Don’t get too down and dirty. Even your work spot should have its own wheels.
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Getting down and dirty is part of a wrench’s lifestyle, but a great mechanic’s creeper will keep you off the grimy floor and closer to your task. Mechanics creepers — also referred to as dollies or shop creepers — are invaluable goodies for any garage, no matter how small the jobs. Smooth rollers help you scoot in and out, while its elevated backrest keeps you clean. Or, well, as clean as you’re going to get working under your project, or in my case, a RADwood-era Nissan with a nasty habit of sweating oil. It’s a dense market, so how do you spot the right one?
Enter The Drive’s guide to the best mechanics creepers on sale today. From budget-minded plastic trays on wheels to elaborate bundle sets and folding dollies, we’ve got a product for you. So scroll on through, happy shopping, and take a gander at your next mechanics creeper.
BIG RED AR7565B Torin Rolling Shop Creeper
Pittsburgh Automotive Low-Profile Creeper
Creepex Fastback PRO
This buyers guide to the best shop creepers has been primarily curated through extensive research, with methodical dives into manufacturer specs and, most importantly, real-world consumer experiences. We emphasized overall quality and usability while ignoring products with rampant build-quality issues or little-to-no consumer feedback. Amazon functioned as our primary hub of information. However, other major retailers such as JEGS, Harbor Freight, and numerous manufacturer sites also proved to be invaluable sources of specs and customer input.
As always, readers are welcome to come and learn more about how The Drive curates its buyers guides and product reviews.
Best Overall
Pros
Commendable strength and robustness despite split design
Splits in two or can be stacked into a chair
Shorter dimensions and ability to fold make it wonderfully compact
Versatile for a variety of jobs and vehicles
Cons
Just okay load capacity
Perhaps a tad short for larger individuals
Minor build quality hiccups with casters
Best Value
Pros
Commendable overall quality for the price
Humongous price gap between similar yet pricier competitors
Padded headrest is a nice touch
Integrated bolt trays
Cons
No padding for hard plastic material
Uh, difficult to nitpick for such a bargain?
A few quality concerns regarding caster mounting
Honorable Mention
Pros
Immense load capacity
Built-in work light
Big wheels can roll over junk better
Wheel fenders couple as integrated bolt trays
Cons
Painful price tag
No sideways scooting
Questionable shape may inhibit large individuals
Best Folding Creeper
Pros
Outstanding choice for tight garages
Highly agreeable price
Tough construction
Cons
Maybe a little short for larger individuals
Hard, tiny wheels are a little rough over broken flooring
No in-between setting for inclined seating
Best Creeper Combo Set
Pros
Magnetic trays included
Contoured shape with headrest
Seat contains extra bolt trays and two tool drawers
A superb bargain versus buying the items individually
Cons
Lack of padding may be an ergonomic hiccup
Magnetic trays aren’t secured when left on creeper
Best For Low Cars
Pros
One of the lightest and most low-profile designs
Not-terrible price, especially with sales discounts
Strong load capacity
Surprising comfort
Cons
Pricing can get steep without discounts
No frills for its loftier price
The BIG RED AR7565B Torin is a solid winner for its well-roundedness and appreciable versatility. It has earned itself great reception for its combination of quality and usability in a small, reconfigurable package. If you’re willing to sling some serious dough, the Creepex Fastback PRO will reward remarkable durability, strength, and ability to traverse the bumpiest garage floors. Conversely, the Pittsburgh Low-Profile Creeper is a cheap and cheerful choice for the frugal-minded home mechanic.
You’ve got questions. The Drive has answers.
A: Creepers let you easily slide in and out from under your car to quickly access work points without dragging yourself along the floor, dirtying up your clothes. Some designs even incline to reach higher points comfortably or fold into seats for working inside wheel wells, for example.
A: As far as garage goodies go, mechanics creepers are far from the most expensive things you could buy. Expect the most premium, high-quality creepers to hover between $70 to $150, increasing with strength, ergonomics, and sometimes the number of gimmicks. The JEGS Low-Profile creeper typically runs about $80, but the featured bundle deal can be yours for $165. The unique Creepex creeper is a heartache-inducing $245. Our Best Overall-winning BIG RED typically stickers for a reasonable $64 before Amazon sales discounts and our Best Value-winning Pittsburgh rings in a far more palatable $40 from Harbor Freight.
A: Wheels/Casters: How many wheels or casters do they have, and how big are they? It seems like the simplest detail to wheeled slabs, such as shop creepers, but the finer details can make or break products. More wheels or casters better distribute weight, improving longevity and reducing flex. Larger wheels and casters can traverse over trash and broken flooring with little hindrance. While wheels can be made larger for zipping right over rocks or electrical cords, casters allow for 360-degree rotation so you can easily scoot in any direction. Most creepers will choose rotating casters over basic wheels.
Backrest Padding: This is probably the first thing you’ll notice when taking a gander at any shop creeper online. Half of the products available may be bare plastic in a bid to improve compactness and keep costs down, but this allows manufacturers to get creative.
Many shop creepers are contoured to better fit the body, complete with dips for shoulders. Some backrests may be flanked with niceties like bolt trays or built-in work lights. Padded creepers will often be straight and basic in their design but may use memory foam extensively to improve comfort. Depending on each user’s body, chances are these will be the most comfortable for prolonged stints underneath your fixer-upper. Just mind the metal bars of the frame.
Folding: Is your creeper a static slab, or does it have a degree of flexibility? Unique designs that are increasingly popular allow users to sit at an incline to reach higher points in their undercarriage more comfortably. Some can completely transform into miniature chairs and shop stools when working elsewhere under the car. Adding extra moving parts could arguably compromise build quality, but many folding shop creepers are no less reliable than their fixed counterparts, at least in the hands of the weekend home mechanic.
A: Low-profile creepers, making up a sizable chunk of the market, are highly prevalent. They’re defined by incredibly low ride heights with minimal ground clearance for giving you that extra inch or two to squeeze underneath most modern cars. Some may be padded, but most are contoured plastic.
A: Best practice would be to stand them up in corners where they won’t be knocked over or inhibit your work environment. Many creepers will have a grab handle, enabling you to hang them on wall-mounted storage hooks, keeping them off the floor and preventing them from being a tripping hazard.
Our reviews are driven by a combination of hands-on testing, expert input, “wisdom of the crowd” assessments from actual buyers, and our own expertise. We always aim to offer genuine, accurate guides to help you find the best picks.
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