Working on a vehicle in your home garage can be a bit of a challenge, particularly if you lack a ramp or floor jack. You may find yourself crunched under your car or truck while lying on nothing more than an old, grimy plastic tarp, which can be extremely uncomfortable. To make your life easier, consider investing in a mechanic’s creeper. These handy little devices come in a couple styles and are designed to slide easily under your vehicle, potentially saving you from severe back and neck pain.
To help you find the best car creeper available, we’ve come up with a list of options that are sure to lessen the stress you encounter when repairing your car or truck at home.
Our Methodology
In our quest to find the best car creepers, we took many factors into consideration. We made sure to select the best options from well-known brands. We focused on products with established reputations. We made sure to select items in a wide range of prices to suit a variety of budgets. We also made sure the creepers were designed with high-quality materials and were designed to last, so you don’t waste your time and money on a product that falls apart after a short period of use. We also checked consumer feedback to see how these perform in real-world conditions. While we didn’t have the opportunity to test each one of these mechanic’s creepers, we did the research to make sure they are built tough, provide good clearance, and worth the investment. For more information on our methodology, go here.
- Best Overall: Pro-Lift 40-Inch Creeper
- Best Value: Performance Tool Adjustable Mechanics Creeper
- Premium Pick: Omega Low-Profile Z-Creeper
- Best for SUVs: Torin Big Red Rolling Garage/Shop Creeper
- Honorable Mention: Lisle Car Creeper
Best Car Creepers Reviews & Recommendations
The Pro-Lift Foldable Z-Creeper is one of the most versatile seats for professional mechanics and DIYers. This creeper is designed to slip under your cars to help you work on them with the utmost premium comfort and support. The Pro-Lift is a two-in-one creeper and designed to convert easily from a folded Z shape seat to an unfolded creeper. You can easily fold it into a mechanic’s chair to work on the upper parts of the car or retract the pin to unfold it into a creeper to work on the underside.
This creeper’s sturdy steel-frame construction lends durability and strength to the Pro-Lift, and it can easily carry up to 450 pounds. The size of the seat is about 14 by 12.25 inches, and the seat is equipped with a thick padded bed and header to provide you with comfort while you get the job done. Another great feature is the six 3-inch polyurethane caster wheels that allow multidirectional movement.
- Brand Pro Lift
- Weight capacity 450 pounds
- Weight 23.1 pounds
Creeper and mechanic’s chair
Padded seats and headers
Durable steel frame
Higher profile
Instructions lacking
If you’re on a budget and don’t want to spend a lot of money, we recommend the Performance Tool Adjustable Mechanic’s Creeper. The creeper is 40 inches long by 20 inches high, but you can adjust the seat height from 15 to 20 inches. The headrest has three positions you can change using a lever. It and the deck are also padded and cushioned for comfort.
The creeper is made with heavy-duty, powder-coated tubular steel. The six 2 1/2-inch casters are designed to swivel 360 degrees for optimal maneuverability. Overall, it’s well made and fully assembled out of the box. The casters are very smooth and work very well, but there is no way to lock them in place, so it can be challenging to keep the creeper in one spot.
- Brand Performance Tool
- Weight capacity 300 pounds
- Weight 10 pounds
Adjustable headrest
Heavy-duty construction
Thick, padded cushions
Inexpensive
Wheels don’t lock in place
Too small for larger users
The Omega is another low-profile two-in-one creeper that is perfect for auto shops and home garages. Mostly used by professional mechanics, it can easily fold up into a Z-shaped chair that will help you do all kinds of tiring automotive work while seated comfortably. It can unfold into a low-profile creeper to get under the lowest of cars for extra workspace and the thick padded cushions and bed allow for superior comfort while you get the job done. The size of the creeper is about 40 by 26 by 4.25 inches.
Equipped with six swivel caster wheels, the Omega is extremely portable and mobile. You can move in all directions when you’re under the car. It is constructed using a heavy-duty steel frame that lends comfort and durability to the seat. The overall capacity of the chair is about 450 pounds, which is ideal.
- Brand Omega
- Weight capacity 450 pounds
- Weight 27 pounds
Two-in-one design
Six swivel casters
Thick, padded cushions
Black paint may flake off
A little heavy
The Torin Big Red Rolling Garage is for those professional mechanics who tend to work on vehicles bigger than cars. For those who tend to feel suffocated in the small-sized creepers, the Torin creeper can be a welcome savior. It is designed with a steel frame that provides durability to the structure so that it can support the mechanic’s weight.
The 40-inch seat has a headrest that can be adjusted to four positions, and the adjustable headrest allows you to choose a balance of comfort and support. The headrest boasts an extra layer of padded foam for added comfort.
Also featured are six rotating or swivel casters that are flexible and multidirectional to allow freedom of movement. The padded bench is covered with a red vinyl cover that imparts extra strength, protection, and durability to the whole creeper. The Torin ensures that all those hours spent toiling under your car are as comfortable as possible.
- Brand Torin
- Weight capacity 250 pounds
- Weight 16 pounds
Adjustable headset
Durable cover
Six wheels
Padded for comfort
Not for uneven surfaces
Fasteners must be regularly tightened
This creeper by Lisle is marketed to professionals. The Lisle Company has been a name in the automotive industry for more than a century. Their robust and high-quality tools are what makes them so reliable. This creeper by Lisle is marketed to professionals. Equipped with a body-fitting design, it was manufactured after rigorous testing on different body forms to ensure it was comfortable for all. The unique design allows for better comfort and support by fitting to your natural body shape, and the body of the creeper is about two inches longer to provide a great fit.
Included are urethane rollers for added durability. The surface is easy to clean and is solvent, grease, and fuel resistant. It features a very low profile with a 7/8-inch clearance to help you get under the lowest of cars and increase your workspace. The weight capacity is about 350 pounds, and it is available in five other colors.
- Brand Lisle
- Weight capacity 350 pounds
- Weight 11.1 pounds
Our Verdict
Our pick for the best car creeper is the Pro-Lift 40-Inch Creeper. We like the two-in-one design that allows it to be converted into a seat. It also accommodates 450 pounds and is padded for comfort. For a more budget-friendly option, consider the Performance Tool Adjustable Mechanics Creeper.
What to Consider When Buying Car Creepers
There are several factors you should consider before purchasing a car creeper. Make sure it’s built of heavy-duty materials and is comfortable to use for long periods of time. Also, check to see how maneuverable and portable it is. In addition, make sure it has enough ground clearance to get under your vehicle safely and efficiently.
Material
Always ensure you buy the best quality creeper. Some come with plywood bodies. Those are not very durable and tend to break. Plastic ones are of mediocre quality but can be very affordable. The steel frame creepers are the sturdiest and most durable.
Comfort
The purpose of the creeper is to provide you with maximum comfort while you work under your car. Be sure to buy a padded one as they help prevent back issues in addition to providing superior comfort. Ensure that plastic ones are contoured and not flat.
Mobility
You need to consider the surface you will be working on. If it is a rough surface such as asphalt, buy one with larger wheels. Otherwise, a small-wheeled one will satisfy your needs.
Portability
Ensure that you buy a creeper that is portable. Chances are your regular customers might call you out on the road and you might need to take it with you.
Clearance
Clearance is an important feature to consider as well. A low-profile clearance will suit you better as it provides you with more space to work in. Higher ones might be better when working for taller vehicles such as trucks.
Pricing
Mechanics car creepers are available at a wide range of prices. Some of the cheaper versions cost less than $60. They may be blow-molded construction or traditional deck construction with padded support. They are fairly basic in design but get the job done. More expensive, premium picks can cost more than $100. Many of these creepers feature a two-in-one design that allows them to be used as mechanic’s chairs as well as creepers, but you have to pay a little extra for this versatility. You also have to pay more for creepers that include other accessories, such as jacks or jack stands.
FAQs
Car Autance answers all your burning questions.
A: Creepers are low-profile, wheeled support systems that let you slide underneath your vehicle on your back in order to make repairs. They’re also called mechanics creepers or garage creepers.
A: There are several good-quality creeper brands, including Performance Tool, Torin, and Lisle. You really can’t go wrong with any of our top picks.
A: Yes, particularly if you have back problems. Many of these products are padded for comfort and are great for DIYers who need to change oil or do other maintenance and repairs on their vehicles.
Sources:
- Creeper – Wikipedia