How To Choose The Right Dumbbells For Your Home Gym
Options for all gym equipment has exploded, and even choosing the right dumbbells for your home gym has become confusing. There are so many options these days it is no wonder your head is spinning!
Despite all the advancements in gym equipment technology, the humble dumbbell remains as one of the most effective implements. They offer an endless number of effective exercises. Making them mandatory for nearly all gyms.
However most of us are constrained by space and/or money. So I have decided to give you some pointers in helping you choose the right dumbbells for your home gym.
Types of Dumbbells
There are two broad groups of dumbbells: fixed and adjustable. Fixed dumbbells are a set weight and are the fastest to train with. Adjustable dumbbells change weight via plates or a locking mechanism and take up a fraction of the space. Here is how the five main types compare.
| Type | Cost | Space | Suits | Watch out for |
| Rubber hex (fixed) | High as a set | High | Anyone with the room and budget | Spot-welded heads on cheap ones |
| Round rubber / chrome (fixed) | High as a set | High | Gyms wanting to look flashy | High Price |
| Spinlock & Olympic handles | Lowest | Very low | Starting out | Slow changes, unsafe pressing |
| Cheap adjustable | Low–mid | Very low | Almost nobody | Plastic parts |
| Quality adjustable | Mid–high | Very low | Most home gyms | Nothing — they outlive you |
To keep it simple, there are two broad groups of dumbbells. And these can be broken down into variations.
Fixed Dumbbells
These are dumbbells that are a specified weight that can not be changed. You will normally have a set that covers a range of weight that you can handle with correct form. They come in many types and styles, but here are the main ones:
- Rubber Hex Dumbbells: These are probably the most common dumbbells as they are the least expensive. No prizes for guessing why they got their name! The disadvantage with these dumbbells is that you can’t roll them.
Personally I am not a fan of people rolling dumbbells. My theory is that if you can’t carry them, you probably shouldn’t be lifting them. More importantly rolling heavy dumbbells around the gym can damage equipment or injure people.
It is important to point out that not all rubber hex dumbbells are the same. We sell ones that have solid heads vs sandwiched plates. Also, cheaper rubber hex dumbbells only have a spot weld securing the weight. Whereas our ones get a continuous bead. If the spot weld cracks, the head will spin and eventually fall off.
- Round Rubber Dumbbells: These are the ones that you will usually see in the flasher gyms. They can be sandwich plates, rubber or pu coated. Some have chrome or stainless-steel finishes. As a rule, the fancier they are the more expensive they will be!
We stopped selling these because they got really expensive after covid. Plus, with all the new styles available, it is hard to pick one that has broad appeal. Many gyms also want their dumbbells customised.
Adjustable Dumbbells
Broadly speaking, adjustable dumbbells are ones where you can change the weight. There are variety of different options, for this exercise I will break them up into three categories.
- Spinlock/Collar dumbbells: A pair of these is what started my weight training journey. They are basically a bar on which you slide on weight plates and secure in place with collars. The weights can be Olympic or Standard plates. Collars can vary from spinlock through to lever or spring style collars.
These are your cheapest option, plus they won’t take up a lot of space. The downside is that changing plates can get old quick. Plus, you are limited to the exercises that you can perform. For example, you would be game to do skull crushers with a set of Olympic Dumbbell Handles that had plates secured with spring collars.
If you are broke and this is all you can afford, they do the trick. You can make your training easier by not doing pyramid sets. Just do 3 sets of the same weight and you avoid the hassle of changing plates between sets. Alternatively, it may be worth buying a second set of handles.
If you can stretch your budget to get a better alternative I strongly recommend it. This is one of the most regretted purchase decisions I have seen.
- Cheap Adjustable Dumbbells: These are dumbbells that change weight via some sort of mechanism. One of the early adjustable dumbbells were the Bowflex dumbbells – and at the time they weren’t cheap. They did the job and were decent if you treated them well. However, they spawned an industry of copies.
There have been so many different designs that have cropped up in the market. They all pretty much share one thing in common. Eventually they will break.
Dumbbells and plastic parts aren’t a great combination. Cheap adjustable dumbbells combine these two elements often in complicated quick-change mechanisms. Plus, another downside is that they can be massive. Or they can’t be gripped like a traditional dumbbell.
Personally, I don’t cheap adjustable dumbbells because I don’t want to deal with the problems. Your dumbbells are going to be one of your most used tools in your gym. You buy a cheap drill if you only use it a handful of times. Tradies don’t normally buy cheap drills because they need a quality one to get the job done.
- Quality Adjustable Dumbbells: Brands like Ironmaster, PowerBlock and Pepin are widely regarded as a cut above the cheap adjustable dumbbell crowd. But they come at a price.
Don’t fall into the trap of judging the value of these as just “a pair of dumbbells”. As mentioned above they will be one of your most used pieces of gym equipment. The quality and the variety of the exercises is simply unmatched. Add in to the equation that they take up bugger all space too. Ironmaster dumbbells literally last a lifetime – so in my mind they are amazing value.
What Weight Dumbbell To Start With
Most beginner men start with dumbbells up to 15kg and most beginner women up to 10kg, plus lighter 2kg–5kg pairs for arms and shoulders. The common mistake is buying too heavy. Light dumbbells get used forever for warm-ups and rehab.
| Trainer | Sensible starting range | Top weight to plan for |
| Beginner (female) | 2kg–10kg | 15kg–20kg |
| Beginner (male) | 5kg–15kg | 25kg–30kg |
| Intermediate | 5kg–25kg | 35kg–40kg |
| Advanced / bodybuilding | 10kg–40kg | 45kg–60kg+ |
Even an experienced trainer may use a 1k or 2kg dumbbells. Whether it be warming up or for rehab. I even use them on the top of a weight stack to micro load on cable exercises. Plus, these lighter dumbbells are dirt cheap too.
So, when working out what is the lightest dumbbell you need, don’t try and be a hero. More than likely you are not in the same league as Ronnie Coleman or Eddie Hall. My advice is to get the lighter weights.
Naturally for inexperienced trainers you need to get the lighter weights.
How Heavy?
As for the heaviest weight, it is important to be realistic. If you are currently maxing out at 35kg for a one arm dumbbell row and you have been training for a while. You won’t need 60kg dumbbells, or even 50kg for that matter. These heavier dumbbells are the most expensive. Later on, if you decide to get on the Richard Gere you can always grab them later.
What Weight Increments Should I get?
Most commercial gyms will have the following set up:
- 1-10kg in one kilo increments. For inexperienced users or people doing rehab, 1kg increments are very handy. When using the lighter weights, you have to look at percentages. Going from 3kg to 4kg is a 30% increase.
- From 10kg and above, the weights will typically increase in 2.5kg increments.
These configurations are ideal for training, but not for buying. Especially if you can lift heavy, because you will need a lot of dumbbells!
This is why our 10kg to 40kg rubber hex dumbbell set is popular. It gives you a good spread of weight, but after 20kg, it goes up in 5kg increments. This can be a big jump for most. You really must be able to punch out a decent amount of reps on a certain weight before making the 5kg jump.
However, with the advent of flex fractional plates, you can make the jumps easier. These flex plates are a real game changer. It means you can save some money by buying less dumbbells for your set.
Space Requirements
Adjustable dumbbells and your smaller rubber hex dumbbell sets take up minimal space. They can be stored on stands and are the perfect solution for gyms where space is tight.
Once you move onto the larger sets, the space required will increase. We have 2.5k to 25kg rubber hex dumbbell set that comes on a compact rack. At only 111cm wide, it is another option for your smaller gyms.
However the larger sets are going to require two to five metres depending on how big your set is.
Budget
I will give you an indication of the variation in pricing on the three broad categories of dumbbells for home. We will use approximately 35kgs as the max. weight of the dumbbells (35kg per dumbbell or 70kg total weight).
- Spinlock/Collar dumbbells: You should be able to get your hands on a set of spinlock dumbbells up to 35kg per dumbbell for about $300.
- Cheap Adjustable Dumbbells: There are some nasty ones about $500.
- Quality Adjustable Dumbbells: At the time of writing we are selling the Ironmaster 75lb set for $955 (without a stand).
- Rubber Hex Dumbbells 2.5kg to 35kg in 2.5kg increments (14 pairs): At the time of writing, this set of dumbbells would set you back $1,968 without a rack.
The round rubber dumbbells would be more expensive than the rubber hex. But I think you get the picture from the examples above.
Adjustable Dumbbells – Best of Both Worlds
Ironmaster Quick-Lock at a glance:
- Expands to 70kg per dumbbell with expansion kits
- Locking screw changes the weight in about 5 seconds
- 30mm knurled handle with 17cm of grip length
- Lifetime warranty
When I first started importing Ironmasters people used to tell me they were a rip off. I was told by some that they could get them copied. That was over 20 years ago and those first dumbbells are still kicking around. Many have tried to copy but no one has succeeded.
These days the Ironmasters are selling, and nobody complains. When you look at the numbers above you can see why. While they are not cheap, they last forever. They are cheaper than the rubber hex and take up less space. Plus, you have more weight increments.
If you divide the cost by the life of the dumbbell, they are far better value than cheap adjustable dumbbells.
Sam’s Home Dumbbell Recommendation
My advice for choosing the right dumbbells for your home gym has always been the same. If you have got plenty of space and money, get the full set of dumbbells on a nice rack. This set up is always going to be the best.
But if you are limited on space and money you are going to have to compromise. If you have been given 3 years to live, or planning to move overseas, then maybe roll the dice on a cheap set of adjustable dumbbells.
If you are broke and you can get your hands on a cheap set of spinlocks or Olympic dumbbell handles, then give them a go. Just be careful on which exercises you perform. Most importantly, don’t fall into the trap of investing too much into them. By the time you start buying extra handles and weights you will get close to a set of quality adjustable dumbbells.
For whoever is left, I would recommend getting quality adjustable dumbbells. Don’t equate the price to just “a pair of dumbbells”. Look at them as one of the most important pieces of gym equipment that you will add to your home gym.
My Pick By Training Goal
- Starting out: a pair of quality adjustable dumbbells covers everything you will do for the first two years, and you won’t outgrow them.
- Strength training: adjustable dumbbells plus fractional plates, so you can keep making small jumps on pressing movements instead of stalling on a 5kg gap.
- Bodybuilding: if you have the room, a fixed hex set from 5kg up. You will be dropping the weight mid-set on drop sets and you don’t want to be fiddling with a locking screw.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most beginner men start with dumbbells up to 15kg and most beginner women up to 10kg, with lighter 2kg–5kg pairs for arms and shoulders. Buy lighter than you think you need
Quality adjustable dumbbells are worth it. Cheap ones are not. Brands like Ironmaster use steel and cast iron with no plastic in the mechanism and expand to 70kg per dumbbell. Cheap adjustable dumbbells rely on plastic quick-change mechanisms and eventually break.
For general training at home, 4 to 6 pairs covers most programs — light pairs for isolation work and two or three heavier pairs for pressing and rowing. One pair of quality adjustable dumbbells replaces the lot, which is why they suit small spaces.
The Ironmaster Quick-Lock system. It expands to 70kg per dumbbell with expansion kits, changes weight in about five seconds, has a 30mm knurled handle with 17cm of grip, and contains no plastic components.
