Straight to the Point
Best for Most: PR-4000 or PR-5000
Best Budget: PR-1100
A Premium/USA Option: RM-4 or RML-490C
Introduction
When asking the community, “Which rack is best for your home gym space/budget?” it’s very clear that most prefer the power rack. We’d have to agree. They are the most versatile, because of their ability to add attachments and you can lift in safety between 4 posts.
For most, space would be the number 1 reason to go with a different option.
A couple of GGE contributors had this to say about the subject:
@kaizendiygym: My preference is a power rack. If you have the space for one, I think a power rack gets you the best bang for your buck. There are more attachments available for power racks than any of the others and they’re pretty easy to expand when you’re ready for more.
@mattpendergraph: What style rack is best for your current space and budget? I’ve personally always gravitated towards power racks due to the functionality and peace of mind they provide! When you’re moving any amount of weight, nothing is more reassuring than being completely surrounded by steel uprights, cross-members, and safety catches!
Best Options for Most People
The REP PR-4000 (5/8″ holes) and PR-5000 (1″ holes) options are built with a stout 11 gauge steel and provide a ton of versatility with the ability to offer a ton of attachments. In fact, we believe that the Lat and Low Row Attachment for the 4000 and 5000 series is the attachment available (preference plays a big role here) on the market. If this attachment is important enough to you, we’d even recommend it over the “premium” option mentioned a couple of sections below.
Plus, these are rack options where you likely will never have to “upgrade” again. They should last for a lifetime if maintained properly. While it’s a more upfront cost than many, we’d say the overall value is higher in the long run.
The PR-4000 option will be a bit cheaper and provide a very similar experience to using the PR-5000 with larger hole sizes. Nevertheless, the preference for most is 1″ likely
Best Budget Option
There are many that simply want a power rack that they can bench and squat in safety without breaking the bank. The best option you’ll find under $400 is likely the REP PR-1100. This rack is strong enough for 99% of the world, has some basic attachment options, and will also hold its value pretty well if you eventually want to sell it and upgrade.
The Titan T-2 is also a strong contender in this category. It’s actually a bit more stable than the PR-1100 and we discuss that in this article – Titan T-2 v REP PR-1100.
For those looking for more attachment options, the Force USA MyRack will be a strong option. The overall quality is about the same, but it includes quite a bit more attachment options. It’s priced a bit higher though.
USA Made Options
The power racks mentioned above are not made within the USA, which is a very important factor for many. Right now Rogue makes the best value power racks made in the USA.
The Monster Lite (5/8″ holes) and Monster (1″ holes) options are built with a stout 11 gauge steel and provide the same versatility as the REP options mentioned above. In addition, the overall quality will be a touch nicer than the import options.
There are a number of options and the amount of space available needs to be considered, but the RM-4 (Monster) and RML-490C will provide plenty of space to lift within. 6 posts racks are available as well if you intend to store your weight plates on them.
Other Notes
- While a power rack is the number one option for most, you may want something that doesn’t take up as much space. Check out Rack Styles Options for Your Home Gym for some additional choices and inspiration.
- There are a number of companies offering similar rack options to the PR-4000 and PR-5000 but they get the nod because they tend to be on of the first to come to the market with unique attachment options (belt squat, iso arms, lat/low row attachment), and are committed to continue building around these base models.
In a January 2021 survey, The lat/low row attachment easily beat out the belt squat and jammer arms as the #1 attachment between these items, gaining nearly 37% of the votes. The REP Lat/Low Row Attachment is one of the primary reasons it was chosen as the #1 option.
