9 Best Power Racks and Squat Racks Reviewed

9 Best Power Racks For Garage Gyms

Now we would like to show you some of the best power racks reviews we have found.

1. PowerLine PPR200X Power Rack

This power rack has an impressive frame that measures more than 44 inches in width, 82 inches in height and has a 46 inch depth.

Its quality can be seen in the fact that the frame itself comes with a 10 year warranty.

It’s ample width provides sufficient side to side moving space. It comes equipped with 2 saber style safety rods and two heat tempered lift offs.

With more than 18 different positions available, this power cage is perfect for someone who wants to challenge themselves by engaging in diverse exercises.

This is one of the best power cage designs we have seen. 

3) Best Fitness Power Rack

Are you ready to push yourself and take your workout to new extremes? If so, this is the power rack for you.

Challenge yourself with more than 23 different positions available on the rack. This rack guarantees user’s safety with 2 adjustable lift offs and full-length safety bars.

Being solidly constructed of 14 gauge 2 inch by 2 steel frames, this power cage can hold more than 500 pounds.

With 82 inches in height and 46.5 inches in width, there is more than enough workout space for even larger guys.

4) Impex Marcy Platinum Power Rack

This rack represents the perfect mixture of simplicity and functionality. Built with a 12 gauge 2 inch by 2 inch steel frame and equipped with 2 adjustable lift offs, this rack can support in excess of 500 pounds.

Adjustable positions allow for a wide range of variety in the workouts that are done on this rack. Safeties ensure that workouts will be started from a proper and safe position, and also minimize the chance of injury.

This rack, which is produced by Impex, has the distinction of being one of the racks that is produced by a company which produces high quality power racks than any other company.

5) Valor Athletics BD-11 Hard Power Rack

Without LAT Pull would you consider yourself to be a hard-core power lifter? If so, this power rack promises to keep up with you.

Built with a 2.5 inch by 2.5 inch 12 gauge steel frame, two solid steel safety bars for support, a pull-up station, four support bars for bar height adjustments and a whole host of accessories, this is a power rack that is designed to enhance your workout.

Eighty-two inches high, 44 inches long and 48 inches wide makes this one of the larger sized power cages you can purchase.

This rack is very versatile, offering 17 variable positions for bar supports. There is a solid steel chrome pull-up bar with knurled grips. Straightforward assembly instructions and delivery in two well-packed boxes make assembling and installing this power cage a breeze.

Having this in the home is a whole lot better than paying every month to go to the gym. 

6) Powertec Fitness Workbench Power Rack

This is a power rack that is designed to allow you to work out at home without a spotter, push yourself to success and have the security that you will not get injured.

Easy to assemble and easy to use, this rack adds a lot of versatility to any home workout.

This rack comes equipped with a chin up bar and dip bars. Gravity Lock catches are included and add to the rack’s safety.

Additional equipment, such as the lat puller, can be purchased to increase the amount of exercises that can be done on this quality power rack.

7) TDS Power Rack 72 Inches High

Do you want a high-quality power rack for your home gym but struggle with lower ceilings? Well, this is the power cage for you.

At only 72 inches in height, this professional grade power rack offers all of the benefits of its larger competitors while being able to fit inside of homes with lower roofs.

Equipped with 1 inch solid steel safety bars and a professional chin bar, this power rack supports more than 1,000 pounds. Its solid construction means that it will not shake or rattle while you are using it.

You can do squats, roles, pull-ups or bench presses completely confident that this one will support any weight you put on it. In our opinion, it is a great rack that is worth the money. Read more about the finer details here

8) Titan Power Rack Squat Deadlift HD Lift Cage

Anyone who is looking to add a power rack to their home gym that is attractive and promises to offer safety and security should give this power rack a look over.

It is equipped with one inch round solid steel safety pins, it has 28 holes that are 2 inches apart for adjustment, and it is made of heavy-duty 12 gauge steel with the capacity to hold 700 pounds.

This high-quality cage promises to be the most important part of your home gym. This rack has been designed to make your home workouts secure and safe.

The rack itself is 83 inches high and has an inside working space of 26 inches from the rear. A chin up bar that is 1 ¼ inches in diameter and 44 inches wide make it possible for you to do all of those exotic pull-ups and chin-ups your workout demands.

9) Super Power Rack

This high-quality full rack is easy to assemble out-of-the-box. Its quality is guaranteed with a lifetime warranty.

Users have said that it is as sturdy and as compact as you can expect a power rack to be. Its extremely lightweight design makes moving it from one place to another a snap.

The solid 1 inch steel safety bars are guaranteed to support any weight that you are lifting in case you need to ditch it. Barbell trays, lat attachments and crossover attachments all add to the versatility and usability of this fella.

This is a cheaper power rack that offers a lot of amenities to the user. 

Why Purchase A Power Rack?

Simply put, there is no other piece of gym equipment that will provide you with the overall body workout that can be provided using a power rack.

Hands down, a power cage is the most important piece of gym equipment that you will ever purchase.

Benefits of Using Power Racks At Home

Power racks have been designed to work in conjunction with free weights. Free weights build more muscle than machines. They build more strength than machines.

Free weights require you to not only use your primary muscles but also to engage your stabilizing muscles. Using a power rack and free weights will provide superior results in comparison to using a machine. The following are additional benefits of using a power rack:

Safety

Power racks are designed with safety pins on the side. They can be set to whatever height you need, and they will catch the barbell in case something goes wrong.

This means that you can work out safely without a spotter. If something goes wrong, you can simply drop the bar, and the pins will catch it.

Ease-Of-Use

One of the most important workouts for building muscle mass and increasing strength is squats.

Getting the bar on your back without a rack is difficult. It could lead to improper form, which could result in injury. However, a power cage makes exercises like squats easy to do.

Versatility

A good workout routine will include a wide range of exercises. A power rack can be used to do bench presses, dips, pull-ups, squats and a whole host of other exercises. It is the ultimate weightlifting accessory.

Downsides of Using a Power Rack

There is no better way to get results from your workout than purchasing a power rack. It is the best decision you could make for your home gym. However, there are some downsides that should be considered.

Space Requirements

A power rack is a large piece of equipment. You will need to have space that is sufficient for it. The space also needs to be high enough for the power rack to fit in.

Additional Equipment Needed

Unlike workout machines that have all of the weights and additional equipment included with them, a power cage will require you to purchase things like barbells, benches and weights.

Additional Expense

Since you will need to purchase additional equipment, you will be spending more on a power rack than you would on many machines. Power cage are more expensive than squat stands.

Alternatives to Power Racks

Let’s say you do not have enough space for a power rack in your home. Does that mean that you should purchase a BowFlex or a Smith Machine?

Not if you want good results. Remember, nothing will provide better results than free weights. Here are some smaller alternatives to a full rack that might work for you.

Squat Rack

This is basically an open power cage. It’s a little smaller, but at the same time, it is less safe. Usually, squat racks do not have pins. If they do, the pins cannot be adjusted. The best squat rack cannot compare to a power rack.

Squat Holds

This is another small alternative to a power rack. However, they can be unstable and topple over if you are not careful. They do not have safety pins. However, sawhorses or other piece of equipment may be used as safety pins.

Half Racks

This is a good alternative if you do not have a high ceiling. It is a little bit lower than a power cage, and it is substantially cheaper. The downside is that it will not have a pull up bar.

More information about the difference between a half rack and power rack.

Smith Machine

This is basically a power rack, but the barbell is attached to the power cage. One would think that this machine would be safer than a power rack. It is not.

It is also drastically less effective than free weights since the user does not engage the stabilizer muscles keeping the bar level. Our recommendation is to avoid this at all cost.

Essential Power Rack Exercises 

Squats

This is the exercise that power racks were made for. When it comes to getting a full body compound exercise, nothing can compete with the squat.

If you want to get the most out of your power rack, it is recommended that you spend a good portion of your time doing squats.

Power racks have been designed to make doing squats easier. Never use a Smith Machine to do your squats. That would be a foolish idea.

Bench Presses

They might hurt, but pain is part of the game when it comes to building muscle mass. Bench presses engage a large part of the muscles in the torso. They must be included in any bodybuilding routine.

There are no if’s, and’s or but’s about it! One of the pluses about doing bench presses on a power rack is that you don’t need a spotter. They have built-in safety pegs that will catch the bar if you give out because of fatigue.

Shoulder Presses

This is yet another essential compound exercise that must be included in any good workout routine.

Shoulder presses have been designed to target many of the muscles in the upper body, including your traps, your chest, your shoulders and your triceps. You’re able to hit all of these muscles in just one motion.

A power cage makes it easy to rack up and unrack the weights. You can use a power rack if you’re sitting or if you are standing.

Things to Consider When Purchasing a Power Rack

As we have mentioned, a power rack is an important part of any exercise routine. However, in order to get the best out of your power cage, it is good to ask yourself a few questions prior to purchasing one.

Homemade Power Racks

Undoubtedly, there are some who are looking at the images we have of power racks and are thinking to themselves: “I can make that, no problem!”.

To be fair, there are some individuals who have made some very impressive homemade power cages. However, there are a few cautionary notes that a person should consider prior to engaging in this endeavor.

One of the benefits of a purchased power rack is that it provides stability and security. If an individual builds a homemade rack without having sufficient knowledge of structural engineering, they may find themselves in a precarious situation where their rack does not hold the weight that they thought it would.

If you are not a professional carpenter who understands design and weight bearing, this is not a task you want to undertake. Homemade power cages can be unstable, and because of not being ergonomically designed, they can lead to certain injuries.

Additionally, while it is possible to save some money because of building a homemade rack or a homemade squat rack, the savings are not as great as a person might think. This is especially true when you factor in the time that is needed to make a rack.

Our recommendation is that anyone who is seriously considering installing a power cage in their home look at some of the high quality, low-cost options.

Decision Time

In our guide, we have tried to present you with a comprehensive overview of the different power racks that are available on the market. You have seen the good, the bad and the ugly. Now, it is up to you to determine which is the best power rack for you.