To lift weights safely and effortlessly, here are the best electric hoists on the market for a home and business use and how to choose the best model based on your needs.
An electric hoist is an indispensable tool for lifting weights, work or sports equipment, lumber, furniture, household appliances, large food packages, etc. Without an electric hoist, many operations would be impossible and others hazardous.
To lift heavy loads, the professional electric hoist is essential in workshops, carpentries, warehouses, and other company locations. The hoist has spread among electric tools, even in homes, to transport weights from one floor to another.
For example, in homes without a lift, an electric hoist or manual hoist is used to carry groceries, wood, furniture, and any other heavy object that would require exaggerated effort. Not to mention that even when there is an elevator, it is not easy, if not impossible, to transport bulky objects such as furniture or wood.
Table of Contents
How to choose an electric hoist: Types and Characteristics
Among the various electric winches, we find rope or chain hoists. An electric motor powers both and can lift weights from 220 lbs to several tons, securing the load with a safety hook.
The hoist is fixed on a wall or scaffolding. Some can clip onto a bar to allow horizontal movement and cover a larger area. They are managed by remote control. They are simple and intuitive as you know all the functions and features.
Load Capacity
The load capacity is one of the most important characteristics for choosing the best electric hoist. Therefore, we must consider what we will need for the hoist and what loads to lift.
If we need the hoist to lift bicycles, water crates, or wood from the balcony, we can rely on a load capacity between 2752 and 550 lbs. On the other hand, if we have to lift furniture or appliances, we choose an electric hoist of 1,100 lbs or more. Finally, if we work in the garage or workshop with equipment and mechanical parts, we need a hoist with a load capacity of over 2,200 lbs.
The manufacturer indicates the load capacity is directly related to motor power and cable thickness. So the more powerful the motor, the thicker the cable, and the more the load capacity increases.
Furthermore, the electric hoist works with a pulley system, and even in the most basic models, it can use the same cable in a double line to distribute the weight over its entire length.
This allows you to increase the load capacity further. This is why we often find an indication of a load capacity of 275 lbs with a single cable and 550 lbs with a double cable, or 550 lbs and 1,100 lbs6, 1,320 lbs, and 2,650 lbs, and so on. This aspect leads us to consider the length of the cable and the lifting height.
Characteristics of the cable or rope
The rope in the electric hoist is a sturdy steel cable that must respect some characteristics.
- Lifting length and height: In household electric hoists, the most common length is 40 feet. Used twice, the cable can lift twice the weight. The lifting height is halved in this way, which becomes 20 feet. Thus, the same hoist can lift 275 lbs for 40 feet or 550 lbs for 20 feet. Or 1,100 lbs in 40 feet and 2,200 lbs in 20 feet, and so on, so to buy the best electric hoist that suits your needs, you need to evaluate the required load capacity and the lifting height.
- Cable thickness: The cable’s thickness increases as the motor power increase, so we have a thicker cable in the more powerful hoists. The cable thickness measures 0.1 inches in the smallest hoists and 0.25-0.3 inches in the more powerful hoists.
- Resistance: A greater thickness also indicates greater resistance of the cable. This indicates the weight that the cable can bear before the breaking point. This figure should not be confused with the load capacity. For example, we can have a resistance of 5,500 lbs compared to a load capacity of 2,200 lbs.
- Anti-rotation: The cable’s shape prevents the latter from rotating on itself, causing dangerous load oscillations in motion.
Engine power
Engine power is essential to lift weighty loads and use the hoist continuously. The best electric hoists have power exceeding 1000 watts, resulting in load capacity. They can also use them for several hours.
These motors are usually protected against overload, power surges, and overheating. A smaller hoist with a 500-watt motor lifts smaller loads and often needs rest between loads.
Lifting speed
The lifting speed is indicated in meters per minute. The most common range is between 13 feet/min and 32 feet/min. The same hoist can work at different speeds depending on the load’s weight and the lifting height.
Degree of protection
If the hoist is placed in a dusty or humid environment, consider the degree of protection. The degree of protection indicates the ability of the hoist to resist water and foreign bodies.
The materials and the cover of the hoist itself give this resistance. The degrees of resistance are distinguished through a classification with the initials IP.
For example, from IP40 to IP44, the hoist is resistant to at least 1 mm foreign bodies, while from IP50 to IP68, it is resistant to dust. This data is fundamental for dusty environments such as carpentries and outside the houses, as the dust, the wind carries could compromise the operation.
If, instead, we consider the second digit, all the IPs ending with 3 (from IP23 to IP63) resist water drops, the IPs ending with 4 (IP24-34-44-54) resist splashing water, while IPs ending in 5 waves, and so on.
This is fundamental for deciding where to place the hoist; for example, on the balcony, it could get wet in the rain, or in any case, it is affected by humidity at night.
Insulation class
The insulation class indicates the maximum bearable temperatures given by the ambient temperature and the motor’s heating temperature. For example, insulation class B is the most common electric hoist for domestic use and guarantees operation at 104°F of ambient temperature and 265°F of maximum admissible temperature.
Electric hoist and safety
Working with heavy loads and lifting equipment exposes you to safety risks. First, it is necessary to check where to position the electric hoist properly. Second, the scaffolding or the wall it will fix must be sturdy and safe to withstand the expected load.
Then it is necessary to consider the lifting height and verify that a possible fall of the load is not dangerous for people or harmful to things. (for example, if you place the hoist on the balcony).
When using the hoist, it is necessary to use suitable containers and arrange the load homogeneously, for example, when transporting several objects such as wood or shopping. In any case, correctly secure the load to the hook. Finally, we see the safety systems integrated with the electric hoist, having taken all the precautions.
Remote controller
The use of wireless remote control is developing in the best models of professional electric hoists. However, most models still have the remote control with the cable, usually at least one meter long. The remote control aims to move away from the loading and unloading area to prevent accidents.
Emergency stop
The emergency button on the remote control is a safety braking system that immediately blocks uphill and downhill operations. For example, if the load wobbles, you either realize it is too heavy or badly placed, or the cable wraps incorrectly around the drum.
Engine brake
The motor is equipped with a brake to prevent the load from falling too fast or falling by gravity. In the event of an emergency stop or if the up and down buttons are not activated, and in the event of a lack of motive power (for example, due to a blackout), a disc brake keeps the load stationary at any point of the descent or ascent.
Limit switch brake
The hoist has an automatic brake system, both uphill and downhill. Downhill, the stroke stops to keep at least two turns of rope around the drum; this avoids excessive stress on the structure. Uphill, the stroke stops before the hook makes contact with the drum.
The Best Electric Hoists to Buy
We have selected ten products to choose the best electric hoist that suits your needs. Below is the selection of the best electric hoists with their respective characteristics and prices.
- 3-in-1 Control Methods: Meet our versatile electric hoist with 3 control modes. Get...
- 200 ft Wireless Remote Control: Our electric hoist winch's wireless remote reaches an...
- 1500W High Power: Power up with our portable electric winch's 1500W motor – a balance of...
- 440 lbs Load Capacity: This garage lifting machine can easily lift small engines,...
- Powerful Motor: The high-quality copper motor provides 480W of strong power, which can...
- Convenient to Install: It can be directly hanged on the ceiling using metal or solid...
- DURABLE DESIGN - Constructed of a sturdy steel shell and heavy-duty mounting clamps,...
- EASY OPERATION - Built with a powerful electric motor and a control panel that has an...
- 2 MODES OF OPERATION - Designed with a sheaved pulley lift hook for dual-line operation,...
- 1320LBS LOAD CAPACITY: The high-quality Cooper motor provides 1150W of strong power that...
- SAFETY FIRST: The motor runs quietly and will not overheat due to its excellent material...
- STURDY DESIGN: The electric hoist is constructed of a sturdy steel shell and heavy-duty...
- 2200 lbs Load Capacity: This garage lifting machine can easily lift small engines,...
- Powerful Motor: The high-quality copper motor provides 1600W of strong power, which can...
- Convenient to Install: It can be directly hanged on the ceiling using metal or solid...
- 【THREE CONTROL METHODS】Easily lift heavy objects with our versatile 3-in-1 electric...
- 【HIGH SECURITY】 Power Winch Crane is equipped with an industrial limit switch, cutting...
- 【Overload Protection】 Elevate your operations effortlessly with our sophisticated Lift...
- 3-in-1 High-end Configuration: Equipped with wireless remote control (23A 12V battery not...
- Enhanced Safety Features: Features a safety limit switch that automatically cuts power to...
- Industrial Grade Materials: Utilizes a high-efficiency pure copper motor with multiple...
- 【3-in-1 Control Methods】1. Manual control--convenient to operate next to the machine;...
- 【High-Strength Lifting Hook】Our electric hoist's high-strength lifting hook is a game...
- 【Strong Motor】This portable winch uses a 1500W universal motor, which is characterized...
- 3-IN-1 CONTROL METHOD: Easily lift heavy loads with our versatile electric hoist winch!...
- HIGH SECURITY: Equipped with an industrial limit switch, our hoist winch automatically...
- STURDY AND DURABLE: Constructed with an aluminum housing, copper motor, galvanized steel...
- [ SPECIFICATION ]-- The electric winch hoist features the galvanized steel wire cable,...
- [3 IN 1 DESIGN] -- High-end configuration featuring three control methods: wireless remote...
- [ POWERFUL MOTOR ]-- We offer the all-copper motor with 1500W powerful and high working...
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