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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 mechanic’s creeper.
Summary List
- Best Overall: BIG RED AR7565B Torin Rolling Shop Creeper
- Best Value: Pittsburgh Low-Profile Creeper
- Honorable Mention: Creepex Fastback PRO
- Best Folding: JEGS 2-In-1 Folding Creeper and Z-Seat
- Best Combo Set: JEGS Low-Profile Creeper and Mechanic Seat Set
- Best For Low Cars: Pro Lift Plastic Creeper
Our Methodology
This buyer’s 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 buyer’s guides and product reviews.
Best Mechanic’s Creepers: Reviews & Recommendations
Best Overall: BIG RED AR7565B Torin Rolling Shop Creeper
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
A unique take on a past buyers guide favorite, the BIG RED AR7565B Torin is one of the most acclaimed and well-made shop creepers on sale. Confusion aside, that complex jumble of numbers and letters denotes the ability to split into two, a handy feature if you just need something compact. Users can then stack the two halves into a single seat, ingenious for working on wheels and suspension at home or merely stowing on a shelf. Even among the most unimpressed consumers, strong built quality draws frequent praise. Its low height also makes it low-profile enough for working in especially tight places. On top of all of that versatility, this creeper stickers at an inviting $64. However, ongoing sales at the time of writing have bumped that down to around $55.
Most complaints are minor ergonomic hiccups. The padding works for most consumers, but a few have cited it as a tad too thin. The spacing of the frame’s steel bars and the near-35-inch length make the BIG RED Torin a tad tight for some larger individuals, as does the 250-pound load capacity. In one instance, casters were noted to back themselves loose after some time.
Best Value: Pittsburgh Low-Profile Creeper
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
If you’re not into gimmicks and frills, the Pittsburgh Automotive Low-Profile Creeper is an excellent choice for the budget-minded. For $40, there are no big wheels, built-in LEDs, or a mattress-worth of memory foam; just a good old slab of plastic and wheels — but you get a cushioned headrest as a treat.
The Pittsburgh mechanic’s creeper has been lauded for its value, sacrificing little in quality and functionality despite the low price tag. You still get six sizable and reportedly-silky casters for rolling over debris and broken pavement, and the backrest is contoured for added comfort and a lower profile. A 300-pound capacity doesn’t sound too bad either, edging out a few of the more expensive items in this guide. Integrated into the sides of the backrest are nifty cutouts for storing tools or hardware when working, meaning no more ditching bolts on the floor, just to lose them eventually.
It’s hard for critics and average buyers to pick apart such a strong bargain. Perhaps the biggest gripe is a lack of backrest padding for added comfort. Few and far between are rare instances of casters and caster mounting areas cracking under the weight of larger users.
Honorable Mention: Creepex Fastback PRO
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
Creepex has wares if you have coin. The Creepex Fastback PRO is a special take on typical mechanic’s creepers, with contoured support via fenders that envelop massive wheels for rolling over anything the shop floor has to throw at it. Loose tools and electrical cords should be a nonissue. The compact size makes it easy to stow, and Creepex will include a storage hook as part of a bundle or sold separately.
While admittedly goofy looking, the Creepex has drawn a positive reception for a sturdy design that supports great weight. Kudos to the large wheels and immense 500-pound capacity. The fenders keep sleeves or loose shirts from snagging on the wheels, and one consumer was particularly smitten with the ability to adjust ride height for a lower profile, a feature not mentioned in the listing.
So it’s not all a massive gimmick, and the Creepex creeper can actually pride itself on strength and functionality. The real question is if you can justify the nosebleed price of $250 to snag one for yourself. On top of that, the wheels are just that: wheels. That means there’s no 360-degree rotation for scooting in whichever direction you may need to go.
Best Folding: JEGS 2-In-1 Folding Creeper and Z-Seat
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
The JEGS 2-In-1 Folding Creeper and Z-Seat will satisfy tight shops — or just tight budgets — that don’t compromise between buying a shop seat or a mechanic’s creeper. As it’s so elegantly named, the JEGS Z-Seat can fold from a fairly-standard, six-caster dolly into a compact stool. The padded headrest becomes a seat while the backrest repurposes itself into a floor for resting tools and hardware. And despite adding more moving parts, overall strength and quality are top-notch, even if the length is a little short for some. Even large users, once cozy on the 36-inch length, have had little to no issues over extended periods of time, earning its 300-pound rating.
As for drawbacks, a third configuration where the creeper can rest in an incline position would be appreciable, perhaps in an updated model. And the casters drew a few slaps on the wrist for their minuscule size, making them not that suitable for broken garage flooring or brick driveways. One consumer referred others to the BIG RED Torin for its slightly larger wheels being better accustomed to rough floors.
Best Combo Set: JEGS Low-Profile Creeper and Mechanic Seat 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
Who doesn’t love a good deal? The JEGS Low-Profile Creeper and Mechanic Seat Set has a superb mechanic’s creeper and stool paired together for $165. The creeper itself is your typical low-profile design, with contoured plastic and a single padded headrest. However, the contours appear far deeper and more pronounced than most competitors, allowing gearheads to really sink in and get into tight undercarriages. The backrest is flanked by two cutouts for tools and hardware, except with JEGS, they’re fitted with removable magnetic trays.
The real treat is the decked-out stool included with the set. It sports a divided tray for hardware and two pull-out drawers for small tools, making it an excellent caddy for wheeling around the garage. Users sit on a height-adjustable cushion towering over swiveling casters.
Overall quality is commendable, as nearly all JEGS garage accessories are, and it’s hard to fault the value and practicality of the set. Users could probably benefit from added backrest padding, as the comfort of the deeply contoured plastic is questionable. The magnetic trays are also not secured when placed on the creeper, leaving a few consumers reportedly bolting or gluing theirs in place.
Best For Low Cars: Pro Lift Plastic Creeper
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
Consider the Pro Lift Plastic Creeper if all you need is something that will fit under that drift missile that’s been sitting on jack stands in your garage for some time. Typical of its breed, the Pro Lift uses heavily concave plastic with a padded headrest, hardware cubbies, and six rotating casters. Its four-inch height, however, is marginally lower than most of its competitors, even if it’s by a half-inch, as that could be the make-it or break-it height you need. The Pro Lift’s construction is also remarkably dense and more rugged than its peers, denoted by its no-nonsense 350-pound load capacity. For such a simple design, it surprised consumers with its silky-smooth casters and a surprising degree of comfort.
The question of value then comes into play. As of writing, ongoing Amazon sales have knocked down prices to about $50, but normal pricing is closer to $100. If you want one in orange, it’s five dollars more for some reason. I guess orange dye is a hot commodity. Rivals sit just a smidge higher for less money, and if you don’t need a low-profile dolly, more sizable options have more features.
How Much Are Mechanic’s Creepers?
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.
Our Verdict on the Best Mechanic’s Creepers
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.
FAQs
You’ve got questions. The Drive has answers.
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.
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.