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Beth Skwarecki
Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.
Beth Skwarecki
Senior Health Editor
Covering health, fitness tech, home gym equipment, and more.
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Our Top 5 Picks
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Best overallPowerblock Elite EXP (5 to 50 pounds)
$339.14
at Amazon
$339.14
at Amazon
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Best traditional-shaped dumbbell at a good priceCore Fitness Adjustable Dumbbells (5 to 50 pounds)
$379.97
at Amazon
$379.97
at Amazon
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Most durableRep Quickdraw (5 to 50 pounds)
$575.99
at Amazon
$575.99
at Amazon
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Easy adjusting, with a 90-pound option as wellBowflex SelectTech 552
$214.97
at Walmart
$214.97
at Walmart
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Gets the job done, cheapYes4All Spinlock Dumbbells (10 to 52.5 pounds)
$248.39
at Walmart
$248.39
at Walmart
Dumbbells are versatile tools in any gym, and especially a home gym. But who wants to buy, and store, a whole rack’s worth of fixed-weight dumbbells? Adjustable dumbbells exist to solve this problem, fitting an entire selection of hand weights into the storage space of just one pair.
The old-fashioned style of adjustable dumbbells requires you to load little plates onto little bars, and this is still a viable option if you’re on a budget. (My list includes a solid pick in this category.) But the nicer adjustables on the market all have quick-select mechanisms that allow you to flip a switch, turn a dial, or insert a pin to easily pick up the weights you want, and leave the rest.
Below you’ll find my five picks for the best adjustable dumbbells to consider for your home gym. Since the weights and prices can vary, and as store listings are sometimes for a single dumbbell and sometimes for a pair, I’m including a “price per pound” metric to help you compare brands. And for each brand, I’m considering their 50-pound dumbbell as the main offering, and noting where heavier and lighter models are available.
Table of Contents
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Best overall
Powerblock Elite EXP (5 to 50 pounds)
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The Good
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Expandable to 70 and 90 pounds -
Flat ends so you can hold them on end on your lap -
Compact length, won’t bump into each other on shoulder or chest presses -
Owners report they are durable
The Bad-
You have to put your hand inside the dumbbell’s frame, which can be awkward, especially if you’re wearing a large watch.
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Get It Now -
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Best traditional-shaped dumbbell at a good price
Core Fitness Adjustable Dumbbells (5 to 50 pounds)
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The Good
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Actually dumbbell shaped -
Simplest weight change method, and can be done with one hand -
More affordable than most on this list
The Bad-
Only available in a 5-50 lb model, no expansions -
Only 5-pound increments (sorry, no 12.5-pound curls in your future)
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Get It Now -
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Most durable
Rep Quickdraw (5 to 50 pounds)
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The Good
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Owners report they’re durable. (Rep’s own drop testing was extremely impressive; it survived a fall off a roof) -
Relatively quick changes
The Bad-
Weight numbers are hard to read. (Reddit users note that you can color the numbers in with a white sharpie for better readability.) -
2.5-pound increases are done by locking in just one of the smaller plates, meaning the dumbbell will be slightly unbalanced. -
Heaviest model only goes up to 60 pounds -
Support bars join the two ends of the dumbbells, so it’s not quite a traditional shape
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Get It Now -
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Easy adjusting, with a 90-pound option as well
Bowflex SelectTech 552
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The Good
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Rounded grippy handle -
Dials are arguably easier to read and adjust than Powerblock or Quickdraw mechanisms -
The 10-90 pound model provides a lot of weight in an only slightly longer length than the 5-52
The Bad-
Increments are only 5 pounds at a time when you’re between 25-50 pounds -
Need to select the weight in two places per dumbbell (4 dials to turn per pair) -
16.9” is really dang long for a dumbbell that’s only 50(ish) pounds
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Get It Now -
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Gets the job done, cheap
Yes4All Spinlock Dumbbells (10 to 52.5 pounds)
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The Good
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Incredibly good price -
Very durable
The Bad-
Bar sticks out at the end, not comfortable to stand the dumbbells on end on your lap -
Adjustment isn’t quick; expect to take at least 30 seconds changing weights. -
No stand or cradle to hold the plates you aren’t using; you’ll want a corner of your gym where you can keep a few small stacks of weights.
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Get It Now -
Two models of dumbbell that didn’t make the list, and why
Nuobells
I’m not including Nuobells on the list because reports from owners indicate that they’re delicate—one hard drop can brick the entire dumbbell. (I even saw one review that listed this as a plus, since the build reminds you to be careful with the dumbbells. Sorry, that doesn’t gain them any points in my book.)
That said, if you’re very sure you’ll never drop them, Nuobells are well-liked. Their 5-80 pound set is $4.60/lb and has a click-and-lock mechanism that looks very convenient. They’re also actually dumbbell-shaped, without connecting struts, so you can easily do a goblet squat with them.
What do you think so far?
$795.00
at Amazon
Rep x Pépin
These look really nice, but they didn’t make the list for two reasons. One is that they’re stunningly expensive—$5.88/pound, whereas other quick-select dumbbells on our list range from $3.60 to $4.80. The other is that they’re not actually available for sale yet, so I can’t know if they’re really as good as they seem to be. That said, reviewers who got early access have generally liked them. They’re built like a heavier, all-metal Nuobell, and the 85-pound base model is expandable to 125 pounds per hand. Worth keeping an eye on, if you’re in the market for a high-end dumbbell.
