Every pallet jack gets a score from 0 to 100% built from five factors, which maps onto the 5-point rating shown on the site (a 0% score would be 1.5 stars; a perfect score, 5). Each factor is scored against fixed reference points, not against the other products in the list, so adding a new model never moves another model’s rating. Jacks are grouped into hand jacks up to 5,500 lb, heavy-duty hand jacks over 5,500 lb, and electric jacks. Value and capacity use separate reference points for hand and electric jacks, because the two sell at very different prices.
| Factor | Measures | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Value | price per 1,000 lb of rated capacity | 30% |
| Capacity | rated lifting capacity | 20% |
| Fork height | lowered fork height (lower fits more pallets) | 10% |
| Features | hand jacks: overload valve, integrated pump, foot pedal, lead-in rollers; electric: swappable battery, turtle mode, emergency reverse, freezer rating | 25% |
| Warranty | warranty length | 15% |
Where the numbers come from
Capacity, fork size, heights, wheels, battery and warranty come from the maker’s own copy on the retail listing or its spec sheet. Prices are checked at Amazon and the maker’s own store, and the lowest price at a store the page links to is used.
The factors
Value is the current price divided by the rated capacity, in dollars per 1,000 lb, on a log scale, so halving the price always counts the same. For a hand jack, $200 per 1,000 lb scores zero and $45 full marks. For an electric jack, $900 scores zero and $300 full marks.
Capacity is the rated capacity. For a hand jack 4,000 lb scores zero and 9,000 lb full marks; for an electric jack 3,000 lb scores zero and 5,000 lb full marks.
Fork height is the lowered fork height: 3.5 in scores zero and 2.75 in full marks. A lower fork slides under low-profile pallets.
Features is 25% for each of four items. For a hand jack: an overload valve, an integrated one-piece pump, a foot lowering pedal, and tapered forks with lead-in rollers. For an electric jack: a swappable battery, a turtle mode for slow upright driving, an emergency reverse button, and a freezer rating.
Warranty is the maker’s warranty: 1 year scores zero and 3 years full marks.
What isn’t scored
Weight, raised height, wheel material, steer wheel size, battery voltage and capacity, travel speed, turning radius, a built-in scale and release date are listed but not scored.
Missing data
If a figure isn’t published, that factor gets the neutral middle score (50) and the product page marks it as estimated. Features score neutral only when none of them is published; a feature the maker doesn’t mention otherwise counts as absent. The exception is warranty: a maker that doesn’t publish one gets no warranty counted, so that factor scores zero, the same as a one-year warranty, and is marked estimated.
Ties and discontinued models
Products are ranked by score within each group. Discontinued models stay listed but rank below every current model and can be hidden with the “Hide discontinued” filter.