Thanks for taking your time to read our reviews on the best bottle jacks that are currently available on the United Kingdom marketplace. A bottle jack is a small hydraulic lifting device, and a really good choice if you are working in an area where space is limited or tight.
When it comes to buying a jack, there are a couple of other choices which are the basic standard scissor jack, and the trolley jack used mainly in garages and in tyre repair companies. The scissor jack is a mechanical jack which lifts the car using a screw, whereas both the trolley jack and the bottle jack use hydraulic pressure which is activated using a lever.
A bottle jack is a pretty simple hydraulic lever jack that uses high pressure and a small diameter piston. It will have 2 cylinders typically referred to as the master and the slave cylinders. The master cylinder is pumped up and down by a simple lever that often doubles as the wrench that operates the release valve.
On top of the bottle jack is a round saddle and the base of the jack is usually a rectangular cast iron base. They are faster and easier to use than a scissor jack. The main disadvantage is that they must be used standing upright.
Just below you will see our top list of Bottle Jacks. However, we also know you are busy, so if you don't have time to read our full review, we would highly recommend the best selling Silverline 457050 bottle jack. This jack is the best seller online and with a price of under £20 is hard to beat in terms of value.
Just below, we have also completed some summary reviews on each of these, so as you can see which is the best option for you.
Best Selling Bottle Jack
86% buyer satisfaction from over 3,000+ customer reviews
The best selling bottle jack is the Silverline 457050 Hydraulic Bottle Jack 6 Tonne
You can buy this as a 2 ton, 4 ton, 6 ton or 10 ton version - the 6 ton is probably the best choice as it is suitable for cars, vans and most motor homes
You will need a clearance of 19.7cms (7.75") to be able to get the bottle jack under the vehicle and it can lift to a height of 38.2 cms (15")
It should be used with axle stands when working on tyres, draining oil, replacing coolant etc
It has an adjustable height ram saddle with cross-section for a more secure grip when lifting and a quick fit handle with lots of length and leverage
Best Budget Bottle Jack
80% buyer satisfaction from over 100+ customer reviews
The Cartrend 10005 Hydraulic Bottle Jack 2 Ton jack is the most affordable bottle jack that we could find online
It can lift up to 2,000 Kg of weight and needs 15.8 cms (6.2") of clearance and has a lifting height of 30.8 cms (12.1")
This is a small basic bottle jack so we wouldn't recommend this for use in a professional garage but good enough for home use and for changing tyres if you are out on the road
It is also small and light enough to be able to store in the boot of your car - not the prettiest jack in the world but a great price and it works.
Best Heavy Duty Bottle Jack
96% buyer satisfaction from over 50+ customer reviews
If you want a high quality heavy duty bottle jack then we would recommend the Alca Germany 15 ton hydraulic bottle jack
It isn't cheap, but a one time investment of £50 will get you a very high quality heavy duty model that will last you for years
The jack weighs just under 8 Kg, is made from heavy duty steel, and needs 22.5 cms (8.9") of clearance and has a lifting height of 42.5 cms (16.7")
Buyers say this is an extremely well made bottle jack that is very well constructed and very easy to use
A very quick video review
We have looked over all the video reviews and found this great short presentation on properly using a bottle jack. It gives you an instant idea of what to expect as well as telling you all the features and spec in and easy to understand format.
We hope you enjoy watching it as we always think its much better to see a tool in action rather than just reading about it or seeing pictures. This guy is particularly good at explaining the features and he is well known for demonstrating tools.
Bottle Jack Sizes
Bottle jacks are usually bought depending on the weight that they can lift. These come in different sizes and include 2 ton, 3 ton, 4 ton (8,000 lbs), 6 ton, 10 ton, 2 tonnes, 5 tonne, 6 tonne, 8 tonne, 10 tonne, 20 tonne
A 3 tonne bottle jack will be ideal for most vehicles and an 8 tonne model for caravans, boats etc
Bottle Jack Buying Guide
What is a Tonne?
A tonne is a metric ton which is 1,000 KG
A ton is 2,240 lbs (1016.05 kg)
Almost all bottle jacks are shown in either ton or tonnes, and essentially it is the weight of the vehicle that the jack can support.
Kerb Weight of a Vehicle
This is the most commonly used terminology for vehicle weight and is used by most manufacturers. This includes the weight of the car with all of its standard equipment and the fluids it needs to operate.
It does not include the weight of the driver, passengers, and any cargo in the vehicle. Kerb weight is best explained as the weight of the vehicle as it sits on the showroom floor.
Average Weights of Vehicles
This will be in your vehicle book. Many manufacturers will have a sticker, usually placed on the inside of the driver’s door of your car.
The average car weighs 2,871 pounds or 1,302 KG (1.3 tonnes)
Vehicle Type | Ave weight (lbs) | Ave Weight (Kgs) | Ave Weight (Tonnes) |
|---|---|---|---|
Small Car - Suzuki Swift, Toyota Auris | 2600 | 1200 | 1.2 |
Medium Car - Mazda 3, Ford Focus, Audi A4 | 3500 | 1600 | 1.6 |
Large Car -, Audi A8 | 4400 | 2000 | 2.0 |
Small SUV/Truck - Kia Soul | 3300 | 1500 | 1.5 |
Medium SUV/Truck - Nissan Navara | 5300 | 2400 | 2.4 |
Large SUV/Truck - Chevrolet Tahoe | 6600 | 3000 | 3.0 |
Bottle Jack vs Trolley Jack
Many buyers ask what is the difference between a bottle jack and a trolley jack. The difference is the height of the ground clearance. As a general rule of thumb a bottle jack is better for a vehicle with high ground clearance, whereas a trolley jack is better for vehicles with a low ground clearance.
Mechanics who own garages and owners of tyre fitting shops will use a trolley jack because it works for all types of vehicles and it is easier to use and more powerful. They are not as convenient in terms of storage for a car owner out on the road. That is where a bottle or scissor jack is going to be a better choice.
Trolley jacks are usually more expensive, are larger and typical sizes are 1.5 to 3 tonnes. They are however easier to move around, easier to fit under the vehicle, easier to use and also more stable.
Bottle jacks are cheaper, good in small spaces and easy to store, however lifting takes longer as they have a shorter handle, can be hard to get under vehicles with a low clearance and you need a flat surface for stability.
I hope this has been of some help to you. We also have articles on trolley jacks and scissor jacks if you don't think one of these bottle jacks is what you need. Bottle jacks are handy to have in the boot of the car and also make for easier storage in a garage or a shed.
Also, you may think this is common sense but we would always recommend using some axle stands as well as a jack.