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Working solo has its perks—I can take my time, do things the way I like, and play ACDC as loud as I want. But it also has its challenges, like when I need to lift something heavy and there’s no one around to help. That’s where DeWalt’s ToughSeries Construction Jack comes in. It lifts items up to 340 pounds using hand squeezes or foot pumps.
The DeWalt jack earned a spot in Bob Vila’s 2024 Tool of the Year competition as one of the best new hand tools—a well-deserved recognition.
Initially, I figured I’d use the jack primarily to lift and snug a bottom row of drywall panels against an upper row, and it’s great for that, but the more I used it, the more I realized it could be indispensable for many projects. And its usefulness extends from the jobsite to the home, where it can be used to lift appliances for leveling or raise a corner of a riding mower for changing a tire.
I tested the DeWalt jack for lifting heavy objects, including a large file cabinet, a garage tool chest, heavy furniture, and more. I used it to lift a heavy wood door and hold it at just the right height to slip it on its hinges. The nice thing about lifting the door was that I could use my foot to raise it to the correct height—each foot pump seemed to lift the door another ¼ inch—and my hands were free to maneuver the door. That’s so much handier than bracing the door on tuna cans (yes, I’ve done that).
The DeWalt jack has a max lift height of 8 ¾ inches, and the lifting plate is tapered, so it slips easily under most items. However, if there’s no room between the object and the floor—as with my file cabinet—you may have to tip the object back slightly to slide the lifting plate underneath. It will only lift one edge of large-format items, which is often sufficient to reach underneath to clean or retrieve a dropped item.
There are two ways to release the lift pressure on the jack. The safest way is to use the thumb lever located above the foot pump and press it repeatedly to lower the jack in small increments. Once there’s no more weight on the lift plate, press the release button on the top of the jack, and you can slide the jack freely up and down the shaft.
After testing the DeWalt ToughSeries jack, I had to make a tough decision: Where to keep it? Should it go in the garage for lawn and garden projects, in my truck tool box for quick lifts on the jobsite, or in the utility room for lifting heavy furniture to clean beneath? I won’t keep you guessing—it’s in the utility room, but I found it useful enough that I plan to buy a second one for my tool box, because the DeWalt jack is still my top pick for lifting drywall panels.
Where to Buy the DeWalt ToughSeries Construction Jack
