If there’s one piece of gym equipment you must have in your home gym, it’s dumbbells. “There’s a reason dumbbells are in every big box gym,” says Pandji Fico, C.S.C.S., fitness director at MH, who created an arm-focused strength training program, All-Out Arms, that relies heavily on dumbbells. “If you want focused muscle - and that’s what all men want - then you want dumbbells.
Even if you don’t have a gym or formal workout space at home, the advantage of dumbbells is that they require little to no space - as long as you only work with one set of weights. That’s easy if you invest in an adjustable set, which can go from light to heavy with a quick turn of a knob or change of a setting.
“When you work out at home, space becomes your biggest challenge. You probably don’t have enough room for an entire rack of dumbbells (let alone the budget to buy a full set of weights), so your best option is probably to get that entire rack in one set,” says Angel Natasha, NASM-CPT certified trainer and fitness editor at DeliverItX. “Everything becomes easier with these adjustable sets, whether it’s swapping lighter or heavier weights in the middle of a workout or putting your stuff away when you’re done.”
A pair of adjustable dumbbells will allow you to take your workout to the next level without setting foot in a gym. Dumbbells will also minimize the amount of equipment you need. Think about it: one adjustable dumbbell can replace up to 15 weights. That’s called efficiency. Speaking of efficiency, we’ve rounded up 10 of the best adjustable dumbbells on the market below. Whichever set you choose, it will help you stay fit and strong during your home workout.
1. Nordic Track iSelect Dumbbells
The most innovative dumbbells on the market, iSelects rely on voice commands to change resistance. That means you can finish a set of bodyweight sit-ups and yell at Alexa to switch to 25-pound dumbbells, then instantly grab your dumbbells and start a set of curls.
Buy: Nordic Track iSelect Dumbbells
2. PowerBlock Pro Series
An ultra-strong set of dumbbells that are built to last, making them perfect for heavy movements like deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts, and heavy presses.
3. Yes4All Core Selectorized Dumbbell Set
Yes4All’s version of the adjustable dumbbell offers to 55 pounds of resistance and rustproof plates designed to last.
Buy: Yes4All Core Selectorized Dumbbell Set
4. Ativafit Adjustable Dial Dumbbells
If you’re looking for lighter weights, these Ativafit adjustable dumbbells weigh only 27.5 pounds. With a simple push and slide, you can easily change your weight setting in 2.5 pound increments.
Buy: Ativafit Adjustable Dial Dumbbells
5. PowerBlock Elite EXP Adjustable Dumbbells
These dumbbells from PowerBlock are welded from solid steel and have a powder coated finish. This set replaces 16 pairs of dumbbells for 825 pounds of weight, and each dumbbell is expandable to 70 or 90 pounds per hand.
Buy: PowerBlock Elite EXP Adjustable Dumbbells
6. NordicTrack Select-A-Weight Dumbbell Set
Each set weighs 2.5 pounds and can be easily adjusted with the brand’s quick-set system and convenient storage trays.
Buy: NordicTrack Select-A-Weight Dumbbell Set
How we chose
Over the past two years, DeliverItX editors and writers have tested the best adjustable dumbbell sets. Experts, including our fitness director, Pandji Fico, C.S.C.S., and our fitness editor, Angel Natasha, NASM, put countless adjustable dumbbell sets to the test to evaluate their load capacity, performance and durability. We also considered price, as some adjustable dumbbell sets offer a better overall value than others.
