The 10 Best Bookshelves for Your Home Library

If you’re looking for the best bookshelves for your home library or the best shelves for books generally then this is the post for you. We detail the top home library bookshelves so you can choose the best one for your home.

If you’re like me and love to read and collect books, a good bookshelf or two (or three or four..) are essential for storing the precious books that you’ve collected over the years. 

For someone passionate about books, the best bookshelves for a home library are not just somewhere to store your books, but also somewhere you can have your books proudly on display for both you and your visitors to see.

If you’ve been looking for the best bookshelf to store and display your home library, then you’ve come to the right place!

In these best bookcase reviews, I take you through all the various factors you need to consider to ensure you purchase one of the home library bookshelves that are perfect for you.

I also compare some of the best bookcases currently available so that regardless of the type of space you have, you can purchase the ideal home library furniture for your home.

In this guide, I look at options for a tall wooden bookcase, a low bookcase, solid wood bookcases, cheap bookshelves and various other options.

So regardless of your space and what type of home library shelving you’re after, I have no doubt you’ll find just what you’re looking for in this best bookcases guide.

My Pick for the Best Bookshelf for Home Library: Mainstays 3 Shelf Bookshelf

Don’t have time to read my entire home library bookcases guide, and are just after my thoughts on an all-rounder good bookcase? 

Then I recommend Mainstays’ 3 shelf bookcase because it’s large enough to hold lots of good reads and also very cheap.

Click here to purchase the Mainstay now or keep reading for my detailed reviews below.

The Best Bookshelves for Home Library Comparison Chart 2024

Below is a handy table where you can see all the different top 10 bookshelves reviewed within this guide.  This table allows you to easily compare the various bookcases and their features side by side and help you decide which is the perfect bookcase for you.

Keep reading below for further details about each of these bookcases.

Product	Size (HxWxD Inches)	Material	Price Guide	Rating	Buy Now
Furinno	52 x 15.8 x 9.4	MDF Veneer	$	3.9	Buy Now
Sauder	35 x 11.5 x 24.5	Engineered Wood	$	4	Buy Now
HSH	55 x 41 x 10.7	Solid Wood	$$$	4.7	Buy Now
Kings Brand	58 x 29 x 11.75	Solid Wood & Veneer	$$$	4.1	Buy Now
Sawdust City	32 x 36 x 10	Solid Pine	$$$$	4.6	Buy Now
Simpli Home	70 x 30 x 14	Solid Pine	$$$$	3.6	Buy Now
Wallniture Bali	17 Wide	Metal	$	4.7	Buy Now
IRIS	23.4 x 16.3 x 11.4	Particle Board	$	4.5	Buy Now
Vasagle	31.6 x 24.8 x 11.6	Particle Board	$	4.8	Buy Now
Coaster Home	71.5 x 19.5 x 15.5	MD	$$$	4.3	Buy Now

Things to Consider for Purchasing the Best Bookcases for Home Library

When it comes to good bookshelves, they come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, colors, and quality and there is no one size fits all.

So to ensure you purchase one of the good quality bookshelves, take some time to consider the following things.

Available Space

The very first thing you need to decide on when purchasing a bookshelf is what size to buy.  To work this out, I’d suggest starting by measuring up the space you intend to place the bookcase. 

Ensure you measure up both the floor and wall space.  This will ensure whichever bookcase you decide to purchase, it will fit in the intended area.

Perhaps you have lots of floor space, but not much wall space and so a long low bookcase will work best.

Or maybe you don’t have much floor space but lots of wall space, so a tall narrow bookcase or wall mounted bookcase will work best.

Write down these measurements so you know the maximum amount of space you have to work with.

Size of the Bookcase

Now you know the space you have to work with, you’ll need to consider what you intend to store in the bookcase.  This will help you decide on the size bookcase you need to purchase. 

Consider if it’s just books you want to store on the bookcase, or will you store other things too.  Do you want to store things like paperwork so a bookcase with doors to keep things out of sight works best?  Or will you pack it full of books and so after one of the best bookcases for heavy books?

I’d recommend going for a slightly larger bookcase than what you think you’ll need to allow for additional books you gather over time.

YOU MIGHT LIKE: A Step-by-Step Guide to Decluttering Your Bookshelf

Material

Bookcases are made from a range of materials from good quality hardwoods to cheap plywood and even metal.  There are advantages and disadvantages of each material type and what you choose is really up to your individual needs.

Good quality bookcases that will last you a lifetime are made from timber, such as pine or oak.  The best solid wood bookcases are strong and sturdy and perfect if you need a heavy-duty bookcase. 

The downside though of these good bookcases is that they are expensive and bulky, making them difficult to move around.

A cheap bookcase made from plywood or wood veneer, on the other hand, is inexpensive and easy to move around.  There also tend to be more options in terms of different colours and designs so you’re sure to find something that will complement your home decor.

However, these inexpensive bookshelves tend to sag and are not ideal if you’re after the best bookcases for lots of books or a heavy-duty bookshelf.

Bookcases can also be constructed from metals, such as iron.  Often these bookcases are open and have no backing, so consider if this style suits what you’re looking for.

Adjustable shelves

I’d recommend looking for a bookcase with adjustable shelves as this is ideal to allow for different size books.

A bookcase with adjustable shelves allows you to maximize the space available in the bookcase as you can change the shelving heights to meet your needs, which may even change over time. It’s a faff but I’ve had to do this many times over the years!

Price

Just as bookcases come in a range of shapes and sizes, they also greatly vary in pricing too.  Some of the top bookcases can cost hundreds and hundreds of dollars, while you can also find some inexpensive bookcases that are perfect for your needs.

I’d recommend having a budget in mind and finding a bookcase that meets all your requirements after considering the above factors.

Best Bookcase Reviews 2022

Below I’ve listed my recommendations for the top bookshelves for your home library.

Furinno 5-Tier Bookcase

For those with limited floor space, a narrow and tall bookcase like this Furinno 5-tier bookcase is a great option. This Furinno bookcase is perfect for anyone after small, slim and affordable bookcases.

With a height of 52 inches and a width of 15.8 inches, this bookcase is perfect for that small narrow space. Being made from particleboard, it is lightweight and so easy to move as required.

The Furinno bookcase comes with 5 tiers that are perfect for displaying books and other items.  There is also a range of colour options to choose from, so you can select the ideal design for your home décor.

The Furinno is a cheap tall bookcase as well as a cheap narrow bookcase and is perfect for those after a great-looking bookcase for a small space.

Click here to check current pricing and to read more reviews

Sauder Beginnings 3 Shelf Bookcase

If you have very little space and so looking for the best bookcases for small spaces, consider one like this Sauder Beginnings 3 shelf bookcase.  This is the perfect cheap small bookshelf when your space is minimal.   

At a height of 35 inches and a width of 24 inches, this cheap small bookcase will take up barely any space at all. To maximize space, the bookcase comes with two adjustable shelves.

The Sauder Beginnings bookcase is made from engineered wood and has a lovely soft white finish, so it will blend in with almost any décor.  It also comes with a 1-year warranty for a confident purchase.

Click here to check current pricing and to read more reviews

HSH Solid Wood Bookcase

If you’re after a sturdy bookcase for heavy books, but don’t have a budget for a full solid wood bookcase, this HSH bookcase is a great one to consider.

With solid wood shelves combined with a sturdy steel frame, this is a great way to store books and is perfect for anyone after cheap wood bookshelves.

This is a reasonably large bookcase, measuring 55 inches in height and 41 inches in width, so you’ll be able to store a decent number of books.

It has four shelves and with the x-shaped bracket at the back, you’ll have peace of mind that this is a sturdy, reliable piece of furniture able to display the heaviest of book collections.  It also comes with leg levellers to ensure it doesn’t wobble.

The HSH bookcase is a lovely piece of furniture and will look great in most spaces.  Its sturdy wooden shelves give it a natural character, yet vintage charm, while the steel frame provides a touch of modern industrial feel.

Click here to check current pricing and to read more reviews

Kings Brand Furniture Wood Bookcase with Doors

Bookcases with doors are an excellent option for not just displaying your books, but also storing other things such as paperwork, that you’d like to keep out of sight.  If this is something you’re looking for, this wood bookcase by Kings Brand Furniture is a lovely one to consider and will look great in your living space.

With a height of 48 inches and a width of 28 inches, this is a reasonably sized bookcase.  It features three upper shelves, as well as two additional shelves which are hidden behind the doors.  The hidden shelves are adjustable which makes for a great space saver.

The Laurana wood bookcase is an elegant piece of furniture with a clean white finish so it blends in with almost any décor.

Click here to check current pricing and to read more reviews

Sawdust City Solid Pine Bookcase

Another great option if you’re after the best bookshelves for heavy books is a solid pine bookcase, such as this Sawdust City one. This bookcase is made from solid knotty pine and has a rustic cottage look to it.

This solid piece of furniture comes with three shelves and is strong enough to store the heaviest of books.  It’s a good size too, measuring 32 inches in height and 36 inches in width.

One thing you’ll love about the Sawdust City bookcase is that every one is entirely unique.  The wood is not overly processed so you’ll see knots and minor imperfections which give it a great individual look to it.

The Sawdust City solid pine bookcase comes in a range of great colours too, so you can choose the colour which is perfect for your space.

Click here to check current pricing and to read more reviews

Simpli Home 5 Shelf Heavy Duty Bookcase

For a top-quality bookshelf, this Simpli Home solid pine bookcase is well worth considering.  It is handcrafted from high-quality solid wood and is perfect for after a heavy-duty bookcase which will last for years and years.

Despite being a narrow bookcase, this is an excellent size to store and display a good number of books.  The height of the bookcase is 70 inches and it has a width of 30 inches.  This bookcase features five shelves, with four of them being adjustable, which is perfect for maximizing space. 

The bookcase has an elegant look to it, featuring tapered legs and a moulded crowd edge.  It also has been hand-finished with a protective lacquer coating to highlight the grain.  Plus, it comes in a range of colour options, so you’ll be able to find the perfect colour to match your home.

Click here to check current pricing and to read more reviews

Wallniture Wall Mounted Bookcase

The best bookshelves for small spaces are often the ones that don’t take up any floor space at all like a floating wall-mounted bookcase.  Floating wall-mounted bookshelves like these ones from Wallniture are the perfect way to store your books in a tiny space.

This floating bookshelf by Wallniture actually comes in a two-pack with each shelf being 17 inches wide, so a good amount of space to display your books.  The shelves are constructed with metal and offer a cheap, sturdy bookcase for displaying your book collection.

Click here to check current pricing and to read more reviews

IRIS 2 Tier Quality Cheap White Bookcase

Don’t think you have to spend a fortune to get a quality bookcase, there are plenty of good options if you’re just after a cheap white bookcase too.

Take this IRIS 2-tier bookcase for example; despite being one of the cheap bookshelves for sale, it’s one of the highest-rated and best sellers in these reviews.

This compact, cheap white bookshelf is just 23 inches in height and 16 inches in width.  It features two shelves with each one being able to hold a maximum of 66 lbs which isn’t bad when it comes to cheap bookcases for sale.

IRIS actually makes a range of bookcases like this, so you can mix and match them to fit your space.  Plus as well as having cheap white bookcases for sale, they also come in a range of other colours too.

Click here to check current pricing and to read more reviews

Vasagle Cheap Black Bookshelf

Another option when it comes to the best bookshelf is this cheap black bookshelf made by Mainstay.  Just like the IRIS bookcase above, despite being one of the cheapest bookshelves, this is one of the highest-rated bookcases in these reviews.

This small cheap black bookcase is a little larger than the above IRIS bookcase, with a height of 31.65 inches and a width of 25 inches.  The bookcase features three shelves, with two of the shelves being adjustable, so it’s perfect for maximizing space.

However, the Mainstays bookcase can only hold 35 pounds per shelf, unlike the IRIS’ 66lbs per shelf.  Although the fixed shelf can hold up to 50 lbs.

If you’re looking for the best cheap bookshelf, bookshelves such as this Vasagle and the IRIS above are best sellers and among the very best to consider.

Click here to check current pricing and to read more reviews

Coaster Furniture Corner Bookshelf

Another great option when space is limited is a corner bookcase.  While corner units don’t tend to be able to accommodate as many books as other types mentioned in these reviews, these are a great option when space is at a premium.

This Coaster Home Furnishings corner bookcase is a nice one to consider.  It is rather tall at 71.5 inches and features six fixed shelves.  Made from durable MDF, this corner unit is reasonably sturdy and will look great in your living space.

Click here to check current pricing and to read more reviews

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