Tall, compact, and only as stable as its base
A bottle jack trades reach under the car for lift above it: it needs more clearance to fit than a trolley jack, and then raises much further, which is why vans, pick-ups and 4x4s use them. The numbers that decide a purchase are closed height against the vehicle jacking point, maximum extended height, and the screw extension that adds the last few centimeters without hydraulic travel. Capacity is a stated figure under EN 1494, and the same rule applies as everywhere on this site: it lifts, stands hold. The narrow base is the real trade — on soft ground or a sloped drive it is the least forgiving jack here. We compare capacity, heights, extension, base area and build.
Rated 2 t · compact steel body · adjustable screw extension · stated for cars, trailers and motorcycles
The cheapest lifting tool on the site: a compact 2 t bottle jack with a screw extension, meant for a boot rather than a workshop floor.
Best for: A boot jack for a trailer or a small car, where a scissor jack is the alternative.
≈ $86
Rated 20 t · 150 mm (5.91 in) lift · 235–445 mm (9.25 to 17.5 in) · ram Ø 53 mm (2.09 in) · foot 154 × 124 mm (6.06 × 4.88 in) · welded steel
The one that publishes everything: capacity, lift, minimum and maximum height, ram diameter, spindle adjustment and the size of its foot.
Best for: Motorhomes, trailers, machinery — and anyone who wants the numbers published before buying.
≈ $205
Rated 5 t · 185–360 mm (7.28 to 14.2 in) · base plate 105 mm (4.13 in) wide · sold as a vehicle part with fitment check offered
A 5 t SUV bottle jack listed as a vehicle part, with the base plate dimensions published and a fitment check offered by the seller.
Best for: An SUV or a high-riding estate, where 185 mm (7.28 in) of clearance exists.
≈ $150
Rated 12 t · 205–400 mm (8.07 to 15.7 in) lift range stated · two-piece handle · stated for saloons, pick-ups and larger vehicles
Twelve metric tons at twenty dollars: a heavy-duty bottle jack whose published lift range makes it usable on pick-ups and light trucks rather than cars.
Best for: A pick-up, a light truck or agricultural equipment — not a hatchback.
Rated 4 t · 160–390 mm (6.30 to 15.4 in) · double ram · 6.4 kg (14.1 lb) stated · low profile for a bottle jack
A double-ram 4 t bottle jack at 6.4 kg (14.1 lb) with a 160 mm (6.30 in) closed height — the most car-friendly bottle jack here, and the only one that publishes its weight.
Best for: An estate, an SUV or a van whose owner wants a bottle jack that also fits under a car.
The bottle jack offers the highest capacities in this range for a small footprint. That is its reason for existing.
A jack whose collapsed height exceeds the chassis clearance will not slide underneath. The stated minimum height is compared with the measured ground clearance, not with the vehicle's height.
Never. Like any jack, it lifts and does not support. Axle stands are the only way to secure a lifted vehicle.
Its base is narrow for its height, which makes it more sensitive than a trolley jack to imperfect ground or an off-center load.
It gains height by moving the bearing point away from the base. Fully out, it markedly reduces the stability of the whole.
No, unless the model is explicitly designed for it. A conventional bottle jack works vertically; the oil and the circuit depend on it.
Air in the circuit or an insufficient oil level. Bleeding and checking the level are covered in the manual.
On ground that could sink, a rigid plate spreads the load. A jack sinking under full load is an accident.
By opening the release valve very gradually. Opening it abruptly drops the load in one go.
Slow sinking nearly always comes from a release screw not fully closed or a shortage of hydraulic oil. A jack that drops under load despite correct bleeding gets replaced, not patched up.
Like any jack, it lifts and never supports: axle stands remain compulsory. Its narrow base makes it more sensitive than a trolley jack, the extension screw fully out degrades stability, and lowering is opened very gradually.
A column is opened only if four tools in five publish its value. Otherwise the table would compare what nobody has measured.
| Model | Price | Rated capacity |
|---|---|---|
| SIXTOL SX1144 | $86 | 2 t, stated |
| cartrend 10007 | $150 | 5 t, stated |
| BGS 9888 | $205 | 20 t max, stated |
| TORIN BIG RED JACKS TF0402 | — | 4 t, stated |
| VEVOR Cric bouteille hydraulique 12 tonnes | — | 12 t, stated |
Specifications: manufacturer sheets for garage tools and the matching Amazon product pages. Prices and availability: Keepa. Every figure in this table names its source.
Most recent revision in this category: September 4, 2026.
Prices quoted in these summaries are dated readings. The live price is shown next to each product.
