Best Bottle Jack (2023 Guide)

Oct 21, 2023

Will Moore has been driving since he was first allowed behind the wheel of a golf cart. He's written for several major auto sites including Motor1 since 2020, unraveling the intricacies of auto insurance policies and products for the everyday driver. Will has logged hundreds of hours researching and testing products ranging from child car seats to torque wrenches. After completing a PhD at the University of Missouri, Will moved to North Carolina with his wife, daughter, and two semi-obedient beagles.

Reviewed By: Charles Noyes

A high-quality bottle jack with a high lift height and decent weight capacity.

A heavy-duty pneumatic bottle jack with a high lift capacity.

A squat bottle jack with a high lift capacity and fast lift action.

An inexpensive yet reliable bottle jack for your car.

Bottle jacks are cylindrical car jacks that can typically bear a lot of weight. Though less stable than a floor jack or scissor jack, the best bottle jack is compact and often less expensive than other types of car jacks.

Their compact size makes bottle jacks a convenient choice for roadside emergencies, but this type of jack isn't for every driver and every car. In this guide, we’ll explain what to look for in a quality car jack and suggest several options that we’ve tested for quality.

Big Red is a popular jack manufacturer known for its quality-built products. It offers bottle jacks at a range of weight capacities (6.0, 8.0, 10.0, 12.0, 30.0, and 50.0 tons). For most automotive needs, a 10.0-ton jack should do the trick, especially if you need to hoist the side of your vehicle for a tire change. This jack is also backed by a one-year warranty.

The Big Red Torin 10-Ton Bottle Jack is relatively standard for a bottle jack. It doesn't have any standout features, but it is reliable with quality welding. It was easily able to raise and lower our test SUV.

The Torin's drawbacks are common among most bottle jacks. For one, it has a high clearance and so would not be useful for a low-profile vehicle. The pump handle is wobbly when assembled, as there is no mechanism that clicks the two parts firmly into place (one slots loosely into the other).

Amazon Review Score: 4.4 out of 5 based on over 1,900 ratings

Most reviewers are impressed by the Torin's lift capacity. It is small, easy to stow, and several reviewers note that it is a good jack for lifting trucks because of its high lift height. About 87 percent of reviews rate the bottle jack 4 or more stars.

Some users report that their Torin arrived leaking oil. And even positive reviews say that it can take a lot of pumping to get this heavy-duty bottle jack to its full work height (though this is common for most any bottle jack).

Similar to the other Big Red bottle jack we recommend, this pneumatic air jack features quality construction that is backed by a one-year warranty. The pneumatic pump feature allows you to connect the jack to an air compressor for a faster lift. Of course, this versatile jack also works with regular pumping as well.

The Big Red Torin Pneumatic Air Bottle Jack is much larger than the other jacks that we tested. A 20.0-ton bottle jack may be a bit more than most users will need to lift a car, but it's necessary for lifting heavy machinery and equipment. Even so, the added stability provided by the wide base is useful in any circumstance. The drawback is that this jack is heavy and much less portable than other bottle jacks.

The clearance on this jack is also the highest amongst those that we tested, which could make it a good option for those with lifted vehicles. It was able to fit under our test SUV, but would not fit underneath a sedan.

While not easy to position, it is easy to raise this jack manually and with the air pump.

Amazon Review Score: 4.6 out of 5 based on over 1,300 ratings

Most reviewers used the Big Red pneumatic bottle jack for an RV, trailer, or to lift part of a house. Reviewers say it maintains its pressure well and works especially quickly. Users also appreciate that the pneumatic feature can save a lot of time pumping. Older reviewers especially appreciate the labor-saving qualities of this bottle jack.

Some users report leaks in the air line. This seems to be an atypical issue not present in every Big Red pneumatic jack, but something that occurs frequently enough to be mentioned in several reviews. Be sure to inspect your jack when it arrives in case you need to request a replacement.

This bottle jack from Performance Tools is heat treated for improved durability. It features a wide, stable base and adjustable screw top extenders. As the name implies, the Shorty bottle jack sits low to the ground, which means it can fit under low-profile vehicles that other bottle jacks cannot.

The downside to the low profile design is that this jack is too short for high-clearance vehicles. It was not able to reach high enough to raise our test SUV and so we used it with a sedan.

The Performance Tools Shorty Bottle Jack has one of the best designs out of the bottle jacks that we tested. It is very small and lightweight, making it exceptionally easy to position. This jack raises very quickly when pumped and the handle actually attaches with a clicking mechanism, making it more stable than the handles of other jacks (though this is a minor convenience).

A welded carrying handle helps make this jack easy to move and deploy.

Amazon Review Score: 4.3 out of 5 based on over 600 ratings

A few users claim to have trouble lowering their Performance Tools jack, though this isn't an issue for everyone (as others mention no issues with lowering). When we tested the shorty, it did not lower easily once the release valve was engaged. We had to stand on the jack or use the vehicle's weight.

Even negative reviews tend to note that this is a powerful jack. Enthusiastic reviewers are pleased with how quickly it lifts heavy objects. Most say simply that this bottle jack gets the job done. However, there are several comments about the Shorty jack arriving damaged.

The Pro-Lift Hydraulic Bottle Jack is lightweight, portable and capable of lifting up to 4.0 tons. It doesn't have quite the lift capacity as the other jacks on this list, but it's strong enough to change a tire. It's also less expensive than our other top picks.

The slim design offers a decent lift height, but it also makes this jack less stable as it means a smaller lifting saddle. We wouldn't recommend this Pro-Lift bottle jack for especially heavy vehicles or for situations where you’ll need to keep something elevated for an extended period of time.

Our Pro-Lift arrived missing the handle. However, we were able to test the jack using the handle from one of the other bottle jacks that we ordered. With the handle, this jack is simple to use and works similarly to all of the other jacks we tested. It raised and lowered easily and was able to fit under our test SUV.

Amazon Review Score: 4.5 out of 5 based on over 4,000 ratings

According to reviewers, the Pro-Lift is easy to use and maintains its lift height well. Some complain that the top is too small and one reviewer even went so far as to weld a plate to the top of the jack to increase the surface area.

Many complaints come from those with low-clearance vehicles because this jack will not fit underneath. Keep in mind that with any jack you buy, you’ll need to be sure it can fit under your car.

Bottle jacks are useful tools to quickly raise your vehicle. However, because of their narrow design, this type of jack tends to be less stable than floor jacks. While every bottle jack is different, most brands typically work the same way.

No matter what type of jack you are using, you should never rely on the jack to support the entire weight of your vehicle. If you are planning to go underneath your car, you will need jack stands and wheel chocks in addition to the jack itself.

Jack stands add more stable support to your vehicle after it's been lifted. Wheel chocks prevent your car from moving once parked, adding further stability.

Before elevating your vehicle, park on a level surface. Turn off the engine and engage the parking brake before using a bottle jack. If you have wheel chocks, place them behind your car's wheels.

Placing a jack in the wrong spot can damage your car's trim or undercarriage. Some owners manuals will tell you where the jack points are located. These points are usually found behind each front wheel and just in front of each back wheel.

Slide the car jack under your vehicle and start lifting. If you’re using jack stands, set those up once your car has been raised and before you get to work. A bottle jack will typically include a handle that fits into a slot on the side of your jack. Pumping the handle up and down causes the bottle jack to raise.

Consult your owner's manual for details on your specific jack. Most bottle jacks have a valve that is turned to release pressure and lower the jack. This valve is usually turned by using the end of the handle included with the jack.

Bottle Jacks can be a good choice for those with high-clearance vehicles. Because they stand on end, most bottle jacks will not fit under sedans (though some do). If you’re doing a lot of at-home body work, a floor jack is probably a better option than a bottle jack.

If you need a portable jack for emergencies, or an especially high-capacity jack, a bottle jack may be right for you. Bottle jacks are often a good pick for trucks because of their higher clearances.

Consider the standing height of any bottle jack and make sure it will fit under your car. Also keep in mind that your car will sink lower if you have a flat, so if you plan to keep a bottle jack in your car for emergencies, take that into consideration.

Every car jack is designed to lift a certain amount of weight. This will be made clear on the packaging (we note load capacity in our product descriptions). Make sure that the bottle jack you purchase has enough oomf to lift your car. A jack doesn't need to be rated for the full weight of your car, however. When you change a tire, you’ll only need to lift half the weight of the vehicle.

The bottle jacks in this article went through two rounds of reviews. We started by searching retailers like Amazon, RealTruck, and Advance Auto Parts for top products, looking at factors such as load capacity, weight, customer ratings, and prices.

Our product testing team then ordered the bottle jacks that best met these standards. A team member tested each product on a 2017 Ford Fusion Hybrid SE, taking note of how how high-quality the bottle jack was, durability, and value. Each bottle jack was given a rating out of 5 stars based on these criteria.

To test each bottle jack, we unboxed and assembled the jacks according to the instructions. We placed each jack under the test vehicle and lifted it several inches off the ground. We then lowered the vehicle and attempted to use the jack a second time. Our tester was able to note the quality of materials, ease of use, and overall performance.

Each year, we test over 350 auto products on vehicles and in our testing lab. Our team of product testers thoroughly researches top products, unboxes and puts our hands on each component, and tests the items on real vehicles before making recommendations to readers.

We publish hundreds of product and service reviews to bring car enthusiasts detailed guides on automotive tools, detailing kits, car seats, pet products, and much more. For more information on our testing methodology and how we evaluate every product, check out our methodology page here.

The strongest bottle jack is the one that is rated to lift the most tonnage. The strongest jacks we’ve found are capable of lifting 100.0 tons, though there may be stronger options out there. For overall durability and build quality, we think that Big Red makes some of the strongest bottle jacks, though its strongest jack lifts 50.0 tons.

Choose a bottle jack based on the load capacity and clearance. Make sure you pick a jack that can fit under your vehicle and will be able to lift it to a height good enough for your purposes. Also choose a jack that can lift at least half the weight of your vehicle. (If you plan to fully lift your vehicle, purchase two bottle jacks.)

A bottle jack is often worth it, especially considering they are relatively inexpensive compared to other jacks. If you’re looking for a jack to use for regular car maintenance, a floor jack is probably a better choice in the long run. However, if you need a jack that is easily stored for emergency or occasional use, a bottle jack is a good option.

Bottle jacks are good for trucks because these vehicles often have higher clearances. While a floor jack is your best bet for regular maintenance work, a bottle jack can be used for roadside emergencies.

You can lift the corner of a house with a 12.0-ton hydraulic bottle jack. No matter the load capacity, you’ll probably need several bottle jacks to completely raise a house (located at equal points around the perimeter of the building).

*Data accurate at time of publication.