Selecting a jack. How to choose and what to look for?

I have been working in the tooling industry for many years. For more than 10 years I have been traveling around the world, looking at how, what and where things are made, what kind of factories, technologies and so on.
I often see people choosing tools, asking each other for advice on how and what to choose, who has used what and what to pay attention to.

Today I would like to talk about jacks.

Types of jacks: mechanical, pneumatic and hydraulic. And today I will consider the topic of hydraulic jacks:Hydraulic jacks come in different types and kinds. The main two types that are used most often are jack stands and bottle jacks.A bottle jack is an excellent way to lift a load. The standard load capacity of such jacks is usually from 2 to 50 tons. But there are more powerful jacks up to 100 tons and more.
When choosing such a jack should pay attention to several things:

1.  technical characteristics.
2. lifting capacity and minimum and maximum lifting height.

Also when buying a jack, you should swing it and look at its hydraulic cylinder. If you notice any chips, scuffs, scratches on it, pass it by. Superficial damage to the hydraulic cylinder leads to leaks and breakdowns.

Is a bottle jack used to lift cars? Of course they are, but then why do you need a jack-up jack. The answer is quite simple. The bottle jack has a rather small support. Because of its small size, the jack may not be stable. Plus, when lifting the car, it moves a little and the load on the jack is not vertical, but a little displaced. A jack stands under the car when lifting and the load is always vertical.

Rolling jacks can be divided into large and small jacks. In English they are even called slightly different names. Floor Jack - "floor jack" and Garage Jack - "garage jack". How do they differ? Answer: the weight of the jack itself, the size of the jack, and the different lifting and jacking heights.

Floor jacks are small jacks that are the most popular type of jack among car enthusiasts for personal and home use. Because of its affordability in price and ease of use.