The Best Dent Repair Kits for Your Car: Work That Body

Top 8 Dent Removal Kits

This post will be prefaced with two huge caveats. First, your author has exactly a single experience with this type of tool, meaning the recommendations contained within this article are drawn upon that brief encounter, opinions of others who have more experience, and consultations with a battered Ouija board.

The second? We can’t be responsible if you use one of these tools on, say, a leased vehicle only to completely fubar the paint and bodywork. Repairs are at your own risk, folks. If you’re not sure how to use these tools, go find someone who knows what they’re doing.

Billing itself as fit for both the shop and casual shadetree mechanic, this kit comes with a boatload of tools with which to straighten out your car’s sheetmetal. The package packs instructions on how to best tackle different kinds of dents without harming the delicate paintwork. Puller tabs of various size and shape are included, along with a rubber hammer and glue gun. There’s a pair of white gloves in there too, making even OJ feel right at home.

The manufacturer approves this kit for dent removal on automobiles, washing machines, and – strangely – refrigerators. Dude, if you’re head-butting the fridge in a failed effort to get inside, it’s time to put down the beer.

Billing itself as fit for both the shop and casual shadetree mechanic, this kit comes with a boatload of tools with which to straighten out your car’s sheetmetal. The package packs instructions on how to best tackle different kinds of dents without harming the delicate paintwork. Puller tabs of various size and shape are included, along with a rubber hammer and glue gun. There’s a pair of white gloves in there too, making even OJ feel right at home.

The manufacturer approves this kit for dent removal on automobiles, washing machines, and – strangely – refrigerators. Dude, if you’re head-butting the fridge in a failed effort to get inside, it’s time to put down the beer.

Here’s a kit that manages to combine affordability with a set of great reviews from real-world customers. Using the principle of leverage, this tool has an arched bridge which allows for adjustment of pin spacing and rotation so the thing can fit all different kinds of dents. The puller itself is made of tempered high-carbon stainless steel and standard stainless steel, while the parts of the tool that actually touch the car’s body are made from high-quality rubber, lessening the chance of paint damage.

Reviews are great, averaging a four-star rating based on a couple of hundred reviews. The fact that it is dirt cheap surely helps but many customers report better-than-expected results, and the seller seems to be engaged with questions be asked on Amazon.

Here’s a kit that manages to combine affordability with a set of great reviews from real-world customers. Using the principle of leverage, this tool has an arched bridge which allows for adjustment of pin spacing and rotation so the thing can fit all different kinds of dents. The puller itself is made of tempered high-carbon stainless steel and standard stainless steel, while the parts of the tool that actually touch the car’s body are made from high-quality rubber, lessening the chance of paint damage.

Reviews are great, averaging a four-star rating based on a couple of hundred reviews. The fact that it is dirt cheap surely helps but many customers report better-than-expected results, and the seller seems to be engaged with questions be asked on Amazon.

It's as easy as it looks; you simply have to place the dent puller on the surface of the dent, pull and done! It works great on plastic surfaces and is even better on larger surfaces, so the bigger, the more efficient. Always make sure to install the dent puller correctly in place; it needs to be stuck firmly on the desired surface to work correctly.

It's as easy as it looks; you simply have to place the dent puller on the surface of the dent, pull and done! It works great on plastic surfaces and is even better on larger surfaces, so the bigger, the more efficient. Always make sure to install the dent puller correctly in place; it needs to be stuck firmly on the desired surface to work correctly.

This option seems to offer the DIYer a good dent removal tool at an affordable price. It comes with a quartet of different sized tabs that should address most dents including hail damage and parking lot dings from rudely opened doors.

In a rare spurt of corporate truthfulness, the seller takes the time to note "you will have different DIY auto body dent removal experiences." In other words, the effectiveness of this kit is largely dependent on the skill of the user. The manufacturer also says its adhesive system design allows dent removal without the messy, sticky residue some systems are known to leave behind.

This option seems to offer the DIYer a good dent removal tool at an affordable price. It comes with a quartet of different sized tabs that should address most dents including hail damage and parking lot dings from rudely opened doors.

In a rare spurt of corporate truthfulness, the seller takes the time to note "you will have different DIY auto body dent removal experiences." In other words, the effectiveness of this kit is largely dependent on the skill of the user. The manufacturer also says its adhesive system design allows dent removal without the messy, sticky residue some systems are known to leave behind.

Despite hailing from the same brand name as the product one entry above, this option provides a different main tool for dent pulling. Swapping the slide hammer for a suction-style compression handle - two sizes are included - may appeal to different DIYers. Not a bad marketing strategy.

According to customer feedback, this tool works well on small-sized damage like that caused by hailstorms or falling acorns (great if you’re being terrorized by a rogue gang of squirrels). Sharp or deep dents may require a different approach. Patience seems to be the key with this tool.

Despite hailing from the same brand name as the product one entry above, this option provides a different main tool for dent pulling. Swapping the slide hammer for a suction-style compression handle - two sizes are included - may appeal to different DIYers. Not a bad marketing strategy.

According to customer feedback, this tool works well on small-sized damage like that caused by hailstorms or falling acorns (great if you’re being terrorized by a rogue gang of squirrels). Sharp or deep dents may require a different approach. Patience seems to be the key with this tool.

Wading through the English-as-a-tenth-language ad copy, we find a product that purports to be made of "advanced" plastic. What makes this man-made material any different from proletarian plastic is unclear but at least there are several product pictures for your viewing pleasure.

Only five reviews have been left so far on this product, giving your author pause before hitting the Buy Now button. Still, those that exist are positive with the caveat that some of the little plastic dent-pulling feet are more brittle than old candy. Use caution.

Wading through the English-as-a-tenth-language ad copy, we find a product that purports to be made of "advanced" plastic. What makes this man-made material any different from proletarian plastic is unclear but at least there are several product pictures for your viewing pleasure.

Only five reviews have been left so far on this product, giving your author pause before hitting the Buy Now button. Still, those that exist are positive with the caveat that some of the little plastic dent-pulling feet are more brittle than old candy. Use caution.

This kit includes many different tools to correct various kinds of bumps your car may have suffered. No matter the size or shape, you'll likely find the right tool for your car's owie. There are many positive reviews about this product, and the instructions are pretty clear on this item to shine a new light on your vehicle.

This kit includes many different tools to correct various kinds of bumps your car may have suffered. No matter the size or shape, you'll likely find the right tool for your car's owie. There are many positive reviews about this product, and the instructions are pretty clear on this item to shine a new light on your vehicle.

This kit is for the occasional handyman that wants to make his old truck look new again. It's heavier but sturdy, and it comes in a handy kit that makes it easy to transport anywhere you go—a classic example of buying top-notch quality at a discounted price. The materials are solid, and the tools are more than great; this is an underrated product.

This kit is for the occasional handyman that wants to make his old truck look new again. It's heavier but sturdy, and it comes in a handy kit that makes it easy to transport anywhere you go—a classic example of buying top-notch quality at a discounted price. The materials are solid, and the tools are more than great; this is an underrated product.

FAQs

Do dent removal kits work?

Yes, they do work but not always. DIY dent removal kits work only on minor dents, that too if they are on a flat surface like a door panel or something similar. Such kits aren’t much more effective on the dents that are on the corners/edges of the body.

Furthermore, regardless of the quality of a dent removal kit, it cannot bring back the flawless finish, especially if the dent has caused harm to the paint too.

With that said, although having a DIY dent removal in your car would be a wise idea, you can’t completely rely on its performance efficiency to get factory-like results.

What is the best DIY dent removal kit?

The dent removal kits that have a decent number of star ratings and reviews on Amazon are listed below:

Manelord Auto Body Dent Repair Tool ( Buy here!)

A complete kit for DIY enthusiasts to remove dents by pulling the depressions out of the car’s body.

GLISTON Paintless Dent Puller ( Buy here!)

This 35-pieces dent removal kit comprises adjustable repair tools for convenient usability and to fix cars’ dents without damaging the paint.

Anyyion Paintless Dent Repair Kit ( Buy here!)

This is a 54-pieces kit that can fix the dents without affecting or harming the paint of your car’s body.

Do car dent suction cups work?

Yes, they do work. However, as explained earlier, they are effective only if the dents are minor and are on a flexible surface like a door panel, bonnet, etc. as they can only pull the area of impact outwards to make it look even. In addition, if the paint of the affected area got damaged, it can’t be fixed to look as good as new too.

Likewise, if a dent is severe, even the most efficient suction cup would fail to repair that as such a dimple can be removed only by pushing the affected area from behind.

How can I fix my car dent myself?

Apart from using a dent removal kit or dent puller, there are a couple of other ways to fix the dimples on your car. These methods don’t require you to buy costly pieces of equipment and you don’t even have to be an expert or a professional mechanic either. You can follow the procedures that are given below to fix your car dent at home:

Using a Plunger

If you don’t have access to a plunger, you can always buy one as it is a pretty cheap and easily available household utility. Assuming that you have one, you can:

Place the cup of the plunger on the dent of the car

Pour some water in a way that both surface of the affected area and the cup gets wet

Push the plunger toward the car

Pull it back out

Repeat this process a couple of times to make the depression pop out, thus removing the dent

Using Boiling Water

This method requires you to have access to the back of the dent. If there is some obstruction, you may have to detach them from the car’s body before proceeding. It is noteworthy that this solution works best on the areas made of fiber or hard plastic. Once you’re all set, you can:

Boil a pot of water

Pour the water over the affected area

Reach behind the dent and push it outward until the outer surface of the car’s body gets even

Finally pour some cold water over the repaired portion for hardening

Using a Hairdryer

For this method, you need a pair of rubber gloves, an ice pack or a can of compressed air, aluminum foil, and a hairdryer. Once you have everything handy, you can:

Wear gloves for protection

Heat the dent with the hairdryer by holding it approximately 6 inches away from the affected area

Cover the dent with the aluminum foil

Apply compressed air or rub the ice pack on the foil to make the depression pop out, thus removing the dent

What’s a good dent puller?

Among several dent puller suction cups that are available on the market, some have received appreciation and a decent number of positive reviews from consumers on Amazon. Listed below are a couple of such pullers for your convenience:

CARTREND Dent Puller ( Buy here!)

Enjoying a 4.6-star rating out of 5 on Amazon, this piece of equipment does not only remove the dents from the cars but can also be used to lift heavy glass, mirrors, tiles, etc. by exploiting the potential of the vacuum that it creates.

GANGZHIBAO Heavy-Duty ( Buy here!)

In addition to removing the dents from the body of your car, this set of heavy-duty suction cups made of ABS quality material is even useful for iMac, iPhone, LCD screen removal, and much more.

XUMAKI Car Dent Puller ( Buy here!)

This one is yet another car dent puller with a decent number of star ratings on Amazon. Apart from removing the dents from flat surfaces of your car, the tool can also be used to pick and move smaller objects like glass, mirrors, etc.

A noteworthy point here is that these are merely the pullers and not the entire kits with several pieces of equipment. Nevertheless, if used correctly, they can remove the dents from your car easily and quickly.

From time to time, TTAC will highlight automotive products we think may be of interest to our community. Plus, posts like this help to keep the lights on around here. Learn more about how this works.

(Editor’s note: This post is meant to both help you be an informed shopper for automotive products but also to pay for our ‘90s sedan shopping habits operating expenses. Some of you don’t find these posts fun, but they help pay for Junkyard Finds, Rare Rides, Piston Slaps, and whatever else. Thanks for reading.)

[Product images provided by the manufacturer.]