Customer Reviews

Gladiator GarageWorks GAFS42KDSG Fold-Away Workstation

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've read some of the other reviews on this workstation and seen where some of them could be potentially questionable (perhaps written by employees who work for Whirlpool?), but based upon my experience with other Gladiator products and the fact I had seen this particular workstation in stores I went ahead and placed an order.

As with many Gladiator products, some assembly is required. The hardware is clearly marked and as is the case with every Gladiator product I have assembled thus far, they do include a few extra nuts and bolts just in case. I suppose It took a whopping 15 minutes to put this together but probably another 10 to open the box, remove the contents, and dispose of the massive pile of cardboard and foam packaging (Gladiator must have very good engineers designing the packaging).

Once the workstation was assembled and mounted to the wall it became clear this was NOT just another cheap garage work table that would have a hard time handling anything heavier than a cordless drill. I was actually very surprised at how rigid the work surface was and the fact it is covered in a stainless steel skin on the interior was very impressive (it would have been a lot cheaper for Gladiator to use painted steel here).

Obviously this is not meant to be a working bench where you will be using a vice and hammering on things or clamping items to the benchtop, but it is a nice place to organize projects and hand tools. I keep all of my chargers and batteries in the lower compartment and a radio and some cased power tools in the upper compartment. I also keep more power tools on the top shelf. I have no idea how much weight my workstation is supporting, but it shows no sign of stress.

So are there are any negatives? Yes, but they are rather nit-picky if you ask me. First of all I have noticed if I don't close the worksurface with enough pressure, only one side of it seems to "click" into a closed position, so I often have to push on the upper corners in order to get it fully closed. This isn't a huge issue and perhaps my particular unit simply needs to be adjusted as it might not be 100% square. Second, I would have preferred if there was a back to the unit because I have it mounted to open studs, and this allows items to fall out of the back and onto the floor. I can't really fault Gladiator for this one because this isn't really a problem with the unit and more just an issue with my particular installation. Had I mounted this to a solid wall or to their magical gear track I suppose this wouldn't be an issue.

In summary, I am very happy with the unit and would not hesitate to buy another one. In fact if I see them on sale again I might just order two more. I have found a few different places where it would be nice to have a folding work table such as in the basement utility room and in the garage. If mounted properly, I could even see these used as desks in a (likely male) child's room to give the place a cool industrial look. Match this with a few of the other Gladiator cabinets and it would be a unique way to add functional storage to any room where the lady of the house doesn't frequent (I just can't see my wife allowing me to use the diamond plate look in the laundry room or bathroom, but it would rock in a bachelor pad!).

In my case I have it mounted in the basement utility room and I chose to mount it high enough that my arms rest comfortably on the work surface when opened. It is also a really nice surface to use when cleaning handguns as the stainless steel is very easy to clean and won't be damaged by chemicals or solvents.

I wasn't quite sure what I was getting when I ordered this, the pictures are not very good (or weren't at the time I bought). I was in the process of organizing my garage so I thought anything would be good and I had to make a rush "lightning deal" decision, so I bought it.

The top of the unit provides a nice storage shelf for car cleaners, roundup, oil, etc. I is sturdy enough to accomodate heavier items as well. The middle shelf houses my stereo that every guy needs in his garage. The bottom section is the really useful part. I don't have a huge garage so space is critical. The front silver door of this unit folds down to provide a nice, very sturdy workspace. I just fold it up when I'm done and store all my rechargeables inside the cabinet along with a power strip that works nicely with the power cord opening in the bottom of the shelf.

There are 2 install options with this unit. You can use the garageworks brackets (sold separately) or mount it directly to the studs in your garage wall. I used the 2nd option and setup was pretty easy. I had it up within a couple of hours. The only thing that went wrong in the install is that I broke the 2 pins used to secure the fold-open door in place when it is closed. No probelem, I called Gladiator and they sent me out replacement parts within a few days.

This is the best Gladiator Ready-To-Assemble Product so far. I would say it almost belongs in the Gladiator Premier class. It is sturdy and built to last. A true piece of garage gear. I am impressed with the weight of the fold down door. It compliments my Gladiator Garage quite nicely and I am so happy with this addition. It was fun putting the FoldAway Workstation together and gratifying to see it hanging on the wall. I am very lucky to have paid only $80 brand new from a Sears overstock but I would gladly pay 2x (the going rate) for this product. I am using it for a workstation for gardening and gardening supplies so my 6 foot Gladiator bench doesnt get messed up. Maybe I'll get another one for automotive items....hmmmm...all of the Gladiator possibilities...

Wow! Between June 18 and June 21, 2009 five people all decided to write glowing reviews for this product. Four of those people had never written a review before, but suddenly they all got the same idea at the same time. Yeah, right. Methinks the marketing department at Gladiator GarageWorks is padding the reviews.

From the pictures, the fold-away workstation looks nice, but it sure is pricey.

I was looking to add a bench to the front corner of my garage because that is the area I typically find myself working in, but did not want to lose parking space, this was the perfect solution. I mounted mine directly to the wall studs, so I did not use the gladiator tracks or wall panels. Build quality is far better than I expected. I am considering getting a second unit for another area. Bought on sale at sears for $159 plus tax.

I love this product. It's a little challenging to put together but once it's done, you'll find it worth the effort. I keep all of my gardening hand tools, plant food and insect sprays in this product and it is right near the garage door for easy access. I often put the door down to set grocery bags on as I'm unloading the car so my bags don't have to sit on the dirty garage floor. Product is extremely heavy duty.

I use this work station to hide all of my battery chargers. It has a grommet in the bottom that you can run all of the cords through to hide everything behind the door. It did squeak a little after 6 months of use but some WD40 took care of that. The unit is very well built, just like my other Gladiator products. I think it took about an hour for me to put it together.

I love my Gladiator Fold-Away Workstation. It is very convenient to be able to move it around my garage along the Geartrack walls. I move it to different locations depending upon what project I am working on, and have quick access to my tools and parts. I love the look of the cabinet, and all of the Gladiator garage stuff, it is much more appealing than just plain old cabinets.

Love it! I keep all my gardening things in it. The chemicals (weed killers...) are stored away. High enough to keep out of reach of children. Very convenient "work table" when the door is open. Top shelf can hold a lot: leaf blower, gas cans.. Great product!

This is awesome for working on small items. I use it as a surface to paint intricate designs and then store all of my supplies neatly inside. The top can be used as a drying rack as well. This is really heavy duty and can hold anything I can think of to work on.