How High Do Pallet Jacks Lift?
A standard pallet jack lifts a load only a few inches — just enough to clear the floor for transport, not to raise it to a working height. On Iron Line Tools' own lineup, the EKKO A25 manual pallet jack raises its forks to 7.5" off the ground (up from a 2.95" lowered height), which is right in line with the roughly 6-8" range you'll see on standard pallet jacks industry-wide.
Below, we cover why pallet jacks are built to lift that low in the first place, real lift-height numbers from Iron Line's catalog, whether electric power changes the answer, and what to use instead if you actually need a pallet lifted to an elevated working height.
Why Pallet Jacks Lift So Low
A pallet jack's job is horizontal transport, not vertical reach. The forks only need to clear the floor and any slight unevenness underneath the pallet so the load can roll to its destination — lifting any higher than that would make the jack less stable and wouldn't serve any purpose the equipment is designed for. That's a deliberate design choice, not a limitation: if you want to see exactly how that hydraulic lift mechanism works, see how do pallet jacks work. Equipment built to lift pallets to an actual working height — for packing stations, elevated racking, or stacking — is a different category entirely, which we cover below.
Real Pallet Jack Lift Heights at Iron Line Tools
Here's what Iron Line's own published specs show, from lowered to raised:
| Model | Type | Lowered Height | Raised Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| EKKO A25 | Manual | 2.95" | 7.5" |
| GNT G55 | Manual | 2.95" | Not published — call to confirm |
| GNT G55E-LI | Walkie Electric | 7.9" | Not published — call to confirm |
| GNT G66P-LI | Rider Electric | 9.17" | Not published — call to confirm |
A data note, in the interest of accuracy: Iron Line publishes a raised lift height for the EKKO A-series manual pallet jacks (7.5" across the A25, A25G, A25S, and A25W), but not for every GNT or electric model in the catalog — those list only the lowered fork height. Based on the published lowered heights and standard pallet jack geometry, raised height on those models will fall in the same general few-inch range, but we're not going to state an exact number we haven't confirmed. Call us and we'll pull the exact figure for the model you're looking at.
Does Electric Power Change How High a Pallet Jack Lifts?
No — not meaningfully. Switching from a hand pump to an electric pump changes how the forks get raised (effort and speed), not how high they go. Notice in the table above that the electric G55E-LI and G66P-LI actually sit higher when lowered (7.9" and 9.17") than the manual models (2.95") — that's a function of chassis and battery packaging on the electric units, not a bigger hydraulic lift range. Every pallet jack in this category, manual or electric, is still built around the same basic job: clear the floor, not reach a shelf. For more on how that electric lift mechanism compares to other powered equipment, see how electric forklifts work.
Need to Lift a Pallet Higher Than That?
If you need a pallet raised to an actual working height — a packing bench, a conveyor, or several feet up into racking — a pallet jack isn't the right tool regardless of brand, and we'd rather tell you that directly than sell you one that won't do the job. That's what a pallet stacker is built for: Iron Line's stacker lineup lifts loads well beyond floor-clearance height, with multiple power and chassis configurations depending on how high and how often you need to lift. If your need is closer to warehouse rack storage rather than a single elevated workstation, a reach truck or order picker may fit better still — call us and we'll help you match the lift height you actually need to the right category of equipment.
Real Pallet Jacks, Real Specs
View all Pallet Jacks → | Pallet Stackers → | Reach Trucks → | All Material Handling Equipment →
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How high can a pallet jack lift?
A: A standard pallet jack lifts only a few inches — enough to clear the floor for transport. On Iron Line's EKKO A25 manual pallet jack, that's a raised fork height of 7.5", up from a 2.95" lowered height.
Q: Do electric pallet jacks lift higher than manual ones?
A: Not meaningfully. Electric power changes how the forks get raised, not how high they go — both manual and electric pallet jacks are built for floor-clearance transport, not elevated lifting.
Q: Can a pallet jack lift a pallet to table or workbench height?
A: No — that's beyond what any standard pallet jack is built to do. A pallet stacker is the right tool for lifting pallets to a working height or into rack storage.
Q: Why doesn't Iron Line publish a raised fork height for every pallet jack model?
A: The manufacturer spec sheets we pull data from list a raised lift height for the EKKO A-series manual models (7.5") but only a lowered fork height for several GNT and electric models. Rather than estimate, we tell you plainly what's published and what isn't — call us for the exact number on a specific model.
Q: What's the lowered fork height on Iron Line's pallet jacks?
A: It varies by model: 2.95" on the manual EKKO A25 and GNT G55, 7.9" on the walkie-electric GNT G55E-LI, and 9.17" on the rider-electric GNT G66P-LI.
Related Reading
Pallet Jack vs. Forklift: What's the Real Difference?
Types of Stacker: A Guide to Pallet Stacker Machines
Not sure if a pallet jack is even the right tool for the height you need? Call Iron Line Tools at 800-698-1646 and we'll help you figure out what actually fits.