Top Storage Brand Review

This article will save you time shopping for hanging storage shelves with these pros and cons from various brands. Personally, the organization department of a hardware store always takes a look. I’m excited about bookshelves … quirky, I know. I love spending time studying materials, examining anchors and brackets, and appreciating innovative models. Your passion may lie elsewhere, so let me accelerate your research efforts by summarizing my findings for you.

My goal is to mention something good and something bad about each brand. However, I am disclosing at this point that I sell the Topp Rax brand through my site, therefore the opinions expressed here are inevitably biased and I also have the most experience with this manufacturer. I would be happy to offer any of these brands on my site if I could. It is preferable to offer many options to my customers, so that they can buy the rack that has the characteristics that are most important to them. Disclaimer aside, let’s take a look at some of the top manufacturers.

Saferacks offers many impressive images on their site, plus they have accessories for their shelves. Overall, this is a good buy and it’s easy to get one at a great price because they can be purchased at CostCo. Saferacks are also sold under the MonsterRAX brand. The company has a good range of sizes between 4/6/8 feet wide and 2/3/4 feet deep. These options are great because not everyone wants a 4×8 rack. I applaud the use of C-channel frames and sleeper brackets. My only concern is that some of the sleepers are lighter because they are designed to support just the deck. Which means it has a weak point along the outer frame. Also, I find it funny that the site has photos of families hanging on the shelf to indicate how safe their product is, while the instructions clearly state “Do not climb on or hang from the storage shelf.”

Hyloft uses a minimal structure that makes the rack less expensive. The downside is that it is not as strong as other manufacturers. Brace supports and vertical supports are minimal. I would find it difficult to trust that this design will not collapse once I carry it with my belongings. However, if you were storing only lightweight items, this would suffice. Be aware that the absence of ceiling supports covering more than one ceiling beam can restrict your orientation and placement options. I admire how affordable the 4×4 rack is and might consider it for small storage needs that don’t exceed a regular traffic area.

Strong Racks are built with the reverse approach. This rack is almost overbuilt. The Strong Racks site features a wonderful “Checklist Challenge” video that covers the details. For example, the mounting tracks are 11 gauge steel, while 14 gauge is common on other brands. Uprights are square tube steel rather than regular angle steel. Your product uses more nuts and bolts compared to any other shelf. Expect to spend a lot of time tightening these nuts and bolts. I like the lip around the side of your frame. Prevents things from accidentally sliding off the back of the shelf. This also comforts me because my things slide over the side.

Topp Rax showcases its rugged design with a ‘Compare Racks’ video that includes a stomp test on various brands. You can see how stiff this shelf is when the guy in the video shakes each of the brands. I enjoy watching the competitor’s frames bend while walking and jumping on the outer frames. But the Topp Rax framing is maintained due to the additional cross ties that reinforce the frame. The platform is also adequately supported on all edges with the frame. The problem with Topp Rax is that it is not a low cost rack. If you live near a major hardware store, you will find acceptably sturdy shelves at a lower price. One more disadvantage is that online it is only available in 4×8 dimensions.