Best Budget Power Rack – Introduction
What is the best budget power rack for your home gym in 2023?
If you only do one type of exercise for the rest of your fitness “career,” strength training should be it.
What makes strength training superior to almost every other form of exercise?
Allow me to list the ways!
A well-designed strength training program will:
- Build muscle
- Increase joint mobility
- Increase cardiovascular fitness
- Enhance balance and agility
- Strengthen your bones and joints
- Improve functionality
- Prevent back pain
- Help you lose fat and control your weight
- Lower your risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, and other life-shortening chronic diseases, and
- Improve your strength
Every other type of exercise, from running to swimming to yoga, offers some of these benefits, but only lifting weights does it all.
It really is a one-stop shop for all your fitness goals and needs!
One of the best aspects of strength training is how many different ways there are to do it.
For example, you can choose between or combine bodyweight exercises, free weights, resistance machines, and resistance bands.
You can also train at a gym or, if you prefer a more convenient place to work out, you can exercise at home.
And that’s the topic of today’s article – home gym fitness equipment.
If you lift weights at home, especially barbell exercises, you need to make sure your workouts are as safe as possible.
One way to do this is with a power rack.
In this guide, you’ll learn what features to look for in a budget power rack, plus five of the most affordable models on the market today that are perfect for home use.
What Is A Power Rack, Anyway?
Power racks make barbell training safer.
Designs vary, but most are four-pillared “cages” with adjustable crossbars and barbell J hooks.
You do your chosen exercise, for example, squats, inside the power rack so that, if you cannot complete a rep, the bar will come to rest on the crossbars, thus saving you from being pinned under a heavy weight.
You can do almost any barbell exercise inside a power rack, including all types of:
There are also some specialty exercises you can do with a power rack that would be impossible any other way, such as pin presses, rack pulls, and bottoms-up squats.
Some power racks also have built-in pull-up/chin-up bars, removable dipping bars, anchors for resistance bands, and plate storage racks.
Combined with an Olympic barbell, some weight or bumper plates, and an adjustable weight bench, you can train your entire body with a power rack in almost complete safety, including training to failure with heavy weights.
What to Look for In A Budget Power Rack
Power racks can vary greatly, so it’s important to know what to look for when making your purchase.
A good power rack, also known as a power cage, will be a joy to use and should provide many years of reliable service.
In contrast, one that’s not so good could turn your workouts into a miserable experience and could even be dangerous.
So, make sure you consider the following before you part with your hard-earned cash.
Weight capacity
The cheaper your power rack, the less weight it’ll probably hold.
For safety, your power rack should be able to comfortably support double the weights you expect to train with.
Most are rated for 700-1000 pounds.
Weight capacity is usually listed on the technical specifications, so make sure your power rack is strong enough for your needs.
Dimensions
Power racks vary significantly in size, from quite compact to absolutely massive!
Make sure your prospective purchase will fit in your training space.
Check height and footprint (width x length), and don’t forget to take into account the size of your barbell.
Larger power racks tend to be more robust and more stable but obviously take up more room.
In contrast, compact power racks are ideal for training in small spaces but are also less stable, so you may need to weigh or bolt them down to stop them from tipping over.
Fixtures and fittings
At the very least, a power rack should have two adjustable safety crossbars and adjustable J hooks to hold your barbell.
That’s really all you need for most barbell exercises.
However, some power racks go above these basics to make them more functional.
Extras that may enhance your workouts include:
- Pull-up/chin-up handles
- Dip handles
- Weight plate holders
- Additional safety bars and a pair of j-hooks
- Attachment points for pulleys/cables
- Lat pull attachment
- Resistance band pegs
So, while a basic power rack will be sufficient for many exercisers, others may prefer a power rack with more training options.
However, these extras are usually reflected in the price.
Hole spacing
Hole spacing determines what height you can set the J hooks and safety crossbars.
The holes on some budget power racks are quite far apart, so you may not be able to achieve the perfect barbell and crossbar position for your height and limb length.
Others use closer hole placement for greater adjustability.
This is often called Westside hole spacing.
If you want to be able to fine-tune the safety bar and J-hook height, look for a power rack with holes that are close together.
Cost
A commercial power rack can cost $3000-$5000.
They’re made to withstand the heaviest of workouts and last for decades.
Needless to say, such a hardcore product would be overkill for most home gyms.
You should be able to find an affordable power rack for $400 or less.
While it won’t be as solid or hardwearing as one made for a powerlifting gym, it should still be plenty robust and long-lasting.
So, decide on your budget, create your wish list of functions and features, and then choose the power rack that most closely matches your needs.
The Five Best Budget Power Racks for Home Gyms
Not sure which budget power rack is best for your home gym?
Here are five of our favorite power racks for your home or garage gym – at an affordable price!
#1. Fitness Reality Squat Rack Power Cage
- 【STRONG ASTM TESTED 800 LBS. WEIGHT CAPACITY】- Don't put your safety in the...
- 【SOLID STEEL LONG SAFETY ARMS】- Other companies provide hollow tubes, not...
- 【MULTI-GRIP & REVERSIBLE PULLUP BARS】-Wide grip, narrow grip, hammer grip...
- 【STANDARD SIZED 1" HOLES】- Makes your squat rack COMPATIBLE with standard...
- 【TWIN SUPPORT BRACES】-Makes this power cage strong and sturdy. Lower brace...
At under $300, this budget power rack is an absolute bargain!
The model Super Max 810 XLT is very basic, but it has everything you need for safe barbell training.
It’s drilled with one-inch holes, offering reasonable adjustability, and a multi-grip pullup bar is included as standard.
In addition, the Fitness Reality power cage can also be fitted with a lat pulldown – sold separately.
The weight capacity for this power rack is 800 pounds, so it’s plenty strong enough for most home lifters.
#2. HULKFIT Pro Series Power Rack
- Purpose - Increase your home gym fitness equipment repertoire with our 2.35” x...
- Usage - Improve total body strength in your home gym. Strength and conditioning...
- Materials - High gloss paint, powder coated 13 gauge steel.
- What’s Inside - (1) Pro Series Power Cage, (2) Circle Dip Bars, (1) Multi-grip...
- Product Specifications – Total Product Dimensions 47” x 44” x 85”,...
Car manufacturer Henry Ford famously said, “you can have any color you want, so long as it’s black.”
It seems like HULKFIT didn’t get that memo!
Instead, their budget power rack is available in three attractive colors to brighten up your home gym.
Unlike most home power racks, this Pro Series model is fitted with safety straps instead of crossbars.
These tend to be far quieter to use and kinder to your barbell.
However, they’re not so good for exercises like pin presses, rack pulls, and bottoms-up squats.
Rated up to 800 pounds, this HULKFIT Power Cage Squat Rack comes with a pull-up bar and removable dip bars.
#3. Sunny Health and Fitness Power Zone Power Cage
- ULTRA STRENGTH AND DURABILITY: Capable of carrying a max weight of 1000 LB, the...
- SPOTTER BARS: You will always have a spotter in the Power Zone Power Cage with...
- ANGLED PULL UP BAR: The pull up bar is adjustable and reversible with 4...
- STABLE AND GROUNDED: Store extra weight plates with the included safety clips to...
- ADJUSTABLE AND VERSATILE: 18 vertical height settings allow for various...
This power rack from Sunny Health and Fitness is very compact and ideal for smaller home gyms.
It comes complete with a multi-grip pull-up bar, J-hooks, and adjustable safety crossbars.
The Power Zone model can also be fitted with a lat pulldown attachment, sold separately.
In addition, this budget power rack with a price point under $400 also has weight storage pins and pegs for combining resistance bands with your barbell exercises.
Last but not least, the Sunny Health Strength Rack Power Cage is rated for weights up to 1000 pounds!
#4. CDCASA Power Rack
- 💪【HEAVY-DUTY CONSTRUCTION】Premium quality 2" x 2" multiple thickened...
- 💪【HIGH QUALITY & VARIOUS DESIGN】CDCASA Power Rack is equipped with...
- 💪【11 ADJUSTABLE POSITIONS】11 levels adjustable settings for J hooks, dip...
- 💪【ALL-IN-ONE STATION】Built-in 2 weight plate storage posts with 9.5...
- 💪【SPECIFICATION】The package includes: Power Rack, User Manual, Tools.The...
This CDCASA power rack has an open front, making it a half rack.
Half racks are ideal for home use as they’re lighter and take up less space than a fully enclosed power rack.
However, used with care, they can be every bit as safe and effective as a full power rack.
This Power Rack Squat Cage model has:
- adjustable safety arms,
- j-hooks, dip handles,
- a pull-up bar,
- weight holders, and
- resistance band pegs
Its weight capacity is 660 lbs.
However, the safety arms are quite short, so you’ll have to be careful that you don’t miss them when lowering your barbell.
This Multi-Function Power Squat Rack from CDCASA is ideal for recreational lifters but is probably not suitable for more serious barbell training, i.e., powerlifting.
#5. GRIND FITNESS Alpha3000 Power Rack
- OVERBUILT POWER RACK - The Alpha3000 Power Rack is made for the home gym owner...
- 1,000 LB STATIC WEIGHT CAPACITY - A power rack should be able to handle heavy...
- MULTI-GRIP PULL-UP BAR STANDARD - Every Alpha3000 comes standard with our custom...
- UNIQUE FEATURES THROUGHOUT - Featuring lined j-cups to protect barbell knurling,...
- CREATED SPECIFICALLY FOR THE HOME GYM - Not that we have anything against...
This power rack from GRIND FITNESS is built to last!
Its weight capacity of 1000 pounds makes it sturdy enough for the heaviest home workouts.
It’s got a multi-grip pull-up bar, safety crossbars, and J-hooks, and all the holes are numbered for fast, easy adjustment for different heights.
The black paint job looks sleek, too!
This GRIND FITNESS Alpha300 model power rack/squat rack is also available as a package with a matching adjustable training bench.
Best Budget Power Rack – Wrapping Up
A budget power rack can seem like a significant addition to a home gym.
After all, even compact models are pretty large!
However, they’re also very versatile and allow you to perform many different exercises in a relatively small space.
Some models also provide a valuable place to store your barbell and weights.
In reality, they probably don’t take up much more room than a power tower but are much more versatile.
While commercial power racks are expensive, models specifically made for home use are much more friendly for a tight budget.
For example, you can buy one for a lot less than a half-year gym membership, but it will provide many years of productive weight training.
When it comes to free weights strength training, a solid power rack is an essential piece of equipment.
Therefore, if you are serious about barbell training, you should definitely consider adding a budget friendly power rack to your home gym.
Rich is a NASM-CPT (Certified Personal Trainer),