Strength training

Home strength equipment is sold by the pound and stored by the square foot, so the two questions that matter are how much room it takes and how long it takes to set up. A pair of adjustable dumbbells and a bench will cover more sessions than a rack that is too awkward to leave out.

The choices fall into three groups: dumbbells, a bench, and a barbell with plates and somewhere to rack it. Each group assumes the one before it, because a straight bar is only useful when there is a rack to lift it from and a floor that can take a dropped load.

Storage and setup time decide what actually gets used. Equipment that has to be assembled before every session tends to stay in the corner, while a bench that lives under a window and a pair of dumbbells on a stand get picked up without a second thought.

What actually decides a purchase here

Floor loading: a loaded rack and a lifter put a lot of weight on a small area, and an upper floor may not be the place for it.
Setup and put-away time, which decides whether the equipment gets used on a short evening.
Handle length on adjustable dumbbells, and bar width against the space you actually have to move in.
Whether the parts that wear, such as knurling, pads, pins and bearings, can be replaced on their own.

Our picks in this category

Strength training

Bowflex adjustable dumbbells, 5–50 lb

One pair of dumbbells that stands in for a rack of fixed pairs, with a dial to change the load.

Best for: Small flats, and anyone who trains alone with dumbbells and has nowhere to store a rack.
Watch out for: The shell around the plates is plastic and does not enjoy being dropped; these are set down, not thrown.

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Strength training

REP Fitness flat utility bench

A flat bench with a narrow pad and a wide base, so your shoulders and your feet stay where you put them.

Best for: Pressing with dumbbells or a barbell in a room where the bench stays out of the way.
Watch out for: It is flat only. Anyone who wants incline work needs a different bench, and a heavier one.

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Strength training

Rogue Olympic barbell, 20 kg

A straight 20 kg bar with a knurl that grips without tearing and sleeves that turn.

Best for: A garage or ground-floor room with a rack, plates and space to set the bar down.
Watch out for: A bar is useless on its own: plates, a rack and floor clearance come first, and all of them take room.

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