Top 5 Best 4 Drawer Filing Cabinets (Vertical & Lateral)

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If you still have many paper documents and files to store, you may want to consider a 4 drawer filing cabinet to keep your documents safe, clean, and organized.

Lateral vs. Vertical File Cabinets

Your file’s orientation in a filing cabinet is an important consideration. While the design of a lateral and a vertical cabinet are almost similar, the two cabinets differ in functionality. If your office has a lot of paperwork, you will need to ensure that you choose the right design to save on space and help you find your file faster.

A lateral filing cabinet differs from the vertical storage cabinet in the folder’s orientation inside the cabinet. The folders are arranged perpendicularly to the drawer in a lateral filing system. This means that the depth of the lateral storage cabinet is equal to that of the standard storage folders.

The number of files to keep in the file cabinet depends on the unit’s depth. The drawer’s width is similar to the width of the traditional storage folders. While the difference isn’t big, the type of storage is different in the accessibility and the number of folders held. 

On the other hand, vertical cabinets usually take up less space because of their storage drawers that usually protrude further out but with narrow width producing more wall space for the additional storage or furniture. The vertical filling is also suitable for archive files that don’t need to be retrieved often. Comparing the inches of filling gotten for each file clarifies that lateral filing has more benefits.

But if you have many files, you may want to consider choosing a lateral filing cabinet as they have a larger capacity. On the other hand, if you prefer to have your filing cabinet require less floor space, you may want to consider a vertical filing cabinet.  To help you make an informed decision regarding the purchase of the best 4 drawer filing cabinet for your office, THBI Telehealth.org has compiled five of the top cabinets available in 2022.  

5 Best 4 Drawer Filing Cabinets Reviewed

Before reviewing Telehealth.org’s top five options, you may want to compare their specifications:

Comparison Table

Scranton & Co 4 Drawer 22″ Deep Letter File Cabinet

Scranton & Co 4 Drawer 22″ Deep Letter File Cabinet

If you need a well-constructed four-drawer filing cabinet with a simple design, you may want to consider the Scranton & Co 4 drawer 22 Deep Letter File cabinet. The unit is made of 22′ gauge steel with aluminum handles. It comes with label holders in all drawers that help identify the contents of each drawer and keep your files organized.

All drawers come with a steel ball bearing, ensuring smooth drawer action. With a depth of 22″, the filing cabinet will fit most documents. It also comes ready for hanging papers.

Pros

• Sturdy
• Spacious and deep
• Drawer opens smooth
• Comes preassembled

Cons

• Drawers don’t open completely

While the unit isn’t heavy, it is sturdy. When the top drawer is filled and you open it, it will not tip over. The drawers close well and glide smoothly. Overall, this cabinet is a good choice.

4 Drawer Lateral File Cabinet with Lock

4 Drawer Lateral File Cabinet with Lock

The 4 Drawer Lateral File Cabinet with Lock comes with bigger and deep drawers than usual to fit as many as 300 hanging folders. The drawers have adjustable hanging racks that enable you to adjust the space to fit legal size files and A4 legal documents. The unit comes with four large capacity drawers that can accommodate up to 440 lbs.

The cabinet comes with a key pair that can prove helpful when storing your private documents. The cabinet comes with a single lock that locks all the drawers. When you open one of the drawers, the interlocking drawer system ensures that the other drawers don’t open, preventing tipping. 

Pros

• Well made
• Large and deep
• Comes preassembled
• Drawers open smoothly

Cons

• Hangers and folders need to be attached separately

The cabinet features good quality ball bearing glides that make it easy to open and close. It features a rust-free coating that helps prevent corrosion, making it suitable for long-term use. The unit’s padded feet help protect it from sliding and scratching the floor while providing extra durability and stability.

HON 4-Drawer Legal File Cabinet 

HON 4-Drawer Legal File Cabinet

The HON 4-Drawer Legal File Cabinet is a vertical file storage system of stainless steel. The unit comes with many needed features to store your legal documents. It features ball-bearing full-suspension drawers and an easy glide system that enables the drawers’ silent opening and closing. 

The 26″ deep drawers have enough spaces to keep hanging files. The cabinet has replaceable locks in case you lose the keys. The cabinet features good mechanics, details, and finish. You can easily open any fully-loaded drawer entirely without the worry of it tipping over. The filing cabinet features an interlock system that makes it possible to open one drawer at a time. The file cabinet is still light enough to move upstairs with just two people. Steel members on the bottom are curled around and up so that you don’t damage your hands on unfinished metal edges when you move it. 

Pros

• Drawers open completely
• Affordable
• Smooth opening drawers
• Deep and spacious drawers
• Replaceable locks

Cons

• Not mentioned

The lateral file cabinet is well made with an all-welded design and double-walled base, adding sturdiness and durability. Overall, this is an excellent four-drawer filing cabin suitable for home offices, law firms, company offices. 

Z-Line Designs 4-Drawer Vertical File Cabinet

Z-Line Designs 4-Drawer Vertical File Cabinet

If you need a durable and well-made filing cabinet but don’t want to go with the traditional metal, you may want to consider a wooden filing cabinet. The Z-Line Designs 4-Drawer Vertical File Cabinet is a unit that is worth considering. It is made of cherry wood veneer. It comes with brass handles and extendable glides to provide you with better accessibility.

You can easily lock the filing cabinet with a single key, enabling documents to be safe. While it’s easy to assemble the filing cabinet, you may need an extra hand. It comes with clear assembly instructions. 

Pros

• Beautiful design

Cons

• Only one drawer locks with key

The manufacturer would have done better by ensuring that users lock all drawers with a key. However, you can add locks as needed.

Alera LA543654LG 364-Drawer Lateral File Cabinet

Alera LA543654LG 364-Drawer Lateral File Cabinet

The Alera LA543654LG 364-Drawer Lateral File Cabinet is a top-quality filing cabinet with a durable and scratch-resistant finish. Its drawers are broad and deep and have side-to-side hang rails that accommodate legal-size hanging files and letters. The single lock system ensures that the drawer leveling glides are well secured even on an uneven floor.

The filing cabinet comes with wide and deep drawers with side to side hanging rails to store legal size and letter hanging files. The double-wall drawer makes it more durable and increases its stability.

Pros

• Sturdy
• Drawers open and close smoothly
• Full extension glides
• Scratch-resistant
• Comes fully assembled

Cons

• A bit heavy

This filing cabinet is relatively easy to set up and durable. If you use it as intended, it will outlast you and your family. When loaded with moderate weight, it will operate smoothly. Therefore, if you need a sturdily-made cabinet with plenty of space for the legal-size documents, you may want to consider the Alera LA543654LG 364-Drawer Lateral File Cabinet.

Conclusion

With the right filing cabinet, you can declutter your space and keep your files organized. You may want to choose a suitable four-drawer lateral file cabinet for maximum storage. If you are unsure where to start, you can select one of the above options.