Today, we’ll go over the best dumbbell sets for 2017. We looked at eight different sets of dumbbells—both the best individual dumbbells & the best adjustable dumbbells—and rated & reviewed each one.
If you’re serious about building your home gym, then you have to be thinking about getting a set of dumbbells. The problem, though, is that most people don’t want to spend a thousand dollars to get a brand new set of dumbbells…
…and that’s completely understandable.
A brand new set of dumbbells with a set of dumbbells ranging from 5lbs, to 60lbs, will cost you a fortune. If you have the money to buy a full set, that’s awesome.
For others, though, there are two other options…
…search Craigslist and find a used set (which is actually a good idea if you can find a set), or go with an adjustable set (also a good idea if you just need a cheaper solution to getting a bunch of low-to-medium weight dumbbells.
Another option for those of you who are more patient is to build your dumbbell set over time and order a new pair every month or couple of weeks.
Any way you choose will work, because if you can get a decent set of dumbbells that has a range of weights, you can really take your home workouts to the next level.
In this article, I will take a look at some options you have if you want to buy a set of dumbbells (or buy them individually). I will split the post into two parts…
…the first part will look at the best dumbbell sets, and the second part will look at the best adjustable dumbbell sets.
Best Dumbbell Sets
Buying a set of individual dumbbells is obviously the more expensive route. A full set of dumbbells will also take up a ton of room and so it’s a good idea to pair them with a dumbbell rack.
Ultimately, though, a full set of dumbbells brings something to the table that a pair of adjustable dumbbells doesn’t: big weight.
While adjustable dumbbells are much more affordable, they aren’t nearly as convenient (you have to stop and add weight every time you want to switch) and it can be a pain to load a bunch of weight on them.
This is fine for most people, but if your workout relies a lot on dumbbells and you use a wide range of dumbbell weights, then buying a full set will be much more convenient.
If you are in the market for a full set of individual dumbbells, you have two options to choose between: non-coated cast iron, or rubber coated cast iron.
I prefer cast iron, simply because they are cheaper and I use them in my garage (and am, thus, not worried about them damaging anything.) If, however, you are planning on using your dumbbells inside your home and on a hardwood, laminate, or tile floor, you may want to get the rubber coating options to prevent damage.
So, listed below are a handful of dumbbell sets you can choose from (both non-coated and rubber-coated) if you’re looking to add a set to your home gym.
Dumbbell Set Comparison Chart (Click “Read Review” to Expand)
 | CAP Cast Iron Dumbbells |
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Recommendation
If you don’t care about getting a dumbbell set that has a rubber coating, and you want to build a large collection of dumbbells (rather than an adjustable set) then these are probably the cheapest and most straight-forward option for you.
[easyazon_link identifier=”B00127C5F8″ locale=”US” tag=”best-dbells-20″]Learn More[/easyazon_link]
TECH SPECS
| BRAND | CAP Barbell |
| MATERIAL | Cast Iron |
| MIN SIZE | 5 LBS |
| MAX SIZE | 120 LBS |
| COLOR | Gray |
| COATING? | No |
CAP Cast Iron Dumbbells
The CAP Barbell Cast Iron Hex dumbbells are probably my favorite set of dumbbells.
They’re some of the cheapest individual dumbbells per weight that you can get.
These are the ones I use in my gym. For me, I don’t need some fancy dumbbell with a rubber edge, or a fancy grip.
All I need is something that will create the resistance (weight) I’m looking to create.
And, simply put, that’s what these do.
So, if you could careless what your weight looks like and you don’t mind if there is no rubber there to protect you, then these dumbbells are for you.
[easyazon_link identifier=”B00127C5F8″ locale=”US” tag=”best-dbells-20″]Get This Dumbbell Set[/easyazon_link]
 | Champion Solid Dumbbells |
| [easyazon_link identifier=”B0001FSR1I” locale=”US” tag=”best-dbells-20″]Check Price[/easyazon_link] |
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Recommendation
These are basically the same dumbbells as the CAP dumbbells above. I’ve found that CAP’s tend to be a bit cheaper. However, sometimes certain weights of CAP’s dumbbells are out of stock and if that’s the case you can check these to see if they have that weight available.
[easyazon_link identifier=”B0001FSR1I” locale=”US” tag=”best-dbells-20″]Learn More[/easyazon_link]
TECH SPECS
| BRAND | Champion |
| MATERIAL | Cast Iron |
| MIN SIZE | 3 LBS |
| MAX SIZE | 100 LBS |
| COLOR | Gray |
| COATING? | No |
Champion Solid Dumbbells
These are essentially the same exact weights as the CAP Barbell Cast Iron Hex Dumbbells, but these are from Champion.
Either set will work fine for you, but I’ve found the CAP Barbell set to be a little cheaper per pound on most of the weights.
However, a lot of times, CAP Barbell will be out of a certain weight, or at other weights the price will be really high, so if you’re going to get a full set, I would definitely recommend comparing both sets and mixing and matching to get the best price possible.
Ultimately, these are a set of cast iron dumbbells. Nothing too fancy, but it will get the job done.
[easyazon_link identifier=”B0001FSR1I” locale=”US” tag=”best-dbells-20″]Get This Dumbbell Set[/easyazon_link]
 | CAP Rubber Dumbbells |
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Recommendation
CAP’s rubber dumbbells are a bit less expensive than the SPRI options listed below. But, if these are out of stock on a specific weight, you can use SPRI’s dumbbells to complete your set. And, while I prefer to just get a cast iron set, if you want to protect your floors, this rubber set will work.
[easyazon_link identifier=”B002OEW3TG” locale=”US” tag=”best-dbells-20″]Learn More[/easyazon_link]
TECH SPECS
| BRAND | CAP Barbell |
| MATERIAL | Cast Iron |
| MIN SIZE | 5 LBS |
| MAX SIZE | 120 LBS |
| COLOR | Black |
| COATING? | Rubber |
CAP Rubber Dumbbells
If you are going to get rubber dumbbells, you should get the rubber coated dumbbells from CAP Barbell.
They are a little more affordable than the SPRI dumbbells (although still more expensive than the regular cast iron dumbbells) listed below and they range in size from 5lbs to 120lbs.
Still, though, if CAP is out of certain sizes of their rubber dumbbells, you can always check out the SPRI ones below to fill in the gaps wherever necessary.
Ultimately, rubber dumbbells are going to be a bit more expensive and, in my opinion, not really worth it.
However, if you’re using them in your home on nice hardwood or tile floors, I can understand why you’d prefer them over the cast iron dumbbells.
[easyazon_link identifier=”B002OEW3TG” locale=”US” tag=”best-dbells-20″]Get This Dumbbell Set[/easyazon_link]
 | SPRI Rubber Dumbbells |
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Recommendation
The SPRI dumbbells run a little higher than the CAP rubber dumbbells listed above, but if you are trying to build a full set of rubber dumbbells you may have to mix and match as some specific weights may be out of stock.
[easyazon_link identifier=”B008DSKS0I” locale=”US” tag=”best-dbells-20″]Learn More[/easyazon_link]
TECH SPECS
| BRAND | SPRI |
| MATERIAL | Cast Iron |
| MIN SIZE | 3 LBS |
| MAX SIZE | 50 LBS |
| COLOR | Black |
| COATING? | Rubber |
SPRI Rubber Dumbbells
The SPRI Deluxe Rubber Dumbbells are definitely nice if you want some rubber dumbbells.
However, they only range from 3lbs to 50lbs, so they aren’t ideal for anyone wanting to lift heavy. Or, at the very least you can’t rely on them solely to build out a full set of dumbbells.
Of course, some weight sizes of the dumbbells run out of stock for both these dumbbells and the CAP Rubber dumbbells listed above, and if that’s the case when you go to buy your dumbbells, it definitely makes sense to piece together your set based off of what’s available between the two brands.
After all, both sets offer the same thing: weight. So, who cares what brand it is?
The one downside of the SPRI dumbbells, though, is that on average they run a bit more expensive than the CAP rubber dumbbells.
So,my recommendation would be to first check out the CAP dumbbells listed above, and if they are out of stock on a certain weight, look and see if that weight is available with these dumbbells.
And, it’s probably a good idea to compare prices on each weight so that you can put together a set for the lowest price possible.
[easyazon_link identifier=”B008DSKS0I” locale=”US” tag=”best-dbells-20″]Get This Dumbbell Set[/easyazon_link]
Best ADJUSTABLE DUMBBELL SETS
While buying a complete set of different pairs of dumbbells can be expensive, there is a more affordable solution: adjustable dumbbells.
There are two types of adjustable dumbbells. The first type is the kind of adjustable dumbbells where you use plates to increase the weight of the dumbbells.
The second kind of adjustable dumbbells are the kind that have the “adjusting” station, where you place the dumbbell in the station, choose how much weight you want, then lift the dumbbells out with the new weight.
Let’s talk about some of the pros and cons of each…
Plate-oriented adjustable dumbbells are much more affordable in the grand scheme of things because you can use the plates from your barbell to adjust the dumbbell weights. Ultimately, you save money because you need less weight overall (you don’t have to get plates for your barbell and dumbbells.)
On the other hand, if you have a routine that requires you to adjust the dumbbells a lot, the adjusting part can be time consuming and annoying. So, these kinds of adjustable dumbbells aren’t the most convenient option.
And, finally, a lot of these kinds of adjustable dumbbells come with 1″ handles, which means that you need 1″ plates. This kind of takes away the whole affordability if you already have a set of Olympic-sized 2″ plates.
If that is the case, though, you can always use four of these to allow your 1″ handles to accommodate 2″ weights properly.
In the end, these kinds of dumbbells are great for a starter set, but kind of annoying over the long run. Although, if you got a few different sets of the handles and had a few different weights ready to go, you could probably get creative with your routine and plan around using a few different weights per workout to minimize the time you spend adjusting the dumbbells.
If you’re going to get a set of adjustable dumbbells, you definitely want to consider the convenience of station-adjusting dumbbells.
The good thing about this kind of adjustable dumbbell is that they are much more convenient than the plate-oriented adjustable dumbbells. And, I would even say that they are more convenient, to an extent than a regular set of a bunch of different pairs of dumbbells.
They’re also quite a bit more affordable than buying a bunch of individual dumbbells. However, if you’re like me, you like the rugged look of a huge row of dumbbells lining the wall in your home gym.
The only real downside with the station-adjusting dumbbells is that they are kind of awkward and you can’t really throw them around as they don’t have the solid build structure of a regular set of dumbbells. So, if you like to train like a raging monster, slamming dumbbells around, throwing them across the room, and generally just punishing the shit out of them, then you might want to stay away from these kinds of adjustable dumbbells.
Now that you understand the differences between plate-adjustable dumbbells and station-adjustable dumbbells, you’ll have a better idea of which option is right for you. Below, I’ve listed the best adjustable dumbbell options that are currently on the market.
Adjustable Dumbbell Comparison Chart (Click “Read Review” to Expand)
 | CAP Adjustable Dumbbells |
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Recommendation
This 1-inch adjustable dumbbell set is a nice little starter kit if you are looking for a cheap way to get a set of dumbbells. However, if you are planning on getting a set of Olympic-sized weights, it would make more sense to go with the 2-inch adjustable dumbbell set listed below.
[easyazon_link identifier=”B000VCDXNS” locale=”US” tag=”best-dbells-20″]Learn More[/easyazon_link]
TECH SPECS
| BRAND | CAP Barbell |
| MATERIAL | Steel |
| TYPE | Plate-Adjustable |
| PLATE SIZE | 1-Inch |
| LOCK | Threaded |
| COLOR | Gray |
CAP Adjustable Dumbbells
This plate-oriented adjustable dumbbell set for CAP Barbell comes with 40 lbs in weight total (including the weight of the handles), so you have the option to use two 20lb dumbbells (max) right out of the box.
That’s not really too exciting, but obviously, you would want to buy more add-on weights so that you can really get some use out of these dumbbells.
This adjustable dumbbell set is compatible with 1-inch weights, which isn’t ideal, but if you aren’t planning on lifting heavy, or building out a large weight collection for your home gym, they will work fine.
On the other hand, if you are going to be getting an Olympic-sized weight set (2-inches) and Olympic-sized barbell for your gym, and you want a compatible set of dumbbell handles, it would make more sense to go with the Olympic-sized adjustable dumbbell handles listed below.
Ultimately, this set of adjustable dumbbells is a decent starter set that you can add onto now or in the future to make it more usable in your workouts.
[easyazon_link identifier=”B000VCDXNS” locale=”US” tag=”best-dbells-20″]Get This Dumbbell Set[/easyazon_link]
 | CAP Olympic Adj. Dumbbells |
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Recommendation
If you’re looking to build a serious gym and you want to go with a plate-oriented adjustable dumbbbell set, these are the handles to get. The reason why I prefer these over the 1-inch handles listed above, is that these 2-inch Olympic handles will be compatible with your Olympic-sized plates.
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TECH SPECS
| BRAND | CAP Barbell |
| MATERIAL | Steel |
| TYPE | Plate-Adjustable |
| PLATE SIZE | 2″ Olympic |
| LOCK | Tension Collar |
| COLOR | Gray |
CAP Olympic Adjustable Dumbbells
These are just the handles and don’t come with weights, but in my opinion, if you’re going to get a set of plate-oriented adjustable dumbbells, these would be the best handles to get as they will accommodate 2″ Olympic Size plates and you won’t have to get a bunch of useless 1″ plates just for your dumbbells.
Another way to put it is that your main goal is to build a legit home gym… and you can’t build a legit home gym with 1″ plates (for a number of reasons).
So, you’d be wasting money if you had both a bunch of Olympic sized plates and an adjustable set of dumbbells that required 1″ plates.
Why not just get the Olympic sized handles and use the same weights for both?
That’s what these handles will allow you to do.
Obviously, they aren’t as convenient as a set of individual plates and if you want to put heavier weight on, they do get pretty bulky. However, if you are already planning on getting a bunch of Olympic weights, going with these handles will be a lot less expensive than building out a full individual dumbbell set.
[easyazon_link identifier=”B0010YOBB4″ locale=”US” tag=”best-dbells-20″]Get This Dumbbell Set[/easyazon_link]
 | Bowflex SelectTech 1090 |
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Recommendation
Bowflex’s SelectTech 1090s are one option you have for station-oriented adjustable dumbbells. The 1090s are great if you need dumbbells heavier than 52.5 pounds. If you’re okay with maxing out at under 52.5 lbs. you’ll probably want to save some money and [easyazon_link identifier=”B001ARYU58″ locale=”US” tag=”best-dbells-20″]choose the SelectTech 552s[/easyazon_link].
[easyazon_link identifier=”B000OC5RXE” locale=”US” tag=”best-dbells-20″]Learn More[/easyazon_link]
TECH SPECS
| BRAND | Bowflex |
| MATERIAL | Metal |
| TYPE | Station-Adjustable |
| MIN WEIGHT | 10 LBS |
| MAX WEIGHT | 90 LBS |
| COLOR | Black |
Bowflex SelectTech 1090
There’s really only a couple of names worthy of consideration in the station-oriented adjustable dumbbell market and those names are Bowflex and PowerBlock.
Bowflex has two different options for adjustable dumbbell sets. The first is the [easyazon_link identifier=”B001ARYU58″ locale=”US” tag=”best-dbells-20″]SelectTech 552[/easyazon_link] and the second is the one listed here… the SelectTech 1090.
The main difference is that the 552s can only go up to 52.5 pounds per dumbbell, whereas the 1090s listed here can go up to 90 lbs per dumbbell.
Of course, the price difference is significant as well, as the 552s come in at less than half of the 1090s.
So, the bottom line is that, if you want to have the ability to lift adjustable dumbbells heavier than 52.5 pounds and you don’t mind paying quite a bit more, then the SelectTech 1090s (or the PowerBlock Elites listed below) are the option for you.
If you want to save money and you’re fine with maxing out at 52.5-pound dumbbells, [easyazon_link identifier=”B001ARYU58″ locale=”US” tag=”best-dbells-20″]then the 552s are your better bet[/easyazon_link].
[easyazon_link identifier=”B000OC5RXE” locale=”US” tag=”best-dbells-20″]Get This Dumbbell Set[/easyazon_link]
 | PowerBlock Elite Dumbbells |
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Recommendation
PowerBlock’s Elite dumbbell set is a slightly better option than the 1090s. However, the Elite’s are a different shape and it’s important to understand the experience won’t be the same as what you are used to. If you can adjust to the shape, these offer a cheap way to get a full dumbbell set.
[easyazon_link identifier=”B001CC724W” locale=”US” tag=”best-dbells-20″]Learn More[/easyazon_link]
TECH SPECS
| BRAND | PowerBlock |
| MATERIAL | Metal |
| TYPE | Station-Adjustable |
| MIN SIZE | 2.5 LBS |
| MAX SIZE | 130 LBS w/ expansion) |
| COLOR | Black |
PowerBlock Elite Dumbbells
The PowerBlock Elite Dumbbells offer the same amount of weight as the BowFlex SelectTech 1090s listed above.
Both will allow you to go up to a 90-pound pair of dumbbells (although, the PowerBlocks have expansion kits that can allow you to get up to a 130-pound pair of dumbbells), which should be enough weight for even the biggest and most serious weight lifters.
One plus-side to the PowerBlock Elite’s over the SelectTech 1090s, though, is that the Elite’s are adjustable in 2.5-pound increments in comparison to the 1090s 5-pound increments.
It is a minor difference, but the ability to adjust in smaller increments is beneficial for elite athletes who understand that steady gains come in small steps.
The downside to the PowerBlock Elite dumbbells, though, is that they are a bit bulkier and more awkward than the 1090s. Where the 1090s—who are somewhat awkward themselves—hold a more traditional shape, the PowerBlock Elite’s are boxy and require you to place your hand inside of the dumbbell.
[easyazon_link identifier=”B001CC724W” locale=”US” tag=”best-dbells-20″]Get This Dumbbell Set[/easyazon_link]
WHICH DUMBBELL SET IS RIGHT FOR YOU?
The answer to the question of which dumbbell set is right for you will really depend on you and your preferences and current situation. So, how much can you afford to spend, and can you deal with the pros and cons of each set?
The answers to those questions should give you an idea of which set of dumbbells you should get.
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