3 Budget-Friendly Bookshelves That Transform Small Spaces
We tested three highly-rated bookshelves under $60 to find which delivers the best value for apartment dwellers and small-space enthusiasts. Here’s our honest assessment.
When you’re working with limited square footage, every piece of furniture needs to earn its place. A bookshelf isn’t just storage—it’s a design statement, a room divider, and often the difference between clutter and calm.
Over the past month, we’ve lived with three of Amazon’s most popular budget-friendly bookshelves, each priced under $60. We assembled them, loaded them with books (lots of books), moved them around different spaces, and evaluated how they hold up to daily life in small apartments.
Here’s what we discovered about these space-saving solutions, from assembly frustrations to surprising design wins.
What We Were Looking For
Before diving into individual reviews, let’s establish our criteria. The ideal small-space bookshelf should:
- → Assemble without requiring an engineering degree
- → Maximize vertical storage while maintaining a small footprint
- → Handle actual book weight (not just decorative tchotchkes)
- → Look intentional, not cheap
- → Stay stable without wall anchoring (rental-friendly)
With those benchmarks established, let’s examine each shelf.
SUNMORY 5-Tier Bookshelf: The Budget Champion
Best Overall Value
At under $40, the SUNMORY delivers surprising quality. This 5-tier open bookshelf offers ample storage in a compact 23.6″ x 11.8″ footprint, making it perfect for tight corners or narrow walls.
Key Specifications:
What We Loved
- Exceptional value at $39.99
- Surprisingly easy assembly with clear instructions
- Warm rustic finish feels more expensive than it is
- Stable without wall mounting
- Perfect depth for standard books
Room for Improvement
- Particleboard construction shows with close inspection
- Not ideal for very heavy hardcovers on every shelf
- Basic aesthetic won’t suit modern minimalist spaces
Our Verdict
This is the bookshelf we recommend most often. It’s not perfect, but at this price point, it delivers everything most small-space dwellers need: adequate storage, reasonable aesthetics, and refreshing ease of assembly. The rustic brown finish works well in eclectic or transitional spaces, and it’s light enough to move when rearranging (a crucial consideration in small apartments).
Best for: Budget-conscious renters, first apartments, home offices, or anyone who needs functional storage without design drama.
NUMENN 5-Tier Bookshelf: The Premium Option
Best Build Quality
Stepping up to $60 gets you noticeably better materials and construction. The NUMENN feels substantially sturdier than budget alternatives, with thicker boards and a more refined finish that photographs well for those Instagram-worthy shelfies.
Key Specifications:
What We Loved
- Noticeably superior build quality and materials
- Extra height (70.9″) maximizes vertical storage
- Industrial aesthetic works in modern spaces
- Can confidently hold heavier book collections
- Metal frame adds structural integrity
Room for Improvement
- $20 premium over budget options
- Heavier (harder to move solo)
- Taller height may not suit all ceiling heights
- Assembly takes longer with more pieces
Our Verdict
If you’re planning to keep this bookshelf long-term or have a substantial book collection, the extra $20 investment makes sense. The NUMENN delivers tangibly better quality—you’ll notice it immediately when handling the components. The industrial aesthetic also photographs better for social media, if that matters to your space documentation goals.
Best for: Serious readers with heavy collections, modern or industrial-style spaces, anyone willing to invest slightly more for better longevity.
Furinno 5-Tier Bookcase: The Compact Specialist
Best for Tight Spaces
Furinno’s ultra-narrow design makes it ideal for spaces where every inch counts. At just 9.8″ deep, this shelf fits in places other bookcases simply can’t—behind doors, in hallway nooks, or flanking windows without blocking light.
Key Specifications:
What We Loved
- Incredibly slim profile fits anywhere
- Lowest price in our comparison
- Tool-free assembly system is genuinely clever
- Graduated shelf depths add visual interest
- Lightweight for easy repositioning
Room for Improvement
- Shallow depth limits book size options
- Less stable than wider alternatives
- Should be wall-mounted for safety with kids/pets
- Basic particleboard shows its budget roots
Our Verdict
The Furinno serves a specific purpose brilliantly: maximizing vertical storage in impossibly tight spaces. If you’re working with a narrow hallway, a small home office, or a studio where depth is at a premium, this solves a problem other shelves can’t. Just be aware of the stability limitations and plan accordingly.
Best for: Studio apartments, narrow hallways, paperback collections, spaces where depth is more precious than width.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Here’s how these three bookshelves stack up across key criteria:
| Feature | SUNMORY | NUMENN | Furinno |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $39.99 | $59.99 | $37.16 |
| Height | 59″ | 70.9″ | 58.7″ |
| Width | 23.6″ | 23.6″ | 23.5″ |
| Depth | 11.8″ | 11.8″ | 9.8″ |
| Assembly Time | ~30 minutes | ~40 minutes | ~20 minutes |
| Build Quality | Good | Excellent | Adequate |
| Weight Capacity | Moderate | Heavy | Light-Moderate |
| Style | Rustic/Transitional | Industrial/Modern | Contemporary |
| Best For | Overall value | Quality seekers | Tight spaces |
Our Final Recommendation
After living with all three bookshelves for a month, loading them with our actual book collections, and evaluating them across multiple criteria, we have a clear winner for most small-space scenarios.
🏆 Winner: SUNMORY 5-Tier Bookshelf
The SUNMORY delivers the best balance of price, quality, and functionality. At $39.99, it offers everything most people need: adequate storage, reasonable aesthetics, straightforward assembly, and surprising stability. While the NUMENN is objectively better-built, the $20 premium only makes sense if you’re housing heavy hardcover collections or need the extra height. The Furinno serves a niche purpose well but lacks the versatility of the SUNMORY.
Assembly Tips (Learned the Hard Way)
Regardless of which shelf you choose, these assembly insights will save you frustration:
Clear space generously. You’ll need about 6′ x 6′ of floor space to lay out components comfortably. Trying to assemble in tight quarters leads to mistakes and scratched floors.
Don’t fully tighten screws until the end. This is the cardinal rule of flat-pack furniture. Leave everything slightly loose until the entire structure is assembled, then go back and tighten everything. This flexibility prevents alignment issues.
Use a power drill on low speed. The included Allen wrenches work, but a drill with the right bit makes assembly 3x faster. Just use low speed to avoid stripping particleboard.
Check each shelf level before tightening. Use a smartphone level app. Crooked shelves aren’t just aesthetically troubling—they affect stability and weight distribution.
Styling Your Bookshelf
A bookshelf isn’t just functional storage—it’s a design opportunity. Here’s how to make these budget options look intentional:
The rule of thirds: Aim for roughly one-third books, one-third decorative objects, and one-third empty space. This creates visual breathing room and prevents the “college dorm” look.
Vary heights strategically: Stack books horizontally occasionally to create height variation. This breaks up the monotony of vertical spines and creates display surfaces for small objects.
Add depth with color blocking: Group books by color on one or two shelves for a magazine-worthy look. Yes, it’s impractical for finding specific titles, but it photographs beautifully.
Consider lighting: A small LED strip or battery-powered puck lights on upper shelves can transform a basic bookshelf into a design feature. This is especially effective with the NUMENN’s darker finish.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Bottom Line
Small-space living requires furniture that works harder and smarter. These three bookshelves prove you don’t need to spend hundreds to get functional, attractive storage. The SUNMORY emerges as our top recommendation for most scenarios, offering the best balance of price, quality, and versatility. But if you have specific needs—extra height, ultra-narrow depth, or superior build quality—the NUMENN and Furinno each serve their niche purposes admirably.
The key is matching the bookshelf to your actual circumstances. Don’t buy the premium option if you’re moving in six months. Don’t choose the narrowest shelf if you have wall space to spare. And definitely don’t skip the assembly tips section—your weekend self will thank you.