The 8 Best Budget Server Racks for Home Labs and Small Offices, Ranked & Reviewed

Our verdict: Twelve rack units, 23 to 40 inches of adjustable depth, casters and a grounding wire.

The VEVOR 12U rack has an adjustable depth of 23 to 40 inches, a 500 lb capacity on the ground and 150 lb on a wall, and ships with casters and a grounding wire. Its price is in the $50 to $100 range.

It wins because the depth range makes it fit nearly everything. At 23 inches minimum it handles most servers, and at 40 inches it takes deep storage chassis that would not fit the 18 inch racks in this ranking. Twelve units is the right size for a home lab with a switch, a patch panel, a firewall, a NAS and a small UPS. The grounding wire is a small but proper detail for electrical safety, and casters let you roll it out for cabling. The cost of that flexibility is a footprint that is deeper than the fixed racks.

Buy it for a first home lab where you do not yet know what you will rack. Keep heavy gear low and the rack on level floor.

Height

12U

Depth

23 to 40 in adjustable

Capacity

500 lb ground, 150 lb wall

Included

Casters, grounding wire

Our verdict: 27U with a 1200 lb rating, 22 to 35 inch depth and square holes with M6 hardware.

The GlobalRack stands 43.5 inches high with 27U of space, adjusts from 22 to 35 inches deep and carries 1200 lbs. It has pre-installed square holes, includes M6 hardware and rolls on wheels. It costs between $100 and $200.

It takes second place because it gives you the most room and the highest rating in the group. Square mounting holes accept cage nuts, which is how most modern servers and switches fasten, and M6 hardware is the standard for them. A 22 to 35 inch range covers most rack servers. At 43.5 inches tall it is shorter than a full-height rack, so it fits under low ceilings or in a closet. It ranks below the VEVOR only because the minimum depth is 22 inches, which leaves out the shallowest gear for tidy mounting, and it is a larger purchase.

Choose it for a growing lab with several servers. Check that the 1200 lb figure applies to a static load, not a rolling one.

Height

27U, 43.5 in tall

Depth

22 to 35 in adjustable

Capacity

1200 lbs

Holes

Square, M6 hardware

Our verdict: A rolling 12U rack with 18 inches of usable depth and a 1.5mm steel frame.

The AxcessAbles 12U has 18 inches of usable depth, a 1.5mm steel frame, a 550 lb rated capacity and 3 inch locking casters. It is priced at $100 to $200, though the title quotes 500 lbs.

It ranks third because it is built for the gear most home setups actually use: switches, patch panels, routers and shallow appliances. An 18 inch depth rules out deep servers, so know your hardware. The 1.5mm steel is a respectable gauge for the price, and locking casters keep the rack from creeping when you plug cables in. The two capacity figures differ slightly between title and spec, so assume the lower number.

Buy it for a network closet or small office. If you plan to rack a full-depth server, choose a rack with adjustable depth.

Height

12U

Usable depth

18 in

Frame

1.5mm steel

Casters

3 in locking

Our verdict: All-rivet 25U frame with 20 to 30 inch depth and 880 lb capacity on its feet.

The RIVECO 25U adjusts from 20 to 30 inches deep, is rated for 880 lbs on its feet and 660 lbs on casters, and uses all-rivet construction. Cable rings are included, and the title advertises 1400 lbs. It costs $200 to $500.

It ranks fourth because riveted joints, which are permanent, do not loosen with vibration the way a bolted frame can, and that suits a rack that will carry a lot of weight. The honest rating is the one in the specs, 880 lbs on feet, rather than the 1400 lb headline. It is pricier than the others of its height and gives up the 40 inch depth of the VEVOR.

Pick it if you want a sturdy, permanent frame for a mid-size server install. Plan to keep it in one place, because a riveted rack cannot be broken down for moving.

Height

25U

Depth

20 to 30 in adjustable

Capacity

880 lb feet, 660 lb casters

Build

All-rivet, cable rings

Our verdict: A cold rolled steel 12U frame for floor or wall, with two vented shelves in the box.

The Tecmojo is a 12U open-frame rack made from cold rolled steel, rated for 260 lbs on the floor and 130 lbs on a wall. It comes with two vented 1U shelves and lists a $50 to $100 price.

It ranks fifth because its ratings are the lowest of the 12U racks, but it delivers the shelves, which most others charge extra for. Two vented shelves are useful for devices that do not rack mount, such as a modem or a mini PC. The wall option makes it good for a tight closet, though 130 lbs on a wall demands solid studs or masonry anchors. It gives up the casters and the depth adjustability of the VEVOR.

Buy it for a lightweight network setup on a wall or floor. Do not use it for heavy servers or a rack full of drives.

Height

12U

Frame

Cold rolled steel

Capacity

260 lb floor, 130 lb wall

Included

2 vented 1U shelves

Our verdict: Twenty units and the same 23 to 40 inch depth, but only a 200 lb ground rating.

The VEVOR 20U shares the 23 to 40 inch adjustable depth of the 12U model, carries 200 lbs on the ground and 150 lbs on a wall, and includes a grounding wire and a full hardware kit. It costs $100 to $200.

It ranks sixth because the load rating is the problem. At 200 lbs on the ground, the 20U carries less than the 12U sibling's 500 lbs, so tall racks must be filled with light gear. A fully loaded rack can tip if it is top-heavy, so keep heavy items at the bottom. The extra height is useful if you have lots of switches and patch panels.

Choose it if you need 20U for light network gear. For heavier servers, pick the GlobalRack or RIVECO instead.

Height

20U

Depth

23 to 40 in adjustable

Capacity

200 lb ground, 150 lb wall

Included

Grounding wire, hardware kit

Our verdict: A 22U rolling frame, 18 inches deep, with removable vented side panels.

The AxcessAbles 22U is 18 inches deep, made of textured matte black steel, and rated for 550 lbs static and 440 lbs when rolling. It comes with removable vented side panels and falls in the $200 to $500 range.

It ranks seventh because the money buys height and finish rather than flexibility. Removable vented panels give the frame a more finished appearance in an office and keep dust and fingers out while still letting air through. Eighteen inches of depth limits the hardware to network gear and shallow devices. It costs more than the 12U version without adding depth.

Buy it for a visible office rack of network equipment that needs side panels. Skip it for deep servers.

Height

22U

Depth

18 in

Capacity

550 lb static, 440 lb rolling

Extras

Removable vented side panels

Our verdict: A 30U rolling rack with the same 550 lb static rating and 18 inch depth.

The 30U AxcessAbles is 18 inches deep with a capacity of 550 lbs static and 440 lbs when rolling, plus removable vented side panels. It costs $200 to $500.

It finishes last because height does not add capacity: the same 550 lb figure now spreads across 30 units, so a full rack must be built of light gear. A tall, narrow rack on casters also needs care, since it can wobble if it is overloaded at the top. It suits large patch panel installations, where most devices weigh little.

Buy it for a big cabling room with many patch panels and switches. For anything heavy, the GlobalRack's 1200 lb rating is better.

Height

30U

Depth

18 in

Capacity

550 lb static, 440 lb rolling

Extras

Removable vented side panels