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Ah, dumbbells. Dumbbells are a hot commodity among home gym owners. Having a good squat rack and barbell is always a nice flex, but when you have a rack filled with high-quality heavy dumbbells, that’s when you know you’ve officially made it as a home gym owner.

Now I will never experience this feeling until, you know, this blog takes off, cough*, cough*, use my affiliate links.

I will have to stick with my squat rack, and barbell, until then. But, for those of you who are a bit more fortunate, stick around as I show you the best places online to buy dumbbells.

Now I’ll be discussing dumbbells, adjustable dumbbells, sets of dumbbells, and so on. So strap in as this may be a long one. But not as long as my 10,000 words +, top 100 exercises article that you should totally go check out, after this of course.

Alright now that the introductions out of the way let’s get into the article.

What Are The Best Places To Buy Dumbbells From Online?

Now before we get into the list, I would like to go into my thought process when making the list, and what factors went into my decision making.

• The price
• Size
• Quality
• Shape
• Utility

Those 5 factors are things you should definitely keep in mind when scouting dumbbell sets and all weight-lifting equipment in general. Now this list will be mainly determined by quality, as I will be assuming you are pretty well off, although the price will still play a factor.

This isn’t the top 5 most cost-effective, affordable dumbbells list, although I may make one in the future, this is the top 5 best dumbbells tier list, for a home gym of course.

Although if you are a gym owner or are aspiring to build your own public/private gym, these selections may be exactly what you’re looking for.

Alright enough ranting let’s get into the list.

#1 REP Fitness

Obvious #1 choice here.

REP fitness is essentially Rouge quality at realistic prices. Now you have your pick between hex, rubber-coated urethane, and adjustable dumbbells here, with adjustable being the best option for price, and space.

Now the REP adjustable dumbbell will run you about 5.5$ per lb, with a 40lb add-on that only costs $2.45 per lb. Each dumbbell can hold 85 lbs, with 1-inch collars. They are very space efficient, as long as you have a good place to store the plates.

Now due to them being plate-loaded adjustable dumbbells, you will have to constantly be taking off and putting on different loads manually, which can get pretty time consuming.

Now, if you have extra cash and can’t be bothered to be constantly putting on and taking off different loads, you may want to consider purchasing a pair or set of dumbbells.

Hex dumbbells will be your cheapest option, and they get the job done. They will run you about $2-5 per lb. You can choose between a straight and ergonomic handle.

Now you can also get these hex dumbbells in rubber-coated form for no extra cost. However, the rubber-coated variant lacks the 2.5, 7.5, 12.5, 17.5, 22.5, and 27.5 lb dumbbells.

The rubber coating may also lack the grip that the metal handle has.

And lastly, for those of you who have F you money, I bring you the urethane dumbbell. These are high-class commercial gym quality equipment.

If money isn’t an issue, these are easily the best choice. They are highly durable, have great grip, and CPU urethane coating. These will cost you a hefty $3.6-$6.1 per pound, so be prepared to empty your wallet on these.

If you’re looking to have the sickest home gym in the country, you can drop 7K on a 5-100 lb set of these bad boys.

And lastly, if you’re looking for some dumbbell storage for your home gym, you can get a dumbbell rack for $257. Or, like I said before if you’re swimming in the dough, you can get a victory rack, which is just a bigger dumbbell rack, for $864.

Now, these numbers may sound ridiculous but keep in mind that these prices are in CAD, so if you’re American, count your lucky stars as you get a 25% discount on all of these prices.

#2 Rouge Fitness

If REP Fitness is LA fitness, Rouge is equinox. You better be ready to dip into your 401 K if you expect to buy anything here.

However, if money isn’t an issue, and/or you have access to daddy’s credit card, well, then Rouge may be for you.

You have hex, urethane, and loadable dumbbell bars, with a 2-inch sleeve. You can purchase bumper dumbbell plates, which are great as they allow you to go from 20lb, all the way up to 110 lb dumbbells.

The Rogue loadable dumbbell is much easier, and quicker to unload, and load compared to the standard 1-inch spiral collar adjustable weights.

You can also use your 2.5-10lb, even 25lb(depending on the size) plates with this loadable dumbbell handle due to the 2-inch sleeve. Now you can expect to pay $2.5 per pound on the low end, and $6.2 on the high end.

If money’s not an issue obviously go for the urethane option, if money is an issue get the loadable dumbbell handle.

Great dumbbells that are just extremely overpriced.

#3 SMRTFT

Now, this is a great option for those of you who aren’t willing to take out a house loan to purchase gym equipment.

SMRTFT is a lot more limited than the previous options, only selling an adjustable dumbbell.

Specifically, the NÜOBELL; however, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The NÜOBELL is a highly versatile, space efficient and affordable choice. You have your choice between 5-80 lbs with the simple turn of your wrist.

No more time-consuming setups. Now you if you want to get the 80 lb NÜOBELL, it will cost you $775, which still makes the NÜOBELL a pretty pricey option, but when compared to sets of REP hex dumbbells ranging from 5-80 lbs, this is chump change.

Now do not drop, or slam these! Yes, they are durable, and it is ok to do this every once in a blue moon, but if you can help it, baby these.

They do in fact come with a 2-year warranty upon purchase, with options to extend that warranty, however, a warranty won’t stop the NÜOBELL from malfunctioning and dropping 50 lbs of plates on your face mid-set, so try your best to take care of them.

#4 Eleiko

Remember when I said that Rouge has the highest-quality dumbbells on the web? Well, I was incorrect, as that crown is actually held by Eleiko.

Eleiko offers premium equipment at a premium price(of course).

Now in terms of dumbbell types, you have loaded, fixed, and rotating options.

The cheapest dumbbell you can get is the 5lb fixed singular dumbbell at a very modest(not) $76. Or $15.2 per lb. Pssst, they’re all sold individually.

Yeah, so if you’re not Scrooge Mcducking it your money pool every night, chances are you should stick with one of the more affordable options on this list.

Now the cheapest set you can get is the 40 kg loadable dumbbell set for “only” $1,772.00. Yeah, did I mention that these are the most overpriced pieces of fitness equipment on the internet?

If you can’t be bothered to constantly be loading and unloading your dumbbell while also having an extra $5000 lying around, you may want to consider getting the fixed set.

$5000 is the cheapest, too; once you need anything over 50 lbs, be prepared to take out a couple of loans, as the 55-100 lb fixed set will run you 10 grand! If you’re really strong and need to go past the 100lb dumbbell threshold, well you’re gonna need to cough up an extra 13K for the 105-150 lb set.

And last but certainly not least, let’s talk about the most expensive dumbbell variety, the rotating set.

Now the rotating dumbbell will cost you around $16 per pound. Have you ever wanted to pay dam near $200 for a singularly 12.5 lb dumbbell? Well now you can with Eleiko.

Now, this may surprise you, but the price for the rotational dumbbell sets is not too much higher than the price for the fixed sets.

This isn’t saying much, considering that they are both extremely overpriced however if you are gonna buy any of these sets whether it be out of extreme financial freedom, or stupidity, you may as well go all out and get the rotational variant.

#5 Power Block

The power block is the all-in-one adjustable dumbbell. The power block is, in fact, the only adjustable dumbbell trusted and used by the NCAA, and professional sports teams in America.

It has a very unique design that makes it great for tik tok, and Instagram trainers and even greater for those of you who are looking to build a home gym without breaking the bank.

It’s very similar to the Nuobell, except instead of looking like a futuristic dumbbell, it looks more like a terminators lunch box. Now if you’re short on space and cash, this dumbbell can be a great investment.

Now unlike the Nuobell which maxes out at 80lbs the power block be expanded up to a whopping 175 lbs!

Now I’m gonna take a safe bet and guess that the majority of you won’t need anything past the 120lb range if that. Now the Elite USA, Pro EXP, and Sport EXP all have a weight range of 5-50. Now, these can all be increased to 90 lbs with expansion kits.

My strategy would be to buy as you progress. Don’t buy more weight than you need.

They also have small dumbbell options with the pro 32 and sport 24; however, unless you’re exceptionally weak or only plan on using the power blocks for very light, small movements, I wouldn’t recommend buying them as these are not expandable like the others.

Now for any freakazoids reading this article, you can get a 175 lb power block. However, it’s gonna cost you. If you’re looking to build a home gym without breaking the bank, go checkout the power blocks.

Things To Keep In Mind When Buying Dumbbells

Now before you go and buy from any of these websites I want you to ask yourself a few questions. It’s a wise practice to do before dropping a small house loan of exercise equipment.

Do You Have The Space?

Now having the money to buy all of this equipment is all fine and dandy until you realize that your basement has now become a claustrophobic mess of fitness equitment.

I know having a full dumbbell rack is every home gym owner’s dream, but even if it’s in your budget if you don’t have the space, there’s nothing wrong with going for the adjustable options on the list.

How Long Will The Dumbbell Remain Useful?

Now when you’re first starting out, you think that a 50 lb dumbbell is heavy until you start making your novice gains.

If you are in your first few months of lifting and are training correctly, i.e. big heavy barbell movements, you’re actually training legs, you’re sleeping enough, and eating in a caloric surplus, you will be gaining strength at a rapid pace.

You may want to consider your dumbbell choices carefully as you’re zooming through different weight ranges. When buying, I would also consider leaning towards heavier dumbbells as they will be useful for longer.

Does The Dumbbell Feel Good In Your Hand?

Now this one is important if you plan to use these long term. If the dumbbell is too big or small for your hand, has a bad grip, or just doesn’t feel good to hold, you should look elsewhere.

Everyone’s hand size, shape, and length are different, so there is no definitive answer to what is the best dumbbell.

What’s Better, An Adjustable Or Fixed Dumbbell?

Now I cover a lot of Vs topics on this blog, bulking vs shredding, non-stim pre-workout vs stim pre-workout, but I am yet to do a fitness equipment vs section, until now.

What is better, the adjustable or fixed dumbbell?

For most people, and by most people, I mean anyone who makes under 6 figures a year, adjustable will be the way to go. They’re space-efficient, cost-effective, and highly portable.

However, if you have the money and the space, the fixed dumbbell is the way to go. Having a rack full of these is every home gym owner’s dream.

So I would give the edge to adjustable for most people, but for the 1% of people out there who have the space, and funds fixed is the way to go.

Barbell Vs Dumbbell Training (Which Is Better?)

Now, this is another commonly debated topic, which is better, barbell or dumbbell training? I personally lean towards barbells, but they each have their own pros and cons.

Pros Of Barbell Training

Call me old school, but I’m a big believer in the benefits of barbell training. However, I can understand why others prefer dumbbell training.

Now the biggest draw of barbells is their versatility; I mean, you can base a whole program around a barbell, a rack, and a couple of plates pretty easily. The amount of exercises you can perform with this one piece of equipment is mind-blowing.

They are the best tool for building strength, and one of the best tools for building muscle as well.

In your first year or so of training, you can exclusively use just barbells and make major size and strength gains. If you’re looking to build a home gym, barbells will be the way to go, as they are the most cost-effective piece of equipment you can buy.

They’re easy to load, extremely stable, and they allow you to perform 5 out of the 6 primary compound movements.

Pros Of Dumbbell Training

Now dumbbell training is the preferred method among most modern-day gym bros. They allow for more range of motion; they’re easier on the joints, and they also offer a unilateral component that is lacking in standard barbell training.

The versatility of dumbbells almost rivals the barbell with the number of exercises you can perform with it.

However, I would dare to argue that even though dumbbell training allows for more exercise variety, the exercise exercises you can perform with barbells are much higher quality and more effective.

Now some people believe that you can build more muscle with dumbbell training compared to barbell training. This may or not be true; however, the difference isn’t enough to make up for the strength-building benefits of barbells, which is why they will always be number 1 in my eyes.

FAQs

1) Is a 20-pound dumbbell 40 pounds?

Yes, when held in both hands a 20 lb dumbbell does equate to a total weight of 40 lbs.

2) What is a good dumbbell weight for beginners?

If you’re an absolute beginner just starting out, I would say 10-25 lbs on lighter, more isolation-focused movements and 35-60 lbs on heavier multi-joint compound movements is a pretty good range to be in weight-wise.

3) What is the best dumbbell set?

If money wasn’t an issue, the REP 5-100 lb urethane dumbbell set would be my go-to.

4) How much do dumbbell sets cost?

Dumbbell sets are extremely pricey, usually never costing less than a thousand dollars. Dumbbell sets will usually cover 50lb weight ranges, i.e. 5-50 lbs, 50-100lbs, and 100-150 lbs.

Conclusion

I hope you found this article helpful, if not entertaining. We talk about many fitness topics here at SHREDDIT, including but not limited to supplements, muscle growth, bulking, cutting, exercise selection, and so on.

Now if you liked this article go checkout the rest of the blog, the longer you browse the more I profit, which means more content for you as I can pay writers.

With that, I gotta go write another article, so goodbye for now.