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. Weakness: These dumbbells have to be plugged into the wall to change the load, and the maximum weight of the pair we tested (the Jaxjox’s 22.7kg) might not be enough for those well-versed in strength training. How we test READ NEXT: The best home gym equipment The best adjustable dumbbells you can buy in 2023 1. Bowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbell: Best overall adjustable dumbbell

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. 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. The 18-piece set comes with two bars, four collars and a selection of smaller weight plates. We particularly liked the inclusion of 0.5kg plates (a unique feature for these ‘bells) as they allowed us to gradually increase the weight when progressing on lighter lifts like the lateral raise or rear delt fly.

Our roundup of the best all-in-one adjustable dumbbells to help you save space and money

This out-of-the-box design provided the sturdiest experience of any adjustable dumbbell we tried, making these great for functional movements like snatches and devil’s press (add these into a full-body workout at your peril). The removable rubber rings that fit around the attached plates are also a clever feature for protecting your floors. On the other hand, if functional training is more your bag, fixed weight dumbbells will be the one for you. 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. These Bowflex adjustable dumbbells have weights that adjust from 10 to 90 pounds in 5-pound increments, which replaces up to 17 pairs of dumbbells (that’s a lot of potential saved time and money). We love that the weight distribution is close to that of traditional dumbbells, and the weight range makes them one of the heavier options on this list.

This cookie is used to a profile based on user's interest and display personalized ads to the users. The appeal is in their simplicity and cheap price point. However, there is a reason they are cheap and here’s why:

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I've never met a more adjustable dumbbell," says Samuel. "I love them for farmer’s walks, heavy DB lunges, and thrusters, and rely on them anytime I do a metcon-style workout at home."