We buy them · We test them · No sponsored rankings
40 sets we've bought, tested and scored on the same nine criteria. Ranked by overall rating.
#1Assassin Goods
The 1.5kg increments are a genuine game-changer for progressive overload, and the 41.5kg max is among the highest in the twist-select category. Solid metal construction - but like all selectorised dumbbells, they must not be dropped.
#2Mirafit
If you want fixed dumbbells you can drop, keep forever and never think about again, Mirafit's Rubber Grip Hex are the UK home gym standard. Virgin rubber heads, hard chrome knurled handles and a 2.5kg to 50kg range, from a trusted UK brand. The only real catch is the one all fixed dumbbells share: you buy, store and pay for every weight separately.
#3Jordan Fitness
Jordan is the brand you have probably lifted in a commercial gym, and its JLC rubber hex dumbbells bring that build home: hard-chromed contoured handles that will not flake, commercial-grade rubber, and a 1kg to 50kg range sold as pairs or full sets. You pay more than Mirafit or JLL, but you get genuine gym-floor durability.
#4NUO Athletics
The smoothest, zero-rattle twist mechanism we've tested - genuinely feels like a fixed dumbbell. But it's the most expensive range on the UK market and locked to 2kg increments.
#5PowerBlock
The tank of adjustable dumbbells. Nothing else comes close on durability, and the expansion system lets you grow from 22.7kg to 40.8kg without replacing the whole set. The boxy shape is divisive, but if you plan ahead and value longevity, this is the smartest long-term investment.
#6Bowflex (Nautilus)
The 1090i is the big brother to the 552i: the same two-second dial, but 4 to 41kg per hand instead of topping out at 24kg. For stronger lifters that extra range is the whole point, and one pair still replaces 17 sets. The catch is physical. It is a long, bulky dumbbell with plastic plates you must never drop, and it costs more. For the right lifter, it is the best value way to own heavy adjustables.
#7Bowflex (Nautilus)
The world's best-known adjustable dumbbell, and the easiest to live with: two dials, a two-second weight change, and 2 to 24kg in one 43cm unit. The catch is the plastic plates and tray, which you must never drop, and increments that coarsen to 3kg jumps near the top. Brilliant for most home gyms, just not the most precise or the most durable.
#8JLL Fitness
JLL's rubber hex dumbbells are the value pick for a fixed-dumbbell home gym. Friction-welded rubber heads, chrome knurled steel handles and a 12-month warranty, sold in pairs from 4kg to 28kg, from a well-known UK Amazon brand. Not quite the finish of Mirafit or Jordan, but noticeably cheaper and genuinely good for the money.
#9Attack Fitness
If you want one proper kettlebell rather than a clever adjustable, a single-cast iron bell like Attack Fitness's is the honest choice. It is solid, well-shaped, droppable, and priced at roughly £4 per kilo across a 4 to 28kg range. The smooth 35mm handle and bare cast iron (no vinyl base) are the only things to weigh up. For most people buying their first kettlebell, this is the type to get.
#10Assassin Goods
A well-built cast iron adjustable kettlebell that genuinely feels like the real thing. The 2kg increments and solid locking system set it apart from plastic-feeling competitors, though the split range means you need both models (or the bundle) to cover 8-24kg.
#11MuscleSquad
The best value adjustable dumbbell range in the UK. Four models from £65 to £450 mean there's an entry point for everyone, and the 32.5kg model hits the sweet spot of price, weight range, and compactness.
#12Jordan Fitness
If you want light neoprene dumbbells that feel like the ones in a good studio, Jordan's Ignite range is the pick. Neoprene-coated cast iron, anti-roll hex, a full 0.5 to 10kg spread of colour-coded pairs, from a commercial brand. They cost more per pair than Argos own-brand weights, but the coating and finish are a clear step up and they are built to survive studio use.
#13NordicTrack
NordicTrack's Select-A-Weight is a competent dial-adjust pair, 5 to 25kg, with a twist: Bluetooth and iFIT, so classes on the app can set your weight and log your sets. The hardware is fine rather than exceptional, the increments are a coarse 2.3kg, and the real value depends on whether you will use (and pay for) iFIT. For a connected home gym it makes sense; as plain dumbbells it is dear.
#14Bowflex (Nautilus)
One kettlebell, six weights, a two-second dial change: the SelectTech 840 is the most convenient adjustable kettlebell there is, covering 3.5 to 18kg. The catch is the shape. The plastic housing and oversized base mean it never quite feels like a real bell, and reviewers consistently flag the handle. Great for pressing and squats where convenience wins; less so for high-rep ballistic swings.
#15BrainGain
BrainGain has significantly expanded their range and now offers genuine competition to MuscleSquad with their 40kg 16-in-1 (consistent 2.5kg increments). The 24kg model is one of the cheapest selectorised pairs in the UK. The confusing lineup of similar-sounding models with different increment patterns is the main drawback - make sure you're buying the right one.
#16Adidas
Adidas's neoprene dumbbells are a well-made, good-looking light pair: neoprene-coated cast iron, anti-roll hex, sold singly in weights from 1 to 4kg. For toning, Pilates and light conditioning they do the job nicely and look the part. The only thing to note is price: you pay a little more for the three stripes than for own-brand neoprene that performs much the same.
#17Men's Health
If you want traditional cast iron dumbbells to start, this Men's Health box set is the one to beat at the price. You get around 18kg of bare cast iron plates, knurled handles, and quick spring-clip collars instead of slow screw collars, all in a carry case. It is a light starter and the iron will rust if neglected, but as a cheap, portable first set it is well judged.
#18PROIRON
The entry-level option that gets the job done on a tight budget. The cast iron plates will last forever, but the low max weight and glacial weight changes mean most people will outgrow these within a year.
#19Opti (Argos)
The Opti 20kg set is about the cheapest way to put real cast iron in your hands: black iron plates on screw-collar bars, from a high-street name, for around £45. The iron lasts forever and 20kg total is a reasonable start. The catches are the slow screw collars and bare metal that rusts if neglected. For a tight-budget first set it does the job; spend a little more for quicker collars.
#20Opti (Argos)
For light toning, Pilates or rehab on a budget, the Opti neoprene pairs are hard to argue with: a neoprene-coated cast iron hex, anti-roll, from a few pounds a pair at Argos. The construction is the same as branded neoprene, so for occasional light use they do the job for a fraction of the cost. The coating is thinner and wears faster, but at this price that is an easy trade.
#21Opti (Argos)
The Opti vinyl set is the sub-£50 Argos spinlock option, and it is exactly what it looks like: a pair of bars with cement-filled vinyl plates and screw collars. For a light beginner, rehab, or an occasional-use home, it does a job for very little money. But the 20kg is spread across the whole set (so only around 8 to 9kg per hand), the plates are bulky and the collars work loose, so most people outgrow it quickly. Spend a little more on cast iron.
#22Core
If you press heavy with dumbbells or a barbell and want a bench that feels planted rather than wobbly, the Core Predator is the pick. A heavy-gauge steel frame, flat-incline-decline with plenty of back positions, a high load rating and thick pads put it a clear step above folding budget benches. It costs more and it does not fold away, but it is the bench you buy once and stop thinking about.
#23UFC
If you want one bench that does everything and does not wobble, the UFC Folding FID is the value pick. Seven backrest angles from decline to upright, a three-position seat, a 363kg load rating and 50mm padding, and it folds flat for storage. It is not commercial-gym heavy, but for home dumbbell pressing, rows and the occasional barbell set it is more bench than most people need, for around £110.
#24Adidas
The Adidas training bench rolls three stations into one: a flat-incline-decline bench, a preacher curl pad, and a leg developer for curls and extensions, plus uprights to take a barbell. For a beginner building a first home gym on a budget, that versatility is genuinely useful. The catch is the one every all-in-one makes: each station is decent rather than excellent, and it is not built for heavy pressing like a dedicated bench.
#25Pro Fitness
The Pro Fitness adjustable bench is the budget way into bench work: flat, incline and decline positions, padded seat and back, fixed leg rollers, and it folds away, from a high-street name for around £89. It is light-duty, with a 120kg user limit and a frame built for dumbbells rather than heavy barbell, but for a beginner or a small space it does the core job well for the money.
#26Adidas
The Adidas HIIT Deck is a moulded plastic bench-and-step hybrid built for conditioning, not barbell pressing. It adjusts through flat, incline and decline with over 20 setups, doubles as an aerobic step, has a 150kg user limit and integrated storage, and looks the part. For dumbbell training, HIIT and step work it is genuinely versatile, but if your goal is heavy lifting, a steel FID bench is the tool.
#27Opti (Argos)
EVA interlocking tiles are how most home gyms get a floor, and the Opti set is the easy budget way in: 10mm grey foam tiles that snap together, cover about 1.5m2 for roughly £20, and cushion, quiet and protect the floor beneath. They dent under heavy static loads and are not made for dropping iron, but for a general training area they do the job for very little.
#28Opti (Argos)
Where foam tiles cushion a room, this NBR rubber mat does the hard job: a single 200 by 120cm sheet to go under a treadmill, bike or rack, or to mark out the spot where you set weights down. It is dense, grippy and far tougher than foam, rolls away when not needed, and protects the floor from the loads foam would dent under. It is not a full-room floor, and it is not a competition drop pad, but for a lifting zone it earns its place.
#29Rolson
Rolson is a tools-and-garage brand, and these interlocking tiles are built for that world: six chunky 600mm EVA squares with a checker-plate top and edging strips, covering about 2.16m2 for roughly £20 to £25. That makes them a cheap way to floor a garage gym, with more coverage per pack than slimmer gym tiles. They share every foam limitation, so they are for the room, not for dropping iron.
#30Northern
If you own fixed or hex dumbbells, this is the rack most home gyms should buy. Three angled steel tiers hold a complete 2.5 to 20kg set, it is rated to a serious 400kg, and the angled shelves make grabbing the right pair quick. It takes real floor space at a metre wide and needs assembling, but for the money it is a sturdy, no-nonsense home for your weights.
#31Bowflex (Nautilus)
If you own Bowflex SelectTech 552i or 1090i dumbbells, this stand is close to essential. It raises the dumbbells and their trays to waist height, so you are not bending to the floor to pick up or adjust 24 to 41kg each time, and it holds a phone or tablet for following workouts. It only fits SelectTech dumbbells and costs £229, but for the back-saving alone many owners find it worth it.
#32Pro Fitness (Argos)
For a tight corner and a tight budget, this Pro Fitness rack does the basic job: two steel tiers get a light dumbbell set off the floor, in a compact H58 x W73 x D41cm footprint, for around £50. It tops out at roughly 12.5kg per dumbbell and holds fewer pairs than a full rack, so it suits lighter sets and small rooms rather than a heavy home gym.
#33Opti (Argos)
The Opti Dumbbell Tree is the cheapest way to keep a light set off the floor: a compact A-frame tree that holds three pairs of dumbbells vertically, supplied with 1.1kg, 2.3kg and 4.5kg vinyl pairs. For a beginner, a desk-side set, or light toning, it is tidy, cheap and does the job. It is also strictly light-duty: the weights are vinyl and the tree is plastic, so it is not for anything approaching serious loads.
#34Men's Health
If you want to train pull-ups properly without trusting a door frame, a power tower is the answer, and this Men's Health one is a sensible home pick. Rated to 110kg, it adds dips, leg raises and push-ups to a stable multi-grip pull-up bar, with no fittings to damage your doorway. The trade is size: it stands over two metres tall with a 94 by 123cm footprint and needs assembling, so it suits a garage or spare room, not a hallway.
#35GymGear
A wall-mounted bar is the pull-up solution for anyone who takes the movement seriously: bolted into a solid wall, it does not rely on a door frame, carries far more weight than any doorway bar, and takes multiple grips. The GymGear is a commercial-grade example at a home price. The catch is permanence: you need a sound masonry or stud wall, a drill, and to be sure of where it lives.
#36Pro Fitness
This is the familiar hook-over doorway bar done well: wide, neutral and close pull-up grips plus handles for push-ups and dips, rated to 100kg, for around £28. It braces over the architrave with no screws, so it goes up and comes down in seconds. The catch is fit: your door frame has to be the right width, depth and have a top lip to brace against, so check your doorway before buying.
#37Opti (Argos)
At around £12 the Opti telescopic bar is the cheapest sensible way to start pull-ups: a chrome steel bar that extends to wedge inside a 63 to 95cm doorway, rated to 100kg, with foam grips. It is tidy and tool-free, but it is a single-grip pressure-fit bar, so you must install it correctly and trust friction, which is the safety point to understand before you pull on it.
#38Men's Health
If you want one resistance kit that does nearly everything, a clip-tube set like this Men's Health one is the answer. Five colour-coded tubes clip onto two handles and stack for a combined resistance of around 45kg, and the door anchor and ankle straps open up presses, rows, curls, pull-aparts and kickbacks. It is not studio-grade, the clips and latex are the parts to watch, but for the money it is the most versatile home option.
#39Opti (Argos)
Mini loop bands are the cheapest way to make lower-body and warm-up work harder, and this Opti set of four covers the useful range from light to extra-heavy for a few pounds. They are brilliant for glute bridges, banded squats, lateral walks and shoulder prehab. They are also a narrow tool: short closed loops that do upper-body and heavy work poorly, where a tube set or weights are far better.
#40Pro Fitness (Argos)
A single continuous latex loop, 22mm wide, is one of the most useful cheap things in a home gym. Looped over a bar it takes weight off your pull-ups so you can actually train them; looped round a limb it opens up mobility and stretching; wrapped on a barbell it adds accommodating resistance. The catch is that one 22mm band is a single resistance: great for its band, but you will want others as you get stronger.