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The Best Adjustable Dumbbells for Your Home Gym
Pick up an adjustable dumbbell and start making gains, sans-gym
While fitness fads may come and go, few health innovations have stood the test of time as steadfastly as the humble dumbbell. With a strong claim to being the most versatile piece of gym kit around, variations of these free weights have been contributing to users’ bulging bis and bulky tris since Ancient Greek times.
So, it’s about time you added one to your home gym arsenal, don’t you think?
If only it were so simple. There are a huge variety of options on the market today, and the argument over which is the best dumbbell is still very much up for debate.
Adjustable dumbbells, spinlock sets, fixed free weights; finding the right one for you isn’t easy. Luckily, we’re here to help, having tested the best adjustable dumbbells and selected our favourite fixed pairs on the market to bring you our top recommendations.
Why buy a dumbbell?
We understand that building a dedicated fitness room in your home is probably a bridge too far (unless your house happens to have an empty wing). And, when you've already turned the spare room into a home office and the kids have to sleep somewhere (apparently), finding any spare workout space can be a mission. Well, with a premium dumbbell, you don't need a gym from MTV Cribs.
Unlike a barbell, dumbbells are infinitely flexible. You can hammer every muscle group, from legs to shoulders, and even give yourself a cardio workout by being smart with your sets and rests. They take up less space than a static bike, too, especially if you opt for adjustable dumbbells, which offer all the weight options you need but with the footprint of a wastepaper basket.
What's better, dumbbell sets or adjustable dumbbells?
This all depends on how much space you've got and how you train.
If your goal is to get swole at home with some dedicated bodybuilding sessions, adjustable dumbbells are hard to beat. They provide up to 24 different weights in one space-savvy package, meaning you can progressively overload your muscles by adding weight to your lifts as you improve.
You can also change the weight in no time with the twist of a dial or (in some high-tech cases) the touch of a button — ideal if you’re switching between exercises quickly during a superset-heavy workout.
On the other hand, if functional training is more your bag, fixed weight dumbbells will be the one for you.
"I would recommend opting for hex style rubber dumbbells for durability and safety," says Zack George, Crossfit athlete and UK's fittest man 2020 (so, y'know, listen up), who swears by Wolverson Fitness's dumbbells. These hexagonal-shaped dumbbells won't roll around, so they're good for things like renegade rows.
"I’d choose the rubber ended versions because they’re really durable and also help to protect the floor against any damage and reduce noise." Those with sensitive neighbours, take note.
How much weight do I need for home dumbbells?
How strong is a piece of string? "This is highly dependent on what your current fitness levels, your goals and what kind of exercise you’re doing," says George. "For example, are you looking to do a CrossFit WOD, or a bodybuilding session? Have you been strength training for years, or are you a novice?" If you're only ever going to be training at home, then err on the heavy side: you want your bench press PB to be defined by how much weight you can lift, not how much weight is available to lift.
That said, even light weights offer enough of a challenge to hit most of your fitness goals, if you think creatively. Varying the tempo of your workouts, selecting more mechanically challenging movements (like subbing goblet squats for Bulgarian split squats) or bundling different exercises into circuits and complexes, can make a pair of lightweight dumbbells feel very heavy indeed.
After you’ve made your mind up — adjustable dumbbell or fixed pair — all that’s left to do is to find a decent set. This is where we come in. We've done the legwork to dig up the best dumbbell sets (for those of you with a bit of space) and adjustable dumbbells (for those looking for flexibility) at a range of different weights and price points. Whatever your training needs, you're sure to find the best dumbbells for you.
Esquire Approves
You might notice that some of the adjustable dumbbells below have an Esquire Approves logo emblazoned upon them. That’s because each of these products has been put through the wringer by our dedicated fitness testing team. So, when we say Esquire Approves, we really do.
Our health experts put each one through an 11-move bodybuilding workout, working all major muscle groups using a combination of unilateral and bilateral movements, to see which ‘bells felt as sturdy and secure as a fixed weight dumbbell. They also tested how smoothly they could switch weights, before settling on their seven favourites.
All other products have been trialled (and deemed pump-worthy) by the Esquire editors, having helped them tighten their t-shirt sleeves sans-gym.
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