Customers praise the 3-Drawer File Cabinet for its easy assembly, spacious storage, affordable price, and the inclusion of a lock for added security. While some customers found the assembly process to be a bit time-consuming, they generally agree that the cabinet is sturdy and offers ample space for organizing files and office supplies. The plastic handles, however, received some criticism for being flimsy and prone to falling off.
This summary was generated by AI based on customer reviews.
The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products, promotional considerations or entries into drawings for honest, helpful reviews.
Page 1 Showing 1-20 of 77 reviews
Pros mentioned:
Lock, Size
Cons mentioned:
Handles
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Good, but not excellent
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Posted . Owned for 2 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I like this drawer cabinet because it had two small-drawers and one large file drawer. The locking mechanism is a plus but the top shelf is a bit small for an above average size MFC laser printer. The handles are also a bit flimsy made of plastic.
I would recommend this to a friend
Cons mentioned:
Assembly
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
File cabinet
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Lots of parts to put together with patience and 8 hours it looks good
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from InsigniaCustomerSupport
Posted .
Thank you for your 4-star review! We’re glad to hear that the Insignia™ 3-Drawer File Cabinet looks good after assembly. We appreciate your patience and dedication in putting it together. Your feedback is valuable and helps us improve our products. Enjoy your new file cabinet! -Paul | Insignia Support https://www.bestbuy.com/site/best-buy-brands/support/pcmcat1693515381920.c?id=pcmcat1693515381920
Cons mentioned:
Assembly
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Good quality yet takes a while to setup
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Posted . Owned for less than 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This is a great unit that is made quite well for being somethjng you yourself have to put together. Giving IKEA vibes. Took me 2 hours to put together which ws not expected.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Finish, Lock, Sturdiness
Cons mentioned:
Assembly, Handles
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Nice cabinet but takes time to assemble
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I was looking for a cabinet to store my files. I decided to go with this one as I always have had positive experiences with Insignia products in the past. I would say I am not disappointed about my decision.
Pros:
1. Nice finish. Looks appealing unlike some of the regular office cabinets. The Black looks elegant too.
2. Sturdy - Though the cabinet is made out of engineered wood it's pretty heavy and sturdy. Additional wheel in the front provides support and helps the drawer from not tipping. The wheels can be locked to prevent the cabinet from moving.
3. Lock - The cabinet comes with a lock which adds additional safety to the cabinet. It was easy to install the lock.
Cons:
1. Time - Assembly time is pretty much high. With two people we can assemble in 2 to 3 hours. If you are doing it alone it will take atleast 4 hours. For the cabinet of such a smaller size it should not take more than an hour when assembled by 2 people. In my opinion assembly could have been a bit easier.
2. Precautions - Be careful while assembling. Please make sure you do not overtighten the screws as it may damage the cabinet. Also follow the instructions carefully especially when installing the drawers as if you make mistakes we might even end up in just trashing it unless you are able to disassemble it in the reverse order. It might be at times a pain on the neck for someone who is new to assembling.
3. Cheap handles - Handles are made out of plastic and cheaply built. One would expect a little bit more quality handles instead.
Verdict - There are few cons but that should not stop one from buying this product.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Size
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
Not great - cheaply made
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I wanted to like this. I was looking for something on the lower end that would do the job of holding documents, taxes, etc. i wasn’t expecting much but this was pretty bad.
It’s made of wood. Cheap wood. Not really sure of the point of having a lock on this. Nothing about this screams “secure”. If I was breaking in and saw this, I’d just have to pick it up and slam it down to break into it, or hit it on the top wihh the a sledgehammer because ya know, it’s made of wood, not metal.
But lets move on to the real issues here. There’s a big issue with the instructions. During assembly it comes with a pack of wooden dowels. From assembly of similar items I’m aware of where they should go, and even on the pieces for this set I saw spots where they “should” have went. But in reading the instructions, it completely skips over actually telling you to insert them. Tells you to do everything else, specific screws, specific pieces, but never mentions to use this pack of wooden dowels. Going step by step I didn’t want to assume to put a piece somewhere that may potentially not be correct so I held off, just to “complete” the instructions and setup and realize I still had this darn pack of wooden dowels. So if you get this, Id say read through the instructions all the way before starting and use the dowels where you think they should go. Its obvious where they should go, I just wish the instructions were complete.
Besides the odd instructions, I had pieces that were broke or just messed up apparently by the factory. Each drawer slides into these 2 tracks on each side that are supposed to have metal ball bearings in them to help the drawers slide smoothly. 5/6 of mine had these. The 6th, as you can see in the pictures, was completely missing the metal ball bearings and was falling off and not attached properly. I ended up still assembling the unit and because the other side of the drawer had the correct pieces, it still technically “works” but the left side sticks because of not having the metal ball bearings.
Also on the larger bottom drawer, it comes with these plastic pieces (3 of them) that you need to slide on to the sides and back. This is what will hold file folders (need to purchase separately). Well of course 2 of the 3 pieces came broke and partially cracked. Again still able to attach them and technically use them, but quality control needs to be better.
So why 3 stars and not 1? Well the size is decent and price is ok. So as long as you know what your getting its not too bad. And if you can get one without my hardware issues its ok for storing documents just for clutter sake and having everything in one spot. I would not use this for anything important that you wouldn’t want stolen. Better to get a safe or something actually metal with a fire rating.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Anyone familiar with DIY furniture pretty much knows what to expect from this product going in--lots of panels and parts with some twist-lock cam fittings and wooden dowels to help keep things together. Assembly is straight-forward with just a few small gotchas that are easy enough to avoid if you pay close attention to the instructions. However, this particular cabinet has a few tricks up its sleeve that actually make for a surprisingly nice-looking, well-constructed, and well-designed piece of furniture that ALMOST hits it out of the park were it not for a few unfortunate design and packaging decisions that mar an otherwise stellar product.
UNBOXING AND PREPARATION
Boxing and interior packaging decisions were good for the most part--all panels were enclosed in thin foam cushion wrap separated by larger foam blocks that limited damage and scratches to the wood veneer--all such pieces and panels featured easy-to-read number stickers (corresponding to the numbers/images in the instruction manual) on the edges or flat surfaces that were mercifully easy to remove. Nearly all hardware was included in one of two well-protected cardboard boxes with groups of similar small parts (screws, dowels, cam locks, etc.) enclosed in neatly labeled zip-lock baggies. I actually assembled two of these cabinets and each time I had no problems whatsoever with parts shortages, but the manufacturer graciously included an additional baggie with some random spare parts that covers pretty much one or two of everything you might need if something was accidentally missed in packaging.
The only problem here was that the file hanger extrusions (the little "lips" or "rails" that run around the top edge of the bottom drawer to allow placement of hanging files) were simply bundled together in a baggie and placed in between two rather thick drawer panels with slide hardware. During shipment, these panels shifted and pinched the extrusions out of shape, sometimes rather dramatically, and in one instance the slide hardware even pierced the plastic runner itself. This was the case with both cabinets I built so I chalk this up to a packaging error that may or may not affect your unit depending on shipping conditions. I was still able to pound the extrusions back into place straight enough to install them on the bottom drawer, but the plastic they are made of is almost rubbery in its softness and is rather thin in construction--if your hanging files become particularly heavy, they could easily start to compress and deform these parts even further, perhaps even buckling the support rails or pulling the extrusions off the top edge of the drawer (as happened with one of mine at first until I worked the molding with a hammer for an even tighter fit). I would consider recommending one of those metal frame inserts for the bottom drawer if you actually have thick/heavy hanging files you care about keeping straight and organized given how thin and easily damaged the hanging file extrusions included in this kit seem to be.
CONSTRUCTION AND ASSEMBLY
I worked deliberately and steadily using an electric screwdriver (highly encouraged because you're going to be turning a LOT of screws); each cabinet took me about 90 minutes to complete from initial unboxing to putting the key in the lock and rolling the cabinet away to my office--you could probably do it quicker, but there are an unexpectedly large number of pieces and parts to this small cabinet! What struck me most during construction was the high-quality veneer on the drawer and cabinet panels. They aren't just stickers that mimic a wood finish; the veneer has DEEP realistic wood grain relief patterns that you can see AND feel--as the light catches the variations in the grain, it creates the impression of a fine wood finish that is much more substantial and high quality than you typically find with bolt-together, particle-board furniture.
Drawers and cabinet panels were all fairly thick and substantial, save for the drawer bottoms and cabinet backing which were understandably thinner sheets of pressboard. I was surprised/happy to discover that instead of using a few tiny brads or finishing nails to hammer the back panel into place, this cabinet used 45-degree cabinet stiffeners and wood screws between the back and side panels--this is a far more secure means of assembly and will help the cabinet keep its shape (and keep the back from slowly coming away from the cabinet) even with heavier objects pressing up against the back panel. BTW, you certainly don't need a carpenter's square to ensure 90 degree angles at the back like the instructions suggest; just use one of the square corners on one of the panels included in this kit and you're golden.
All drawers featured a bottom center brace for enhanced strength, and in a brilliant bit of functional design, the bottom drawer even features its own caster wheel at the front, giving the entire cabinet 5 casters instead of just 4 at the corners. I have never seen a filing cabinet offer this feature before, but it's a simple touch of brilliance that will help keep the drawer's action smooth and secure without any risk of heavy loads ever bending the slide hardware out of shape or making it difficult to open/close the main drawer.
BTW, be sure you are paying attention to which casters have the (very) small wheel locks on them and which do not--if you're like me and have assembled dozens of pieces of similar DIY furniture in the past, you might be inclined to simply charge ahead with securing the casters onto their obvious/self-evident mounting locations, only later discovering that not every caster features a lock--one or more of which is now inadvertently at the back instead of the front. Similarly, the instructions indicate that the cabinet lock can only be attached one way--pay attention to the clockwise/counter-clockwise action called for in the manual or you'll be turning your key in frustration trying to figure out why the drawer locks aren't engaging even when it looks like everything is properly assembled (as me how I know!).
Drawer action is very smooth and solid, but not entirely effortless--for the bottom drawer especially, it takes just a *tad* bit of force to open/close. This is where the last point of assembly became the most frustrating--attaching the drawer handles. The handles themselves are plastic rather than metal, and they come pre-tapped for the included blunt-ended machine screws. For *both* of the cabinets I assembled, at least one of the handles would not fasten securely to the drawers using the included screws--in fact, I pulled the handle clean off the bottom drawer of the first cabinet I built the very first time I used it, while one of another handle side pulled away completely on the second cabinet after a few uses.
What I surmise is that tolerances on the holes drilled in the plastic handles may be off ever so slightly during manufacturing, or are drilled a bit too deep for the clearance you need just to fasten the handles to the drawers. A shallower threaded hole and/or a broader/pointed screw that digs into the plastic (rather than simply sits in a hole that may be just a hair too big/long) would have made all the difference here. Strangely, the few other plastic parts that are fastened to the drawers and side panels *do* use sharp-ended wood screws for a more secure fit and finish. I finally managed to get the handles cinched down securely by filling the threaded holes with some gel super glue and allowing it to dry, then re-tightening the screws through the original threads and hardened gel glue. The handles now feel solid and secure and they look quite nice with the cabinet's styling, but it's a shame that I needed a DIY fix to a product fresh out of the box. Perhaps I just got unlucky, but given that I had the exact same problems with two different units, it suggests some minor QC issues that you may run into as well.
BOTTOM LINE IMPRESSIONS
Frankly, this cabinet looks and feels nicer than it seems to have a right to. Major construction is solid with a handsome, heavy-duty wood grain finish, support braces at the bottom of all drawers to prevent bowing, and a center support caster on the largest pull-out drawer that frankly should be standard equipment on all such filing cabinets to aid in stability and usability over time. The included keys are of the pocket-saving fold-up kind and the locking action feels secure enough to keep casual file spelunkers at bay. Unfortunately, although my sample size is small, the fact that the same problems cropped up in both of the cabinets I built suggests that a few corners were cut in some small but critical areas that may impact your assembly and use as well. So long as you head into things knowing these might be issues for you, too, you'll get a very classy-looking and solid-feeling cabinet for your troubles when you're done.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Finished- looks good, But "some assembly required"
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This came knocked down, with quite a bit of Styrofoam packing / padding. It arrived safely, even with a little damage to the box.
Easily open one end, and slide out all the individual boards and parts. Small parts are individually packed and sealed in separate bags. All boards, bags, and even small parts were labeled well. The enclosed instruction booklet is thorough with illustrations. However, check the illustrations carefully, you could reverse the back and front of the lower drawer - the drilled holes are in the same position.
Following the instructions, assembly went fairly well. It took about 4 to 5 hours.
After assembly, the end result looked very nice.
There are some really good points with this cabinet. I especially like the extra 5th caster on the bottom of the low large drawer. This supports the drawer when pulled out, and prevents cabinet tip-over.
The drawer slides have rollers and are nice and smooth. Lock worked well, but the thin lock ring totally bent when trying to insert in the lock hole - ended up just leaving it off.
All is not perfect though...
The cabinet is made from "press wood", which can get loose, or break with a lot of use. While assembling, I put glue where possible - dowels, etc. Cabinet would have been much stronger if black layer was removed where panels joined together, allowing for true glued joint.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Nice Cabinet! Assembly is a bit time consuming..
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
If you're looking for an affordable and functional filing cabinet, this Insignia 3-drawer file cabinet is a great budget option. It has two small drawers and one large file drawer, and comes with a key lock to keep your belongings secure. The locking mechanism functions nice and smoothly so I don't have any concerns about its reliability. The design is efficient and works well in smaller office spaces. Fortunately in my case, this thing is the perfect compliment to my small home office space. The included caster wheels make moving the cabinet easy, and the overall build quality is good for the price. Keep in mind, this thing will ship to your door completely unassembled. If you choose to assemble it yourself, be prepared to spend a couple hours as it is a bit of a project (this coming from someone with a good amount of assembly experience).I was able to construct the cabinet in an open area of my living room, it was easier to find pieces as I went by organizing and laying them out over an approximately 10 foot area.. My reasoning for 4 of 5 stars is simply because of the amount of time consumed on assembly and because of the handles being constructed of plastic. Just be careful to not overtighten ANY parts during assembly and you should be just fine!
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Lock
Cons mentioned:
Handles
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Good filing cabinet, cheap handles.
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Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The filing cabinet itself is pretty nice. The lock works fine and comes with 2 keys. It’s on wheels that can lock. It is what it says it is. That being said, the handles are made of a relatively cheaper plastic.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Appearance, Sturdiness
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great for home office organizers
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Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Easy to assemble. Sturdy enough to hold multiple files. Looks great in any home office. Wheels provide needed mobility to move easily from room to room.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from InsigniaCustomerSupport
Posted .
Thank you, StaceyN, for your positive feedback on the Insignia™ 3-Drawer File Cabinet! We're delighted to hear that you found it easy to assemble and sturdy enough for your needs. It's great to know that it complements your home office and that the wheels add the mobility you were looking for. Your satisfaction is important to us, and we appreciate you sharing your experience! Jeth | Insignia Support. https://www.bestbuy.com/site/insignia-3-drawer-file-cabinet-black/6503075.p?skuId=6503075
Pros mentioned:
Lock, Sturdiness
Cons mentioned:
Handles
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great filing cabinet
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Posted . Owned for 2 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Sturdy filing cabinet and didnt take too long to put together. I like that you can lock all drawers with the one locking mechanism. The handles could be secured better if they werent plastic. Could always swap them out for different handles though.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Lock, Sturdiness
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Black Locking Filing Cabinet
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Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Sturdy file cabinet with lock. Holds a lot. We are happy with this purchase.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from InsigniaCustomerSupport
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Thank you for your 4-star review of the Insignia™ - 3-Drawer File Cabinet! We’re delighted to hear that you’re happy with your purchase and that the cabinet meets your needs. It’s wonderful to know that its sturdiness and ample storage capacity have made a positive impact. Your satisfaction is our top priority, and we’re glad to have provided a product that you find reliable and secure. If you have any other needs or questions, feel free to reach out. Enjoy your organized space! -Paul | Insignia Support https://www.bestbuy.com/site/best-buy-brands/support/pcmcat1693515381920.c?id=pcmcat1693515381920
Pros mentioned:
Size, Sturdiness
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Office Delight
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Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Perfect size for my office! It was easy to assemble, not to mention it was a great price!
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from InsigniaCustomerSupport
Posted .
Thank you for your feedback. We are delighted to hear that the product is the perfect size for your office and that you found it easy to assemble. It's great to know that you are pleased with the price as well. Your satisfaction is important to us, and we appreciate your support. Keith | Insignia Support
Pros mentioned:
Sturdiness
Cons mentioned:
Assembly
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Nice compact file cabinet
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Posted . Owned for 2 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Nice sturdy file cabinet. It was a headache to put together, but once put together, it was worth the wait.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from InsigniaCustomerSupport
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Thank you for your feedback. We are glad to hear that you find the file cabinet sturdy and worth the effort once assembled. Your patience and satisfaction are important to us, and we appreciate your support.
Keith | Insignia Support
Cons mentioned:
Drawers
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
Pretty good file cabinet for the price
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Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
It is stylish and spacious, but the build quality is only good enough. Particle board is weak and the black stain was sanded and had a lot of residue to clean off. The drawers tend to pull out more than one drawer when only opening one, and they are stiff so the whole cabinet rolls on its feet when opening.
I would recommend this to a friend
Cons mentioned:
Assembly
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
Wobbly and key never worked
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Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Ok quality, fake wood and not metal like I originally thought, so not the easiest to put together and also still slightly wobbly after built. Took 3ish hours to put together AND then we realized the key dosemt even lock the drawers and not worth taking apart and retiring, or having to put new one together over that. Pretty disappointed tbh.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Brand response from InsigniaCustomerSupport
Posted .
Sorry to hear that your Insignia 3-Drawer File Cabinet didn't meet your expectations. We're disappointed to hear that the quality of the product was compromised, and that the fake wood finish was not as expected. We also understand that the assembly process was more challenging than expected, and that the final product was still slightly wobbly. Additionally, we're concerned to hear that the drawers don't lock properly. We apologize for the inconvenience and frustration this has caused. We'll take your feedback into consideration and strive to improve our product quality and design for future products. If you have any further questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out. Jeth | Insignia™ Support. https://www.bestbuy.com/site/insignia-3-drawer-file-cabinet-black/6503075.p?skuId=6503075
Cons mentioned:
Assembly
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Small File cabinet
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Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The file cabinet is adequate for my need but it was missing several fasteners that I was unable to connect the middle drawer supports for the top 2 drawer’s. The material I am placing in the drawers is light so that additional support is not required at this point. Lots of parts to connect.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Lock
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Handy
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I like how they have wheels at the bottom and the option to lock the cabinets.It was a bit difficult to make due to the poor design and wood material felt a bit weak.
I would recommend this to a friend
Cons mentioned:
Assembly
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Home Office Gem!
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I was not expecting to have to put it together. But I feel as thought it's perfect for my needs
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Appearance
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Drawer
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Posted . Owned for 1.5 years when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Well so far it’s looks good. I am using for my documents storage