Hank Miller is a hydraulic tools expert with over 20 years of experience in automotive repair and heavy equipment. He specializes in testing hydraulic jacks, car lifts, log splitters, and shop equipment for real-world performance and safety – and founded HydraulicToolsShop.com in 2020 to help American mechanics and DIYers avoid dangerous, low-quality tools.
Hank Miller
Lead Editor & Hydraulic Tools Expert
I’m not a salesman. I’m a mechanic.
If you are looking for a corporate press release, you are on the wrong website.
My name is Hank Miller. I grew up in the Rust Belt of Ohio — about 40 miles from where the steel mills used to run 24/7. My father ran a heavy equipment repair shop for 35 years. My playground wasn’t a park. It was the local scrapyard. By the time I was 12, I could bleed a brake line and spot a cracked frame by eye.
A mechanic is only as good as his tools. And a bad tool won’t just cost you money — it can cost you a finger.
I have spent more than two decades working on everything from pickup trucks and SUVs to commercial forklifts, mini excavators, and log processing equipment on working farms. I’ve tested dozens of hydraulic jacks in real garage conditions — on uneven concrete, in the cold, under vehicles that exceed their rated weight on the sticker. I have seen $5,000 lifts fail after one year and $50 bottle jacks still holding pressure 15 years later.
The difference was never the price. It was knowing what to look for.
Why I built this site
The tool market is broken. Search “hydraulic floor jack” on Amazon and you will see hundreds of products named ProLifter Ultra Heavy Duty Professional Grade XL. They all claim 3-ton capacity. They all have four-star ratings from accounts created last month.
Most of them are the same rebranded junk from the same three factories in Guangdong. I know this because I have bought them, lifted trucks with them, and watched them bleed down under load on a Saturday afternoon when the parts store is closed.
Someone close to me got hurt by a cheap jack that failed on a level driveway. Correct placement. Correct weight rating on paper. It still failed. I started HydraulicToolsShop.com in 2020 because I am not going to let that happen to you.
What I cover
I only cover hydraulic equipment — because that is where my expertise runs deep, and where bad buying decisions cause real, physical damage. Browse any category below for my latest reviews and buying guides:
I do not cover hand tools, cordless drills, or general hardware. Hydraulic tools only — because depth beats breadth when safety is on the line.
Three rules I don’t break
If a jack has documented seal failures at its rated capacity, I will not recommend it. A $79 floor jack that drops your truck is not a bargain. I follow OSHA vehicle safety guidelines as a baseline — anything that can’t meet that bar doesn’t make the list, no matter how cheap it is.
You do not need Snap-on for a home garage. I find the sweet spot: equipment tough enough for real-world usage, at prices that make sense for working mechanics and serious DIYers. A good car lift doesn’t have to cost $5,000.
If a lift has a dangerous installation quirk, I describe the exact problem with specifics. If a log splitter’s cycle time is slower than advertised, I say so with numbers. That is the only way this site is worth your time.
How this site makes money
- HydraulicToolsShop.com earns through the Amazon Associates program. When you click a link and buy, Amazon pays me a small commission. It costs you nothing extra — not one cent is added to your price.
- I only link to products I would actually recommend to someone I care about. The affiliate relationship never changes my recommendation. If a tool is junk, I say so — even if it sells ten thousand units a month.
- I have turned down paid placement requests from tool brands who wanted positive coverage in exchange for payment. It has never happened here and it never will.
- No sponsored posts. No brand deals. No hidden partnerships. My financial incentive and your safety incentive point in the same direction: I earn more when I help you buy the right tool.
Frequently asked questions
Hank Miller is a mechanic and hydraulic tools expert with over 20 years of experience in automotive repair and heavy equipment. He is the founder and lead editor of HydraulicToolsShop.com, based in Ohio, specializing in honest safety-focused reviews of hydraulic jacks, car lifts, log splitters, and related shop equipment.
Yes. HydraulicToolsShop.com has never accepted paid placements or sponsored reviews. The site earns only through Amazon Associates – a commission paid by Amazon, not by brands being reviewed. Paid placement requests from tool brands have been turned down.
Hank covers hydraulic equipment only: floor jacks, bottle jacks, scissor jacks, 2-post and 4-post car lifts, log splitters, pipe benders, rebar cutters, mini excavators, shop presses, engine hoists, and jack stands. Products he has personally used on the job are noted as “mechanic-tested.” All others are evaluated against spec sheets, service manuals, and real-world failure reports from trade forums.