undercarriage, are safe for maintenance, and have the huge advantage of being completely stowable, so you can get your garage bay back when you're done.
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