So you’ve decided to invest in a home gym? Excellent decision! Home gyms are a great way to get a workout in anytime and maximize those gains. If you’re putting together a serious home gym then you need one of the best power racks!
Power racks are the cornerstone of any weight training station worth its salt. The best option is a rack that’s durable, ergonomic, and supportive of various exercises — AKA, able to keep up with your training regimen. Our favorite option? The Fitness Reality 810XLT, which holds a whopping 800 pounds and comes with over a dozen adjustment settings for beginner to advanced lifters.
If you’re looking for all the best power racks on the market, we’ve got you covered. Read on to discover our favorite heavy hitters.
Our Top Picks: Best Power Racks
Ready to get back to your workout? Here are our top picks:
- Best Overall: Fitness Reality 810XLT. This durable steel power rack boasts 19 height settings and an extra-tall design to accommodate dozens of different exercises.
- Best Budget: CAP Barbell Power Rack. Grab this power rack for well under $250, and enjoy its beginner-friendly design (comes in seven colors) with 500-pound weight capacity.
- Best Cage: HulkFit Power Cage. Channel your inner hulk with this powerhouse cage that holds up to 1000 pounds and comes with an ergonomic multi-grip bar.
- Best for General Fitness: Sunny Health & Fitness Power Zone. It’s always sunny in your home gym when you’ve a power rack that’s ideal for weight and resistance training.
- Best w/ Lat Pulldown: Marcy Home Gym System. Prefer a power rack with all the bells and whistles (and lat pulldown bars)? Check out the Marcy Home Gym System, and get ripped in a fraction of the time.
1. Fitness Reality 810XLT
The best power rack overall
Manufacturer: Fitness Reality / Dimensions: 47” x 51” x 84” / Weight Capacity: 800 Pounds / Colors: 1 / Price: 💰💰💰💰
First into the ring is the Fitness Reality 801XLT, our pick for the best power rack overall.
What makes this model unique? First of all, the 810XLT has a weight capacity of up to 800lbs — suitable for everyone, from beginners to the most freakishly powerful lifters. Not only that, but the walk-in space is plenty wide with a generous 51” of leeway, making maneuverability a cinch. The rack also has 19 adjustment settings to accommodate exercises from squats to free press.
The biggest limit on this power rack might be height. Due to the arching style of the pull-up bar, it is a bit higher than most.
Reviewers Like
- Assembles in about an hour
- Durable, high-quality steel construction
- Perfect for squats, presses, pull-ups, and much more
Reviewers Dislike
- Extremely tall
- Top-heavy without weights
2. CAP Barbell Power Rack
The best budget power rack
Manufacturer: CAP Barbell / Dimensions: 46” x 50” x 85” / Weight Capacity: 500 Pounds / Colors: 7 / Price: 💰💰
If you’re seeking the best affordable power rack, look no further than this excellent option from CAP Barbell.
Made from solid steel and composed of 11 and 12 gauge metals, CAP Barbell’s basic power rack is an excellent choice for any beginner lifter on a budget (or someone who has a gym membership but wants a power rack at home).
It has a relatively small footprint, so it would also be great for anyone lacking space for a full cage. And even though it has a lower weight capacity, it still features a proper pull-up bar.
Reviewers Like
- The best power rack under $500
- Features bar, weight storage, and j-cup hooks
- Durable steel tubing and powder-coated finish
Reviewers Dislike
- Often ships with missing parts
- Challenging assembly — better with two people
3. HulkFit Power Cage
The best power cage
Manufacturer: HulkFit / Dimensions: 44” x 47” x 81” / Weight Capacity: 1000 Pounds / Colors: 1 / Price: 💰💰💰💰
The HulkFit Power Cage is the training ground of Bruce Banner himself.
This behemoth of a rack holds up to 1000 pounds of weight, among the best in the business. The price point is a bit higher than competing models, but it’s backed by a multi-year warranty on the frame, which is pretty outstanding. It takes roughly two hours to assemble and is made from some of the safest material out there.
Our favorite feature? The full-cage design encourages safe movements and stability, which we fully support. Overall, it’s an outstanding power rack for powerlifters.
Reviewers Like
- Quality steel with diamond plate accents
- Easy to assemble, and comes with spare parts
- Features an ergonomic multi-grip bar w/ foam handles
Reviewers Dislike
- Scuffs easily
- On the expensive side
4. Sunny Health & Fitness Power Zone
The best fitness power rack
Manufacturer: Sunny Health & Fitness / Dimensions: 38” x 53” x 87” / Weight Capacity: 805 Pounds / Colors: 1 / Price: 💰💰💰
Though simpler in design, the Sunny Health & Fitness Power Zone is a solid piece of fitness training equipment.
This baby can do just about everything. Use the built-in spotter arms to safely perform squats, use the angled top bar for chin-ups and pull-ups, and get your resistance training in with the six band pins. The Fitness Power Zone is constructed from premium steel and supports up to 805lbs — quite considerable considering the price point.
The Sunny Health & Fitness Power Zone is an excellent option for the indoor-home gym, the garage, or even the outdoor shed.
Reviewers Like
- Fantastic value
- Rack and spotter arms hold 7’ Olympic bars
- Ideal for all types of weight training exercises
Reviewers Dislike
- Quite shallow at only 38” deep
- Must bolt to the floor when maxing out the weight limit
5. Marcy Home Gym System
The best power rack with lat pulldown
Manufacturer: Marcy / Dimensions: 56″ x 61″ x 85″ / Weight Capacity: 410 Pounds / Colors: 1 / Price: 💰💰💰💰💰
You probably saw this one coming. After all, we had to throw in at least one power rack with a built-in lat pulldown.
Introducing the Marcy Home Gym System, a feature-rich power rack that holds up to 410 pounds (300 when using the bar catchers that stick outside of the cage). On top of standard features like extra weight holders, The Marcy Home Gym System also includes a lat pull attachment to take your routine to the next level. Combined with shiver, dip, and safety bars, this bad boy offers a comprehensive workout.
Unfortunately, that all comes at a cost. While this is among the best power racks under $1000, it’s near the upper end of the spectrum. And in terms of weight capacity, it’s near the lower-end. That said, it offers everything beginners and mid-level pros need to get ripped.
Reviewers Like
- Versatile open cage design
- Durable, ergonomic cable system
- Features lat, shiver, dip, and safety bars
Reviewers Dislike
- Lower weight capacity
- Among the most expensive mid-level models on the market
What to Look for in the Best Power Racks
When choosing the best power rack for home gym setups, there are a handful of decisions to make.
1
Dimensions
If you’re setting up a home gym in your spare room or garage, you may have to compromise and find a more compact solution. If you do have the space, however, don’t hold back — get a power rack that’ll keep up with your gains.
Choosing the tallest, widest one you can accommodate will grant extra room inside the cage and allow you to do more varied exercises. You should be able to perform pull-ups and standing overhead presses without bumping into anything. You should also be able to perform sumo squats within the cage.
Note that a smaller rack can be hard to use for tall individuals. Make sure that the power rack is big enough for you and any tall people you think are likely to use it. The best power rack will fit right where you need it and allow you to exercise without feeling cramped.
Also, a quick note about uprights… You should have the option to adjust the barbell height both inside and outside the rack. Certain exercises only work outside the cage, unless it’s a huge one. You’ll be happier with a rack with this important adjustment option. Pay close attention to the spacing between these. You’ll want very narrow spacing so you can optimize the height for a variety of exercises.
2
Weight Capacity
A power rack must be strong and sturdy with a high weight capacity. If you’re not an experienced weightlifter, you may not realize how much weight the frame needs to hold. You may think that you or your clients will never reach those heavy weight capacities. The truth of the matter is that human strength increases rapidly with proper training and nutrition.
Before you know it, the weights you thought were your limit won’t be enough. But if your rack can’t keep up with you, you’ll hit a wall.
Weightlifting beginners will be fine with a rack that can hold up to 400 or 500 pounds. If you or your clients aim higher than that, choose a rack with a 700 to 1000 pound weight capacity. Also, keep in mind that the stronger the rack, the longer it will last.
3
Budget
Most *quality* power racks are not cheap (aside from the best cheap power rack featured on our list). You may have to compromise to make your needs and your budget meet. No matter how good a power rack is, it’s of no use to you if you can’t afford it.
In our selection section, you may have noticed that we tried to put in a range of prices. We hope you can find the best power rack that helps you reach your potential without breaking the bank.
Extra Features and Benefits of Power Racks
While not as vital as the ones we already discussed, the following features can still strongly impact your decision on which power rack to buy.
Does It Have Weight Holders?
Do you like to waste energy during workouts just to set up your weights and prepare for the lift? Would you rather conserve that power for the actual exercise? The best power rack for you is one that has plenty of weight holders. Not just on one side, but on each side.
In addition to the comfort and energy preservation, you’ll save on space and reduce clutter too.
Does It Have a Pull-Up Bar?
Pull-ups are among the best strength-training exercises you can do. The pull-up engages your whole back, your arms, and your core in a natural way. It’s an effective movement with a long-range of motion and many ways to adjust intensity. For this reason, a pull-up bar is a strong recommendation. Make sure to get a rack with at least one straight bar for pull-ups.
A fancy bar with wide grips isn’t necessary. However, parallel bars are a nice feature that allows for hammer-grip chin-ups and more varied exercises. This isn’t an absolute necessity, but the best power rack is one with a pull-up bar.
What About Dip Bars?
Not all power racks come with a dip bar, but certain ones have this attachment. While it’s not a true necessity, it’s a convenient feature.
Dips are one of the best and most versatile strength training exercises. Your upper body strength won’t see its full potential if you don’t have dip bars. Instead of getting a separate station for dips, why not save on space and money and get dip bars as part of your power rack?
Our Process
For this guide on power racks, our team spent 4 hours researching the most popular options from over 25 brands and manufacturers big and small. We then read about one hundred user reviews (both positive and negative) to discover what shoppers thought about each rack. After comparing this data, we narrowed our list down to the top 5 power racks on the market. You can count on this research to guide you to a mindful purchasing decision.
If you enjoyed this read, sign up for our newsletter below and get special online shopping deals delivered straight to your inbox.
Further Reading
Related Reading