If you’re building a Home Gym, you’re going to need a solid pair of dumbbells. There’s a new type of dumbbell which are actually taking home gyms by storm, Adjustable ones! Today, I will be looking at the best ones that you can add to your setup.
Dumbbells are one of the staples of a home gym, due to the sheer amount of exercises that you can complete with them.
If you haven’t got space for a full home gym such as a squat rack, then you’ll most likely be looking for space saving alternatives to allow for a compact workout.
For efficient workouts without taking up too much space, I can’t look past adjustable Dumbbells and I would advise these to any aspiring weightlifter who needs to workout in a confined space.
Ideally, you’ll also have the roll for a weightlifting bench, but we will cover all in this adjustable dumbbell guide & show you the best adjustable Dumbbells for your home setup.
Let’s get into this post & show you which dumbbells you should be looking at for your home gym.
Bowflex Selecttech 552i Adjustable Dumbbell
Bowflex Unisex's 552i Single Adjustable Dumbbell, Black/Grey/Red, One Size
- Each dumbbell adjusts from 2 to 24 kg (steps: 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 16, 18, 20, 23, 24 kg)
- Lets you rapidly switch from one exercise to the next combining 15 weights into one single dumbbell thanks to its unique dial system
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Specification & Information
| Color | Black/Grey/Red |
|---|---|
| Style | Dumbbell 2-24 kg (single) |
| Material type | Aluminium & Plastic |
| Sport | Weightlifting, Powerlifting, Bodybuilding |
| Brand | Bowflex |
| Manufacturer | Nautilus Inc. |
| Product Dimensions | 42.93 x 20.32 x 22.86 cm; 24 Kilograms |
Bowflex Selecttech 552i Review
I picked out the Selecttech Bowflex selecttech 552 earlier for a reason, they make durable products which are heavily reliable. They cater for weights between 2-24kg, which is plenty, even for an experienced athlete. If you’re powerlifting, you may be more interested in the 1090i which are listed below.
The Selecttech 552 is an adjustable dumbbell which can replace 15 sets of weights. In addition to saving you time, you’re also going to save floor space and some money alongside it!
With the turn of a dial, you can drop-set, super-set or completely change up ready for your next exercise. The power of having a full dumbbell rack at your fingertips means that you can work any muscle group, at any time.
They aren’t cheap, but they offer enormous value. If you’re building your home gym, I would ensure these are top of your wishlist. Bowflex offer nothing but quality in their range of exercise equipment. They aren’t a household name due to the niche of equipment that they offer, but they are a well established company & have been providing gym equipment since 1986!
Just remember the price above is for one dumbbell, you’ll need to purchase 2x if you want one set of these.
ISOGYM Adjustable Dumbbells
ISOGYM Adjustable Dumbbell 2kg-20kg Weight Set (Quick Change Weight Adjustment) 16 Weight Selections Single Dumbbell Per Package
Technical Information & Specification
| Color | Black |
|---|---|
| Size | 2kg-20kg |
| Style | Dumbbell 2-20 kg (single) |
| Material type | Aluminium, plastic |
| Manufacturer | ISOGYM |
| Product Dimensions | 40 x 23.7 x 17 cm; 21 Kilograms |
Isogym Adjustable Dumbbells Review
These are the adjustable dumbbells which are more suited to an experienced weightlifter, or a beginner that can see the need for lifting upto 82kg using dumbbells. I purchased these dumbbells myself and I performed an in-depth review, which you can read here.
It’s probably a decent investment if you’re a beginner that can envision yourself moving through the weights, as it saves any need for any further investment. However, at the same time, this is an expensive item and it comes in at just under £1,100 in total. On paper, that’s a lot for just two dumbbells. Of course they’re more than just dumbbells, but you try telling that one to your partner!
The weights that this set of adjustable dumbbells provide is; (4, 7, 9, 11, 13, 16, 18, 21, 23, 25, 27, 30, 32, 34, 36, 39, 41kg) which totals 17 different weights.
You’ll also receive two years of warranty, which offers you peace of mind. If you’re interested in these, please stay tuned for our full in-depth review of these, which will include a full breakdown of our honest thoughts.
Anchor 20kg Manual Adjustable Dumbbells
Anchor 20kg Adjustable Dumbbells Weights set for Men Women, Dumbbell hand weight Barbell Perfect for Bodybuilding fitness weight lifting training...
- Versatile: These dumbbells are perfect to perform a range of exercises including hammer and bicep curls and triceps extensions to work on your upper arms and lateral, side and rear raises with shoulder presses to build stronger shoulders. Target your legs by adding weight to lunges or squats to increase your strength and enhance your balance to make your body Bigger, Stronger and Leaner. This Weights set give you flexibility of multiple dumbbell sizes in one easily adjustable dumbbell.
Technical Information & Specification
| Color | Black |
|---|---|
| Weight | 20 Kilograms |
| Brand | Anchor |
| Manufacturer | Anchor Sports |
Anchor 20kg Manual Dumbbell Set
Let’s be honest now, it’s not always going to be possible to build a home gym with an unlimited budget. My first gym had to remain under the £1,000 mark, or I wouldn’t have managed to get it past my financial team… AKA Mrs Lift Bible. I didn’t get adjustable dumbbells on my first build, but I wish I did.
In the instance that you aren’t sure if you’re going to get into bodybuilding, you can always get this set as a cheap way of finding out if it’s a hobby.
I’d rather have wasted £70 as opposed to £500!
Comparison of Adjustable Dumbbells
| Adjustable Dumbbell: | My Rating | Max Weight | Cost | Weight Selections | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowflex 552i – Best for Heavy Weight Option | 5 | 24kg | £249.99 (each) | 16 Options | 2 Years |
| ISOGYM Adjustable Dumbbell – Best Value Option | 4.9 | 20kg | £179.99 (each) | 16 Options | 2 Years |
| Anchor Adjustable Dumbbells – Best Budget Option | 3.0 | 20kg | £79.99 | Manual Spin-Lock | 2 Years |
| Stairmaster Twistlock Adjustable Dumbbells – Best Design | 4.1 | 20kg | £598 (Pair) | 10 options | 2 Years |
| MuscleSquad 32.5kg Adjustable Dumbbells – Best For Heaviest Weight | 4.5 | 32.5kg | £250 (Each) | 13 options | 2 Years |
What are Adjustable Dumbbells?
Home gyms are growing in popularity, which is largely contributed by the goverment rulings to close Gyms and Leisure Centres, to prevent the spread of coronavirus. You need to be conscious about space when planning for your home gym, which is where these little beauties fit right into your plans.
Imagine that you’ve just carried 40kg worth of dumbbell to your weight bench, but now it’s time to increase the weight. You’ll need to grab those weights & shimmy back across your gym floor, to pick up the 25kg dumbbells.
Imagine if you could have just pressed a few buttons on those 20kg’s from earlier, magically transforming them into 25’s.
You can, and they’re called Adjustable Dumbbells! There’s a little bit of confusion around the adjustable dumbbell market, but they can be separated into Manual, or Automatic Dial Adjustable.
Although they are adjustable, they’re manual ones and you also have to purchase the extra weight that’s required. When I mention Adjustable Dumbbell, I’m talking about the professional range, where the weights already built into the product itself.
An Adjustable Dumbbell allows you to change how heavy the weight is, by using dials which are attached to the weight itself. This allows the user of the dumbbells to swap between different weights with ease, and there’s a number of other benefits which they also carry. In this post, I will be discussing all about these weights & will reveal the best adjustable dumbbells. Whether you’re shopping for a budget set for your home gym, or want the best that money can buy, I’ll find some for your weight lifting needs.
Benefits of Adjustable Dumbbells
As I’ve already touched upon, an adjustable dumbbell is a massive time-saver. Instead of having to find the correct set of weights, walking around the gym floor, you can complete all of your exercises with the same dumbbells.
I started out with a full-on Dumbbell rack, with weights ranging from 3kg each, to 30kg. It was a huge rack, which demanded lots of space in the garage / Home gym. In order to fit my CF870 from Bodymax, I had to keep it quite tight to the wall. This ended up being a big pain, when putting the right facing dumbbells away. I didn’t really have the room for individual dumbbells, but I already had them so I made them fit.
What I’m hitting at here, is that if you’re short of space, you can’t go wrong with a set of adjustable dumbbells. They can fit inside your power rack, so there’s no health and safety issues. IF you decide you want to take them upstairs, you can do so!
Another great aspect of the adjustable dumbbells is the second hand market. Whilst I wouldn’t opt to purchase second hand gym equipment (due to multiple factors, one being dropped weights), if you decide to sell your adjustables at any point, you’ll get a strong price for them.
Adjustable dumbbells are well sought after, which keeps supply low & demand high. Perfect for selling!
Are Bowflex Adjustable Dumbbells worth it?
Although they aren’t cheap, a set of adjustable dumbbells are certainly worth the cost. If you can afford it, they will make working out at home much easier, thanks to the time saving, space saving features
To demonstrate whether these adjustable dumbbells are actually worth the extra cost for you, I am best suited to provide you with an example.
Using a premium brand Dumbbell, the Bowflex 552i, which can be adjusted from 2kg to 24kg. This product will set you back £249.99. You’re also going to need two of these, so you won’t get much change from a £500 order.
Let’s take a look at how much it would cost you to build a dumbbell rack, which can facilitate between 2-24kg. Let’s start off with the rack itself, which will cost you £90.
You can remove this from the calculations if you would prefer, but I don’t think it’s possible to have 10 sets of dumbbells without a rack, as your gym floor wouldn’t be very accessible or easy to use!
Again, going with another premium set of Dumbbells, I have found the following:
- 24kg Pro Rubber Dumbbells: £161.99
- 22.5kg: £147.99
- 20kg: £125.99
- 18kg: £117.99
- 15kg: £95.99
- 12.5kg: £78.99
- 10kg: £59.99
- 7.5kg: £47.99
- 5kg: £33.99
- 3kg: £22.99
- 2kg: £16.99
The total cost of all of these dumbbells plus the rack is just over £1000. £1,000.89 to be exact.
Small Disclaimer; It would be possible to get cheaper dumbbells than above, but I’ve ensured they’re all from a trusted brand & that they’re all the same type of dumbbell, for uniformity. If you aren’t too fussy & would combine the simple round dumbbells with hex rubber ones, alongside some Iron Weights, you could build up a collection slowly, knocking a few hundred pound off the above price. However, they wouldn’t fit inside a rack, due to shape and size compatibility issues.
Although Adjustable dumbbells look very expensive on the surface, you need to remember that just because it’s one set of dumbbells, they transform into multiple weight levels. They also are build with a high quality & are made for strength training.
If you can’t justify the cost of the Bowflex ones, I would look at the ISOGYM ones as alternatives, as they’re much cheaper at the cost of no 24kg option.
Our Winner: Best Adjustable Dumbbells
I can’t look past the Bowflex 552i adjustable dumbbells, they’re the best available on the market. If you’re shopping for a budget set of adjustable dumbbells, it may be worth considering the manual adjustable dumbbells, where you can physically add and remove the weight yourself. It means your weight training won’t be as efficient, due to spending some of your time altering the weights. However, that can also be seen as a workout iself!
Traditional Adjustable Dumbbells for Weight Lifting
There’s no denying that automatic adjustable dumbbells are pretty expensive. When I first kitted my home gym out, I had to use fixed dumbbells. However, another thing that you could consider, are the traditional adjustable dumbbells.
These are dumbbells that will come as a package, and they usually aren’t too expensive. In your package, you’ll receive two handlebars, some weight plates and some spin locks which secure the weight on the bar. Most places are now also including grips for the handlebars, which makes it easier to hold… and they’re certainly warmer on a cold morning than touching cast iron!
You will need to consider space with these dumbbells, as quite often you won’t have the bar fully loaded. This means that there will be weight plates which are lying around the floor, your movement space.
If you’re a personal trainer, I would avoid these & go for the automatic adjustable dumbbells. When you’re travelling to multiple sites, you don’t want the hassle of having to ensure all of the weights, the spinlocks and the handles aren’t missing before leaving site. Instead, put your 2x dumbbells in your car & off you go, to the next client. This brings me onto the next step, how to choose the right adjustable dumbbells.
Choosing the right Adjustable Dumbbells for you
I’ve highlighted some of the best adjustable dumbbells for you, whether you have limited space, a tight budget or you’re just looking for the heaviest adjustable dumbbells in general. You’re almost ready to purchase your dumbbells, but let’s take a look now into the mechanics behind the dumbbells, to ensure you pick the correct one.
Switching of Weight Plates
It doesn’t matter if you’re spending £30, or £300… you need to ensure that your plates are designed well enough for ease of access. You want to be able to put weight on, but also take them off fast. If you’re doing a drop set, speed is of the essence.
There are multiple lock types for your dumbbells, of which I will explain below:
- Dial System Dumbbell
Easy dial dumbbells are ideal for fast paced workouts, where you’re working on your core home fitness. The adjustment mechanism on this works by you literally dialing in what weight you want. The weights will then attach itself to the bar, with the remaining weight remaining on the base station. It works just like a vending machine, and the technology behind it is really clever.
Due to the technology, these do tend to be the most expensive type of dumbbell.
- Selector Pin Dumbbell
The selector pin dumbbell does what it says on the tin. Just like cable machines at your gym, you would grab the selector pin with this type of dumbbell and select your desired weight. Just like the dial system, the remaining weight is stored on the base station.
As this technology isn’t fully automatic, it’s not quite as expensive as a dial system.
- Spin & Lock Dumbbells
Good old fashioned manual labour here. As someone in the Fitness world once said, putting the weights back is a workout in itself, baby!
With these dumbbells, you would be required to physically build up the bar yourself, ensuring you have even weight either side of the handle. If you don’t mind spending the extra time unloading and reloading the dumbbells, then these would be a great fit for you.
They tend to be the cheapest type of dumbbells around, as there isn’t any technology inside of them.
Heaviest Adjustable Dumbbells
If you need something a little heavier, you should take a look into the Bowflex 1090i dumbbells, which increase the maximum weight per dumbbell to 41kg!
BOWFLEX SELECTTECH 1090I DUMBBELLS
These are the adjustable dumbbells which are more suited to an experienced weightlifter, or a beginner that can see the need for lifting upto 82kg using dumbbells.
It’s probably a decent investment if you’re a beginner that can envision yourself moving through the weights, as it saves any need for any further investment. However, at the same time, this is an expensive item and it comes in at just under £1,100 in total. On paper, that’s a lot for just two dumbbells. Of course they’re more than just dumbbells, but you try telling that one to your partner!
The weights that this set of adjustable dumbbells provide is; (4, 7, 9, 11, 13, 16, 18, 21, 23, 25, 27, 30, 32, 34, 36, 39, 41kg) which totals 17 different weights.
You’ll also receive two years of warranty, which offers you peace of mind.
