Every metal garage cabinet gets a score from 0 to 100% built from five factors, which maps onto the 5-point rating shown on the site (a 0% score would be 1.5 stars; a perfect score, 5). Each factor is scored against fixed reference points, not against the other products in the list, so adding a new model never moves another model’s rating. Cabinets are grouped into tall cabinets (60 in tall or more), wall and base cabinets (under 60 in) and cabinet systems (several cabinets sold as one set).
| Factor | Measures | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Value | price per cu ft of outside volume, or per foot of wall for a system | 30% |
| Capacity | rated load per shelf, else per cabinet, else for the whole set | 25% |
| Build | steel thickness, and whether it is welded or ships assembled | 15% |
| Features | locking doors, adjustable shelves, leveling feet or casters, wall mounting and built-in light or power | 15% |
| Warranty | warranty length | 15% |
Where the numbers come from
Dimensions, load ratings, steel thickness, construction, features and warranty come from the maker’s product copy, including the maker’s own copy on a retail listing. Prices are checked at the stores each page links to, and the lowest is used.
The factors
Value is the current price divided by the cabinet’s outside volume (width x depth x height), in dollars per cu ft, on a log scale, so halving the price always counts the same. For tall cabinets $40 per cu ft scores zero and $5 full marks. Wall and base cabinets have more door and frame for their size, so their scale is $70 (zero) to $12 (full marks). Cabinet systems are scored on price per foot of wall the set covers: $300 per ft scores zero and $60 full marks.
Capacity is the maker’s load rating. Where the maker rates each shelf, that figure is used: 50 lb per shelf scores zero and 200 lb full marks. Where it gives only a figure for the whole cabinet, 150 lb scores zero and 900 lb full marks. For a system, the rating of its tall cabinet or locker is used, and where the maker gives only a figure for the whole set, 1,500 lb scores zero and 6,000 lb full marks.
Build is 60% steel thickness and 40% construction. Thickness runs from 0.5 mm (zero) to 1.2 mm (full marks); a gauge is converted to its standard thickness, so 24 gauge is 0.61 mm and 18 gauge 1.21 mm. Construction gets full marks when the cabinet is welded or ships assembled, and none when it arrives as panels to bolt together.
Features is 35% for locking doors, 25% for adjustable shelves, 15% for leveling feet or casters, 15% for hanging on a wall, rail or wall track, and 10% for a built-in light or power strip.
Warranty is the maker’s warranty: 1 year scores zero and 10 years or a limited lifetime full marks.
What isn’t scored
Weight, shelf count, drawers, number of pieces in a set, color and release date are listed but not scored.
Missing data
Load rating, steel thickness and warranty separate these cabinets the most and are often left out of listings, so a figure that isn’t published scores zero and the product page marks it as estimated. Value scores neutral (50) if a size isn’t published. Features score neutral only when none of them is published; a feature the maker doesn’t mention otherwise counts as absent.
Ties and discontinued models
Products are ranked by score within each group. Discontinued models stay listed but rank below every current model and can be hidden with the “Hide discontinued” filter.