10 Best Budget Power Racks & Squat Racks (Review) In 2023

No matter if you just started lifting or on the way to become a professional lifter, you must have access to a power rack to get those significant results in terms of strength and muscle mass.

If you have a gym club membership, then there is no issue as every gym has at least one power rack. But if you are working out from your home, it might seem a bit too much of an investment to buy a power cage or a squat rack for your home gym.

If you don’t yet have a power rack at your garage gym due to the cost, then we have good news for you. There are some affordable power racks that work almost as well as the commercial-grade racks.

In this buying guide, we have brought together the best budget racks for home gym. Go through the reviews, features, pros, and cons of each product to understand which one is best suited for you.

Best Budget Power Racks & Squat Racks

The racks mentioned here are not only the cheapest power racks available in the market but also are better than many options in terms of performance and durability. All the workout cages described below are tried and tested by many users. You can choose any of these based on the features matching your requirement and size appropriate for the space available in your home gym.

Rogue RML-3W Fold Back Wall Mount Rack

This is not only an affordable power rack but also space-saving one. The Rogue RML-3W can be folded back into the wall after use. In folded condition, it takes practically no floor space and raises just 5 inches from the wall.

This wall-mount best value power rack can be folded both inwards and outwards. In spite of being a foldable rack, this offers the needed sturdiness. If secured properly on a robust wall, it is strong enough to support your heavy powerlifting moves safely.

The whole rack is designed and built considering the home gym environment. The locking pin and hinge system is there for added stability, quick attach pull-up bar for added functionality, and the plastic feet to protect the floor make it one of the best candidates for home gym setup.

Pros:

• Heavy-duty 11 gauge steel uprights
• SAE grade bolts
• Laser-cut precise holes
• Offers a choice of depth between 24.75 and 43.75 inches
• Powder coat finish
• Space saver fold back design
• Easy to install

Cons:

• Needs a strong wall to mount

With the unique hinge and pin system, which is both solid and easy to install, the Rogue RML 3W is the best space-saving budget power rack. If you are low on space in your home gym, there is no better rack than this one.

Rogue R-3W Fold Back Wall Mount Rack

If you already have some spare J-hooks, spotter arms, etc, that are compatible with 2×3 inches uprights, you would need to buy a power rack that is compatible with them. The Rogue R-3W is a wall mount power rack that utilizes 11 gauge steel uprights having a 2×3 inches cross-section.

This multifunctional affordable power rack can be used as a squat stand, overhead press stand, pull-up bar, etc.

The rack is easy to install on the wall. You can mount the four mounting brackets with or without the stringers on the wall. The rack can be folded inward or outward, taking only 5 inches from the wall.

Pros:

• Very efficient use of space
• Easy installation
• Optional stringers for added stability
• Compatible with 2×3 inch attachments
• Heavy-duty 11 gauge steel construction
• Quick attach pull-up bar

Cons:

• Spotter arm is not included in the package

For those who want to utilize their 2×3 inches compatible attachments and have very small gym space, this rack is the best choice.

Body Power Deluxe Rack Cage

This is a squat cage with a design similar to the one you would see at a commercial powerlifting gym. It allows you to work out inside the cage, offering you the safety of full-length spotter arms.

This multifunctional and affordable power cage comes with many attachments. It has a pull-up and chin-up bar that allows you to perform the pull-ups with both pronated and supinated wrist positions.

It has four replaceable band pegs that can be used to attach your resistance bands for additional exercise options. The dip bar attachment and the 6 weight posts make it a complete power cage.

Pros:

• Full-length safety catchers
• Dip bar and pull-up bar attachments
• Interchangeable resistance band pegs
• Anchors for securing the rack to the floor
• 6 weight storage plates
• Wide frame

Cons:

• Safety catchers are not so strong

If you have space for only one rack for all your family members, this is the one for you as you can work out using low tension bands and heavily loaded barbells as well.

Sunny Health & Fitness Power Zone Strength Rack Power Cage

This is a heavy-duty total strength training power cage for the home gym. This sturdy but budget power rack can withhold up to 1000 pounds of load. The rack can be bolted to the ground for stability.

The weight posts of this rack safety clips for avoiding the plates from falling. The pull-up bar angled and offers different grip positions in both wrist positions. For added functionality, the rack has 6 resistance band pins that can be used with the bands to add extra resistance to your lifts.

The full-length and strong safety catchers of this power rack provide you a safe platform in case of a failed rep.

Pros:

• Lined J-hooks and spotters to protect the bar
• Offers a noiseless workout
• Compatible with 7ft long bar
• Strong built
• Easily adjustable J-hook and spotter arm height
• Multi-grip pull-up bar with knurling on the surface

Cons:

• Need to be bolted to the floor for stability

For those who are serious about lifting heavy at their home gym and have a chance of a failed rep more often than not, the Sunny power zone rack is a great option.

CAP Barbell Full Cage Power Rack

With the simplest design form and use of 12 and 14 gauge steel for construction, the CAP full cage power rack is a serious piece of strength equipment. The uprights are made to provide the necessary stability to the structure. The full-length safety catchers are there to keep you safe in case of a failed rep.

This power rack may not be loaded with additional attachments and fancy features, but it carries out the task it is meant to very effectively. The structure is very easy to put together and can be bolted to the floor for stability.

Pros:

• Heavy-duty steel construction
• Multipurpose
• Full-length safety catchers
• Oversized tubing
• Powder-coated for rust protection
• Height adjustable for racking and spotters

Cons:

• Can’t lift too heavy using this rack

This is the simplest form of cheap power cage that will allow you to perform all powerlifting moves safely like you would do at your gym cage at your home gym.

Sunny Health & Fitness Power Zone Half Rack

With a thousand pound weight capacity, long extended spotter arms, band pegs, and three pull-up bars at different heights, the Sunny Health and Fitness power zone half rack is the ultimate gym machine for your garage gym.

This versatile rack offers a noiseless workout thanks to the high-quality lining on the vertical and top surface of the J-hooks and the spotter arms. The rack features added safety measures like safety lock on spotter arms, safety clips on weight posts, textured grip on top bars.

The high strength 2×2 inches uprights of the rack have 18 height options for setting the J-hooks and spotters. The rack can be bolted to the floor for added stability. The weight plates on the weight pegs provide a counterbalance and help the rack stay stable.

Pros:

• Olympic weight plate storage posts
• High weight capacity
• 18 adjustable height settings
• Offers a noise-free workout
• Lining protects the barbell from scratches and damage
• Height adjustable pull-up bars
• 6 resistance band pegs

Cons:

• Not as safe as a full power cage

With a footprint of a small squat rack and capability more than any power rack, you can get more exercise options with this cheap squat rack than any other machine in your home gym.

Fitness Reality 810XLT Super Max Power Cage

The Fitness Reality 810XLT has full-length safety catchers and the J-hooks, both chrome plated for protection from rust and aesthetic looks. 800 pounds weight capacity and 19 different possible height positions allow you to perform all powerlifting moves and the accessories on the rack.

There are two stability bars at the back to provide stability to the structure. You can easily slide in a bench inside the squat cage to perform bench presses easily. There is an angled pull-up bar at the top for added versatility.

Pros:

• 19 adjustable height positions
• Chrome coated safety bars
• Compatible with 7ft bars
• Stability bar at the back
• Angled pull-up bar

Cons:

• No option to secure it to the floor
• No weight posts

A sturdy and simple best value power rack can be an apt description for this power cage. The chrome coated spotters and hooks, and coated uprights make the cage durable.

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HulkFit 1000-Pound Capacity Multi-Function Adjustable Power Cage

The heavy-duty HulkFit power cage can take up to 1000 pounds of load. The package has two bonus J-hooks along with the two extra dip bars that can be used for dips and inverted rows too. The rack also has a multi-grip angled pull-up bar with foam handles at the top.

This free-standing unit grips the floor with its rubber feet. The rack is compatible with multiple attachments. You can add lat pulldown or cable crossover attachments. There is also a provision of angled steps for low row attachment.

Pros:

• Easy to assemble
• Heavy-duty, 1000 pounds weight capacity
• Bonus J-hooks and dip bars
• Rubber feet for stability
• Possibility of multiple attachments

Cons:

• No possibility to secure the rack to the floor
• Safety catchers are a bit weak

You can bring this one of the cheapest power racks to your home and avail a possibility of a plethora of exercises with different attachments, bars, weights, and the rack itself.

Fitness Reality Multi-function, Adjustable Power Rack Squat Stand

This is one of the smallest budget racks for home gym. This half rack from Fitness Reality takes very little floor space and offers a platform for performing multiple exercises. With the option of bolting it to the floor and the weight posts on the backside of the rack, this can be as stable as a full power rack.

Unlike the full power cage, you won’t be able to exercise in the safety of the cage with this budget squat rack, but you have the extended spotter arms to catch the bar in case of failed rep.

For added functionality, the rack has resistance band posts, height-adjustable pull-up bar, and a landmine attachment.

Pros:

• Landmine attachments add versatility
• Push-up bar attachment
• Lined J-hooks with 19 height adjustable positions
• Resistance band posts for added resistance
• Can be bolted to the floor for added stability

Cons:

• Not as safe as a power cage
• Weight posts not suitable for Olympic plates

This rack works best for those who are looking for a gym machine that consumes the least space and has the maximum number of exercise options to offer.

CAP Barbell FM-8000F Deluxe Power Rack

Made with high-grade tubular steel the CAP barbell FM-8000F half rack is one of the safest and reliable racks.

The J-hooks and J-cup type bar catchers of the rack are lined with synthetic material to protect the bar and the rack surface.

With 300 pounds capacity of safety catchers, this is a cheap power rack best suited for beginners and intermediate lifters.

Pros:

• Olympic plate weight posts on the rack
• There is a holder post to store the bar safely
• 6 resistance band posts
• Space saver design
• Easy to assemble

Cons:

• Structure is a bit wobbly
• Can’t perform high-intensity workouts

With 6 resistance band pegs and a designated place to keep your barbell, this rack accommodates all your gym equipment in just a 4×5 feet area.

What To Look For When Buying Budget Power Racks & Squat Racks for Home Gym?

Getting a power rack that suits all your workout requirements, space limitations and also matches your budget can be a bit tricky. Your first priority would be to find the cheap power racks that are priced below your budget, but that might lead you to some weight lifting equipment that is not effective and may end up being useless for you.

To choose the best value power rack that is cheaper in price but better in performance, you need to look out for the following parameters before buying the rack.

Material used: The material used in making the budget power cage would define the strength and durability of the cage. The steel tube used in making the uprights of the power cage should be at least 14 gauge steel. The whole structure should be either powder coated or chrome plated for longevity and rust protection. The J-hook and the spotter arms should have some soft material lining to protect the barbell and the rack surface from scratches.

Weight capacity: The weight capacity of the cage should be significantly higher than the weights you work out with. You may think you won’t need the spotter arms but trust us, you would. The weight capacity of the overall structure including the safety catchers should be more than the top set you are planning to perform using that rack.

Size: The dimensions of the rack should be such that it should be small enough to fit in your home gym space but big enough to allow you to perform all the exercises. The cage should be wide and deep enough for you to stand and move. It should easily be able to accommodate the length of bar you are using.

Holes spacing: Some racks have 2 inches center to center spacing between the holes some racks have 3 inches. The number of holes on the uprights are different for different racks. Depending on your height you should choose the rack that has holes at a height that allow you to perform squats, benches, etc. comfortably.

Additional features: The added features like a multi-grip pull-up bar, landmine attachment, weight posts, band pegs, dip bars, etc. add versatility to the rack. It allows you to perform multiple exercises on a single piece of equipment.

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Conclusion

Choosing the best one among the budget workout cages available in the market can be tricky, but if you have gone through the whole buying guide, you should have a clear idea of which one is best suited for your requirement.

All the racks mentioned here offer some unique features along with fulfilling the basic requirements of a rack effectively. You can choose any one of them that have the features you are looking for without worrying about the durability and quality of the rack.