Bowflex SelectTech 552i Adjustable Dumbbells Review

The SelectTech 552 is the adjustable dumbbell most people picture when they think of the category, and for good reason: it is the easiest to use. A single dial at each end selects the weight, the change takes about two seconds, and one pair covers 2 to 24kg, replacing roughly 15 pairs of fixed dumbbells in a 43cm footprint. In the UK it is sold as the 552i, the metric version with the same mechanism.

What stops it topping the rankings is what it is made of. The weight plates and the tray are plastic, so unlike the metal Nuobell or Stealth, they cannot take a drop, and the increments coarsen to 3kg jumps near the top. For most home gyms that train sensibly, none of that is a dealbreaker, and the ease of use is genuinely class-leading.

Each dumbbell has two independent dials, one at each end, that you turn to the weight you want while the dumbbell sits in its tray. Lift it out and only the selected plates come with it; the rest stay behind. There is no button to hold down as there is on the MuscleSquad and no twist-and-pull as on the Nuobell.

This is the 552i's headline strength. Across reviews it is consistently praised as the quickest and most intuitive system on the market, which matters for drop sets and supersets where you change weight mid-workout. The one catch, noted by owners, is that you must seat the dumbbell fully in the tray before turning the dial, or the selector can jam. Done properly it is close to foolproof.

The 15 settings are 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 23 and 24kg. That means 1kg jumps at the low end, which is genuinely useful for lateral raises and curls where a small increase is a big percentage, but the jumps grow to 2kg through the middle and 3kg near the top.

A 3kg jump from 20kg to 23kg is coarser than you get from the Stealth (1.5kg throughout) or the PowerBlock (around 1.1kg with adder weights). For progressive overload on heavier pressing, that matters. It is the main technical reason the 552i sits behind the precision-focused options, even though it is easier to live with day to day.

This is the 552i's real weakness, and it is worth being clear about. The weight plates and the storage tray are plastic, and dropping the dumbbells, even from a low height on a hard floor, can crack them. Garage Gym Reviews and BarBend both flag this, and it is the most common theme in critical owner reviews.

In normal use, controlled reps, re-racking into the tray between sets, the plastic is not a problem and plenty of owners report years of trouble-free use. But if you train to failure on presses and might have to bail, or you are heavy-handed re-racking, a plastic-plated adjustable is the wrong tool. Fixed rubber hex dumbbells are designed to be dropped; selectorised adjustables like this are not.

The 552i uses a metal handle with a proper knurl, which is a step up from a moulded plastic grip, and the balance is fine within its range. The honest caveat is length: the SelectTech is a long dumbbell, and at low weights the empty plate slots mean the ends stick out well beyond the loaded plates, so it does not feel like a compact, solid bell the way a fixed dumbbell or the MuscleSquad 32.5kg does.

It is not unbalanced, and you stop noticing it quickly, but anyone moving from fixed dumbbells should know the SelectTech trades a little hand-feel for its range and ease. Reviewers consistently describe the feel as good rather than premium, which is a fair summary at this price.

UK pricing has settled well below the launch RRP. A single 552i has been listed around £169 (down from £279.99), putting a pair in the region of £340, with bundle options including a media stand nearer £460. That undercuts the premium metal adjustables substantially: the Nuobell range runs from £549 to over £1,000.

For the money, you get the easiest adjustable to use, a huge weight range and the reassurance of the most widely stocked, widely supported design in the category. That is strong value. You are paying less than half the price of a Nuobell and accepting plastic plates and coarser top-end jumps in return, which for most home gyms is a trade worth making.

Great for

• Anyone who wants the simplest, fastest weight changes
• Home gyms where ease of use matters more than ultimate precision
• Budgets that will not stretch to a Nuobell or Stealth
• Lifters who train in the 2 to 24kg range and re-rack sensibly
• Drop sets and supersets, thanks to the two-second change

Not for

• Anyone who drops dumbbells or trains presses to failure without a rack
• Lifters chasing fine 1 to 1.5kg increments for progressive overload
• Stronger lifters who already press above 24kg per hand
• People who want the solid, compact feel of a fixed dumbbell

The Bowflex 552i is the most user-friendly adjustable dumbbell you can buy, and at UK prices around £340 to £460 a pair it is genuinely good value. The two-dial system is the fastest here, the range covers what most people ever need, and it is backed by the best availability and support in the category. It falls short of the top of our rankings on two counts: plastic plates that cannot be dropped, and increments that coarsen to 3kg near the top. Accept those, train sensibly, and it is an easy recommendation. If you want metal durability or finer jumps, the Nuobell and Stealth are the step up.