The best adjustable weights for your home gym

Let us guide you to the best adjustable weight sets from Bowflex, PowerBlock and more.

By Meredith Gordon

Jul 19, 2023 at 12:18 pm ET • 4 min read

Essentials editors independently choose what to recommend. We may receive commissions from links to products on this page.

Whether you've cardio'd yourself into a workout plateau, or want to increase bone density and muscle strength, weight and resistance training is an essential part of a well-balanced, long-term healthy lifestyle.

We know that just 30-60 minutes of resistance training per week can add years (yes years) to your life. The problem with weight training at home, however, is your space becomes overrun with free weights as you level up and increase your weights, which you will.

Adjustable weight sets, like this bestseller which is now 50% off on Amazon, are one of the most efficient ways to include resistance training into your workout. Top-names like Bowflex and PowerBlock dominate the field. Here are our favorite adjustable weight sets and the one set CBS Sports Essentials readers can't get enough of.

Top-rated adjustable weight sets on sale now

CBS Sports Essentials' bestseller: Bowflex SelectTech 552 adjustable dumbbell set, $429 (reduced from $549)
Now 50% off: Mangko Adjustable Dumbbells (25/55 lb.), $100 with Prime (reduced from $200)
4.7-star-rated option: PowerBlock Elite EXP, $360 (reduced from $449)

Why you should buy an adjustable weight set

From Bowflex to PowerBlock, adjustable weight sets are designed to maximize both efficiency and space for your home gym. Rather than purchasing multiple free weights, adjustable weight sets allow you to set the amount of weight you want to work with, with the ability to change your designated weight from one exercise to another, all in one piece of equipment.

We also like adjustable weight sets because they save space and are safer than having a lot of free weights loose at home, which will invariably get underfoot if left out. But the bonus feature we like about adjustable weight sets is the price. Simply put, adjustable weight sets are cheaper in the long run. Even a high-end brand like Bowflex or PowerBlock will be less expensive in the long run than buying 5-to-50 pounds' worth of individual free weights.

Our readers' favorite: Bowflex SelectTech 552

If you don't need to lift as heavy, you can replace 15 sets of weights with the more affordable Bowflex SelectTech 552 adjustable dumbbell set. Sold as a pair, this weight set can be used with Bowflex's JRNY mobile-only membership (free for two months) for motion tracking technology that counts your reps and tracks your form in real time. It's like having your own personal trainer right at home.

"Easy to operate right out of the box," raves one Amazon reviewer about this 4.8-star-rated weight set. "The weight range is phenomenal. I mean, come on. To be able to have the equivalent of 30 dumbbells ranging from 5 to 52.5 pounds and be able to tuck them neatly away in the corner somewhere? Yeah."

Rated 4.8 stars.

Bowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbells (set of two), $429 (reduced from $549)

$429

We recommend pairing the Bowflex SelectTech dumbbells with the Bowflex SelectTech Dumbbell Stand with media rack. It's rated 4.7 stars on Amazon.

Bowflex Select Tech dumbbell stand and weight bench, $179

$179 at Amazon

For those who lift heavy: Bowflex SelectTech 1090 adjustable weights

Replace 17 sets of weights with the Bowflex SelectTech 1090 adjustable dumbbell set. Sold as a pair and offering 10-90 pounds of resistance, this weight set comes with Bowflex's JRNY mobile-only membership (free for two months) for motion tracking technology that counts your reps and tracks your form in real time. Think of JRNY as your own personal trainer, if your trainer was always available.

Scoring 4.7 stars from (highly) enthusiastic Bowflex buyers, see what all the fuss is about with your own set. It's on sale right now at Bowflex.

Bowflex SelectTech 1090 adjustable dumbbell set (set of two), $599 (reduced from $799)

$599 at Bowflex

Mangko Adjustable Dumbbells

Replacing five sets of weights, Mongko's adjustable weights offer five, ten, 15, 20 and 25 pounds of resistance. These dumbbells are compact and feature a unique safety locking mechanism to keep the dumbbell plate safely secured. Earning 4.1 stars on Amazon, this adjustable weight is an Amazon best seller reviewers call "a great purchase."

Sold as a single, not a set.

Mangko Adjustable Dumbbells (1-piece), $100 with Prime (reduced from $200)

$100 at Amazon

Power Block Elite EXP Adjustable Weight Set

PowerBlock's adjustable weight set earns 4.7 stars on Amazon. Offering a range of 5-50 pounds per hand, this set features a padded handled and weights easily identified.

This set is compact and portable (12″L x 6″ W x 6″ H) and is easily adjusted with a polypropylene pin. We like that this set can be expanded with expansion kits to increase the weight capacity to 70 or 90 poinfs per hand.

PowerBlock Elite EXP, (set of 2), $360 (reduced from $449)

$360 at Amazon

Bowflex SelectTech adjustable curl bar

Adjustable weight sets aren't just for curls and strip presses. Bowflex's innovative SelectTech Curl Bar gets your legs in the game, adjusting from 20 to 80 pounds using seven weight settings per bar. Reduce the amount of loadable dumbbells needed by using Bowflex's all-in-one technology.

Bowflex SelectTech Curl Bar, $599 (reduced from $749)

$599 at Amazon

Bowflex SelectTech 840 Kettlebell

Bowflex's Select Tech kettlebell replaces six different kettlebells by adjusting from 8 to 40 pounds. The ergonomic handle makes it easy to grip. The weight selection dial makes it easy use. Reviewers like that this single kettlebell takes up less space, a key feature for those working out at home. Rated 4.8 stars.

Bowflex SelectTech 840 Kettlebell, $149

$149