If you need to replace or buy a new scissor jack, you’ll want to purchase the best scissor jack that performs as it should, and you want one at the best price.
There are plenty of choices when it comes to the best scissor jacks for cars or any vehicle for that matter.
What Is A Scissor Jack?
A scissor jack is a device to help lift a vehicle off the ground, typically so you can change a wheel because of a flat or puncture. Or the alternative use is as a stabilizer for an RV or trailer.
It’s given the term scissor jack because it expands and contracts like a pair of scissors’ cutting action. They are small and compact so great to stow in the trunk of your car, without taking up any room. They generally fit inside the spare wheel.
The majority of scissor jacks you get with your spare are manual jacks that lift one corner of your vehicle only, for changing the wheel on that side of the car.
Naturally, there are some considerations before you jump in and buy just any scissor jack because there are so many choices.
This buying guide offers reviews of several of the best performing models. Reading the reviews will make it easier for you to choose with confidence which is the best scissor jack for your specific needs and budget.
Top 10 Best Scissor Jacks
The LEADBRAND scissor jack is a compact size jack weighing a little over 6lbs and a lift range of between four inches up to just over fifteen inches. Suitable for most sedans.
Accompanying the jack is a useful ratchet handle making it so much easier to elevate the jack and lift the vehicle. The jack is lightweight simple to use and comes at an excellent price.
A good tip is always to carry a block of wood with you for the base – it helps with stability.
A strong corrosion-resistant metal construction base plate ensures it won’t buckle or move about under the vehicle’s weight. To maintain an easy and smooth screw rotation, add a little engine oil to the screw occasionally.
Key Features
- Portable and lightweight weighing just over 6lbs.
- The jack has an accompanying ratchet handle.
- Strong base-plate using anti-corrosive metal.
- Budget price for the quality of jack.
Why we like it:
The LEADBRAND comes with a ratchet handle. A step up from most factory-supplied scissor jacks.
When your trailer is not level, you can use your scissor jacks to level it. Not doing this means you’ll experience a great deal of movement from your trailer or RV. Engaging your scissor jacks will eliminate that extra movement, and you’ll find living in the trailer a lot more comfortable.
If you only have the stabilizing jacks that came with your RV, you’ll notice a big difference right away when you come to use the Weize camper RV trailer stabilizing scissor jacks.
This RV stabilizer features a 5000lb lift capacity and comes as a set of two. The jacks extend from four inches up to twenty-four inches, so you have plenty of room depending on your situation. The bow-tie base provides a stable platform even if you need to stabilize your RV on softer surfaces. Sometimes setting up on some soft ground is unavoidable, when it’s the case you need reliable scissor jacks.
Key Features
- Robust steel construction can cope with up to 5000lbs.
- Lift range of between 4 inches and 24 inches.
- Broad bow-tie base gives extra solidity on soft ground.
- Bolt-on or weld the jacks to the frame of the RV or trailer.
- The worm-gear mechanism prevents slipping.
Why we like them:
The Weize RV Trailer scissor jacks have a lift capacity of 5000lbs and a range of 4 inches up to 24 inches.
Use the Pit Posse PP2551S professional scissor lift at your home, garage or shop. This scissor-type is a hydraulic lifter perfect to affect repairs to your motorbike, dirtbike or ATV. The Pit Posse centers your bike with both or four wheels for the ATV in the air. Height adjustment is between thirteen inches up to thirty-six inches from the ground.
The top platform is 13.75 by 16 inches and is perfectly flat. The maximum lift capacity of the Pit Posse is 300lbs.
Providing you don’t try to exceed the weight limit you can be entirely worry-free while working on your machinery. Don’t worry, the jack stand is heavy-duty, thick-gauge metal and will safely hold your bike or ATV.
Should you consider the jack might easily scratch or scuff your bike, then the rubber pads will make sure that doesn’t happen. Along with the pads, there are safety loops to hold the bike securely and ensure no movement.
Everything about the Pit Posse’s design is for convenience, ease of use and to keep the work environment safe, clutter-free and clean.
Key Features
- The Pit Posse will comfortably lift 300lbs.
- The top working platform is 13.75 inches by 16 inches.
- The platform is made from rubber and is gas and oil resistant.
- The manufacture is of heavy-duty and thick-gauge metal.
- No scuff or scratch rubber pads and safety loops to hold the machinery in position securely.
- A full refund and a 2-year warranty.
Why We Like It:
The Pit Posse is a professional scissor lift creating an enhanced working environment for the home, garage or shop.
Keystone ToughGrade is a set of four RV and trailer scissor jacks with a maximum load capacity of 2500 lbs. Their sole purpose is to stabilize your RV or trailer when you are parked. Without stabilizing your trailer, you’ll find it rocks and tilts when you walk around.
The four levelling scissor jacks are made from toughened steel and coated with a rust-proof finish powder-coated black. Along with the four jacks is an anti-corrosion handle to adjust their height.
When contracted flat, the full size is 24 x 2.5 x 5 inches and all four jacks weigh 24.4lbs. The jacks’ purpose is to support the four corners to stabilize the trailer or RV and not lift them.
Key Features
- Budget price for a set of four scissor jacks.
- Solid steel construction, anti-rust and powder-coated finish.
- Anti-corrosion handle to adjust the height.
Why We Like Them:
The Keystone ToughGrade jacks are sturdily built and easy to use.
Eaz-Lift’s Heavy-Duty Stabilizing Scissor Jacks are great uncompromising pieces of equipment for RV and trailer owners. Their construction is of heavy-duty steel and to prevent any rust are powder-coated. To stabilize heavy vehicles safely requires exceptional material and manufacturing quality.
They have no issues stabilizing heavy vehicles with their load capacity of 5000lbs. They will expand from four and half an inches up to just under thirty inches. We say no issues because one of the features of the Eaz-Lift is a jack socket to fit a power drill thereby lifting or stabilizing trailers or an RV utilizing the power drill and not having to do it manually.
The Eaz-Lift is available in several sizes from 20-inch, 24-inch and 30-inch models. You can put the smaller versions to use stabilizing a car if necessary.
You’ll find these scissor jacks two to three times stronger than the ones that come with your trailer and can be bolted directly to your trailer’s framework.
Key Features
- Can stabilize loads up to 5,000lbs.
- Heavy-duty steel manufacture and powder-coated for rust protection.
- Pack of two scissor jacks.
- Three distinct jack sizes.
Why We Like Them:
The Eaz-Lift are heavy-duty and will stabilize a load of 5000lbs—bought in a pack of two.
The manufacturer treats the scissor jack’s main metal parts with environmentally friendly process electrophoresis (industrial process for applying coatings to metal fabricated products) to rust proof the structure. Operating in extreme heat or cold is no detriment to the Crescent Bear jacks.
The purchase includes two separate jacks, and each will support up to 5000lbs.
The design creates a well-built compact, easy to store, easy to operate set of scissor jacks. They also include a crank handle to enable fast opening and contracting.
If you own an RV or trailer and haven’t thought about stabilizing jacks here’s why you should. Leaving a camper or RV standing on its tires for any length of time can severely damage or deform your tires. This kind of damage can lead to punctures on the road or deterioration of the rims. Better to deal with the situation before you decide to take it on vacation.
Key Features
- Each jack will support up to 5000lbs.
- They are made from heavy-duty steel.
- The jack’s main metal parts treated by electrophoresis.
- A budget price point for two quality steel scissor jacks.
- Will operate in extreme heat or cold.
Why We Like Them:
These leveling jacks are made from heavy-duty steel, quality inspected and tested against salt spray over 48 hours.
The Pilot Automotive Q-HY-1500L 12 V Electric Car Jack has a 4000lb lift capacity and gets the electrical power from the cigarette lighter in your vehicle. With the 12-foot cord, you can reach all areas of your car or truck.
Don’t worry about overloading your vehicle’s electrics the scissor jack has a built-in circuit breaker that shuts down the motor at the first sign of any problem. The jack operates via a 15 amp permanently-lubricated DC motor and spinning pawl. The lifting height ranges from 4.3″ to 13.4″ (11 – 34 cm). You’ll find the jack very stable even at the top of its lift.
The Pilot jack has protective pads on the jack riser to fit more snugly on the vehicle axle or frame. With extra fuses and an LED light, everything comes in a rugged carry case. Easy to keep organized and to keep the parts together.
This type of jack is much easier to operate than the traditional manual jacks. If you find it testing to bend down or fiddling with a manual jack is not your thing, then the Pilot could be the best choice of a jack. You’ll find the Pilot scissor jack very simple to set up and operate. You will save a lot of time when you need to change a tire, especially useful when it’s teeming with rain on a dark night in an empty road.
Key Features
- The jack has a 4000lb lift capacity.
- Stable even at the top of its lift.
- Includes extra fuses and an LED light.
- Rugged carry-case to keep all parts together and for easy access.
- Built-in safety circuit breaker to prevent overloading the vehicles electrics.
Why We Like It:
The Pilot electric jack has a 12-volt cigarette lighter adapter and 12-foot cable to reach all areas of the car or truck.
The Lippert scissor jacks are heavy-gauge stabilizer jacks for your RV or trailer and will quickly and easily add stability to the trailer or the RV fifth wheel.
Stabilizer jacks are a cost-effective and safe way to stabilize your RV or trailer. Featuring an easy bolt-on installation to your vehicle’s frame, and manufactured from heavy-duty steel, powder-coated to maintain a rust-free finish.
They operate manually with a hand crank, but if you don’t think much of that idea, you can always use a power drill to raise and lower the jacks. Should you suspect or know the current stabilizing jacks on your trailer or RV are not up to scratch these jacks would make a great substitute.
The jacks are available in 24-inch and 30-inch, and you can purchase a single jack or a pair.
Key Features
- Choice of 24-inch or 30-inch and single or pairs.
- Heavy-gauge metal manufacture.
- The large circular standing base adds extra stability.
- Easy bolt-on solution to the RV or trailer’s framework.
- All metal areas are powder-coated to prevent rust.
Why We Like Them:
The Lippert jacks are of heavy-gauge metal, powder-coated for rust-free use.
The BEETRO 2-ton has a lifting capacity of 2 tons (4400lbs) with a lifting range of between 4.7 inches and 13.8 inches suitable for cars, SUVs and trucks.
The jack connects to your 12V cigarette lighter or alternatively to your vehicle battery. There is an eleven and a half foot cable, so it will easily reach the back wheels of your car or truck. The jack couldn’t be easier to operate. There are two switches on remote control, one for up and the other for down. Makes changing a tire extremely quick and straightforward.
Excellent safety features incorporate a self-locking mechanism that prevents the jack from collapsing, and the scissor jack will automatically stop working when it reaches the maximum height limit. There is no danger of the jack damaging your vehicle’s electrics due to the internal circuit breaker.
Key Features
- The jack will connect to your 12V cigarette lighter or the vehicle’s battery.
- Built-in flashlight.
- The jack is entirely waterproof for safe use in the rain.
- Capable of lifting sedans, SUVs and trucks to 4400lbs.
- Automatic safety cut-off once it reaches the maximum height.
- Built-in circuit breaker preventing electric overload.
Why We Like It:
BEETRO manufacture high-quality electric jacks with innovative extras.
The BEETRO Electric 3 ton Scissor Jack has a maximum lifting capacity of 6600lbs and a height range of between 4.72 inches and 16.54 inches. Will easily cope with most sedans, SUVs and trucks. In the box are two non-slip support heads, you use either depending on what suits your vehicle—simply operated by two remote switches.
Connect the jack directly to your vehicle via the 12V cigarette lighter or the vehicle’s battery. There is a 15-foot cable to reach the farthest point of most cars, SUVs and trucks. The electric jack can lift vehicles quickly and efficiently with the minimum of effort.
The jack’s safety features are impressive, featuring an automatic shut-down when the jack reaches maximum height, a self-locking mechanism to prevent a collapse of the jack while you’re working on the vehicle. And a built-in flashlight for dark and dismal days plus an impact wrench for overly stubborn bolts.
Key Features
- Numerous safety features are incorporated into the design and build of this scissor jack.
- The jack is capable of lifting to three tons.
- Includes an electric wrench for easy bolt removal.
- A choice of two non-slip heads.
- Also included are four sizes of wrench sockets for different size vehicles and wheels.
- The jack is capable of safely lifting up to 6600lbs.
- Includes an impact wrench for hard to remove bolts.
- Straightforward to operate, only two switches, one for raising the jack and one for lowering the jack.
Why We Like It:
The BEETRO 3 Ton scissor jack has a host of safety features, and every part stows away neatly and efficiently.
Conclusion
Types Of Scissor Jacks
There are three types of scissor jacks. You need to consider this when choosing the best scissor jack for your requirements.
Vehicle Scissor Jacks
It’s doubtful anyone would carry around an industrial jack in their vehicle on the off-chance they might get a flat. This makes the scissor jack an ideal tool because they contract down to a small size, and you can stow them in the trunk or back of a vehicle. You must check the kerbside weight of your car before you buy a scissor jack. You must purchase a jack that can comfortably lift and safely take the weight of your car, truck or SUV.
Stabilizing Scissor Jacks
You often see both stabilizing scissor jacks and car scissor jacks appearing as the same. But there is a world of difference, and using the wrong type will cause damage to the vehicle and possibly injury.
Stabilizing jacks are not for lifting vehicles to work on them; they stabilize an RV or trailer when it’s parked. They are often bolted or welded to the underside of the framework of the trailer. They are more often sold as pairs one for each corner of the trailer.
Electric Scissor Jacks
The electric jack has all the advantages of a manual scissor jack and no disadvantages. If bending down and manually using a cranking handle is difficult for you or hate the idea, you should get an electric scissor jack. You can efficiently run them from your cigarette lighter or your battery. They do use some electricity, but not enough to concern your vehicle’s electrics. Considerably more comfortable to use and will save you a lot of time and irritation.