GarageSpot
A few years ago, I installed an electric hoist on the ceiling of my garage to lift and hold my Jeep’s hardtop, making one-man installation/removal a breeze (although it’s basically been hanging there for three years ?). The hoist I’m using is entirely too powerful for the ~100lb hardtop, but it was cheap.
In my next garage (we’re moving soon), I’m totally getting a set of these bad boys: the world’s first Bluetooth enabled hoist, aptly named, myLIFTER. This little smartphone app-controlled hoist makes storing objects high-up in your garage super-simple—like bikes, kayaks, storage bins, sporting equipment and more. And in most garages, that overhead area is completely wasted space.
Weighing in at just three pounds, the myLIFTER smart hoist fits in the palm of your hand and can lift up to 100lbs when configured with the included pulley. With four units daisy-chained together and using pulleys on each device, maximum lifting capacity increases to about 400lbs.
Smart and Safe
When you lift larger items or platforms with four myLIFTER units at once, each device speeds up or slows down to match the others, keeping whatever you’re lifting nice and level. The myLIFTER also has an integrated weight sensor that will stop you from lifting beyond its 100-pound capacity—the myLIFTER app (more on that below) shows you how close you are to that limit. An internal braking system also automatically locks the spool when the cable is not moving or if the unit loses power.
The myLIFTER app is available for IOS and Android and makes lifting or lowering as easy as tapping a button on your phone. Smart points allow you to program top and bottom stopping points for each unit. Once you’ve set the points, a tap of the Smart Lift or Smart Lower buttons will automatically move your items to their preset points.
Here’s a video highlighting the myLIFTER’s debut at this year’s CES event in Las Vegas:
Installation & Accessories
Installation is a snap and each myLIFTER device comes with all of the hardware you need. In just a few simple steps, your myLIFTER will be mounted, plugged in, paired with your myLIFTER app and ready to lift!
There are several myLIFTER accessories available, too, making storage of certain items a much simpler affair…
- A 52″ mounting bracket ($37)
- A pair of lifting straps for kyaks, canoes, etc. ($18)
- A 3’x3′ steel lifting platform, with included hardware ($76)
I love the myLIFTER concept and am definitely putting these on my soon-to-be new garage build list! The myLIFTER is available directly from myLIFTER.com or on Amazon for about $200.
