Dumbbells are an integral part of any weights training setup, allowing you to exercise each side of your body individually in a way you just can’t do with a regular barbell. Problem is, bringing in a full set of dumbbells to your home is a difficult proposition, as it will take up a lot of floor space even if you use racks to store them at multiple levels. While manually adjustable dumbbells have long been available, having to painstakingly swap out plates in between sets can eat up a lot of time that cuts into your limited workout minutes. Not to mention, it’s an annoying chore.
Fortunately, the last decade or so has seen the introduction of adjustable dumbbells with integrated weight-swapping mechanisms that allowed you to automatically change the loaded weight by just turning a dial, twisting a lock, or interacting with other simple controls. With a set like that, you can easily drop down from 50 to 30 pounds without having to take a long pause, making it a lot easier to flow from one set to another.
These are the best adjustable dumbbells for your home gym setup.
Core Fitness Adjustable Dumbbell Weight Set
This dumbbell set can go from five to 50 pounds in five-pound increments with a simple twist of the handle while it’s docked on the cradle, allowing you to quickly switch to your desired weight as you’re grabbing the dumbbell. It’s a very intuitive system, with none of the knobs or buttons you’ll have to fiddle with in competing products. Suffice to say, it’s the smoothest weight adjustment system in the market today. It has a contoured, soft grip handle that make it very comfortable in hand, while the 14.5-inch maximum length makes it easy to control in hand. We also love the minimalist styling here, making it a great dumbbell for beginners and intermediate lifters. Of course, the 50-pound maximum limit makes it a bit too light for more advanced lifters who’d prefer to load their muscles with heavier weights.
- Your purchase includes One Core Fitness Adjustable Dumbbell Weight Set (2), two cradles and an...
Bowflex SelectTech 552
Want a dumbbell set that can adjust in 2.5-pound increments instead of the standard five pounds? You’ll want to check out this set, which allows 2.5-pound adjustments for the first 25 pounds, then goes up to five-pound increments on the way to the maximum 52.5 pounds. It uses separate dials for each side of a dumbbell, so it’s not as quick at switching weights as other options here, but it works well enough. Do note, this runs quite long, too, at 15.75 inches, with the length staying constant at any weight, so it’s a bit more challenging to balance, especially for novice lifters. Still, if you want those 2.5-pound increments in a traditional dumbbell profile, this seems to be the best option out there.
- WIDER WEIGHT RANGE: Each dumbbell adjust from 5 to 52.5 lb. in 2.5 lb. increments up to 25 lb.
Ativafit 71.5 Adjustable Dumbbell Weight Set
Need a little more weight beyond the 50-pound limit of most adjustable dumbbells? You might want to check out this set from Ativafit, which you can adjust in one of 12 different weight settings ranging from 11 pounds to 71.5 pounds in 5.5-pound increments, making it suitable for all but the most hardcore lifters. To adjust the weight, simply press the integrated button and turn the dial until you’re at the desired weight. After that, just make sure the button is down to lock the weights in place and you’re set. Do note, the weights are listed in kilos instead of pounds, so those more accustomed to the Imperial system will have to do some mental conversions.
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JaxJox DumbbellConnect Adjustable Dumbbells
If you want adjustable dumbbells that can integrate into a stats tracking system, you’ll want to check out this set from JaxJox, which works with the free companion app to track each weight, rep, and set you perform. Do note, you only get free access to the basic tracking and a few tutorials, with the full on-demand classes suite only available when you fork out for a monthly subscription. Still, if all you want is to track all the exercises you do with the dumbbells in exacting detail, this does the job.
The dumbbell set has a weight range of eight to 50 pounds, which you can adjust in six-pound increments by simply pressing a button on the included cradle, with the weight clearly shown in the onboard display. It offers one of the quickest weight switches among the options in this list, although the electronic components mean you’ll have to plug the cradles to a wall outlet during use, which isn’t the most convenient.
Powerblock Pro EXP 5-50 Stage 1 Set
We have to admit: this is not our favorite dumbbell design. In fact, a lot of folks may be put off by its boxy shape and caged handles. However, this is a very versatile pair of adjustable dumbbells, making it an important model to consider. The set itself can go from five to 50 pounds, at five-pound increments, which you can do by simply removing the pin and placing it on the rail with the weight that you want. Yes, you have to use a pin like those cable machines at the gym, which, let’s be honest, isn’t as easy as the dial and twist-lock mechanisms of other options here.
What makes us include it on the list, however, is the ability to change the weight increments to 2.5 pounds by removing inner weights within the lower tube, giving you a way to more gradually increase and decrease your load. Additionally, they offer expansion kits that allow you to raise the weight to 70 pounds using the Stage 2 module and 90 pounds using the Stage 3 module. Sure, it’s a bit more work than others and requires a few extra things to buy, but it does allow you to go up to heavier weights when you need them. For some people, that just might be the thing that sells them on Powerblock.
NordicTrack iSelect Adjustable Dumbbells
Some people like to use Alexa every now and then. Others offload as much stuff as they can off the voice assistant. If you’re among the latter, then you’ll love these adjustable dumbbells, whose weights can be changed by simply issuing voice commands to Amazon’s intelligent assistant. It has 20 available weights ranging from five to 50 pounds, all of which you can access by simply telling Alexa, although they also included a knob with a digital display in the center, so you can dial in the weight if you don’t feel like talking. You can even save weight presets for up to 15 workouts, allowing you to switch weighs even faster. Since NordicTrack is all about selling their iFit system nowadays, it comes with a dock designed for smartphones or tablets, so you can use the dumbbells with on-demand classes from the app. It’s optional, of course, but the set comes with a month of free membership, so you can try it at no extra cost.
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Smrtft Nuobell
Want the heaviest adjustable dumbbells you can get? So far, we haven’t seen anything that offered more weight than this challenging-to-pronounce model, which brings an adjustable system that allows you to switch from five to 80 pounds in five-pound increments. Sure, there’s a 90-pounder available in this list, but that requires tacking on a pair of expansion kits that aren’t integrated into the base set, unlike this one.
Out of all dumbbells in this list, it also looks the most like regular gym dumbbells, complete with a knurled handle to give you that blood-pumping iron feel. It uses a twist-lock mechanism similar to the Core Fitness set, so you can switch weights as intuitively, with a small mechanical display at the end of the handle showing the current weight that’s loaded. We’re not a fan of the plastic parts, though, as it makes us wary of dropping it during sets, which, let’s be honest, will probably happen when you’re working out at heavier weights.