I’ve been looking for a great adjustable Dumbbell set for my roommate and I to use. We have a busy schedule, the gym is far from where we live and is often filled with people who are more interested in gossiping than getting results and being healthy. In short, we have lives, so we want to get our workouts done without interference and within our time schedule. My roommate got P90x and he does not want to buy a bunch of dumbbells that will clutter up the apartment. So we agreed that adjustable dumbbells are the way to go. There are a few brands on the market so I did some research to find out which would be best for us, it did not take me long to realize that there are some important factors to consider when buying an adjustable dumbbell set online. They are:
- Ease of use
- Durability
- Weight range
- Reasonable Warranty
- Good Reviews
- Good price
After spending a few days researching, we came to the conclusion that the Bowflex selecttech 552 dumbbells meet all of the above. If you get an adjustable dumbbell based on price you will quickly find out that the cheaper ones are generally harder to use, don’t last as long and will probably end up costing you more on the long run. So stick with me as I will be explaining how each of those factors relate to the Bowflex selecttech 552 dumbbells
Ease of use
They are easily adjustable – you can easily adjust the weights for incremental strength and muscle gains. It is also space efficient and takes up very little space in my apartment (only 17 X17 inches on the floor). It doesn’t take up the space that 15+ dumbbells would!
Weight range
From 5lbs – 52.5 lbs – this allows you to work at a weight that is comfortable, and experience strength and muscle gains.
Durability and safety
Notice the metal tab
This is important for me – I want dumbbells that would last for a long time, now as I was doing research I realized that there were a few complaints about it breaking and the weights falling off. This really concerned me, but after further research I realized that this is because they were either being dropped after use, and/or had the 2008 model which had issues with the weights falling out. BUT this was fixed with the 2009 model which now uses metal tabs on the weights to lock them securely in place. They will last for a long time as long as you take care of them. Make sure not drop them because they will not last as long.
How to make them last longer
- Don’t drop the weights on the ground
- Use them as instructed on the accompanying DVD
- They have a 2 year warranty on all parts and a 5 year warranty on the weight plates – You can replace them if I need to.
Warranty
Comes with a 2 year warranty on all parts and a 5 year warranty on the weight plates. If something should happen, just send it back to them, and they will have them functioning in no time.
What others are saying
This adjustable dumbbell set has received good reviews from most customers on the web and fitness forums with an average of 4 out of 5 stars.
Here are some comments to date
“We are 100% happier we bought these”
“BEST DUMBELLS EVER!!!!”
“Great dumbbells if you need to conserve space where you work out”
“Excellent product. Dumbbells are easy to use and save me considerable time during my workout.”
“…expensive, but a solid investment”
“I am pleased to report that they work great!”
“These are great well-designed dumbbells, and I strongly recommend them.”
Any complaints
The two complaints we found were that it broke easily and the weights would come off while working out. As previously mentioned, I did further research and found out that it was because of two reasons
- The weights were being dropped after working out – which is not advised with any adjustable dumbbell brands
- They had the 2008 model which has brittle plastic tabs. The 2009 model has being improved with metal tabs to hold the weights in place and is safe. For those who have the 2008 model, if your warranty is valid you can get them replaced.
Where can I get the best deal?
You can buy this adjustable dumbbell on Amazon. At the moment they include free shipping and from what I can tell when comparing prices with other online merchants, Amazon do currently have the best deal especially with the free shipping option. Because of this they do tend to sell out quickly, so be sure to get them while they still have them in stock. Bow flex does have a payment plan but this will end up costing you more on the long run.
