Easy and comfortable to hold, this pair offers a soft cushioned grip that felt secure in both dry and wet hands during testing. We also appreciate the dumbbell's durability and think that they'll last years in your at-home gym—making them well worth the rather hefty investment. The adjustable dumbbells also come with their own stands, which makes organization simpler. People who use smaller weight rooms or need to save space for other items would be wise to buy adjustable dumbbells. Disadvantages of Adjustable Dumbbells We appreciate that the weights are shaped like regular dumbbells and can be used for all exercises you would do with traditional dumbbells, without requiring you to alter your form or the way you hold them. And our grip was solid with both wet and dry hands. When testing, we adjusted between 15-20 pounds in a circuit of five exercises. Changing the weight between exercises took less than 10 seconds from finishing one exercise, adjusting the weight, and then getting ready for the next exercise. We loved how grippy the pair was with dry hands, but did notice some slipping when performing exercises with wet hands. When dropped on gym flooring, the dumbbells remained completely intact with no scratches. And dropping them on concrete resulted in only minor scratches with no broken or chipped parts. We think that this pair offers reliable durability, making them well worth the investment. The Bowflex SelectTech dumbbell could be better for beginners who want something simple to work with as well as lifters who really want to use the weights in all the ways you would a fixed dumbbell. The lifter who makes time a priority may also be pleased with the Bowflex adjustable dumbbell because turning the dials is faster than removing and adding a pin. Benefits of Adjustable Dumbbells

One thing that trips up many people about the handles is that they are caged in, which isn’t the most ergonomic thing in the world. On some movements, the bars hit your wrists. This isn’t a dealbreaker for me, but it’s worth noting. Durability Again, while the caged handle doesn’t bother me, I recognize that people used to lifting with traditional fixed dumbbells might not like the feeling. It might take some getting used to. But, it’s a small sacrifice to make considering the big value you get from these. A Little Noise

Even though these are my favorite adjustable dumbbells, they aren’t without their flaws. High Weight Bulkiness The 5 to 50-pound weight options make this a great choice for most levels, but advanced weightlifters may want to opt for a heavier set, like NÜOBELL's 80LB Classic Adjustable Dumbbells. And beginners should note that the 5-pound increments offer less accessibility to a lower weight. Requiring zero assembly, ProForm's Select-a-Weight Adjustable Dumbbells arrived setup and ready to use. They offer a compact footprint compared to other options on our list, making them great for smaller living spaces. We love this pair for space-saving strength training, but if you're looking for a super versatile set, this isn't the one for you.

Each of the Sport Series has a rubber grip and a more open handle design intended to give the user a wider range of motion. The design of the Sport dumbbells is “sportier” than the other models because it has a more aerodynamic, rounded weight look. The biggest difference between these and the Elite Series, which are what we recommend most often, is where they’re manufactured. Elite Series Isabella Broggini is the Commerce Editor for Verywell Fit and a certified personal trainer who has trained clients at Equinox. Isabella strength-trains using dumbbells several times a week. While testing adjustable dumbbells in The Verywell Testing Lab, Isabella focused her attention on the time it took to adjust each dumbbell throughout the workout circuit as well as how long it took her to set up and unbox each dumbbell. She performed side-by-side comparisons of products and collected first-hand data. and below: We don't recommend dumbbells with this rating; you won't find any on our list. How We Tested the Adjustable Dumbbells The BowFlex SelectTech adjustable dumbbell is easier to operate because you adjust a dial to change the weights. The dials can be turned in either direction. You have to make sure the numbers are the same on both ends of the weight before removing it from the stand.We were also impressed that the dumbbells came fully assembled and were super easy to set up. Easier to store than other options on our list, this pair came with its own storage bases. Overall, recommend this set to someone who doesn't require weights below 15 pounds and feels comfortable progressing weights in 10-pound increments. Weight Increments : 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15, 17.5, 20, 22.5, 25, 27.5, 30, 32.5, 35, 37.5, 40, 42.5, 45, 47.5 and 50 LBS (per hand) To curate a list of the best adjustable dumbbells, members of the Verywell Fit editorial team tested 30 adjustable dumbbells in The Verywell Testing Labto see how they performed in key areas. We rated each set on a scale of 1 (would not recommend) to 5 (highly recommend) for ease of setup, adjustability, ease of use, grip, durability, storage, and overall value.