The best hydraulic oils, compared.
Top pick: HMT ISO VG 68 hydraulic oil, 20 litres Best value: HMT ISO VG 46 hydraulic oil, 20 litres – About £3.27 a litre at about £65.49 when the sheet says ISO VG 46 and you can use about 20 litres. Updated 22.10.2026.
Hydraulic oil bought in the UK is not one fluid. ISO VG anti-wear oil, jack oil, central hydraulic fluid, and bicycle mineral oil are different chemistries. You match the manual, then the grade, then the pack. ISO VG is viscosity at 40 °C, within about 10 percent, and it is not a quality mark. A thinner 32, a temperate 46, and a thicker 68 are not substitutes. An SAE cell is not an ISO VG. Jack oil is a small top-up for a trolley or bottle jack, not a plant tank. Central hydraulic fluid stays in the circuit the handbook names. Bicycle mineral oil is for mineral-oil disc brakes, not a workshop can and not DOT fluid. The checks are set out in the [hydraulic oil buying guide](/hub/diy-supplies/hydraulic-oil/sub/hydraulic-oil-buying-guide). Use the grade on the label. Ignore a volume figure that cannot be the can in your hand. Oil on the floor means a seal or a hose. Used oil is hazardous waste and goes to a recycling centre, not a drain.
Hydraulic oil bought in the UK is not one fluid. ISO VG anti-wear oil, jack oil, central hydraulic fluid, and bicycle mineral oil are different chemistries. You match the manual, then the grade, then the pack.
36 products checked · 58 hrs invested · +21,400 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What does the manual name?
HMT HMTH00920L is a 20 litre pail titled ISO VG 68 at about £78.83, about £3.94 a litre, and the star line is 5.0 from only three amazon.co.uk ratings. The saved listing has no review text, so that 5.0 is not a quality verdict and it does not outrank the 267-review ISO VG 46 pail. The viscosity attribute says 1, which is not a grade, and the volume field again says 35 fl oz against an 18 kg pail. Bullets claim ISO 6743/4 HM, DIN 51524 HLP, Denison HF-2 and Sperry Vickers; those lines are the listing, and no data sheet in the file checks them. Buy it only when the machine sheet asks for ISO VG 68 and you need a workshop quantity. Skip it for a jack, for ISO 32 or ISO VG 46, and for any job where you wanted reviews you can read.
Pros
Cons
Best for: The plate or the manual already says ISO VG 68 and you accept a three-rating sample with no written reviews.
Less suitable: You wanted a proven ISO 32 can, a 500 ml jack oil, or a star line you can read in full.
Specifications
Common questions
What grade is this pail?
The title says ISO VG 68, 20 litres, model HMTH00920L. The viscosity attribute says 1, which is not a grade. The volume field says 35 fluid ounces. The weight is 18 kg.
Which standards does the listing claim?
The bullets claim ISO 6743/4 HM, DIN 51524 HLP, Denison HF-2 and Sperry Vickers. Those lines are the listing. No data sheet is in the saved listing.
What do the reviews say?
The rating line is 5.0 from 3. The saved listing contains no review text, so there is nothing to summarise.
Comma CHF1L is 1 litre of CHF 11S central hydraulic fluid at about £14.10, with 4.8 from 690 amazon.co.uk reviews, the highest star line in this set that sits on a large sample. Reviewers describe green power-steering fluid and flushes on BMW, Audi, VW and Mercedes circuits, and several tell you to match the handbook. One review describes a noisy Jaguar after use, so a high average is not a promise for every car. The viscosity cell says 10w and the SAE cell says 12, and the weight field says 249 g for a 1 litre bottle; ignore those cells and use the CHF 11S title. Comma’s own UK page puts this fluid at about 19 cSt at 40 °C, which is a different family from an ISO VG 32 or 46 pail, and it must not be mixed with other power-steering grades. It is the bottle to buy when the handbook names CHF 11S. It is the wrong pour for a trolley jack or a bicycle brake.
Pros
Cons
Best for: The handbook names CHF 11S and you will pour it unmixed into that central hydraulic circuit.
Less suitable: You are topping up a trolley jack, an ISO 32 splitter, or a system that specifies a different steering fluid.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this ISO hydraulic oil?
The title is Comma CHF 11S central hydraulic fluid, 1 litre, synthetic. The viscosity cell says 10w and the SAE cell says 12. Those cells are not the grade. Reviews describe green power-steering fluid.
What do UK reviews use it for?
Power steering and related car systems, including flushes on BMW, Audi and VW, and Mercedes circuits. Several say to match the handbook. One review was a noisy Jaguar after use.
Why is the weight odd?
The item-weight field says 249 g for a 1 litre bottle. That figure is in the saved listing and is not a usable density.
Silverhook SHRH1 is a 1 litre can of ISO 32 hydraulic oil at about £10.45, and the title plus the viscosity field both say ISO 32. The shared amazon.co.uk review line is 4.7 from 961, the same sequence as the 5 litre ASIN, so you count that pool once. Reviewers describe pouring it into jacks, log splitters, an excavator and compressors, and one needed a funnel because the neck is wide. A bullet also says SAE 10W, while the SAE J300 cell says 20W-40, which fights the ISO 32 title, so you follow the ISO line and the machine sheet. The material field says mineral-based, item weight is 928 g, and the upper temperature cell says 120 °C. It is a sensible 1 litre top-up when the sheet asks for ISO 32. It is the wrong can if the sheet asks for ISO VG 46, CHF 11S, or bicycle mineral oil.
Pros
Cons
Best for: The machine sheet asks for ISO 32 and you only need about a litre, with a funnel for a wide neck.
Less suitable: You need ISO VG 46 or 68, CHF 11S, or a 500 ml jack-oil top-up and nothing more.
Specifications
Common questions
What grade is printed?
The title and the viscosity field say ISO 32, and a bullet says SAE 10W. The SAE J300 cell says 20W-40. Use the ISO 32 title, not that SAE cell.
Is the 4.7 from 961 only this bottle?
No. The saved listing for this 1 litre ASIN and for the 5 litre ASIN B007BGMFJK open with the same review sequence and the same count.
What did reviewers put it in?
Jacks, log splitters, an excavator and compressors. One reviewer needed a funnel because the neck is wide.
The 5 litre Silverhook can, model SHRH5, is ISO 32 at about £23.98, about £4.80 a litre on the title pack, against about £10.45 for the 1 litre. It carries the same 4.7 from 961 as the 1 litre ASIN, so those reviews are not a second verdict. The title says 5 litres, the unit-count field says 4,540 millilitres, and the part number SHRH4 does not match model SHRH5, so you buy on the 5 litre title and check the can you receive. The material field lists both mineral oil and synthetic oil, and a bullet says SAE 10W beside ISO 32. Reviewers in that shared pool use this grade in jacks and splitters, which is reasonable only when that machine’s sheet allows ISO 32. Five litres is the pack to buy when you need more than a top-up of ISO 32. It is the wrong purchase for a single jack top-up, for ISO VG 46, or for a car that specifies CHF 11S.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You will use several litres of ISO 32, for example a splitter whose sheet names that grade, and you can store a 5 litre can.
Less suitable: You only need 500 ml for a trolley jack, or the sheet says ISO VG 46, ISO VG 68, or CHF 11S.
Specifications
Common questions
How much oil is in the can?
The title and the liquid-volume field say 5 litres. The unit-count field says 4540 millilitres. The comparison uses the 5 litre title.
What grade does the listing state?
ISO 32, with a bullet that also says SAE 10W. The material field lists both mineral oil and synthetic oil.
Are these 961 reviews only the 5 litre can?
The saved review text matches the 1 litre ASIN B00B6BWTQU, which shows the same 4.7 from 961. Count them once.
Across 679 amazon.co.uk reviews at 4.7 stars, Carlube XHJ501 is a 500 ml jack oil at about £8.41 that people pour into trolley jacks, bottle jacks and garage lifts when the ram has gone short. Reviewers often say an old jack reached height again after a top-up, and that 500 ml was more than one fill. The viscosity cell says 10W and the listing mentions conventional sealing materials; it does not print an ISO VG number, so you match the jack sheet rather than treating 10W as ISO 32. One reviewer wanted a spout because the filler is a small screw hole, and a note in this set describes that hole at about 6 mm, so a clean funnel is part of the job. Tetrosyl lists the United Kingdom as the country of origin, and the captured rank is 1 in Hydraulic Oils. Fresh oil will not stop a weep onto the floor if a seal has already failed. This is the top pick in this set for a 500 ml jack top-up, and the wrong bottle for a car that asks for CHF 11S or for a bicycle brake.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are topping up a trolley or bottle jack whose sheet allows jack oil, and you want the lower-priced 500 ml bottle with the larger UK review sample.
Less suitable: You need a named ISO VG 46 fill, CHF 11S, or mineral oil for a bicycle brake.
Specifications
Common questions
What is this bottle for?
The listing is 500 ml Carlube jack oil for trolley jacks, bottle jacks and garage lifts. The viscosity cell says 10W. It does not print an ISO VG number.
Does the listing mention seals?
Yes. It says the oil works with conventional sealing materials. That is the listing sentence, not a test of every seal.
What do UK reviews say about pouring?
Many say a top-up got an old jack lifting again, and that 500 ml was more than one top-up. One reviewer wanted a spout because the filler is a small screw hole.
HMT HMTH00820L is a 20 litre pail of ISO VG 46 at about £65.49, about £3.27 a litre, with 4.7 from 267 amazon.co.uk reviews. The bullets name industrial hydraulic power and mobile plant such as excavators and cranes, plus anti-wear, oxidation resistance, air release and foam control. The liquid-volume field says 35 fl oz, which cannot be this pail, and the weight is 18 kg, so you use the 20 litre title. The material field says plastic, which describes a container rather than the oil, and an SAE cell says 40. One reviewer tried it as a stop-leak and still had oil on the ground, which is a seal repair, not a reason to buy another pail. It is the best value in this set on price per litre when your sheet specifies ISO VG 46 and you can use about 20 litres. It is the wrong buy for a 500 ml jack top-up, for ISO 32, or for a bicycle brake.
Pros
Cons
Best for: The manual says ISO VG 46 and you have a tank or a season of top-ups that will use most of a 20 litre pail.
Less suitable: You need 500 ml of jack oil, ISO 32, ISO VG 68, or a car fluid such as CHF 11S.
Specifications
Common questions
What grade and pack does the title state?
ISO VG 46, 20 litres, model HMTH00820L. The liquid-volume field says 35 fluid ounces. The item weight is 18 kg. Use 20 litres.
What uses do the bullets name?
Industrial hydraulics, and mobile plant such as excavators and cranes, plus anti-wear, oxidation resistance, air release and foam control.
Will it fix a leak?
One review says a stop-leak attempt still left oil on the ground, and that the seal needed a repair. Fresh oil is not that repair.
Liqui Moly central hydraulic system oil 2500, SKU 3667, is a 1 litre bottle at about £19.95 with 4.7 from 182 amazon.co.uk ratings. The bullets say synthetic oil for power steering, level control, hydraulic brake boosters and hydro-pneumatic suspension, mainly Peugeot and Citroën, and they say to use it unmixed and follow the vehicle maker. The saved listing does not call it CHF 11S, so you should not treat it as a stand-in for Comma when the handbook says CHF 11S. The viscosity and SAE cells both say 10W, and both the upper temperature and the flash point say 140 °C. Only one UK review text is in the file, and it says the oil does the job, which is too thin to stand in for 182 written opinions. Country of origin is Germany and the listed weight is 825 g. Buy it when the car specifies this 2500 oil, and leave it out of a jack, an ISO pail, and a bicycle bleed.
Pros
Cons
Best for: The vehicle maker calls for Liqui Moly central hydraulic system oil 2500, used on its own.
Less suitable: The handbook says CHF 11S, the job is a trolley jack, or you wanted a large set of UK review texts.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this CHF 11S?
The saved listing does not call it CHF 11S. The title is Liqui Moly Central Hydraulic System Oil 2500, 1 litre, SKU 3667. The bullets say it is mainly for Peugeot and Citroën and should be used unmixed.
What systems do the bullets name?
Power steering, level control, hydraulic brake boosters and hydro-pneumatic suspension. The viscosity and SAE cells both say 10W. The upper temperature and flash point cells both say 140 °C.
How many UK reviews are in the file?
The rating line is 4.7 from 182. The saved listing has one UK review, which says it does the job. Do not treat 182 as 182 UK texts.
This unbranded pack is bicycle brake mineral oil at about £9.99, with 4.6 from 325 amazon.co.uk reviews and a Bike Oils rank, not a Hydraulic Oils rank. The title says 120 ml, a bullet says each bottle is 60 ml, and the included line says two bottles, so the amount you receive is not a single clean figure. There is no brand in the technical block; the manufacturer line is Jiangxi Bingdou Bicycle Co., Ltd, model SH002, and the material field says polyester. UK reviews in the file say it worked on the mineral-oil brakes it was bought for, and one reviewer put it into a DOT system by mistake. A bullet also names Magura, Zoom, Nutt and Blooke mineral-oil brakes, which is still a bicycle job. Do not pour it into a trolley jack, do not treat it as ISO 32 or ISO VG 46, and do not use it where the brake calls for DOT fluid.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already know the brake takes mineral oil, you can live with an unbranded pack, and you will check 60 ml against 120 ml on the bottle in your hand.
Less suitable: You need a named brand, DOT fluid, jack oil, or any ISO VG hydraulic oil.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this ISO hydraulic oil or jack oil?
No. The title is bicycle brake mineral oil for Shimano and Tektro. There is no brand in the technical block. Amazon ranks it under Bike Oils. Model SH002.
How much is in the pack?
The title says 120 ml. A bullet says each bottle is 60 ml, and the included-components line says two bottles. The material field says polyester, which does not describe the oil.
What went wrong in reviews?
One UK reviewer put it into a DOT brake system. Other UK reviews say it worked for the mineral-oil brakes they bought it for. The sample of written reviews is short.
Yiezio’s pack is bicycle brake mineral oil at about £8.99, sold as two 60 ml bottles, 120 ml on the title, for Shimano, Tektro and TRP hydraulic disc brakes, with 4.6 from 65 amazon.co.uk reviews. Amazon ranks it under Bike Oils, not as workshop hydraulic oil. Reviewers used it for brake bleeds, one said a single bottle did both brakes, and another said the oil looked red. The viscosity cell says 10W-40, which is not an ISO VG and not jack oil. Country of origin is China and the item weight is 130 g. About £75 a litre makes it an expensive way to buy the wrong fluid for a trolley jack. Keep it for a mineral-oil bicycle brake bleed, and do not pour it into a jack, an ISO tank, or a DOT brake.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are bleeding Shimano, Tektro or TRP brakes that already specify mineral oil, and you want two small bottles.
Less suitable: You need jack oil, ISO 32, ISO VG 46, CHF 11S, or DOT brake fluid.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this workshop hydraulic oil?
No. It is Yiezio mineral oil for Shimano, Tektro and TRP bicycle brakes, 120 ml. Amazon ranks it under Bike Oils. The viscosity cell says 10W-40, which is not an ISO VG.
How is it packed?
The title and liquid volume say 120 ml. The bullets say two 60 ml bottles. Country of origin is China.
What did UK reviewers notice?
They used it for brake bleeds. One said a single bottle did both brakes. Another said the oil is red and works like other brake fluid they have used.
Sealey HJO500MLS is 500 ml of jack oil at about £13.83, listed for trolley jacks, bottle jacks and cranes, with 4.5 from 135 amazon.co.uk reviews. The material field says synthetic and the upper temperature cell says 100 °C, while the viscosity cell says 10W. The captured amazon listing does not say ISO 32, even though some UK retailers print that line, so you should not upgrade the grade from a shop page. Several reviewers say the photograph showed a spout and the cap that arrived was plain; the included-components line lists hydraulic jack oil and no nozzle. One review mentions contamination, and another says 500 ml was too small for a motorcycle lift. You pay more than Carlube for the Sealey part number a sheet such as the 2500CX names, and you should still pack a funnel. It is the bottle to buy when the jack instructions specify HJO500MLS, and a poor match for an ISO VG 46 pail or a bicycle bleed.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Your jack sheet names Sealey HJO500MLS or HJO5LS and you will use a funnel because the cap is plain.
Less suitable: You wanted the cheaper 500 ml jack oil, a proven spout, or any fluid other than jack oil.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this bottle include a nozzle?
The listing’s included-components line says hydraulic jack oil. It does not list a nozzle. Several UK reviews say the photo showed a spout and the cap was plain.
What machines does the listing name?
Trolley jacks, bottle jacks and cranes. The viscosity cell says 10W and the upper temperature rating is 100 °C. The saved listing does not say ISO 32.
How does the price compare inside this set?
About £13.83 for 500 ml. Carlube’s 500 ml jack oil in the same set is about £8.41. Both figures are the captured shelf prices.
Shelf prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk snapshot captured on 21 October 2026. This is not a laboratory viscosity test, not an ISO 3448 measurement and not a seal test. Each score is four integers: stars, the size of the review sample, listing clarity, and the limits named in reviews. The highest score is the top pick. Best value is a different listing: pounds per litre from the title pack, among jack oil, ISO oil and central hydraulic fluid with a score of 75 or above and at least 100 reviews. Bicycle mineral oil stays in the table and cannot take a badge. The two ISO 32 cans share one review sequence, so that sample is not counted twice.
Amazon stars
40%The amazon.co.uk rating divided by 5, then multiplied by 40, and rounded. A 5.0 from three ratings cannot outrank a 4.7 from several hundred.
Review sample
25%Larger samples score higher, up to 25. The two cans that share one review sequence are not counted as two independent samples.
Listing clarity
20%Start at 20. Subtract when a cell fights the title: a conflicting SAE grade, a volume that cannot be the pail, a viscosity field that is not a grade, or a material field that names the container.
Review limits
15%No review text scores low. Praise plus a repeated limit, such as a missing spout, a wide neck, oil on the floor, or the wrong brake system, scores in the middle of this block.
Buy the family before the litre price. Hydraulic oil on amazon.co.uk covers ISO VG anti-wear oil, jack oil, car central hydraulic fluid, and bicycle mineral oil. They are not substitutes. Match the manual, then the grade, then the pack. An SAE cell is not an ISO VG. A lower price per litre helps only when the grade matches.
Hydraulic oil in a UK shed is four fluids, and they are not substitutes. ISO VG anti-wear oil, jack oil, car central hydraulic fluid, and bicycle mineral oil do different jobs. Stars do not make them interchangeable. You match the manual for that machine, then the grade, then the pack size. ISO VG is viscosity at 40 °C, about plus or minus 10 percent. A 32 grade is thinner from cold. A 46 grade is the temperate plant grade often cited in the UK. A 68 grade is thicker.
A Hydraulic Oils rank can put jack oil, ISO oil, a car fluid and even a window-care rank on one shelf. The rank is not the grade on your sheet.
An SAE 10W, 20W-40 or 10W-40 cell is not an ISO VG. Use the title. Do not treat a jack-oil 10W cell as ISO 32 when the amazon file does not say that.
Oil on the floor is a seal or a hose. One review still had oil on the ground after a stop-leak attempt. Fresh oil does not close that leak. Used oil goes to a recycling centre, not a drain.
The first check is the family, because these listings are not substitutes. ISO VG anti-wear oil, jack oil, CHF 11S or another named central oil, and bicycle mineral oil are different chemistries. Brake fluid, ATF and engine oil are not jack oil. ISO VG is viscosity at 40 °C, about plus or minus 10 percent. A 32 is thinner from cold, a 46 is the temperate plant grade often cited in the UK, and a 68 is thicker. The number is not a quality mark. HM means anti-wear mineral oil.
About 500 ml tops up a trolley jack and does not fill a tank of many litres. A 20 litre pail, listed around 18 kg, is a fill only when the grade matches. Price per litre in this set uses the title pack and the captured shelf price. Ignore 35 fl oz on an 18 kg pail, 4,540 ml on a 5 litre title, a viscosity field that says 1, and 249 g on a 1 litre bottle. The two Silverhook cans share one 4.7 from 961, so that is one pool.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You are topping up a jack whose sheet allows jack oil, and you want about 500 ml with a large UK review sample. Carlube hydraulic jack oil is the top pick at about £8.41, with 4.7 from 679 reviews. The viscosity cell says 10W and does not print an ISO VG. Fresh oil does not repair a leaking seal.
The manual says ISO VG 46 and you can use about 20 litres. The HMT 20 litre pail is best value at about £65.49, about £3.27 a litre, with 4.7 from 267 reviews. The volume field says 35 fl oz. Use the 20 litre title. A 500 ml jack top-up should not buy this pail.
The vehicle handbook names CHF 11S and you will pour it unmixed into that circuit. Comma CHF 11S, 1 litre, is about £14.10, with 4.8 from 690 reviews. The maker’s UK page puts it at about 19 cSt at 40 °C. It is not jack oil and not an ISO VG pail.
The top pick is Carlube hydraulic jack oil, 500 ml, at about £8.41. It scores 9.1 out of 10, the highest here: 4.7 from 679 reviews, for trolley jacks, bottle jacks and garage lifts. It is the wrong pour for CHF 11S, ISO VG 46, and a bicycle brake. Best value is the HMT ISO VG 46 pail, 20 litres, at about £65.49, about £3.27 a litre, score 7.8, only when the sheet says ISO VG 46 and you can use about 20 litres. A jack top-up should not buy that pail.
HMT ISO VG 46 hydraulic oil, 20 litres
About £3.27 a litre at about £65.49 when the sheet says ISO VG 46 and you can use about 20 litres.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings compared on this page. Prices and stars are the 21 October 2026 capture. Updated 22 October 2026.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk with the tag pcuk26-21. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures already stored for this set. This is not a laboratory test.
