Weight Lift Like a Pro at Home With These Adjustable Dumbbells
- 1/11
Weight Lift Like a Pro at Home With These Adjustable Dumbbells
Working out from the comfort of your home has never been easier. Just like top-notch workout gear and online fitness classes, handy innovations like adjustable dumbbells make exercising more convenient and efficient, all while offering a lot more versatility in terms of workout level, space, and storage. Adjustable dumbbells are also one of the best ways to quickly power up the intensity of your workouts with a small piece of equipment that will easily fit into a closet when not in use.
Between work, kids, and the general stuff of life, many of us find it hard-pressed to consistently perform a full-body workout. Weight-lifting tools like dumbbells help you tone and build muscle, all while increasing your strength in as little as 20 minutes a day. Adjustable dumbbells offer the power of a dumbbell rack in a tiny package and different weights with a simple click or twist of a button.
This makes it a more accessible workout choice for busier folks ... or for those who want something they can do at home. Adjustable dumbbells also cost a lot less than a full rack of weights.
The Best Adjustable Dumbbells
What to Consider
As with any buy, what constitutes the perfect set of dumbbells for one person will not be the best choice for another. To ensure you find the best set for your individual fitness goals and home space, there are a few factors to keep in mind:
- Weight Increments: A set that has both the lightest and heaviest weight you need for your workout is key. Low-intensity workouts might require as little as 2.5 pounds to start. However, if you're a seasoned lifter, something around 5 or 10 pounds might be a good starting point. Also consider the possibility of outgrowing your weights as you get stronger (yay, #gains!), and allow for an extra 10 to 20 pounds at the heavier end.
- Plate Adjustability: Ease and safety of weight adjustment are crucial, whether your plates need to be manually switched out or just dialed into a specific weight setting. Look for sets with super secure, solid construction in their adjustment mechanisms — perhaps with a washer or fastener in between plates. This minimizes any clanking, pinching, injury, and uneven weight distribution.
- Storage Capabilities: One of the best things about adjustable dumbbells is their Russian doll storage friendliness. Take advantage of this with a set that comes with its own storage tray it can nestle safely in, without rolling about as it's tucked in your living room or basement corner.
- Look and Feel: Preferences can vary — are you a metal, vinyl, or neoprene person? Whichever you choose, a dumbbell with a nonslip coating and comfortable, non-eroding grip helps ensure that you look forward to your lifting sessions. One that's durable enough to withstand constant use will also give you the most bang for your buck.
Check out our top picks for the best adjustable dumbbells to stay on track toward your fitness goals, no matter how busy life gets.
Best Products; Courtesy ProForm, Bowflex - 2/11
SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbell Set, 52.5 Pounds
Bowflex
amazon.com
$349.00
These premium, high-quality Bowflex adjustable dumbbells are worth the spend, according to upwards of 19,000 Amazon reviews. They range from 5 to 52.5 pounds and adjust in 2.5-pound increments up to the first 25 pounds, while durable molding makes for quieter and less clanky lifting.
They also come with a free 1-year JRNY membership for professional on-demand fitness workouts, so you have no excuse to not get crackin' on those guns.
More than 89% of reviewers on Amazon give this set 5 out of 5 stars, saying it is an “excellent solution” for those who don’t want a “house full of weights.”
More: These Adjustable Dumbbells Rerack at the Sound of Your Voice
amazon.com - 3/11
Neoprene Adjustable Dumbbell Set, 11 Pounds
NiceC
walmart.com
$52.99
While each of these cute neoprene dumbbells only weighs around 2.2 pounds, you can adjust for them to weigh up to 11 pounds by adding on or removing any of the inner metal parts.
It's a pretty nifty concept, especially for those who want an affordable, nonslip, and space-saving design. These dumbbells can be used for wide hammer or close grip exercises, and the nonslip design allows for a completely worry-free workout.
walmart.com - 4/11
Barbell Adjustable Dumbbell Set with Case, 40 Pounds
CAP
amazon.com
$149.99
If you can't imagine skipping a day or constantly need to squeeze in a quick lift when your schedule is too crammed, this 40-pound set will do the trick. For less than $200, you'll get two handles, four 2.5-pound weights, four 5-pound weights, and four collars (totaling 20 pounds per dumbbell).
This set also comes with a storage case, making it easy to hide them in the closet or carry them from the basement to the backyard when the sun is shining. For someone who's newer to lifting, this CAP Barbell set is ideal — start low and add weight as you build muscle!
Reviewers love this “durable” set of dumbbells, praising their overall “quality.”
amazon.com - 5/11
Adjustable Dumbbell Weight Set, 27.5 Pounds
ATIVAFIT
amazon.com
$99.00
This is your go-to home adjustable dumbbell if you like to start your workouts out light and gradually lift heavier — and for a solid price, too! All you have to do is push and slide the lever in between the dials to switch seamlessly between 5 pounds and 27.5 pounds.
Then, pick up the comfortable knurled handle and get lifting. These dumbbells are suitable for full-body workouts, core fitness, and targeting specific muscle groups.
Reviewers say these dumbbells offer “great value,” are “easy to use,” and are “well made.”
amazon.com - 6/11
Adjustable Dumbbell, 25 Pounds
FLYBIRD
amazon.com
$99.99
This quality pick from industry fave Flybird (they've been in the game for over 20 years) allows you to adjust weight in sets of 5-weight increments, starting from 5 to 25 pounds.
Ideal for small spaces, this safe, nonslip dumbbell also comes with its own high-strength tray for seamless storage. More than 80% of reviewers give this dumbbell 5 out of 5 stars. Reviewers love that you can change the weights with one hand, in 1 second.
amazon.com - 7/11
Elite EXP Adjustable Dumbbell Set, 50 Pounds
POWERBLOCK
amazon.com
$305.15
The Powerblock is a space-saving power-lifting juggernaut. Replacing 16 pairs of weights and currently with a max of 50 pounds per hand, the Elite EXP (for “expandable”) allows you to add on heavier weights as your muscle needs change and evolve. You can add up to 90 pounds with their expander pack!
With an auto-lock handle and a feature that allows you to micro-load your adjustments in 2.5-pound increments, this is definitely —as the name suggests — more on the elite end of the equipment spectrum. We also like that its unique blocky shape makes it easier to store, as compared to its irregularly shaped counterparts.
amazon.com - 8/11
Select-a-Weight Dumbbell Set, 50 Pounds
ProForm
lowes.com
$299.99
This versatile set of adjustable dumbbells will replace an entire dumbbell rack. Each dumbbell measures 50 pounds and can move in 10-pound increments for a thorough strength-training regimen at home.
You can download the iFit app with your purchase and start a free trial membership after purchasing the set. Reviewers love this set, and say it delivers well “for the price,” but say that changing weights takes a bit longer than it does with other sets.
lowes.com - 9/11
Space Saver Adjustable Dumbbell Set
Core Fitness
amazon.com
$355.95
This set of adjustable dumbbells was crafted with your comfort in mind. The ergonomic, textured, soft-grip design makes gripping the weights easy and secure, and the quick-change weight adjustment technology allows you to make weight-setting changes with one hand in a few seconds.
More than 82% of users on Amazon give this 5 out of 5 stars, saying it offers the “best click-weight system out there and at a better price.”
amazon.com - 10/11
55 Pound 5-in-1 Adjustable Dumbbell
BUXANO
amazon.com
$175.94
These cast-iron adjustable dumbbells are designed so that you can change the weights in just 1 second, with the turn of a handle. The double safety buckles in the tray and handlebar ensure that the weights can only be adjusted in the tray, which means the weights themselves are certain to be secure and stable once the adjustment is made.
More than 83% of reviewers give this set 5 out of 5 stars, with reviewers praising this “5-in-1” “convenient” set that takes “very little space” and works “effectively.”
amazon.com - 11/11
Adjustable Weights Dumbbells Set
BIERDORF
amazon.com
$74.99
If shopping for weights puts you in a Goldilocks frame of mind, fret not. This Bierdorf adjustable dumbbell set comes with a connector that turns the set into a sizable barbell.
The nonslip octagonal design means your grip won’t slip when you sweat, and when you put the dumbbells down, they won’t roll. Made of polyethylene and EVA resin, this set is sturdy and built to last.
amazon.com
If you enjoy exercising at home but don't have the space, a set of adjustable weights is what you need. Here are the best adjustable dumbbells.
