5 Best Squat Racks For Your Home Gym
Did you know, one of the best exercises to burn calories and and build muscle is the squat? Squats are one of the most basic exercises you can do, using some of the largest muscles in your body. If you’re looking to take your fitness level up a notch, then you need to add a squat rack to your home gym.
You’re probably wondering which squat racks are worth your time (and money), and you’re looking for a quality rack that won’t break the bank. No worries – I’ve found the 5 best squat racks for your home gym – so you can find just what you need without wasting time!
Why Squat Racks?
If you’re wanting to do heaving lifting at home, you need solid equipment that will assist you in meeting your goals while keeping you safe. Take it from me – it isn’t easy to squat with a heavy barbell on your back without having a squat rack to assist you.
A squat rack is helpful because you can add weight to your bar at shoulder height to easily load and unload the weight before and after squatting. Many squat racks also come with safety bars to catch your barbell in the event that you’re unable to return to a standing position after squatting with heavy weight.
So if this is the type of lifting you’re after, what you need is a squat rack. And since this article will only focus on squat racks that you can conveniently place in your home and create a home gym, you’ll find it appealing that these squat racks aren’t humongous. They’re not tiny either. They’re just the perfect size for your use and your house.
But how do you find the best squat racks for your house out there? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.
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Squat Rack vs. Power Rack
There are two different types of support equipment for heavy squats: the squat rack and the power rack. Which one should you choose?
1) The squat rack is designed specifically for squats. It provides two vertical bars to allow you to easily load and unload the weights on your bar and position the bar onto your back. Power racks have more versatility in terms of exercises because they offer space to do other lifts like bench presses, deadlifts, rows, pull-ups, and shoulder presses as well as squats.
2) Squat racks may or may not have safety bars on the sides, whereas power racks will also feature safety pins at varying heights so you don’t need to worry about losing your balance when performing heavy lifts with weights overhead. With a squat rack you may have to drop your bar onto the floor, but a power rack will have supports to catch your weights if needed.
For the purpose of this article, I am including power racks and half racks as a form of a squat rack. I personally prefer the versatility of power racks – however I do have a very basic squat rack included below for anyone who wants that style.
How To Choose The Best Squat Rack?
One of the first things you should consider is the size. Take into account your height and the location your squat rack will be set up in your home.
Measure your space. Yes, you need to measure it to ensure that the squat rack can fit easily while still leaving room for other equipment or fitness needs.
Another important aspect is the quality of the squat rack. Since it’s made out of steel, you want to get your hands on a high-quality product. Let’s get things straight: if you buy a high-quality squat rack, it may even outlive you!
Jokes aside, buying a cheap, low-quality squat rack will only hurt you. And I’m not joking there, seriously. You may end up causing yourself physical harm, and that’s why investing in a heavy-duty squat rack for your home gym is extremely important.
For a general rule of thumb, thick steel has better quality, but yes, this will cost you more, so think before you make the purchase.
Additional tips:
- Check the weight limit of the squat rack. Depending on how heavy you plan to lift, this could be a deciding factor on which squat rack you buy.
- The brand is essential. There is no doubt that the brands who are told to last for a long time actually last for a long time. Their equipment may be slightly more expensive, but that’s expected.
- The quality of the rack matters as well. If you’re purchasing a poorly constructed rack, then that may budge you every time you try to exercise. Remember that you will end up using this squat rack for years, so make sure you’re comfortable with it.
- Different brands offer different accessories alongside their squat rack. However, not every accessory they send will be of use to you. You may want to check on that too.
But still, is it easy to find out the best squat racks for your home gym? Even if it’s easy, it’ll take up a long time to sort out the good ones.
That’s exactly why I’ve cut out your work for you. After some homework, I whipped up the best squat racks for home gyms, and I’m positive you’ll like them.
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read more about these links in my disclosure policy.
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1. HulkFit 1000-Pound Capacity Multi-Function Adjustable Rack
Before I describe the features of this squat rack, let me tell you, this squat rack is a fine piece of work. It looks fantastic, and you may be motivated to exercise often because of how attractive it seems. The yellow color shines like no other.
The dimensions are 47 x 44 x 81 inches, and the material is composite.
The squat rack has a capacity of 1000 pounds, and it comes with four J-Hooks. It’s constructed with 11 gauge steel, which is the ideal number of gauge steels for an average person. What makes this squat rack outstanding is its durability. It has a 2.5-inch x 2.5-inch frame, and this offers excellent stability throughout the squat rack.
Talking about the Power-Cage includes two steel safety bars with J-Hooks, two dip bars, and bonus J-hooks for your added convenience. Moreover, the free-standing unit with ample walk-in space and rubber feet will significantly increase your stability throughout the exercise. Plus, it will protect your flooring from undergoing damage as well.
Next up, you can customize the squat rack as well. It comes with Lat pull-down and cable crossover attachments that you can add to your exercise game. And you can conveniently install all of this at your house. Transforming your body has never been this easy!
The front rack comes with a multi-grip pull-up bar for additional exercises and stretches. This makes things convenient, not to mention that you can use the crossbars for band and resistance training.
2. CANPA Adjustable Squat Rack Stand Multi-Function Barbell Rack
This next squat rack is the one I currently personally own and use! (I don’t have a good photo of it, as it ended up in our storage shed after moving to our new home last year.)
The CANPA Adjustable Squat Rack Stand Multi-Function Barbell Rack is a solid addition to any home gym. Made from heavy-duty steel, it supports up to 550 pounds, ensuring stability and safety during workouts. Its adjustable height and width make it suitable for various exercises, including squats and bench presses. The non-slip rubber feet add extra security.
You’ll notice it lacks safety bars for very heavy lifts, so this isn’t a squat rack for professional body builders. However, it is ideal for home gym enthusiasts looking for a flexible and durable solution to enhance their strength training routines.
I personally chose to add this squat rack to my home gym because I was looking for a piece of equipment that was strong, sturdy, and did the job. It was also very affordable for me (just over $100 when I purchased) and had a familiar brand name that I trusted.
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly squat rack and barbell stand without the bells and whistles, this is the one for you.
3. Fitness Reality 8 10XLT Super Max Power Cage
This squat rack weighs 67.13kgs, and it’s made of steel. The warranty that comes with it is 1 year, and the dimensions are 50.5 x 46.5 x 83.5 inches. Along with the 1-year warranty, the seller grants you an opportunity to return the item in under 90 days if you want to.
This squat rack has two chrome dual-mounted safety bars and two chrome lock-on safety. Not only does this look amazing, but it grants impressive durability as well. The cage dimensions are 50.5” L x 46.5” 2 x 83.5” H, and the set up weight is 133.5 lbs.
The dimensions of the box are 79” L x 13” W x 10” H, and it weighs 148 lbs plus; the bar dimensions are 2” x 2”. All this comes to your house, no questions asked. Seriously, just imagine yourself grabbing your weights whenever you find the need to. No need to gather motivation to hit the gym anymore!
The squat rack is ideal for all types of squats, shrugs, chin-ups/pull-ups, incline/decline bench presses and any other strength training exercises you have in mind. So it offers a total body transformation opportunity at your hands. You can fulfill your fitness goals at the comfort of your home now!
Each pair of bars can take up to 800 lbs, and you can adjust to 19 height levels to diversify your range of workout positions. While performing strength-training exercises, stability is necessary. Therefore at the back of the power cage, two rear stability bars are provided.
4. Sunny Health & Fitness Power Zone Half Rack
Sunny Health & Fitness is known to provide high-quality gym equipment and machines. Their squat rack is on par with other Sunny equipment I’ve tried out.
The Sunny squat rack comes in hot, with 18 adjustable height settings, 6 Olympic weight plate storage posts, 6 resistance band pegs, and 3 adjustable pull-up bars. This photo shows the basic rack itself (bars and plates not included), but there are options to include a weight bench, a lat pulldown, or both.
You can also purchase additional upgrades for your rack to add on extras such as a landmine attachment (a solid accessory I’d get), dip bar attachments (this I would skip), and others.
This beast of a squat rack is compatible with 7 ft. Olympic barbells and can hold up to 1,000 lbs of weight.
The adjustable J-hooks and spotter arms with 18 settings allow you to focus on your strength training with extreme stability exclusively. The dimensions are 50.4″ L x 86.97″ H.
The attached resistance bands to the pegs located near the bottom of the rack increase your resistance training and aid in strength exercises. This squat rack is built for the tough ones out there, with 2” x 2” high-quality steel pipe used in constructing it, this weighs 81.19 kgs, and the warranty is of 1 year.
Sunny also has a very basic squat rack that is a very budget-friendly option without sacrificing quality. If you want just the bones of a squat rack, you’ll want to check out the Sunny Squat Stand.
5. Power Rack Power Cage Squat Cage
This last piece of equipment on my list is a pretty solid one. It can hold over 1000 pounds, and the 2” x 2” square steel frame construction allows it to be excellent and durable.
It comes with free dips to do dips with and 2 free adaptor sleeves to use with the 2-inch Olympic plates. The Vanswe Lat Pulldown and Low Row Cable attachment are ideal for people who want more of a full-service piece of equipment – not just a rack for squatting.
What makes this squat rack complete is that they offer a load of accessories. With 10 extra accessories by your side, you will be unstoppable! Plus, the bar supports a range in height from 17.5” to 68” so you can adjust it to your liking.
Vanswe offers you a 10-year warranty for their mainframes and two years warranty for their accessories. Why would a seller offer a 10-year warranty unless their product is high quality? They believe in what they sell; that’s why they’re content. Regardless, if your equipment is faulty or broken, you can always reach out to them and ask for a solution.
The squat rack has high-quality rubber feet footing that increases the overall stability. All of these factors make this squat rack worth its price – which is still fairly budget-friendly when compared to some other options!
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Which Squat Rack is Best For You?
The squat rack is one of the most important pieces of equipment in a home gym. It’s also one of the more expensive, so you want to make sure that your purchase is well-thought out and lasts for many years.
We looked at 5 different racks on Amazon with varying price points, durability ratings, and features to help you find what will work best for your needs. My favorites are from Sunny or CANPA because they offer high quality products at an affordable cost without sacrificing performance or safety.
All these models come highly rated by verified customers as well as experts who have tried them out firsthand – check them out! Any of these listed would make a great gift for a weightlifter or fitness enthusiast.
If you’re looking to give your body a challenging workout in your home gym, these racks have what you need!
MEET AMANDA
Amanda is a mom of 4 living a mostly crunchy lifestyle outside of Atlanta, GA with her husband, 2 dogs, and a cat. As a former special education teacher who also has her personal training certification — Amanda really enjoys teaching others how to do things!
When she’s not working, Amanda enjoys DIY projects, exercising, photography, hiking, and long walks through Target.