Best Chain Hoists for Workshops and Garages

Review & Comparison, Last Update February 24, 2024
These devices make lifting things several times over your own weight with just one hand an easy task. We've put together a short, yet detailed review of the best manual pulley models that can help you with cargo transportation or machinery maintenance and repairs. ...Read more ...Read less
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BEST 2024
PROS
CONS
OUR VERDICT
Type
Maximum Lifting Weight
Lifting Height
Chain Thickness
Cargo Hook
Weight
Warranty
 
PROS

A low chain guide prevents the gear from damaging by foreign objects and helps control the direction of load suspended on it. 

CONS

The free chain ends with a small O-ring that doesn't look too reliable. Better substitute it for something else right away. 

OUR VERDICT

The option to use it as a come-along vertically and a high carrying capacity make this chain hoist a versatile tool not only for lifting different objects but also for pulling cars mired in mud. 

detailed parameters
Type

Ratchet puller hoist

Maximum Lifting Weight

6 tons

Lifting Height

10 ft.

Chain Thickness

3/8"

Cargo Hook

Swivel hook with safety latch

Weight

approx. 40 lbs

Warranty

Amazon's 30-day return policy

PROS

The 15-ft. long lifting capacity allows the use of the hoist on the construction sites of multi-storey buildings, in large warehouses and hangars.

CONS

Not suitable for rooms with low ceilings where a loose chain lying on the ground might endanger other workers and equipment.

OUR VERDICT

This hoist will be an excellent solution for small workshops or/and warehouses where it will be used for lifting small loads, such as several bags of flour or trucks parts.

detailed parameters
Type

Hand chain hoist

Maximum Lifting Weight

1 ton

Lifting Height

15 ft.

Chain Thickness

1/4"

Cargo Hook

Swivel hook with safety latch

Weight

25 lbs

Warranty

Amazon's 30-day return policy

PROS

Sturdy materials offer a high margin of safety and reliability for the entire pulley.

CONS

The machine-made hooks have small burrs on the inside that may tear the straps you hook on it. This issue can be easily solved with a file.

OUR VERDICT

This hoist is mostly suitable for home use in the garage when pulling engine, gearbox or any other massive parts out of your car for repairs and maintenance. 

detailed parameters
Type

Hand chain hoist

Maximum Lifting Weight

1 ton

Lifting Height

8 ft.

Chain Thickness

3/8"

Cargo Hook

Swivel hook with safety latch

Weight

approx. 20 lbs

Warranty

1 year

PROS

Due the small size of the chain hoist and the included bag it's easy to store it in a small garage or in a car.

CONS

A chrome finish may come off over time.

OUR VERDICT

This is a prime choice for working with not-too-heavy loads in cramped places. Thanks to its compact size, you can easily take it with you to another location which comes especially handy for on-call repairs.

detailed parameters
Type

Ratchet puller hoist

Maximum Lifting Weight

1/4 ton

Lifting Height

5-5/6 ft.

Chain Thickness

n/a

Cargo Hook

Swivel hook with safety latch

Weight

4.8 lbs

Warranty

1 year

PROS

An additional integral chain block reduces the amount of force required for lifting things up and down by almost half compared to the other models of its class.

CONS

The lower hook doesn't feature a swivel. 

OUR VERDICT

If you are looking for a simple and reliable pulley at an affordable price, then this is a go-to model. An inexpensive yet reliable choice for personal garage or warehouse needs.

detailed parameters
Type

Hand chain hoist

Maximum Lifting Weight

1 ton

Lifting Height

8 ft.

Chain Thickness

1/4"

Cargo Hook

Hook with safety latch

Weight

18 lbs

Warranty

Amazon's 30-day return policy

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XtremepowerUS Lever

A Fitting Choice for Various Needs

The XtremepowerUS Chain Hoist is equipped with a ratchet lever, which makes it an excellent purchase for warehouses, storage facilities, and for using on construction sites.

The bonus feature of the model is that it can be used both vertically when lifting the load up and horizontally when pulling things with a tractor or a car. Keep in mind, though, it's not too lightweight. Therefore, it might not be suitable for pulling another car on the road. The horizontal position is still useful for unrooting stubs from the ground or winching a fallen tree up the road.

Both hooks swivel and feature the OSHA-recommended self-closing safety latches, which allows its secure fixation and versatility of use.

The links are made of 20MN2 premium alloy steel with a heat-treated black oxide coating that adds to the corrosion resistance properties of the chain. Depending on the model, the capacity of the XtremepowerUS chain may vary within the range from 3/4 to 6 tons. The built-in brake system also allows you to lift up and suspend the load so that you could drive a truck underneath and lower the cargo back in without external assistance.

We also liked the fact that it has a comparatively long lever with a rubberized handle so that you could easily reach it above your head. A single crank of the ratchet lifts the cargo about 1" up. There's also a free-wheeling feature that allows you to manually pull the slacked chain.

Review of XtremepowerUS Lever
Last updated price $152.95
Stock In stock
ASIN B00EQDN6IA

 

Neiko Chain Hoist

Longer and Higher

The Neiko 02182A Chain Hoist is capable of lifting up to 1 ton at up to 15 ft. height, which comes handy in a wide range of commercial applications. The links are made of the heat-treated 20MN2 steel of high strength and wear-resistance which makes it a good choice for warehouses, mines, docks, and storehouses. The hoist also features a black oxide coating for enhanced stress resistance. Both hooks have OSHA-recommended safety latches. The gear block also features a simple mechanical brake to help you lift up and suspend the load but nothing too fancy.

Note, the lifting length of 15 feet limits the usage of the chain to the places where it is possible to set it high above the floor. Otherwise, you may end up with a huge pile of steel lying on the floor and bearing a potential hazard to workers and equipment. 
The reducer has 1:45 reduction ratio, meaning that in order to lift 2000 lbs up, you'd need to apply as much force as you'd've done lifting 44 lbs only. 

Concluding, this is a good choice for the facilities that require a heavy-duty, low-maintenance manual lift puller for working up to 1-ton loads.

Review of Neiko Chain Hoist
Last updated price $69.99
Stock In stock
ASIN B005OT375M

 

Torin TR9010

Strongman's Choice

The Torin TR9010 is a fine example of a reliable puller ready for some heavy duty. It will work best in a car workshop or a garage, where it'll be used to quickly lift up engines and other objects that weigh up to 1 ton.

The 8 ft. lifting capacity is long enough to use it for many different purposes. The presence of the OSHA-approved safety latches on both hooks allow you to securely fix the chain to the beam and cargo. However, keep in mind that the upper hook's arc is not too wide on the inside - only 1" or so. Anyhow, you can simply throw another chain around the beam and hang the block on its ends instead.

The load sheave with four precision machined chain pockets is built around roller bearings that deliver smooth and reliable performance and prevent the gear from wearing too quickly.

Overall, it's a fine choice for home garage, warehouse or workshop where you can use it for repairs, maintenance, or attaching the cutting decks to tractors or lawn mowers

Review of Torin TR9010 Chain Block
Last updated price $59.00
Stock In stock
ASIN B004PX1F9S

VIDEO
Torin TR9010 Chain Block 1 Ton
 

Roughneck Manual Lever

Small and Portable

If you were looking for a compact, lightweight hoist, here it is. This Roughneck manual puller with a lever has only 5-5/6 ft. lifting capacity, but is also incredibly lightweight - only 4.8 lbs.

Its head with a hook requires only 12" of space and the beam to hang it on, which makes it suitable for small rooms and confined premises. Additionally, it comes with a carrying bag for storage and transportation. Thus, you can keep it in a truck if you often go to the sites where you have to load/unload heavy objects like construction materials, packs of water bottles, and other things at up to 1/4-ton weight. Furthermore, this puller is very easy to handle. The free end of the chain is equipped with a special stopper that prevents it from sliding all the way out. The block has a ratchet lever that allows you to lift or lower the load without making much effort.

All in all, this small manual pulley is a fine solution for lifting average-weight materials at up to 1/4 tons.

Review of Roughneck Manual Lever
Last updated price $0.00
Stock May be out of stock
ASIN B00E5DPLMU

 

Black Bull

Slow and Steady

The CHOI1 has a 1-ton carrying capacity and can boast relatively small weight when compared to most other models with the same capacity. Owing to a fine gear ratio, with this chain, it's very easy to lift up large and heavy cargos, exerting a minimum force for doing this. It has become possible due to the additional integral tackle inside the head. This small change in the standard design reduces the force necessary to lift the load almost two times compared to the classical chain hoists. However, this solution has one slight disadvantage - the operational speed is also reduced by half. Thus, this model is more suitable for places where the speed of lifting the load up and down is less important than the ability to lift heavy weight with ease, like, for example, engines, tractors, snow blowers etc.

Review of Black Bull

Additional Info

    Manufacturer

Last updated price $57.88
Stock In stock
ASIN B0027Z2E0K

 

What is Chain Hoist

Chain hoists come handy when you need to lift something heavy up by suspending it from above. For example, load a heavy safe or iron pipes on a truck or take a car engine out for repair. These are the purposes a chain hoist is mostly used. The tool consists of a reducer, a chain, and two hooks. A hook that holds a reducer is usually attached either to a ceiling or a beam overhead, while the chained hook is used to secure the object that you’re about to lift or lower. Owing to the block and tackle system, it is possible to lift objects that are several times heavier than you could lift with just bare hands. The market offers chain hoists of different types to allow their use for various applications - from small maintenance jobs in workshops and farms to complicated assembly jobs at factories and industrial facilities.

Before we begin a detailed analysis of the hoist models, you may also want to take a look at our review on the best hand truck models used for pushing or pulling heavy items around big areas like stores, warehouses, etc.

If you are a car workshop owner, then you will also be interested in our picks of the torque wrenches for unscrewing most stubborn bolts in old trucks and cars.

Sources:

1. Hoist, Wikipedia. February 20, 2017.

2. Marshall Brain How a Block and Tackle Works, HowStuffWorks.

3. Materials Handling - Use of Materials Hoists, CCOHS.

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