What Is A Bottle Jack Used For? (And Are There Any Downsides?)

In the world of jacks, there are many you can choose from for different tasks. When you walk into to any hardware or tool store, you'll likely see a litany of different types of jacks from all manner of brands for sale. Floor jacks are pretty widely used and mostly self-explanatory. It's in the name, after all. Often positioned next to floor jacks are bottle jacks (also called bottle floor jacks), which can seem a little more esoteric if you don't know what you're looking at.

Over the years, I've used everything from cheap scissor jacks that come with your car's spare tire to hydraulic lifts made for moving bulldozers to racing jacks made to lift a stock car on the track. Bottle jacks might seem a little more specialized, but in practice, it does the same thing as all the types of jacks you're familiar with. It lifts something straight up. 

But why would you use a bottle jack as opposed to a floor jack if the end goal is the same? Well, it has to do a lot with where you are working and what you plan to do. Bottle jacks lend their talents best in a shop setting, or somewhere space is at a premium.

Bottle jacks tend to be a lot smaller and lighter than your average floor jack and as such, are perfect for small garages or shops where you can't move a floor jack around as easily. The "bottle" shape lends itself to convenience. Additionally, the smaller surface area of the jack's bottom works best with flat surfaces like the concrete floor of a mechanic's shop. This type of jack use isn't limited to automotive uses, either. I've used bottle jacks to hold floor joists in place while helping remodel my parent's house.

There are some inherent downsides to a bottle jack. It's not the perfect tool (that doesn't exist). As opposed to floor jacks (which also follow a certain set of rules), bottle jacks need a lot more vertical clearance. It's just a taller tool than a floor jack. This difference is even more pronounced with low profile floor jacks. As mentioned earlier, the smaller footprint does not lend itself to use in areas where the floor is uneven. You're asking for trouble if you use a bottle jack on dirt or a sloped surface like some driveways. 

Like all tools, bottle jacks have strengths (small footprint and lightweight) and weaknesses (taller than traditional jacks and less suited for rough terrain). But if you give it the right job, it will lift you closer to your DIY goals.