Best storage cabinets for the money

pmkoch · Oct 27, 2017

What kind of storage cabinet systems would you recommend for the money? I know I am not in my "forever home" so I don't want to spend too much and ideally I can take them with me when I go. I want to start out with a large storage locker first and add on as money allows. I would like to keep the first storage locker at around $500 I would say.

I really like the look of the NewAge Bold series and I would say they are in my price range but I have read reviews of them being flimsy and want my purchase to last.

Scott H in Wheaton · Oct 27, 2017

Get lateral filing cabinets for $25 or free on Craiglist. The drawers are plenty strong enough and have enough room to hold lots of power tools and stuff.

Weld some casters on the bottom and you have moveable shop storage.

matt_i · Oct 27, 2017

Lateral files are the best for the money imo. Not "designer" or purposefully designed for a shop but they will hold a lot of stuff. Typically there's some place they are being sold, good-used, for fairly cheap. Also craigslist.

dittle fart around · Oct 31, 2017

If you were to buy individual cabinets, say one tall locker cabinet, you'll pay more for each piece. The best prices will always be with a set.

Check out the comparison chart on my website ShopStorageCabinets.com. Look at some of the videos for the Bold line of cabinets at the bottom of this page.

There are quite a few posts right here with information, just type in NewAge Cabinets in the search window.

Let me know if I can help out with your questions.
John :beer:

mrramsey · Oct 31, 2017

I am kinda looking at those NewAge cabinets as well. I have a 16'+ wall to fill up. Costco has a pretty good deal on them but I don't think I can order additional cabinets from them.

packet · Oct 31, 2017

My vote? Brand new strong hold cabinets. Zoro carries them, and usually the coupons work for them. For $700-800, with free shipping, it's far better than you'll get elsewhere. I looked for them used, but freight usually eats up the difference.

Eslader · Oct 31, 2017

pmkoch said:
I really like the look of the NewAge Bold series and I would say they are in my price range but I have read reviews of them being flimsy and want my purchase to last.

I have the Bold series. They're not flimsy at all. I'm very happy with them. While I would have preferred the Pro series, that's only for the extra room, not the sturdiness, and my garage is tight enough that the extra size would have been too tight a fit.

I do have them bolted to the wall, but how hard is it to undo a couple of lag bolts? Just be sure you remove them *before* you list the house, otherwise it's assumed that anything attached to the structure is part of the sale.

That said, if I ever move, I'll leave the cabinets. I figure my next house I'll have built, and I'll just roll the cost of new, bigger ones into the mortgage.

Miss the Pontiacs · Oct 31, 2017

I’m looking at the NewAge but likely will look at the Pro Series which are 18 gauge. To me the heavier gauge is the answer. I have a Husky drawer cabinet in a lighter gauge and with the tools sliding around dented up the doors and it didn’t take very long to happen. I cut some 3/8 ply wood to protect the drawer ends from additional damage.

ptgb · Oct 31, 2017

For the money, these can't be beat IMO. I have four of them for over 4 years and they have held up incredibly. Holds 150lbs. per shelf.

https://www.sevilleclassics.com/ultrahd-rolling-storage-cabinet-18x36x73?pid=88

Sam's Club has them for $200 each. I did not mount the wheels and put them on a platform.

PT Doc · Oct 31, 2017

New age pro is a great value. For super rock solid but with less options the Stronghold. I think Durham mfg also makes freaky sturdy cabinets. Just an FYI, the NA Pro tall cabinets are quite rackable and based on this I would not look at the bold series.

Miss the Pontiacs · Oct 31, 2017

PT Doc said:
New age pro is a great value. For super rock solid but with less options the Stronghold. I think Durham mfg also makes freaky sturdy cabinets. Just an FYI, the NA Pro tall cabinets are quite rackable and based on this I would not look at the bold series.

If I remember correctly the Bold is 18” Deep, while the Pro Series is 24” Deep. The height I saw also taller in the Pro versus Bold. If that is due to the gauge of metal, I would definitely go for the Pro series. I’m going to look again at the Stronghold. Durham is new one on me I would check that one out as well.

pbon · Aug 13, 2018

It’s not cheap to buy the fancy matching cabinets, but if you can substitute them for big rolling tool boxes, that helps. I spent $4500 on 26 feet of New Age Pro — 4 storage lockers, 5 base tool drawer caninets, 6 upper cabinets and 2 seven foot bench tops.

I had 3 HF 44” rollers that I paid $1150 for and was going to replace them with 2 HF 72” rollers that would have cost $2000 and I still would not have lockers or upper cabinets. I am an automotive hobbyist not a professional mechanic so I think the 5 sets of 5 drawer base cabinets will be enough tool storage. If not I will buy one one base cabinet. My last shop was fancier than my first one and I wanted this one to be even nicer. If the Pro 3.0 don’t work out then I will move them to the upstairs of the shop and buy a couple of 72” rolling tool chests like I originally planned

mcbassin · Aug 13, 2018

Pretty hard to beat Stanley Vidmar or Lista cabinets. You can buy them cheap enough second hand to be worth the money. If you're buying new....well they are high $$$$

Chris_the_wrench · Aug 14, 2018

ptgb said:
For the money, these can't be beat IMO. I have four of them for over 4 years and they have held up incredibly. Holds 150lbs. per shelf.

https://www.sevilleclassics.com/ultrahd-rolling-storage-cabinet-18x36x73?pid=88

Sam's Club has them for $200 each. I did not mount the wheels and put them on a platform.

I'm in the planning stages of reorganizing my shop this winter and I've been looking at all kinds of cabinets to hold my various spare parts, power tools and etc. There are alot of great looking setups. I'm curious to see some open door photos of them full of your stuff.

How do people organize all your stuff inside the cabinets?
I'm trying to envision how they utilize the space best. Bins on the shelves? Loose stuff on shelves?

-Chris

ptgb · Aug 14, 2018

Chris_the_wrench said:
I'm in the planning stages of reorganizing my shop this winter and I've been looking at all kinds of cabinets to hold my various spare parts, power tools and etc. There are alot of great looking setups. I'm curious to see some open door photos of them full of your stuff.

How do people organize all your stuff inside the cabinets?
I'm trying to envision how they utilize the space best. Bins on the shelves? Loose stuff on shelves?

-Chris

A bit from "column A" and a bit from "column B" for me..... one cabinet for motorcycle stuff, one for electrical (mostly), one for larger items, and one for loose stuff....

jimreed2160 · Aug 15, 2018

I have been putting Gladiator Premier cabinets in my workshop garage and am very pleased with them. The cabinets are substantial and look nice. Best part is they go on sale frequently. I cut up the shipping boxes and make liners for the shelves so they don't scratch. I also make pegboard brackets for inside of the hanging cabinets. Small stacking totes are good for interior storage and help you maximize the area.

Stuart in MN · Aug 16, 2018

I think some of you guys are missing this line in the original post...

pmkoch said:
I don't want to spend too much

Stronghold, Vidmar and Lista cabinets probably aren't going to fit that requirement.

I'd watch Craigslist for deals, or look for a used office furniture store in your area - they often have decent quality steel cabinets for sale.

jonshonda · Aug 16, 2018

I watched CL and FB for a while to find a nice metal storage cabinet with shelves and doors that was 24" deep. The cheaper ones are usually 18" deep or less which imo is too shallow.

Doors are nice because it keeps everything clean.

Jeffgage · Aug 16, 2018

I have $400 in kitchen cabinets. I bought 2 different sets 200 for 20 cabinets and 175 for 14 cabinets . Bought all on cl

ct03911 · Aug 17, 2018

I think it’s tough to beat Justrite storage cabinets.
I’ve got one for detailing items and odds and ends and one just for oils and sprays etc.

Augus7us · Aug 17, 2018

jimreed2160 said:
I have been putting Gladiator Premier cabinets in my workshop garage and am very pleased with them. The cabinets are substantial and look nice. Best part is they go on sale frequently. I cut up the shipping boxes and make liners for the shelves so they don't scratch. I also make pegboard brackets for inside of the hanging cabinets. Small stacking totes are good for interior storage and help you maximize the area.

I've been following your other thread Jim. Looking good!

I just bought a bunch of Gladiator stuff myself. You guys would **** if you knew what I paid for it. Took me about a month and a half to score, but I managed to get:

2 x 4' x 6' upright cabinets
4 x 30" hanging cabinets
2 x 41" tool chests

I'm going to use the two 41" boxes for my steevo bench. I think I'm going to try and score a 22" box for a corner bench. I'm not sure if I have enough **** to fill them all but my goal is to have no open shelves on the floor. All my open shelves will go above the new office in the long term storage and out of sight.

Now I just have to finish the rest of the shop so I can build my bench. All this stuff is in boxes and I haven't even seen it. Starting to drive me nuts!

-Clint

chipper · Aug 17, 2018

ptgb said:
For the money, these can't be beat IMO. I have four of them for over 4 years and they have held up incredibly. Holds 150lbs. per shelf.

https://www.sevilleclassics.com/ultrahd-rolling-storage-cabinet-18x36x73?pid=88

Sam's Club has them for $200 each. I did not mount the wheels and put them on a platform.

I wish I would have seen your post a couple months ago...I bought two of the red cabs to sandwich my toolbox but my garage floor is not level where I have them...I could have built a platform instead of shimming the castor's... genius!!!

Sent from my 6062W using The Garage Journal mobile app

woodanator · Mar 17, 2019

The best cabinets are lista, no question, however they are overkill even for most commercial applications. See cabinets in virtually all of the racing trailers. Sold by griot's garage among others.
After some research I found baldhead cabinets, now in bend oregon. They come in just about any color or combination of colors. They can be configured as you like.
I'm sure that some of the other cabinets are just fine.

bulletpruf · Nov 3, 2024

Lots of good info here. In the market for something affordable and the HF 48" x 72" seem to be a good value at $400, but I know as soon as I buy a pair, someone will post a nice Durham or New Age Pro set on FBMP....

Link to HF - https://www.harborfreight.com/48-in-x-72-in-garage-cabinet-64401.html

IRQVET · Nov 3, 2024

About 3 houses ago, my employer was remodeling an office. So I rescued all of these from the landfill. Uppers and lowers for free! All I did was add plywood top and stain it.

GaryM909 · Nov 3, 2024

I picked one of these up from the Re Store about 10 years ago for $50. It sits by my man door in the garage where I mostly keep everyday tools (kind of disposable but quite usable) that my wife and kids can access any time they want. They need keys for the other boxes which helps me keep track of the tool. I drilled a couple holes in the side for the compressor and am thinking of removing all the cans on the top shelf and making a special place for my battery chargers and batteries. Maybe a slide in box that is fireproof.

Best storage cabinets for the money

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