Many homeowners designate their garage walls for storage, but this isn’t always the most practical solution when you have young kids wandering around. Garage cabinets, on the other hand, help you get that clutter-free look you’ve only seen in home improvement magazines whilst keeping hazardous things out of reach – and to get the best results, all you really need is a durable cabinet style that works in sync with your space.
A cabinet style that certainly fits this description is the UltraHD Tall Storage Cabinet in Stainless Steel owing to features such as a mobile 4-wheel design, generous storage space and lockable doors as an extra precaution for young children around. The best garage cabinets should have a secure and ergonomic design without skimping on shelf space.
In this guide, we’ll be reviewing the following 12 garage cabinets to help you out with your choice:
12 Best Garage Cabinets Reviews
1. UltraHD Tall Storage Cabinet in Stainless Steel
This steel storage unit may lie at the higher end of the cabinet budget, but boy does it work hard to justify the price tag. The UltraHD stainless steel storage cabinet boasts a solid structure of steel doors and a powder-coated steel frame for added durability so whatever the elements, you know your stored items are in good hands.
As for how much of your items it can take, the UltraHD can bear a whopping 600lbs worth (that works out to 150lbs for each shelf of your tools and valuables).
PROS:
- Breezy assembly
- 4-wheel mobile design
- Secure door locks
- Rigid steel doors and frame
- Generous storage capacity
- 600lbS weight capacity
- Lightweight considering its size
CONS:
- A little pricier compared with rival garage cabinets
2. SystemBuild Kendall 36″ Utility Storage Cabinet
The SystemBuild Kendall storage cabinet has the sleek and clean appearance of a kitchen or bathroom cabinet, but make no mistake, these are equally at home in your garage too.
Although made from a wood composite, the SystemBuild Kendall makes for a fairly durable storage unit thanks to its protective finish of ArmorCoat to strengthen the surface – this ensures that whatever your unique garage uses, these cabinet doors won’t be a hassle to clean due to the ArmorCoat’s scratch and water-resistant properties.
On the plus side, this cabinet sits somewhere in the mid-level price range, making this a great option for families wanting an elegant cabinet design (without the elegant price tag!).
PROS:
- Adjustable feet – ideal for uneven garage floors
- Stain and scratch resistant ArmorCoat coating
- Spacious capacity for family-sized storage
CONS:
- Not suitable for storing heavy items
- Difficult to assemble
- Doors are slightly gapped when assembled
3. Rubbermaid 72-Inch Four-Shelf Double-Door Resin Storage Cabinet
The Rubbermaid resin storage cabinet is a decent option if you’re after a no-frills storage unit that’s easy to assemble. It’s highly durable resin construction means this is more than a match for any heavy duty storage such as electric tools and paint cans and the storage capacity provides a generous 21 cubic feet (with a 690lb weight capacity). While it excels at the basics, however, the Rubbermaid isn’t the most versatile of storage cabinets on the market.
Considering that the Rubbermaid cabinet is comparatively high in price compared to sturdier models, its durable design can’t really hide the fact that this doesn’t represent value for money.
PROS:
- Comparatively high storage capacity
- Simple assembly
CONS:
- Locks are not included with purchase
- Gapping at the doors, not a precise fit
- Pricey for the material quality
- Immovable shelves
4. Elite 32″ White Storage Cabinet
Similar to the SystemBuild Kendall unit, the sleek white design of the Elite 32 inch storage cabinet bears a closer resemblance to elegant bedroom furniture than a rugged garage unit. If you value the aesthetics in your garage these composite wood cabinets certainly take care of the high-end appearance. This unit is more than just a pretty face, however, thanks to features like adjustable shelves and soft edged corners on the doors for added safety – pretty and family-conscious!
At the lower end of the price range, the Elite cabinet doesn’t promise ‘Elite’ quality materials. However, for a pre-packed unit that provides standard storage capacity, this is a pretty reliable cabinet for the price.
PROS:
- Super easy assembly
- Soft-edged corners
- Affordable, budget option
- Sleek, contemporary design
CONS:
- Unpleasant smell out of the box
- Only suited to light-medium weight storage
5. Sandusky Lee CA41361872-09, Welded Steel Classic Storage Cabinet
A classic reliable storage unit, the Sandusky Lee model features four 180lb capacity shelves and a secure 3-point locking system, giving you that extra peace of mind where family valuables are concerned.
Unlike the fixed shelving styles of traditional units, this is also a cabinet that lets you customize your storage capacity accordingly, thanks to adjustable shelves that adapt to all manner of items – perfect for families that need a home for varied clutter!
If you’re all about adding a touch of personality to your garage storage, the Sandusky Lee helpfully comes in 9 color choices too, so if a color scheme is important to you, you can even match your car to your cabinets!
A major drawback is the difficult assembly which can lead to a damaged door frame if done incorrectly, so you may need to hire a pro to be on the safe side.
PROS:
- Made from sturdy welded steel
- Comes in a wide variety of colors
- 180lb shelf capacity
- Raised bottom shelf to protect contents
CONS:
- Difficult assembly
6. Sterilite 01423V01 4 Shelf Cabinet, Flat Gray, 1-Pack
The Sterilite 4 shelf cabinet is a stable and understated storage facility and makes a particularly good choice for homeowners with high garage ceilings.
Its lightweight construction makes this budget cabinet a breeze to transport in and around your garage when its empty, but its lightweight design also causes the doors to swing open at the slightest gust of wind. Fitting a standard padlock (not included) can solve this issue, but otherwise, a freely swinging door may not be ideal with kids around if they have potentially hazardous items within reach.
Regrettably, the upper and middle shelves may not be built to hold heavy-duty tools and equipment without bowing. The fact is, this isn’t among the best of quality storage units, but if you’re in the market for a basic garage cabinet for lightweight storage that won’t break the bank – this may be a good starter choice.
PROS:
- Super quick assembly
- Adjustable shelves
- Lockable doors
- Lightweight design
- Inexpensive
CONS:
- Flimsy doors
- Less-than sturdy shelf construction
7. Suncast Base Storage Cabinet – Resin Construction for Garage Storage – 72″ Garage Organizer with Shelving and Holds up to 75lbs. – Platinum Doors & Slate Top
This Suncast Base Storage cabinet has the look and function of an industrial-strength unit without the headaches that come with a traditional metal construction. Thanks to the sleek resin construction, you won’t find this garage cabinet warping, denting or rusting on you anytime soon.
Its sleek, round-cornered design also makes the edges a lot safer for young children to be around compared to similar models.
Most importantly of all though is the fact that the cabinet interior holds up to its requirements. Behind the resin construction are reinforced metal shelves, capable of bearing up to 75 lbs each – making this cabinet ideal for the safe storage of outdoor sports or heavy gardening equipment
PROS:
- Double-wall construction
- Reinforced metal shelving
- Lockable doors
- Sleek slimline design
- Good for storing outdoor equipment
CONS:
- Quite expensive
8. Seville Classics UltraHD Rolling Storage Cabinet with Drawers (UHD20205B)
This cute and compact storage cabinet is the DIY enthusiast’s dream! Part workbench, part mobile organizer, this Seville rolling storage cabinet is a garage storage classic for a reason. It features a deep, generously sized double shelf space in the left-hand cabinet area and 4 varied drawer depths to accommodate all your favorite tools from the light to the heavyweight variety.
The drawers alone in this cabinet can bear up to 109 lbs combined thanks to the heavy duty ball bearing sliding mechanism. The cabinet’s overall load capacity clocks in at around 300 lbs, so no worries about your heavy equipment toppling this cabinet any time soon.
Add to this an attractive solid hardwood work surface and a helpful handle bar for easy transportation around your garage. At 3/4 of an inch thick, even the work surface has you covered as a heavy duty tool rest when you’re not using it as a coffee holder! Despite a slightly higher price tag than similar rolling cabinets on the scene, we’re hard-pressed to find fault with this little storage unit.
PROS:
- Total weight capacity of 300 lbs
- Solid hardwood work surface
- Handle bar for convenient transportation
- Lockable door and drawers
- Ultra durable powder-coated steel casing
CONS:
- Higher cost compared to similar models
9. Suncast Wall Storage Cabinet – Resin Construction for Wall Mounted Garage – 30.25″ Garage
Like all the models in the Suncast storage collection, the Suncast wall cabinet offers a sleek design and resilient structure to keep your belongings safe in a compact form.
The super durable resin construction makes these garage wall cabinets ideal for particularly humid climates, since these are built to fight off warping and rusting. The platinum door design also means this cabinet is immune to the dents and scrapes of family life (like taking your kid’s mountain bike down from the wall rack, for instance!).
Thanks to the reinforced metal shelving, both the base and middle shelf can hold up to 50lbs each, so you can rely on them for strength if not for space.
While the assembly of the cabinet is perfectly straightforward, mounting it on to your garage wall will be a 2 person job so bear this in mind for a DIY install. It might be helpful to note that this unit can stand on its own if you are wanting to use this as a temporary base storage cabinet, but it will not be as stable.
PROS:
- Simple assembly
- Reinforced metal shelving
- Double-wall construction
- Lockable doors
CONS:
- Limited storage space
10. Gladiator GAWG28FDYG Full-Door Wall GearBox Steel Cabinet
This Gladiator Full-Door cabinet tends to be a tad misleading in its name – in spite of its steel construction, this wall unit is lacking in gladiator type strength.
For starters, the steel used in the construction is deceptively thin and the shelving is fairly weak. Some customers have even reported finding the cabinet parts dented upon delivery – not what you’d expect from a steel gearbox cabinet. It’s unclear whether this is a design flaw of the cabinet itself or if this model was made from a different material than other storage units in the Gladiator collection.
Another plus of the Gladiator Full-Door unit is the fact these have magnetic doors that lock automatically upon closing, so no need to spend extra on a specific padlock as is often the case with other garage cabinets.
PROS:
- Magnetic doors
- Easy to mount
- Breezy assembly
CONS:
- Inconsistent quality with other Gladiator models
11. Prepac WEW-3230 Elite Storage Cabinet 32 inch Wall, White
As its name suggests the Prepac Elite wall cabinet arrives ready to assemble and is easily put together. While this should be a positive point, this only tends to highlight the fact that this is made from relatively cheap materials and comes with very few parts to keep the shelves supported.
For this and many other reasons, the ‘Elite’ part of its name unfortunately does not live up to expectations either. While the white laminate and brushed metal handles provide an attractive finish, the composite wood shelves are prone to bending and the cabinet’s backing board is made from cheap particle board (which could prove a problem with mounting when creating screw holes).
An okay option if you’re after a budget wall cabinet that looks better than it functions – just don’t expect to be able to store any contents heavier than canned food in this unit.
PROS:
- Can coordinate with other Elite cabinets
- Generous 12 inch depth storage
- Rounded edges for safety
- Simple assembly
CONS:
- Flimsy, cheap structure
- Doors do not align perfectly
- Door material has unpleasant chemical smell
12. Gladiator GAWG28KDYG Ready-to-Assemble 3/4 Wall GearBox Steel Cabinet, Silver Tread
Do you have that one tool or item that you always reach for in your garage workshop but can never get convenient access to? This 3/4 door wall cabinet is for homeowners who are always squirreling away at the next car repair or garage project and need their equipment to hand quickly.
The upper shelf of this Gladiator wall cabinet keeps your valuables or hazardous tools out of sight whilst the lower exposed shelf allows for easy access to your items as soon as you need them. You don’t need to choose between a storage box and a tool shelf when this gives you the best of both worlds.
Another major plus for the handyman or woman in your family is that the cabinet has a 3 inch wide opening at the base for electrical outlets, so you can easily plug a digital radio in while you work, charge your cordless drill or perhaps even let your kids charge up their device at the last minute before a long car journey (a crucial feature if you ask us!).
PROS:
- Total weight capacity of 150 lbs
- Electrical access hole in base of cabinet
- Easy access to tools
CONS:
- A little pricey
- Tricky to assemble
Determine Your Space
You don’t want to underestimate how much space you’ll need for your storage – in a family home, this builds up in the blink of an eye! So be sure to take accurate measurements of your garage space (this means calculating space allowances for opening your car door as well as room for comfortable pathways to and from your garage door).
Next, make an inventory of the items you already have lying around in the garage as well as any extra clutter from your home that you intend to store in your garage cabinets. Once you’ve separated these items into sell/donate/keep piles, calculate the number of cabinets you’ll need to house your ‘keep’ items.
Your next measurement then boils down to where your cabinets will go. Will you fit a number of base cabinets along the floor space like a kitchen cabinet setup or make use of the wall space to keep valuables or hazardous things out of reach?
Alternatively, you may want to fit full-length wardrobe style cabinets that fill the space from top to bottom. Whatever cabinet setup you choose, be sure to make allowances for obstructions and limitations when you measure, such as garage door rails and sensible cabinet depth in relation to your car’s position.
Things to Store and Considerations
These cabinets may be a convenient place for clutter, but when you take garage temperatures and your family’s health and safety into consideration, you need to be careful about exactly what it is you’re going to store.
Sports Equipments
All the yard games and sport equipment your kids have accumulated over the years from hockey sticks to helmets and knee-pads can have a safe place in your garage cabinets.
For even more storage space, you can add pegboards on the inside of medium to larger cabinet doors to accommodate rackets and safety gear, or hang laundry bag netting to keep tennis balls in one place instead of the tripping hazard that is your home staircase!
Cleaning Products & Tools
It may be inconvenient to visit the garage for certain cleaning chemicals, but if it means removing these under-sink hazards from young children, then bundling everything from furniture polish to bleach into high wall cabinets is a smart family-conscious move.
The same goes for tools like screwdrivers or small hammers you may currently be storing in your kitchen drawer – if it’s not needed on a daily basis, store it safely out of reach.
Canned Food
Stockpiling canned food in your cabinets frees up clutter in your kitchen cupboards and is a great way to have backup in the event of weather extremities or a zombie apocalypse – however, you should be aware that canned food can be at risk of freezing in the winter, which reduces their shelf life once thawed out. If storing canned food is a priority for you, you may want to look into climate control measures for your garage.
Durability
We all want durable garage cabinets, but if you’re picking longevity over style, then plastic or metal cabinets come out as durability winners over wood styles – especially when you consider a cabinet’s exposure to fluctuating temperatures, scratches and other damage over time.
Aesthetics
Garage storage solutions tend to favor functionality over the pretty storage we see in other rooms of the house, but if you prize looks alongside function and durability, then painted wood cabinets may be easier on the eye than rugged industrial cabinet styles. The downside is that pristine white cabinets will show up dirt, grime and other hints of wear and tear far quicker.
Material
If your cabinet decision comes down to material, this can only be determined by your storage needs. If you need to store large quantities of heavy tools and similar items then metal cabinets can bear the weight. Plastic or polycarbonate plastic (PC) cabinets, however, may not be as versatile as far as bearing weight, but they will not rust on you over time.
Metal Garage Cabinets – the Pros and Cons
PROS: Metal cabinets – that come in varieties of aluminum and steel – provide strength and resilience. Because of this, they have a higher weight capacity than rival cabinet materials and wear and tear will not warp the shelving.
Another handy pro to metal cabinets is the fact that they can be powder-coated – a process that involves an extra layer of protection being added to the surface, like paint to add a nicer aesthetic to the industrial rugged look of steel.
CONS: The main downside to metal cabinets is that they tend to be more expensive than alternative cabinet materials. Despite their longer lifespan, metal cabinets – particularly steel – can be vulnerable to corrosion over time.
Also, steel or aluminum cabinets are more likely than plastic varieties to have sharp edges which could pose a danger to children – although this can be taken care of with store bought or even DIY corner guards for their protection.
Plastic Garage Cabinets – the Pros and Cons
PROS: A big draw toward plastic garage cabinets for many homeowners is how much more affordable they are compared with metal alternatives. The resin and polycarbonate construction of plastic cabinets are also built to withstand environmental impacts like rust and rot, owing to their high heat resistance.
They can also be cleaned a lot more easily too, which can be ideal if your garage is more grime-covered workshop than mere storage facility.
CONS: You get what you pay for with a plastic cabinet and despite plastic’s affordability, these cabinets are not so great when it comes to bearing heavier loads. You must always check the weight load capacity from the manufacturer when you have plastic cabinets installed as even the most durable plastic will bend and buckle if inappropriate loads are stored for long periods.
Budget for Buying Garage Cabinets
Planning out the budget for your garage cabinets will firstly begin with deciding on whether you want custom-fit or modular stand-alone cabinets.
Custom-fit cabinets can be installed to your specific dimensions of depth, width and height of your space i.e. will you want to make use of every last scrap of space, including custom-fit corner cabinets?
The installation and labor costs of a bespoke garage cabinet setup will inevitably drive up the price, which is why many homeowners are choosing alternatively to purchase pre-made standalone cabinets of all shapes and sizes to arrange as and how their space allows them to.
Remember that budget options may only suit specific needs, for instance, homes with smaller, lighter amounts of storage will benefit from affordable plastic options.
From a long-term home renovation viewpoint, cheaper cabinet systems will need replacing sooner down the line than sturdier alternatives, so ask yourself if this is a good investment for your family home. If you are reading this as a parent, you must decide how much of your family needs will be incorporated in the design of your garage cabinets.
If your son or daughter values their sports, for instance, you will need to budget for a growing collection of equipment from safety gear to the apparatus itself, which will bring extra storage considerations such as pegboard designs into the mix.
Perhaps your child is a budding creator and likes to work with their hands, in which case your final budget may include customization options such as adding counter-tops to your base cabinets so your kids (and yourself) may benefit from a designated workbench.
Conclusion
While it shares similarities to rival cabinets here and there, we’ve singled out the UltraHD Tall storage Cabinet as the champion of garage cabinets for your family home. Right out of the gate, the assembly is such a cinch that the resulting unit looks like a pro’s handiwork, and pro storage cabinet it is.
The ease of transportation, the more-than-ample storage and weight allowance, the ultra durable powder-coated steel frame – this cabinet is brimming with the must-have features that more than justify its steep price tag. As a storage unit that literally rolls with the punches of life in an expanding family garage, this is a strong and spacious cabinet that you’ll be relying upon for years to come.
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Mike Zhang. Founder of FamilyLifeShare