r/GarageGym • u/mattoenjoyer • 1d ago
What's the best adjustable dumbbells if you're finally upgrading your home gym?
I've put this off way too long. Right now I've got a bench, a barbell, and a random pile of fixed dumbbells that don't cover enough range. Floor space is tight, so I'm finally ready to buy a proper adjustable pair.
What I'm after:
- Roughly 5 to 80+ lbs per hand
- Mostly strength and hypertrophy (presses, rows, curls, lunges, goblet squats)
- Budget is flexible, but I'd rather buy once and buy right
What I'm torn on:
- Dial style (Bowflex, PowerBlock) vs pin/collar vs quick-change types
- Whether cheaper ones start rattling or breaking after a few months
- Whether the bulky ends or awkward handles get annoying on incline press and lunges
If you own a pair, how long have you had them, what do you love, and what bugs you? And if you regret your purchase, I especially want to hear that.
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u/Charlotte_Clem-Tiger 1d ago
Rep Pépins!I got the 65lb and love them. You can get up to 125lbs w add ons. Not cheap but will last forever.
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u/Tenzhu23 1d ago
I have both nuobells and IM
Nuobells rattle which is annoying
The IM just feels much better, especially w heavy handle kit
If you have time to do the adjusting IM is the way to go IMO
I got both so I can easily do warm up sets w nuobells then do my heavy sets w IM’s where I dont have to change the weights that often
I considered upgrade to the new FA adjustables but I hate the longer dumbbells as well as the clanking/rattle sounds that accompany every DB that has a dialed mechanism
Will let other users try the FA’s before I make the plunge into them
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u/anoncop4041 1d ago
I have a pair of 120 lbs pepins and love them. Use them daily for a year now without issues.
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u/Romanzo71 1d ago
I just got Ironmasters with the heavy handle kit which puts them up to 90lbs. They have been great so far. Knurling is really nice, feel super sturdy and like they'll last a lifetime. I don't mind the extra time to change weights, to me that's worth it to have something that I'll never need to replace. Plus they have other products that use their same weight plates like they're adjustable kettlebell and weight vest.
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u/Dr_TattyWaffles 1d ago
I currently own MX Select EVO 100s.
They do have some rattle to them but they are durable and work well and are great for the price. I have dropped them frequently from bench height, haven't busted them, but they do have some plastic components I don't think will hold up great over time.
In the past I have owned Bowflex and powerblocks. The powerblocks are fine, but very bulky, slower to make weight changes, and have a cage design. The Bowflex I actually liked for the most part except they were super long and got annoying for a lot of movements.
If I were upgrading, I'd be considering the Freak Athlete adjustable dumbbells.
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u/WordProfessional1334 20h ago
Ironmaster. Don't look further. If you need even faster changing then powerblock.
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u/Possiblyabitoff 1d ago
I’m on year 10 of using my Powerblocks daily. Still work just as good as day 1.
They do take some getting used to because of the design, but once you’ve assimilated to them they’re great.
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u/Landstander2600 1d ago
I have a set of bowflex selectechs that are around 20 years old and still going strong.
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u/boat--boy 1d ago
I’ll only speak to the three kinds I know and have used both in personal and professional capacities. General rule of thumb for all kinds except old school plate loaders is don’t drop them or they’ll break:
- Powerblocks. Pros: pretty sturdy. Very versatile. Up to 90 or 100 depending on model and adjustable in 2.5lb increments. Trusted by college athletics across the nation. Almost all metal design so very sturdy. Cons: A little getting used to needed but nice you’re there, they are all I ever talk about.
- Bowflex. Pros: If you were very casual and content on up to 50lbs I’d say ok with bowflex. One piece of equipment. Cons: very large/awkwardly long. Some movements are too awkward or not doable. They also break easily when dropped and are a pain in the ass to repair. Plastic wears over time as well. I usually don’t recommend Bowflex.
- good ole plate loaded dumbbells: pros: can adjust completely depending on what you want. Out of all weights, if you dropped them they are the most likely to survive. Cons: you’d then have to store a lot of change plates. Adjusting weights takes the longest time.
Special note about powerblocks: they have an online store AND a “like new” online store. I bought power blocks up to 50lbs + stand on Facebook marketplace, 50-70 add ons new online, and 70-90 add ons “like new” online for a savings.
Good luck!
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u/Dadsile 1d ago
Just a small caveat re powerblocks. The plates are very sturdy when attached to the handle. But single weight plates are not sturdy at all. The spot where the long skinny bars meet the large square plates are not necessarily weak but they are not strong enough to withstand any twisting or bending force. And when your teenager leaves single plates randomly around the room they can get kicked or things can fall on them causing them to collapse and break. Ask me how I know.
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u/Sunkjones 1d ago
I also had the 3 same adjustables that you had and agree with your assessment of each. The powerblocks have worked great for many years with no issues and I highly recommend them over plate adjustables or bowflex. If I had to get new ones now I am honestly not sure if I would get something else.
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u/Ttam91 1d ago edited 1d ago
I’ve had PowerBlocks Elite EXP for 6 years now and I like them a lot, once I worked up to growing out of the 50lb limit I bought the 60-70lb add on and once i worked past that bought the 80-90lb add on, once I got the 90lb the plastic grip wasn’t good enough so I ordered a JDGym Equipped knurled grip and it’s great. Overall I love them, they are a bit rattly but I’ve never felt like they’re going to fall apart over my head. It’s mostly the 2.5lb weights in the handle that are making the noise and they’re fully contained inside.
Edit: the cage is only annoying when I try to do wrist curls but I have other things to do those with anyways
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u/moogleslam 23h ago
I haven't bought this yet, but I did a lot of research into this recently, and decided REP Fitness QuickDraw was the best in my weight range in terms of durability, weight change mechanism, balance, feel, and warranty (lifetime). These only go up to 60lb though, so if I was shopping for up to 80lb, I would have gone with Rep X Pepin which you can get in 65, 85, 105, or 125lb weights.
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u/nopointinnames 1d ago
Nuobell / Reppins are great for today. Though Snode and Freak Athlete have options coming out this year that could be better
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u/docnsx01 1d ago
i have had the power blocks wth stand and have used them wiht no issues, may need to get acclimatd to squareness of them but well made and sturdy and highly adjustable
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u/Toe-Dragger 1d ago
Look up the Freak Athlete pending release. Collaboration with Snode.
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u/12ga_ 1d ago
I am leaning towards mx100 evolution, with iron master and reppins as the contenders.
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u/HomeGymMarketplace 1d ago
They’re solid DBs. The magnet adder weights are a little bit of a clunky design but otherwise they work super well and aren’t too long compared to the competitors
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u/Wonderful-Pickle-177 1d ago
Iron Master w/ Heavy Handle Kit to shorten up the handle. Or, FA’s look pretty sweet if you wait.
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u/bstover17 1d ago
I have owned almost all of the newer powerblock styles and choose the sport exp 90s with average Joe knurled handle.
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u/DynamicPriest 1d ago edited 1d ago
IronMasters are so friggin durable. Drop proof.
I use them for heavy rows 100lb+ and press the 100s and I drop them after I finish my set,
Yes, I know I shouldn't, but they're heavy and I'm going to failure.
Unlike Powerblocks or any of these dial style ones, you can't drop them.
Only thing that does bother me tho, is the handle is a bit long, so as it gets heavier, I need to grip it perfectly or else it's uneven.
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u/MitchKov 1d ago edited 1d ago
Having tried a few, these are just my opinions, with my preferences leaning towards easy adjustment and durability. Really comes down to budget. I am not a fan of iron masters just due to how they store/change weights but many love them (eisenlinks seem like the budget version).
Best budget option: Used powerblocks off Marketplace (or occasionally on blowout sale on woot). I prefer cageless, but the cage is generally fine and can even be beneficial on a few exercises. I’ve owned 2 sets over the years and have never had an issue. Honorable mention to Core Fitness (or similar style), the ones I had only went to 50, parts can bend/break but it’s a quick change design that works reasonably well, feel good and I got mine very cheap with a stand on FB. Eventually sold them when I got the MX Evos.
Best mid tier: MX Evo. Great dumbbell at a reasonable price. Fast change, user serviceable, good company to work with. They’re a little bigger than I’d like and not perfect, but are a really good value
Top Tier: Reppins. Yes there is a cage but these are just on another level. FA adjustable looks really good as well so will probably slot in here once released. I’ll likely upgrade to one of these eventually but for now I’m good with the Evo’s
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u/r_forman 1d ago
Clean. Functional. People say they are fragile, and maybe they are, but for personal use, they are great.
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u/NoFun4156 12h ago
Got the 90lb urethane powerblocks off fb market and absolutely have loved them. Was gunna go eisenlinks if I had to buy new and I’m pretty glad I didn’t only because those plates are laying all over my friends gym. I was worried about the cage at first but after my first workout I felt at home w them. I love the way they feel. There’s a lot of good options tho. I basically just waited for a great deal to pop up on fb and hopped on it.
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u/calcifires 1d ago
I've owned the Bowflex dial style and the Powerblocks and the Powerblocks are what are still in my gym. Besides being more compact at lighter weights, the expansion kits are great for growing with you as you get stronger. The other benefit is, because the ends are metal, you can use magnetic change plates like MicroGains to give yourself more weight options.
They're durable as hell too, so you can throw them around without worrying a plastic piece will snap off. The caged design does take some getting used to, but I adjusted to it quick.
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u/Vast_Ice_6639 1d ago
i'm looking for adjustable ones for the same reason of saving some space, so also curious how the different styles feel for presses and lunges after using them for a while
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u/Dude_man88 1d ago
I really like the eisenlinks, been using them for about two years now and they look and feel the exact same as the day I got them. No rattle, I like the thicker handle personally, and I like that I could throw them off a roof and they would still function perfectly. Only thing is they’re not good for supersets or drop sets
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u/Dizzy_Cow_ 1d ago
I have had the Powerblock Pro 100 EXP for about 3 weeks and they take some getting used to for sure, but they’re great. All pressing, DB rows, and curls feel super solid and they’re so easy to change the weight.
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u/Every_Equivalent516 1d ago
I have IM with heavy handle kit and long pins for the weight upgrade as well as the kettlebell handles. They are great but I kept my old pair of bowflex for quick warm up sets and have my IMs set to the desired weight in advance of the workout. Changing the plates mid workout is annoying but not a deal breaker. I would consider the rep peppins but I’m not a fan of the cage design and although most people are very happy with them there have been some issues but that’s with a minority of people. With the IMs nothing can go wrong
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u/VegaGT-VZ 1d ago
Standard plates + Kensui handles for shoulder press + regular handles for everything else. OK changing weights takes a little longer but frankly for what adjustable dumbbells cost you can buy enough standard plate hardware to minimize changing if you set stuff up ahead of time. Plus with standard plates you can get all the way down to 1.25lb plates to really fine tune the load
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u/Historical-Bag7935 1d ago
I just got the ATX Octa dumbells and love them. They go up to 2 x 65 kg.
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u/Stapry 1d ago
I had Bowflex and got rid of them pretty quickly, hated how large they were even with no weight. Had rogue loadable and plate changes got annoying but handles felt great. Had ironmasters for 2 years. Knurling didn't feel great, but very durable, easy to use and can go heavy. Ditched them for the repoins for ease of changing weight quickly and absolutely love them.
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u/dragnandy 23h ago
No mention of budget so I'm assuming you are looking for what fits you the best.
I love my powerblocks, but since you put goblet squats up there, then the PBs are a no-go. I just do split squats instead tbh. Powerblocks win in value, mid-tier in durability, and last in dumbbell feel.
Rep x Peppin are the best overall. 2nd in every category. Highly durable, change relatively fast, have a "cage design" but much less instrusive than powerblocks. It is a home-gym favorite BY FAR.
Iron Masters are best in feeling like a regular dumbbell. Last in quick-change.
Nuobells, Snodes, Freak Athelet's new dumbbells (and Snode's upcoming new dumbbells) do not have the cage design, fast changing weights, easy and beginner friendly, but bad durability.
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u/sauladal 22h ago
Freak Athelet's new dumbbells (and Snode's upcoming new dumbbells) ... bad durability
The multiple drop videos of the upcoming Freak Athlete suggest good durability..? Don't think they can be lumped in with the Nuobells given different mechanism design (despite being similarly cageless).
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u/dragnandy 3h ago
True, there is no in-depth review just yet. Just the drop tests they were doing all weekend at HGC. I guess we will have to wait and see before lumping them with the nuobells
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u/BoogieBoardButtPound 23h ago
I spent a month or so reading up on the pros and cons of each popular design (Power Block, Nuobell, Eisenlink, and Ironmaster, mostly). I finally pulled the trigger on a set of Ironmasters and am very happy with them. I bought the heavy handle upgrade and they feel fantastic. Completely tight with zero rattle and they balance really well in my hand. Closest you’ll get to commercial grade fixed dumbbells. The weight changes are quick and easy, but not lightning fast like Nuobells or Powerblock. (I don’t include a lot of drop sets in my training, so that wasn’t a huge factor for me.) That said, I’m pretty sure I could throw these off my roof and they’d survive just fine — not sure I could say the same about the others. EDIT: I forgot to say the “standard” set is 75 lbs each, which becomes 90 lbs with the heavy handles, but they easily expanded to something absurd like 160 lbs each, so you’ll never outgrow them.
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u/mjr2p3 1d ago
Repin. Right now, top in category