What's the difference between Ikea Bror shelving and workbenches?

It was time to reorganize my garage to make room for a new running treadmill, and the Ikea “Bror” line of shelving, drawers, workbenches, and storage solutions caught my eye. But from the website descriptions it was really hard to see just how sturdy certain items were, and why the workbench-style units cost so much more than the shelving. This is what I learned! I reviewed the Bror here because I couldn’t find any reviews that covered this type of info.

Fully assembled, expertly modeled, but poorly organized Bror storage system

I ended up using the Bror workbench with drawers (4 drawers, pine top 33-1/2” x 15-3/4”) and two of the the normal 72” tall, 33-1/2” wide, 21-5/8” deep shelving systems with two bonus drawers added, similar to one of their sample assemblies. Combined with a pegboard in the middle, and I was able to make a pretty cool setup, as seen in the Ikea planner tool:

The planner tool showing my desired configuration with shelves, drawers, workbench, and pegboard. All of Ikea's suggested combinations are made up of the same components, so you can make any setup you like. No money savings due to bundling with their suggestions, so make it your own.

We’ll start with the bottom line:

• The workbenches are substantially sturdier than the shelves
• The drawers themselves are the same construction for the workbench and shelving and are amazingly sturdy for Ikea drawers

The key metrics on how they compare:

1. Steel support thickness, as measured by me:
1. Shelving: 1.16mm (probably 18 gauge)
2. Workbench: 1.76mm (probably 14 gauge, 50% thicker)
2. Assembly of legs:
1. Shelving: The structure is pounded together to make an interference fit between some interlocking tabs. Each horizontal support is independent, only connected to each other by the angle-shaped support legs
2. Workbench: Total of 48x M6 bolts with Loctite hold together the whole structure! There are welded rectangular pieces at the top and bottom for rigidity.
3. Construction of drawer support rails:
1. Shelving: much thinner, held in by 2x M5 bolts
2. Workbench: integrated with the main leg assembly bolts with 4x M6 bolts with Loctite on each one!
4. Construction of drawers:
1. The same for both! Very sturdy.

The pounded-together construction of the Ikea Bror shelves. The eared tabs are press-fit into a slot.

In the end, the workbenches are called that name for a good reason. They are sturdy and free-standing enough that you can do work on them without the surface squirming around. Using the shelving system as a work surface would likely be irritating because it is just not stiff enough.

Would I buy it again? Maybe. Definitely worth checking out the workbench that my friend found at Lowes. For the same price, it is just as sturdy but larger and with a built-in pegboard.

Have you used any of these Bror-series items? What did you think?

-Mike