Samantha Reed

Pulling an engine without a load leveler feels like wrestling a wild animal. I learned this the hard way years ago when a V8 tilted mid-lift and nearly clipped my fender. That day I swore off skipping this essential engine hoist accessory. After testing and comparing dozens of options across my garage and a friend’s … Read more

I used to dread working under my cars. After my 40th oil change on a creeper, my back finally had enough, and I knew it was time to look at mobile scissor lifts for my home garage. I spent three months testing and researching the best mobile scissor lifts for cars on the market, and … Read more

I spent the last three months in my garage with ten different portable car lifts, hoisting everything from a Civic to my neighbor’s F-150. The cold concrete and tired back that sent me down this rabbit hole now feels like a distant memory. Portable car lifts changed the way I work on my cars. I … Read more

I spent the last three months helping my brother-in-law set up his home garage workshop, and the centerpiece of that build was a two post car lift. After crawling under his garage, measuring ceiling clearances, calling manufacturers, and watching him wrestle 1,450 pounds of steel columns through his garage door, I came away knowing more … Read more

I spent the last three months talking to professional mechanics, garage builders, and weekend wrenchers to figure out which four post car lifts actually live up to the hype. After reviewing eight of the most popular models on the market, I have a clear picture of what works for home garages, what works for professional … Read more

A mid-rise scissor lift is a hydraulic lifting device that raises vehicles between 36 and 48 inches for routine maintenance like oil changes, brake jobs, and undercarriage inspections. After testing 8 models in my own garage over the past 90 days, I picked the KATOOL AK-X85 as the best overall mid-rise scissor lift for . … Read more

I spent the last three months testing 10 of the best cordless impact wrenches on rusty farm equipment, stubborn truck lug nuts, and my own aging SUV. I lost skin to a recalcitrant axle nut, killed three batteries, and pulled more bolts than I care to count. After 90 days and roughly 2,400 fastening cycles, … Read more

A high torque cordless impact wrench is the quickest way to free stubborn lug nuts, corroded suspension fasteners, and axle hardware without dragging an air hose across the shop. The best high torque cordless impact wrenches pair serious breakaway force with useful controls, because maximum output alone can twist off a bolt or leave an … Read more

If you have ever wrestled with a stuck lug nut using a breaker bar until your arms went numb, you already know why a good impact wrench is non-negotiable. After spending eight weeks testing eight different cordless impact wrenches in my own garage on everything from lawn mower blades to truck tire rotations, I can … Read more

I spent the last three months putting eight 1 inch impact wrenches through their paces in my shop. I broke loose lug nuts that had been rusted on for years, pulled semi-truck axle bolts, and ran each tool until I knew exactly where it shined and where it fell apart. This guide to the best … Read more