I've got both Boaphile rhinoraxx and AP Racks. Both come with heat, but the boaphile racks come completely assembled. You do have to assemble the Animal Plastics racks but it's not very difficult.
Who told your friend this nonsense? Racks are for people who want an easy to clean, easy to heat, secure caging system that holds humidity well and makes the snakes feel more secure. They come with as few as three shelves. So really, racks are for people who have three or more snakes. However I would recommend a rack even to people who have only 1 or 2 snakes, just because it has three shelves doesn't mean you have to use them all. Racks are SO much better for your snake then an aquarium.I've also heard that racks should only be used for 'professional breeders' and not when keeping snakes, just for pets. I plan on breeding some snakes in the future, but, my friend doesn't. I suggested racks because the amount of snakes he has, but I don't want to choose a bad option. Any help please?