Great video. I have had the Bowflex dumbbells for 8 years, but will finally upgrade to the Rep Peppin’s in early 2025. Great to see the product progression in this space.
Ironmaster should be in S tier. They feel the most like a real dumbbell, they go heavy, they are super durable, and there are no little parts that will wear out or break. The only disadvantage is that they are slightly slower to change than some but still reasonable. Definitely should be S tier.
I agree. The Ironmasters are great. They are a little slow to change but they are very durable. As long as you don't do stupid things with them, they will not break.
Love my Powerblock Pro series. I know being square shape and all felt a bit strange at the beginning especially pressing them but once you get used to it then you feel like a bad ass lol they just look mean! Quality Dumbbells 🔥
I started my garage gym 8 years ago. I purchased a pair of IronMasters with the extension set. I’ve had them for 8 years. They are indestructible and will outlive me (I’m 45 now) and my kid will use them in his garage gym. Yes it’s not super convenient to change weight plates but I’ll take the simplicity and durability of them. Plus the knurl is 🔥. A bonus made in the USA! My favorite piece of home gym equipment I’ve ever bought.
Just got my IronMasters set including extensions up to 54KG last week as well in NL, Europe. Switching up the weights will not take that much time but doing something like a circuit will be difficult. I plan on getting something like an E-Z bar that can use the same weight, so that I can do a circuit of exercises using the same type of weights, since I will not be using all of them except for my heaviest exercises which I tend not to circuit anyways. Overall I'm happy so far. They feel like normal dumbells and seem very durable. I think my kids will inherit these in 50 years. Would have been nice if there is an EZ-bar with quick-locks like the adjustable dumbells though. Using the quick-lock mechanism instead of just a screw.
Totally get the rankings, but man, I have had my Bowfex 1090 dumbbells for ~15 years now and legit have never had any problems. Not sure if the originals were made with better equipment, or I just took really good care of them, or got lucky. They have met and exceeded their value vs the initial cost. That being said, I want some REPPINs lol
😂 same here! I got the 552's and they still work great, also like 15+ years old, I feel so old school. I'm finally getting my first cable machine, the Anker 7 based on Coop's review, it fits my need perfectly. Thanks for all the reviews.
i was coming here to say the exact same thing. i looked up when i bought my 1090s...september 2010...still going strong, zero issues and worth their weight in gold over the years i've used them. that said, i have "F" tier gungnir dumblers to go along with my weight plates and these are awesome. still use the 1090s, but prefer the dumblers. D and F tiers FTW!
Ironmasters are S-tier. It takes 30 seconds to change the weight, which has never once been a problem for me and they are virtually indestructible and feel great. I have a set of 45lb power blocks I use for doing arms and lateral raises etc purely because it’s a bit more convenient and that’s the only time I’d ever be doing fast drop sets etc . They can be found for $100 used pretty easily. Would probably give power blocks the A tier.
I really dig the core home DBs, got them in a package deal with the matching stand and put a lot of mileage on them each week. Time will tell if I need more than the 50 lbs max weight. Before I received them I was a little anxious about not liking the grips, but now that I've used them I have no concerns. If you can live with 50 lbs max, they are a really good value.
Here's one thing to consider for adjustable dumbbells: when my arms are FRIED from a set and I need to change the weight for the next set, I CANNOT set that heavy weight precisely into a weight stand. I love that the ironmasters it's actually separate. Yeah, it's slower to adjust, but it's ok with me. Think about when you're at the gym and you need to put the dumbbell back on the bottom shelf and that shelf is too far under the shelf above it. If that's a big pain for you at the gym, you might not like trying to slot a dumbbell into a weight stand either!
A short walk in stand solves this issue. I built my Repin cart 18” high (the surface that the cradle sits on) so I can walk in with my arms completely straight and lower the dumbbells back into place accurately without having to lift them up and over the edge of the cradle. Even after going to failure on DB seal rows it’s fairly easy, because guiding them into the dovetails doesn’t take a lot of effort like it would if the stand was higher.
@timk8258 just waiting until they sell that stand lol. It's also not side to side that's the issue, the dovetail does help with that, yes. But the forwards-backwards alignment is what I've found to be the issue. Not fun with 100s.
This is a point no one ever brings up. After a heavy set of presses, I launch myself forward off the bench and am able to slam my iron masters unto the stand no problem 😂 I have a pair of bowflex that I bought to keep at work ($50 Facebook marketplace find) and putting those back in the cradle after even using light weights is a pain. I imagine all the people with peppins are pushing their sets to 3 RIR so that they can re rack and not scratch their plates.
That's why I'm good with my Powerblocks Pro. I can leave them on the floor, change weight right there as i like. I don't need extra space for a stand/cradle, etc either. :)
@@DanFromGym you can add/remove plates on the QuickDraw without the cradle. I do that often when I just want an extra set with slightly lighter weight.
@JoeBuck: Black Friday is Ironmaster’s biggest sale of the year (20% off site wide + package discounts up to an additional 12% off). Ironmaster may have other sales throughout the year, but not sure if they’re as good as Black Friday. Sign up for Ironmaster newsletter for early announcements.
@@JoeBuck-uc3bl Ironmaster’s biggest sale of the year is Black Friday (20% off site wide plus additional package discounts up to 12% off). They may have other sales throughout the year, but not sure if they’re as good as Black Friday. Sign up for Ironmaster newsletter for early announcements.
Ironmaster are the most balanced, most compact db and stand footprint, most durable, and most versatile adjustable dumbbell on the market. The *only* benefit the pepin fasts have over ironmasters are the quick adjustments. Ironmaster with heavy handles + 120lb expansion creates a 20-135lb adjustable DB that takes the smallest footprint with their original stand. The weights are also compatible with the KB handle which are adjustable from 22.5-80lbs. Compatible with the adjustable mace, the weight vest, even a cable machine and straight bar/curl bar.
I love the Ironmaster DBs as well. I have the heavy handle kit and am just about to graduate to the expansion weight plate to go to 135. I also have their Kettlebell handle. Works really well with their weight plates and regular and long screws.
@@bmbullman : The whole eco system of Ironmaster makes this product an A+, they don't have all the geewiz factor that the Peppins/Reppins do, but the fact that you can use these weights on a straight bar for lighter barbell exercises, or put them on a kettlebell handle, or go crazy with additional weights is a huge advantage. Plus you can't beat the support from Ironmaster. I wanted another handle set so my wife and I could workout together and not have to 'share' the dumbbells or wait around for each other to finish up, and they sold me an extra set of handles. Great product, great company equals an extra + on that A in my book.
The only thing I disagree with is Ironmaster they're either S-tier or A+ on their own. The longevity of them is unmatched, you can't really say that about any of the others can you? How many of these adjustable dumbbells have the same track record? What they give up in quick adjustments they more than make up for in longevity and expandability. They can afaik go the heaviest?
It blows my mind that NOBODY talks about the CAP Adjustable Dumbells. 10-55lbs in 5lb increments, get a pair for $250-300. I've had them for 2 years now and while they're not perfect, the value is pretty insane and mine still works perfectly fine.
@captainchaosxx3866 never used the bow flex ones so idk but I imagine the size is very similar. Handle width is 5.5" The weights are roughly 5 1/8" wide and 6 3/4" deep.
Got the REP quickdraw. Pretty dang good. I did lose a toenail when I forgot to lock in the 2.5 lbs plates though lol. User error. Paint the numbers on the tray and it's much easier to get the hang of it. I'll probably eventually get Ironmasters too, even if redundant, just because I am really intrigued by their ecosystem but I don't have the space for it currently. I also have a REP bench that is great too.
That would honestly be my setup QuickDraws and anything above ironmasters, but then for around the same price I could just get the repins, though I really like the ironmaster in that they are the most solid.
That’s my setup now. I use the Quickdraw for everything up to 50lbs and my Ironmaster’s for 55lbs and up. They compliment well and it’s nice to have a second set of dumbells when someone wants to work out with me.
Yeah got the quick draw as well. For me they are S-tier. These are the best adjustable in the 60lbs range with regards to price, ease of use and robustness. They can't be in the same class as the nuobell which are more expensive and so fragile. I'd go for the repins if I needed the added weight but still would prefer the QuickDraw system. Painted the number as well, 15 min job and it's so much better now.
Exactly the set up I am thinking about. Getting back into lifting and getting in shape, and I have an old off brand bowflex set and becnh that only goes up to 45. Thinking of getting the QuickDraws in the mean time and then either the Iron masters or Reppins once I max out the Quick draws. Then I will keep the two sets and get rid of this 45lbs set of DBs.
Thumbs up 👍 to you, bronski. A great in depth vid. Saving me a lot of time. I hope you're getting commission on some of these companies cause I'll be definitely buying something because of you.
I got the Powerblock Pro 100 Exp on Black Friday. They are great. I wanted something that could go to at least 100lb. They are definitely big but you get used to it. There's also a straight bar and ez-curl bar attachment for them. The bar is okay, kind of a pain to attach, but allows me to do a few more exercises like rows and deadlifts.
Ironmaster should be S Tier as they've been the standard of durability and go heavier. If speed really mattters to you get fixed nothing beats fixed for speed and durability. Anything with plastic parts that break or can't be dropped shouldn't be higher than C Tier. Rep Pepin hasn't been around long enough to crown it the King. Also not everyone is gonna like the cage design that so many adjustables use.
Dead-on with this comment. Ironmaster dumbbells above all. I’ve had mine for 15+ yrs, a year after the first set, I bought a second with the 120lb add-on (& have a 165 lb kit!!)They’re durable & long-lasting…standing the test of time. They’re good for low level lifters & advanced. A solid, gym-feel, won’t break-investment. And they don’t have a ‘cage,’ which I feel is just something to get in the way & are a definite path to injury.
The JD equipped knurled handles for my powerblocks were a game changer! Thanks for recommending those. I also would love to see Rogue come out with something to compete with the Reppins.
Love the video like always! I got the Snode AD80s on the first day of their Black Friday promotion. I wanted something that could last long and has a regular shape of a dumbbell. So far so good. The cast iron feels truly durable. The knurling is also perfect for me. Definitely an A tire.
Bowflex are not bad for the 'on sale' money. Had some for over a decade and still work well. Obviously technology and competition has developed things like the Repin's which are unbelievable, but the Bowflex are great if they are all you have.
Just jumped of the Ironmaster band wagon and purchased the 75lb dumbbells during their Black Friday sale. These dumbbells are awesome and wish I would have made these my first purchase in 2015 instead of my Powerblock Sport 9.0 I have owned my Powerblocks (70lb kit) for over 9 years and they have served me well. They are awkward for lateral raises and curls, but awesome for push and pull exercises. They’re very quick to add and drop weight, but time does increase when you need to remove the 2.5lb cylinders, probably takes around the same amount of time as switching weight for the Ironmasters. During the 9 years I made my first claim (2024)on replacing a 10lb increment because one of the welds broke, and this is only because my sons friend didn’t know how to treat them and dropped them after a bench set. After this minor mishap, this caused to look into a more sturdier dumbbell for my son and his friends. I came across Eisenlinks and IFast, which is another version of Eisenlink. They looked very promising, but I could not pull the trigger because I’ve never heard of the company, so I don’t know how their warranty claim would be in the future once people truly start using them and running into issues. Plus after Ironmaster’s Black Friday sale the price was around the same as Eisenlink from Amazon. I looked at Pepins, but this was before the linked with REP and they were still being sold from Canada, so spending nearly 2k for dumbbells was out of the question Now that they joined with REP the price has decreased, but still $1100 for the 85lb dumbbells. After testing them out at the Moreno Valley warehouse, that was my deciding factor to stick with the Ironmasters. Call me crazy and I’m FOS, but RepxPepins reminded me of my Powerblocks. They still had the cage feel with the rails, they made similar amount of noise, and still had to position them into the cradle. Yes they maybe indestructible, but still did not have the same feel as the Ironmasters or traditional dumbbell. Everyone says there’s no way their knuckles can hit the push pin out during lifts, I wouldn’t put past it we’ll be seeing more post later that they did. I don’t have large hands, but during my lifts using 50-70 options I did brush against the pin on the knuckle side. A quick fix of reversing the pin would solve the issue. Now to the 2.5 add in weights, they were a little snug to slide into the slot around the handles and I can see where people can scratch their hands on those spring pins too. Overall each dumbbell is going to have pros and cons and everyone has their own preferences. I personally wanted gym style dumbbells that would outlast me. I still couldn’t see spending $1100 on dumbbells that had a similar feel to my Powerblocks. So I would group the Ironmasters at or above RepxPepins
IMO Nuobell needs to be lower. They are soooooo fragile. If you are using them in a few workouts a week they *will* break eventually and can't be repaired (replacing the handle doesn't count). It's not just intentional drops the plastic internals wear down from normal use and you can break them just setting them down wrong if you are actually using all 80lbs.
I believe your opinion may be biased towards the reviews of other RUclipsrs. I love flicks videos just as much as others and agree that nupbells are NOT durable against dropping. However, everyday use and they won’t break. They will only break if you drop them multiple times. Use in CrossFit exercises that require quick drops. But to say they will break with everyday use is a lie. If you’ve used multiple pairs yourself, broken all of them from day to day use then very well; however, I don’t believe you have.
@@GLCEndeavors come back to me in 30 years and tell me how many handles you've gone through assuming you can even still get them. Gym equipment is supposed to be an incredible value proposition and not a consumable. I know the stuff I've selectively picked up will sell for most of what I bought it for 10, 20, 30 years down the line. You cannot say the same for Nuobells. And yeah, I've never personally owned them because the mechanism kept breaking for my friends and acquaintances so I ended up waiting for the Reppins.
Love the Trulaps with the thicker grips! I have a pair with another brand name (same a v2 of the Trulaps). There's also a black coloured plates version with nylon(?) inserts between the te plates for less 'rattling'.
I got the quickdraws and I'm a fan. If i had the money sitting around, I would've got the reppins. I will upgrade to those when I really NEED the weight.. (and have enough money )
I just ordered the Ironmaster 75 lbs dumbbell set with the add on kit to 120 lbs during the Black Friday sale got an EZ-curl bar too! Hyped to add these to my new home gym setup. Saved over $300 on the Black Friday sale 💪
How are nuobells and snode ranked above trulap? They are all the same price point, trulap is way more durable than nuobell and has much better weight change mechanic/increments than snode. Not saying to downgrade those but they should all be in the same tier be it A or B
I have a set of the Powerblock Commercial series dumbbells. This set goes up to 90 lbs in 5 lb increments. The set comes with four handles. Two 5lb and two 10lb handles all in a nicely designed compact stand. The stand tilts towards the front making it very easy to bring a heavy dumbbell over the top of the remaining plates to set it back in place. Switching weights is super fast and easy, due to the four handles and smooth polyurethane coating. There is no need to switch out handle weights and no 5lb handle weights to loose. When switching weights mine have never bound up or stuck together in any way and I have never felt like the dumbbell could come apart above my head. Everything about them exudes quality and attention to detail. The weight color coding system is easy to to adjust with both imperial pounds and kilograms clearly marked in writing that is easy to see. The top of the plates on the commercial series have rounded plates instead of square, like a loaf of bread, making them seem less clunky than the other Powerblock series dumbbells. I like the square bottom of the plates because when you set them on the floor they stay exactly where you put them. I have two twentyish year old sons who have used my Powerblock set throughout the last 10 years and they have never been broken or damaged. I have taught them the proper way to control dumbbells and that only idiots throw heavy weights on the floor. When I purchased this set, the two best options were the Ironmasters and the Powerblocks. I was leaning towards the Ironmasters but wanted something that weights could be changed more quickly on. I did not really care for the all square Powerblock design. When I saw the commercial series set in a hocky team training room I was very impressed with the design upgrades and clean functional package that the set came with. My opinion is the commercial series would bring the Powerblock rating up several steps.
Listen to the actual everyday users! IRONMASTER dumbbells are definitely S Tier. If you add the heavy handle kit!! IRONMASTER is KING hands down. Honestly, they don't get enough credit, and I don't know why. Their Olympic plates and bar are also really great and the cheapest (alot of people sleep on that lil tip right there)
As someone who casually works outs, the NordicTracks are a steal. Really compact and super quick to switch up during a workout. Price isn’t terrible either.
My rep x pepin ship in January! Woohoo! Gonna be a change going from a gym with fixed dumbbells to these but I’m excited. Only thing I’m slightly worried about is the rails/cage. Might feel funny for a while but I’m sure I’ll get used to it.
Got the REP Quickdraws, in Europe they are 30 kg, which is 66 pounds instead of 60 while keeping the same dimensions. I also painted the numbers white, so that you can easily see them (learned that trick from Gluck's Gym)
Okay I feel dumb... Forgive the ignorance.. but how are the pepin or adjustabell's up in B tier different from loadable dumbbells that got put in F tier? Are they the same just slightly better build quality? What am I missing?
The Kensui adaptabells are awesome. I would only upgrade to go all the way and get reppins. Everything in between is just a compromise that's not worth unless they're used and really cheap
I have had my Core adjustable dumbbells for more than 2 years. For the price, they are hard to beat. I don't need to go over 50 pounds, so they have been great.
Here’s my personal 8 year experience with Power Block: Pros: Good adjustability, user friendly, MOSTLY durable Cons: Long term durability. The square weight plates design is a poly material, NOT steel. Multiple weight plates (45lb, 75lb, 85lb) actually fell apart at the connection screws (where the black plates screw into the two rods). Essentially making weights heavier than those useless, because of the stacking design of these. Good for up to 7-8 years. I’d buy it again if they were steel at the screws makes the weight further out on RDLs for example.
A 35lb race car ballast cost $3500 and this would be harder to machine than that. I'd love to see a truly rich person shell out for someone like Pepin to make a custom set. There would be a lot of design challenges. It's twice a dense as steel so you might run into issues where the increments are too big.
2:10 Loadables definitely are best deal. Right now it’s $891 shipping and taxes for 12 total 10 pound plate pairs from StrengthCo. Loadable dumbbell handles $89.97 from Titan right now. Iron crush collars Amazon $30 Altogether that’s $1,110.97 shipped to my door for a120 pound each handle. And that’s all buying brand new. Could be cheaper for the handles if bought used or scratch and dent. Only paid $50 for mine. Equivalent pair of Rep Peppins: $1,399.99 Equivalent pair of Iron Masters: $1,097 + taxes Equivalent pair of Powerblocks: $1,859 + taxes Snodes don’t even go that high of weight It’s definitely cheaper for loadables and are equally adjustable, just not as quick for time or convenience.
And you don’t need special weight for loadable. I cut the weight price in half bc you can you plates for your dumbbells and barbells. Loadable are by far the cheapest and make the most sense. I’m new to buying home gym equipment so spending $1k on dumbbells is out of the question
Powerblock EXP Steel ‘18 series going on 3 years. No complaints. Go up to 90 lbs. Only complaint unable to use straps correctly when working back due to cage. But other than that, amazing.
Powerblocks are what I have. They have absolutely stood the test of time. I had the 85lb rexan pro for almost 10 years and used them often. Still have them but bought a new set 2 years ago of woot because they're were on clearance. ($388 for a whole 90lb set). I come from a time where it was only Bowflex or powerblock adjustable dumbbells. Glad I made the right choice.
I still think the Powerblock USA 90's are one of the best options. I personally would put it in at least A tier. It's quick changing (which automatically puts it above slow changing ones like ironmaster in my opinion), it's a great value at 90 lbs for only $797 with free shipping, it's durable, it's time tested for 30 years, and it's made in the USA. The only negatives are that it takes a few extra seconds to take out/put in the adder weights, and it's not good for things like pullovers which some people don't do anyway
Glad you put in eisenlink. I’ve been thinking of those. Another one that is modeled like the eisenlink is the I FAST hexagon dumbell. Same system. Can go to 160 pounds.
The Trulaps go by different names in other countries. They just have different branding. In the UK they are sold by Assassin Goods who have just launched a premium black version, which also supposedly has better, higher tolerance dovetails to connect the plates, plus they look so nice. Watch this space.
Came here to say this exact thing! Repins are going to swallow the market until Nuobell releases something durable instead of their fitness model photo prop.
I love dumbbell talk! I had the Bowflex 1090s for about a decade or more. Eventually the plates started falling off, but I got a lot of miles out of them and they were great for the time. I have had Nuobells for the last few years and there is no comparison. Major leap forward in every way. No complaints other than they only go to 80 pounds. 100's or 120s would be much better for pressing, but they are great for accessory or lighter weight movements. If you want more resistance, you can string a resistance band or two through them and across your back. A little awkward, but it works in a pinch.
Nuobells need to be lower, maybe not F, but D at the highest. D for lack of durability. As someone who had them and was very gentle with them, they broke the second time I went up to 80lbs 6 weeks after buying them. And that was just from setting them down on the ground gently. Plus, the customer service side doesn’t exist. They use the “it will break if your drop them” to get out of covering or replacing anything on the dumbbells if some of the plastic pieces fail. Truly the worst piece of gym equipment I have ever bought from a durability standpoint. Basically spent 700 dollars on glass dumbbells.
Both Bowflex and Powerblock could be higher - it feels like they were punished for being the same for decades. Right now, the old school power blocks seem to be getting cleared out (90 pound metal ones) and they are rather reasonable versus other options too
Powerblocks have been the same for decades because they work. Coop reviewed the Powerblock Pro 100 EXP's and did so favorably less than a year ago. I bought them based on his review, now he's like "eh, putting them in the C tier". I've had mine since March. I love them.
I'm not sure how powerblocks could really innovate. Aside from small things like offering a knurled handle, the appeal to me at least is the very simple and durable design. The Elite EXPs are a great budget pick.
I have the Snodes with the magnets. I use them like 5 times a week and love them. The magnets get weird on some exercises, but I even use them to micro load my barbell stuff.
I think the “barbell-style” adjustable dumbbells are underrated. Features: -Use barbell attachments. -Increasing weight capacity is as easy as picking up some 5 or 10 pound plates. -Asymmetric loading options is a feature for controlling how reps feel. -As hard to break as a barbell. -SUPER CHEAP. I got a pair of handles for $40 new. -Practically no limit on weight loading when you can use Olympic plates.
Another great video coop.keep up the good work. Would love to see a tier list for deadlift barbells . From giant, Valor, American barbell, rep, rogue, Texas and 4 other low level to mid level. My youngest kid new thing is sumo, deadlift, and open trap bar deadlift. I bought the giant northland open trap bar base off your trap bar deadlift ranking list. We had it for 2 weeks and using it every other day. The built qualify seems to be good. They got the 48lb weight right. Not too heavy like titan, rep, kabuki. I also picked up the balance from open trap bar. Budget for outside use.
I have had the power lock elite UsA for -0 years. Still love them. Super compact. I love the cage and the multiple grip options. I also prefer that these don’t have knurled handles. Much more comfortable to me. I think these are A tier.
As an owner of 125lb powerblocks (fb marketplace steal), one of the things i love about them is that they really haven't innovated. When i was in the market for like 6 months trying to find a deal on adjustable dumbells, ive come across so many build quality issues and failures from even the most modern and premium adjustable dumbells. While the footprint of the powerblock is large when its 100lbs+, it is rock solid. Yes, I would prefer to have a magical dumbell rack from 5-125lbs in my apartment (lol),but thats the cost of convenience. I know that if it ever breaks (doubtful), i easily will be able to fix it. Gimme my OG giant cinderblock dumbells LOL
About 6 years ago brought a cheap knock-off version of bowflex adjustable dumbbells off Amazon With maximum weight of 24 kg under £300 ( for both) they a bit loose now but still going strong Considering how much adjustable dumbbells are now I feel I still got a bargain
I bought the Powerblock Elites because of your reviews. I liked that i could buy the 50's and expand them (which i did) up to 90 and incremental with 2.5 lbs
IMO Ironmasters should be S ... with the heavy handle kit these feel exactly like fixed dumbbells. Also, the other brands rattle. The IM never rattle. I also don't like the rail system of the other brand or the micro add-on plate design. .
Love my Iron Maters! At the time, Peppin’s was double the price I paid for my IMs so it was an easy choice but I’d still go with IMs now to save the money and not to have any rails on the side. Definitely a harder choice tho now that the Reppins are a thing! IMs still S tier in my eyes
I’ve owned the 552s for about 15 years with no issues whatsoever in durability. It’s all about how you take care of your stuff. My only real complaint is how hard it is to get in the cradle with max or close to max weight. Something that is NEVER talked about by reviewers of cradle style adjustable DBs. I also have iron masters with heavy handle. Use the 552s for 40 and below and the iron masters for 45-90.
Would love to see this video redone with what I'd objectively best and not done based on what are most popular, nuo bells are so high for no reason and the mx85s are built so well and get the job done well for such a low price. Their size is hardly an issue in actual use
Thanks for the video ! I'm looking for a durable model, since I recently broke an adjustable dumbbell I bought on Amazon. It was at 32kg, I lost the grip while switching hands, it fell from approximately waist height, and the plastic pins holding weights just ruptured.
Powerblocks baby, they last. And I don't mind the cage but if you do then I dunno there are plenty of other options and a lot of them these days are built more durable
I want to see a review on the CAP adjustable dumbbells on Amazon. Ordered a set and they seem pretty decent so far. Would like to hear your take though, Thanks!
Same! Mine haven’t had any issues sticking, and I love the small incremental changes. At times dropping 5 pounds is more than I need, so having that 2.5ish pound option is great
I got a set from Braingain, which are the exact same but in Europe and they're fantastic. Changing is super smooth and my wife can use them easily because of the increments. They are bigger than my Nuobells but not by much. I wanted to get the Rep x Pepins but they don't ship to Greece yet so I might look into them in a few years.
I love my PB Pro 50’s w/ urethane & non square design. I honestly just want 15 more LBs. But love the portability, ability to drop set anywhere, and build quality.
Do u have a full review on the repXpeppin ? Curious how they hold up with different exercises specific 1 would be dumbbells tricep extension. The handle is definitely not ur typical handle but they definitely look like a better option then bowflexs 1090s. Been looking at 1090s but there's more options these days . Def looking at something between 85 to 100lbs with increments of 5lbs
loadable dumbell is the best imo everything else is just way to light. You can load up 100kg on loadable dumbells no issue at all and you still can make them work for benching
i went with powerblock sport EXP stage 3 90lbs when they were on Woot dirt cheap earlier this year. The 90lb setup cost me $400 shipped. I then upgraded to stainless handles from average joes for another $100, and got tired of adjusting them on the floor so i got the powerblocks stand from woot for $110. they're a pain to adjust weight when they're on the floor. Hard to beat that setup for $500 including stainless handles.
I got some pepins from fb marketplace and love them. Really nice knurling. Feels like a premium barbell. Currently waiting on some weightitout in the mail currently!
Anker 7 or tonal without subscription. Just use it as a cable machine. Which one would you think is better??... Someone is selling a like new tonal for 1350 but Anker 7 looks nice also
Nuobell getting A tier but Trulap getting B tier don't make no sense. Trulaps are similar price, warranty 1 drop, have better adjustments, and are made with higher quality components. Also they're sexy AF.
I completely agree. I have used both and have now sold my Nuobell. I was always afraid the Nuobells were going to break after too much use and that's why I bought the Trulaps when they went on sale.
My poor loadable dumbbells. To be fair, I only do 2-3 different exercises with dumbbells so I have 3 different sets of the loadable dumbbells and only change them when it's time to add weight for that exercise.
I have the Bowflex 1090s and 552s, haven’t had any issues, the 1090s are big though and can be a bit awkward but they do the job. Only complaint I have besides the size is sometimes I have a hard time getting it out of the cradle, don’t know why they stick sometimes but I waste some energy trying to yank them out of the cradle and it pisses me off
It's weird seeing these dumbbells at the price they are at while i'm still rocking the OG selecttech 1090s from 2010 at half price. I do agree that they're just little too big
I've had the Nuobells for a few years now and they are great of you take care of them. You shouldn't be throwing or dropping dumbells anyway. I've seen so many bent and loose commercial grade dumbells at big box gyms.
S TIER:
17:40 PEPIN FAST SERIES + REP x PEPIN FAST SERIES
A TIER:
14:10 Core Home Fitness dumbbells
14:47 REP Quickdraws
15:32 Snode AD80s
16:10 Ironmaster dumbbells
16:45 Nüobells
B TIER:
8:50 Trulaps
9:35 Kensui AdaptaBELL Pro
10:35 PEPIN HD SERIES
11:21 MX55 dumbbells
11:38 NordicTrack 55
12:23 Powerblock Elite USA
13:13 Eisenlinks
C TIER:
4:49 BAADASS dumbbells
5:39 MX85 dumbbells
6:49 PowerBlock Pro 100 EXP
7:45 Ativafit 1166
D TIER:
2:47 Flybird adjustable dumbbells
3:41 Bowflex SelectTech 1090s
4:08 Bowflex SelectTech 552s
F TIER:
1:41 Loadable dumbbells
the real GOAT
thank you man
You read my mind.
MVP
The real hero amongst us.
Great video. I have had the Bowflex dumbbells for 8 years, but will finally upgrade to the Rep Peppin’s in early 2025. Great to see the product progression in this space.
Ironmaster should be in S tier. They feel the most like a real dumbbell, they go heavy, they are super durable, and there are no little parts that will wear out or break. The only disadvantage is that they are slightly slower to change than some but still reasonable. Definitely should be S tier.
Yeah the only downside is the speed. The Reppins side rails look like they would annoy me for some exercises.
@raven-19x ya I haven't tried them but I definitely agree.
🙏 thank you!
@@ChanceYoungI owned both. The Reppins feel better than ironmasters to me. The rails have zero effect on me using them. Superior in every way.
I agree. The Ironmasters are great. They are a little slow to change but they are very durable. As long as you don't do stupid things with them, they will not break.
Love my Powerblock Pro series. I know being square shape and all felt a bit strange at the beginning especially pressing them but once you get used to it then you feel like a bad ass lol they just look mean! Quality Dumbbells 🔥
I started my garage gym 8 years ago. I purchased a pair of IronMasters with the extension set. I’ve had them for 8 years. They are indestructible and will outlive me (I’m 45 now) and my kid will use them in his garage gym. Yes it’s not super convenient to change weight plates but I’ll take the simplicity and durability of them. Plus the knurl is 🔥. A bonus made in the USA! My favorite piece of home gym equipment I’ve ever bought.
I don’t think it’s made in the USA. But is designed in the USA. Made in Taiwan.
I just received my Ironmasters. Love them.
💪
how do you micro load? they only go up in 10 pound increments
@@ivpryThere are 2.5lbs plates too
@@ivpry the 45 and 75 sets include 2.5 lb plates. We also sell Micro Plates set of 4 that are 1.25 lbs each. 💪
Just got my IronMasters set including extensions up to 54KG last week as well in NL, Europe. Switching up the weights will not take that much time but doing something like a circuit will be difficult. I plan on getting something like an E-Z bar that can use the same weight, so that I can do a circuit of exercises using the same type of weights, since I will not be using all of them except for my heaviest exercises which I tend not to circuit anyways. Overall I'm happy so far. They feel like normal dumbells and seem very durable. I think my kids will inherit these in 50 years.
Would have been nice if there is an EZ-bar with quick-locks like the adjustable dumbells though. Using the quick-lock mechanism instead of just a screw.
Totally get the rankings, but man, I have had my Bowfex 1090 dumbbells for ~15 years now and legit have never had any problems. Not sure if the originals were made with better equipment, or I just took really good care of them, or got lucky. They have met and exceeded their value vs the initial cost. That being said, I want some REPPINs lol
😂 same here! I got the 552's and they still work great, also like 15+ years old, I feel so old school. I'm finally getting my first cable machine, the Anker 7 based on Coop's review, it fits my need perfectly. Thanks for all the reviews.
I've had my 1090s since 2012, no issue. I have almost no use for a dumbell under 60lbs so any adjustable that doesn't operate above that is junk.
i was coming here to say the exact same thing. i looked up when i bought my 1090s...september 2010...still going strong, zero issues and worth their weight in gold over the years i've used them. that said, i have "F" tier gungnir dumblers to go along with my weight plates and these are awesome. still use the 1090s, but prefer the dumblers. D and F tiers FTW!
Same since 2010. No issues.
Ironmasters are S-tier. It takes 30 seconds to change the weight, which has never once been a problem for me and they are virtually indestructible and feel great. I have a set of 45lb power blocks I use for doing arms and lateral raises etc purely because it’s a bit more convenient and that’s the only time I’d ever be doing fast drop sets etc . They can be found for $100 used pretty easily. Would probably give power blocks the A tier.
Thank you 💪
$100!?! That’s crazy talk
I really dig the core home DBs, got them in a package deal with the matching stand and put a lot of mileage on them each week. Time will tell if I need more than the 50 lbs max weight. Before I received them I was a little anxious about not liking the grips, but now that I've used them I have no concerns. If you can live with 50 lbs max, they are a really good value.
Here's one thing to consider for adjustable dumbbells: when my arms are FRIED from a set and I need to change the weight for the next set, I CANNOT set that heavy weight precisely into a weight stand. I love that the ironmasters it's actually separate. Yeah, it's slower to adjust, but it's ok with me. Think about when you're at the gym and you need to put the dumbbell back on the bottom shelf and that shelf is too far under the shelf above it. If that's a big pain for you at the gym, you might not like trying to slot a dumbbell into a weight stand either!
A short walk in stand solves this issue. I built my Repin cart 18” high (the surface that the cradle sits on) so I can walk in with my arms completely straight and lower the dumbbells back into place accurately without having to lift them up and over the edge of the cradle. Even after going to failure on DB seal rows it’s fairly easy, because guiding them into the dovetails doesn’t take a lot of effort like it would if the stand was higher.
@timk8258 just waiting until they sell that stand lol. It's also not side to side that's the issue, the dovetail does help with that, yes. But the forwards-backwards alignment is what I've found to be the issue. Not fun with 100s.
This is a point no one ever brings up. After a heavy set of presses, I launch myself forward off the bench and am able to slam my iron masters unto the stand no problem 😂 I have a pair of bowflex that I bought to keep at work ($50 Facebook marketplace find) and putting those back in the cradle after even using light weights is a pain. I imagine all the people with peppins are pushing their sets to 3 RIR so that they can re rack and not scratch their plates.
That's why I'm good with my Powerblocks Pro. I can leave them on the floor, change weight right there as i like. I don't need extra space for a stand/cradle, etc either. :)
@@DanFromGym you can add/remove plates on the QuickDraw without the cradle. I do that often when I just want an extra set with slightly lighter weight.
Just got my Ironmaster dumbbells (w/heavy handle kit) and Super Bench Pro V2 bench on Black Friday, both are S tier.
Do you know if Black Friday is the only time that they run sales?
@JoeBuck: Black Friday is Ironmaster’s biggest sale of the year (20% off site wide + package discounts up to an additional 12% off). Ironmaster may have other sales throughout the year, but not sure if they’re as good as Black Friday. Sign up for Ironmaster newsletter for early announcements.
@@JoeBuck-uc3bl Ironmaster’s biggest sale of the year is Black Friday (20% off site wide plus additional package discounts up to 12% off). They may have other sales throughout the year, but not sure if they’re as good as Black Friday. Sign up for Ironmaster newsletter for early announcements.
Ironmaster are the most balanced, most compact db and stand footprint, most durable, and most versatile adjustable dumbbell on the market. The *only* benefit the pepin fasts have over ironmasters are the quick adjustments.
Ironmaster with heavy handles + 120lb expansion creates a 20-135lb adjustable DB that takes the smallest footprint with their original stand. The weights are also compatible with the KB handle which are adjustable from 22.5-80lbs. Compatible with the adjustable mace, the weight vest, even a cable machine and straight bar/curl bar.
I love the Ironmaster DBs as well. I have the heavy handle kit and am just about to graduate to the expansion weight plate to go to 135. I also have their Kettlebell handle. Works really well with their weight plates and regular and long screws.
@@bmbullman : The whole eco system of Ironmaster makes this product an A+, they don't have all the geewiz factor that the Peppins/Reppins do, but the fact that you can use these weights on a straight bar for lighter barbell exercises, or put them on a kettlebell handle, or go crazy with additional weights is a huge advantage. Plus you can't beat the support from Ironmaster. I wanted another handle set so my wife and I could workout together and not have to 'share' the dumbbells or wait around for each other to finish up, and they sold me an extra set of handles. Great product, great company equals an extra + on that A in my book.
@@waynebrissette9459 Thank you, Wayne 💪
Rep Pepin’s are more compact actually…just as durable and way more versatile. They are just better all around.
@@mattymat1616 The RepPepins are in fact not as compact.
I was hoping for this list. The tier lists are great.
Ironmasters with heavy handle kit = goated. Speed change really isn’t that bad & they feel the best.
The only thing I disagree with is Ironmaster they're either S-tier or A+ on their own. The longevity of them is unmatched, you can't really say that about any of the others can you? How many of these adjustable dumbbells have the same track record? What they give up in quick adjustments they more than make up for in longevity and expandability. They can afaik go the heaviest?
I have the 92 lb Trulap. Love them... They've been durable for me. Love the quick change of weights.
It blows my mind that NOBODY talks about the CAP Adjustable Dumbells. 10-55lbs in 5lb increments, get a pair for $250-300. I've had them for 2 years now and while they're not perfect, the value is pretty insane and mine still works perfectly fine.
Are they as wide like them bowflex kinds? I've been thinking of buying a couple lately.
@captainchaosxx3866 never used the bow flex ones so idk but I imagine the size is very similar.
Handle width is 5.5"
The weights are roughly 5 1/8" wide and 6 3/4" deep.
I came to this video hoping they would be ranked but they didn’t even make the list. At least I know to skip on the bowflex.
Got the REP quickdraw. Pretty dang good. I did lose a toenail when I forgot to lock in the 2.5 lbs plates though lol. User error. Paint the numbers on the tray and it's much easier to get the hang of it. I'll probably eventually get Ironmasters too, even if redundant, just because I am really intrigued by their ecosystem but I don't have the space for it currently. I also have a REP bench that is great too.
That would honestly be my setup QuickDraws and anything above ironmasters, but then for around the same price I could just get the repins, though I really like the ironmaster in that they are the most solid.
That’s my setup now. I use the Quickdraw for everything up to 50lbs and my Ironmaster’s for 55lbs and up. They compliment well and it’s nice to have a second set of dumbells when someone wants to work out with me.
Yeah got the quick draw as well. For me they are S-tier. These are the best adjustable in the 60lbs range with regards to price, ease of use and robustness. They can't be in the same class as the nuobell which are more expensive and so fragile. I'd go for the repins if I needed the added weight but still would prefer the QuickDraw system.
Painted the number as well, 15 min job and it's so much better now.
Exactly the set up I am thinking about. Getting back into lifting and getting in shape, and I have an old off brand bowflex set and becnh that only goes up to 45. Thinking of getting the QuickDraws in the mean time and then either the Iron masters or Reppins once I max out the Quick draws. Then I will keep the two sets and get rid of this 45lbs set of DBs.
Same. Very happy with my Quickdraws and planning to move to Reppins if/when I need the weight.
Man Coop loves the Nuobells! Even when he talks about them breaking easily he still ranks them high.
Guarantee affiliate income related
@ Might be. For an adjustable dumbbell that hasn’t changed or been upgraded at all he stays for loyal to them
Facts bro! I started to notice this when he put them above the OG Pepin adjustable dumbbells...I'm glad people are noticing it.
@ That’s wild
Watch glucks review of them. He is as honest as it gets and says to stay away from them for the simple fact that they are not durable.
Thumbs up 👍 to you, bronski. A great in depth vid. Saving me a lot of time. I hope you're getting commission on some of these companies cause I'll be definitely buying something because of you.
So I see who's becoming new Dr. Robotnik on a new Sonic 3 movie ;)
Yeah the mustache is getting loud and majestic!
I got the Powerblock Pro 100 Exp on Black Friday. They are great. I wanted something that could go to at least 100lb. They are definitely big but you get used to it. There's also a straight bar and ez-curl bar attachment for them. The bar is okay, kind of a pain to attach, but allows me to do a few more exercises like rows and deadlifts.
Ironmaster should be S Tier as they've been the standard of durability and go heavier. If speed really mattters to you get fixed nothing beats fixed for speed and durability. Anything with plastic parts that break or can't be dropped shouldn't be higher than C Tier. Rep Pepin hasn't been around long enough to crown it the King. Also not everyone is gonna like the cage design that so many adjustables use.
Dead-on with this comment. Ironmaster dumbbells above all. I’ve had mine for 15+ yrs, a year after the first set, I bought a second with the 120lb add-on (& have a 165 lb kit!!)They’re durable & long-lasting…standing the test of time. They’re good for low level lifters & advanced. A solid, gym-feel, won’t break-investment. And they don’t have a ‘cage,’ which I feel is just something to get in the way & are a definite path to injury.
The JD equipped knurled handles for my powerblocks were a game changer! Thanks for recommending those. I also would love to see Rogue come out with something to compete with the Reppins.
Average Joe ones are better and not a stolen design
Love the video like always! I got the Snode AD80s on the first day of their Black Friday promotion. I wanted something that could last long and has a regular shape of a dumbbell. So far so good. The cast iron feels truly durable. The knurling is also perfect for me. Definitely an A tire.
Just bought Eisenlinks they are solid. Getting the 80# set for $400 on a Black Friday deal was definitely a bonus!
Bowflex are not bad for the 'on sale' money. Had some for over a decade and still work well. Obviously technology and competition has developed things like the Repin's which are unbelievable, but the Bowflex are great if they are all you have.
Just jumped of the Ironmaster band wagon and purchased the 75lb dumbbells during their Black Friday sale. These dumbbells are awesome and wish I would have made these my first purchase in 2015 instead of my Powerblock Sport 9.0
I have owned my Powerblocks (70lb kit) for over 9 years and they have served me well. They are awkward for lateral raises and curls, but awesome for push and pull exercises. They’re very quick to add and drop weight, but time does increase when you need to remove the 2.5lb cylinders, probably takes around the same amount of time as switching weight for the Ironmasters. During the 9 years I made my first claim (2024)on replacing a 10lb increment because one of the welds broke, and this is only because my sons friend didn’t know how to treat them and dropped them after a bench set. After this minor mishap, this caused to look into a more sturdier dumbbell for my son and his friends.
I came across Eisenlinks and IFast, which is another version of Eisenlink. They looked very promising, but I could not pull the trigger because I’ve never heard of the company, so I don’t know how their warranty claim would be in the future once people truly start using them and running into issues. Plus after Ironmaster’s Black Friday sale the price was around the same as Eisenlink from Amazon.
I looked at Pepins, but this was before the linked with REP and they were still being sold from Canada, so spending nearly 2k for dumbbells was out of the question
Now that they joined with REP the price has decreased, but still $1100 for the 85lb dumbbells. After testing them out at the Moreno Valley warehouse, that was my deciding factor to stick with the Ironmasters. Call me crazy and I’m FOS, but RepxPepins reminded me of my Powerblocks. They still had the cage feel with the rails, they made similar amount of noise, and still had to position them into the cradle. Yes they maybe indestructible, but still did not have the same feel as the Ironmasters or traditional dumbbell. Everyone says there’s no way their knuckles can hit the push pin out during lifts, I wouldn’t put past it we’ll be seeing more post later that they did. I don’t have large hands, but during my lifts using 50-70 options I did brush against the pin on the knuckle side. A quick fix of reversing the pin would solve the issue. Now to the 2.5 add in weights, they were a little snug to slide into the slot around the handles and I can see where people can scratch their hands on those spring pins too.
Overall each dumbbell is going to have pros and cons and everyone has their own preferences. I personally wanted gym style dumbbells that would outlast me. I still couldn’t see spending $1100 on dumbbells that had a similar feel to my Powerblocks. So I would group the Ironmasters at or above RepxPepins
IMO Nuobell needs to be lower. They are soooooo fragile. If you are using them in a few workouts a week they *will* break eventually and can't be repaired (replacing the handle doesn't count). It's not just intentional drops the plastic internals wear down from normal use and you can break them just setting them down wrong if you are actually using all 80lbs.
They are fragile. I just know way too many people that have them and have loved them over the long-term. - Coop
Mine haven’t broken in 3 years, I take care of them. They are fragile but they get used 3-4 times a week
Agreed. Maybe b tier
I believe your opinion may be biased towards the reviews of other RUclipsrs. I love flicks videos just as much as others and agree that nupbells are NOT durable against dropping. However, everyday use and they won’t break. They will only break if you drop them multiple times. Use in CrossFit exercises that require quick drops. But to say they will break with everyday use is a lie. If you’ve used multiple pairs yourself, broken all of them from day to day use then very well; however, I don’t believe you have.
@@GLCEndeavors come back to me in 30 years and tell me how many handles you've gone through assuming you can even still get them. Gym equipment is supposed to be an incredible value proposition and not a consumable. I know the stuff I've selectively picked up will sell for most of what I bought it for 10, 20, 30 years down the line. You cannot say the same for Nuobells.
And yeah, I've never personally owned them because the mechanism kept breaking for my friends and acquaintances so I ended up waiting for the Reppins.
Thank you for the shootout Coop ! It's very much appreciated ,
David.
Love the Trulaps with the thicker grips! I have a pair with another brand name (same a v2 of the Trulaps).
There's also a black coloured plates version with nylon(?) inserts between the te plates for less 'rattling'.
I got the quickdraws and I'm a fan. If i had the money sitting around, I would've got the reppins. I will upgrade to those when I really NEED the weight.. (and have enough money )
Same. Very happy with my Quickdraws and planning to move to Reppins if/when I need the weight.
I just ordered the Ironmaster 75 lbs dumbbell set with the add on kit to 120 lbs during the Black Friday sale got an EZ-curl bar too! Hyped to add these to my new home gym setup. Saved over $300 on the Black Friday sale 💪
I love their black friday deal plus how you save the more you buy from them
Like these videos. My plan is to build a home gym after i retire in a few years
How are nuobells and snode ranked above trulap? They are all the same price point, trulap is way more durable than nuobell and has much better weight change mechanic/increments than snode. Not saying to downgrade those but they should all be in the same tier be it A or B
It’s ok bro, Trulaps are only as good as having gimmicky dumbbell handles apparently
Dude, the mustache, that’s legend, it’s fricken awesome!! 😎
I have a set of the Powerblock Commercial series dumbbells. This set goes up to 90 lbs in 5 lb increments. The set comes with four handles. Two 5lb and two 10lb handles all in a nicely designed compact stand. The stand tilts towards the front making it very easy to bring a heavy dumbbell over the top of the remaining plates to set it back in place. Switching weights is super fast and easy, due to the four handles and smooth polyurethane coating. There is no need to switch out handle weights and no 5lb handle weights to loose. When switching weights mine have never bound up or stuck together in any way and I have never felt like the dumbbell could come apart above my head. Everything about them exudes quality and attention to detail. The weight color coding system is easy to to adjust with both imperial pounds and kilograms clearly marked in writing that is easy to see. The top of the plates on the commercial series have rounded plates instead of square, like a loaf of bread, making them seem less clunky than the other Powerblock series dumbbells. I like the square bottom of the plates because when you set them on the floor they stay exactly where you put them. I have two twentyish year old sons who have used my Powerblock set throughout the last 10 years and they have never been broken or damaged. I have taught them the proper way to control dumbbells and that only idiots throw heavy weights on the floor. When I purchased this set, the two best options were the Ironmasters and the Powerblocks. I was leaning towards the Ironmasters but wanted something that weights could be changed more quickly on. I did not really care for the all square Powerblock design. When I saw the commercial series set in a hocky team training room I was very impressed with the design upgrades and clean functional package that the set came with. My opinion is the commercial series would bring the Powerblock rating up several steps.
Listen to the actual everyday users! IRONMASTER dumbbells are definitely S Tier. If you add the heavy handle kit!! IRONMASTER is KING hands down. Honestly, they don't get enough credit, and I don't know why.
Their Olympic plates and bar are also really great and the cheapest (alot of people sleep on that lil tip right there)
As someone who casually works outs, the NordicTracks are a steal. Really compact and super quick to switch up during a workout. Price isn’t terrible either.
My rep x pepin ship in January! Woohoo! Gonna be a change going from a gym with fixed dumbbells to these but I’m excited. Only thing I’m slightly worried about is the rails/cage. Might feel funny for a while but I’m sure I’ll get used to it.
Been waiting for mine for about 4 months and i purchased back in August. It's been a slow process so we will see when they finally ship them.
Got the REP Quickdraws, in Europe they are 30 kg, which is 66 pounds instead of 60 while keeping the same dimensions. I also painted the numbers white, so that you can easily see them (learned that trick from Gluck's Gym)
Okay I feel dumb... Forgive the ignorance.. but how are the pepin or adjustabell's up in B tier different from loadable dumbbells that got put in F tier? Are they the same just slightly better build quality? What am I missing?
The Kensui adaptabells are awesome. I would only upgrade to go all the way and get reppins. Everything in between is just a compromise that's not worth unless they're used and really cheap
Great job editor. Fun video.
I have had my Core adjustable dumbbells for more than 2 years. For the price, they are hard to beat. I don't need to go over 50 pounds, so they have been great.
I got some Chinese knockoff selecttech 552's for 75$ each at the start of 2020. Zero issues, would buy again
What are they called and/or where did you get them. I could really use a cheap set of adjustable weights.
@@patruciusdipni5598 I would like to know as well.
@@patruciusdipni5598 I'd also love to know. I need some new dumbbells.
Here’s my personal 8 year experience with Power Block:
Pros: Good adjustability, user friendly, MOSTLY durable
Cons: Long term durability. The square weight plates design is a poly material, NOT steel. Multiple weight plates (45lb, 75lb, 85lb) actually fell apart at the connection screws (where the black plates screw into the two rods). Essentially making weights heavier than those useless, because of the stacking design of these. Good for up to 7-8 years. I’d buy it again if they were steel at the screws
makes the weight further out on RDLs for example.
Still waiting for someone to release a premium adjustable dumbbell that costs $5K because it uses *tungsten* plates. 😂
Hmm, on reflection, tungsten dumbbells would probably be $5K *each.* 😅
Black Iron Strength cost ~ $20 k per set, set 1 goes to 102.5 lbs, set 2 goes to 127.5, set 3 goes to 157.5
A 35lb race car ballast cost $3500 and this would be harder to machine than that. I'd love to see a truly rich person shell out for someone like Pepin to make a custom set. There would be a lot of design challenges. It's twice a dense as steel so you might run into issues where the increments are too big.
Powerblock at C tier is wild
I feel like tungsten would hold up poorly to dropping being that the form factor is little thin discs. But, I'm not a metallurgist.
2:10 Loadables definitely are best deal. Right now it’s $891 shipping and taxes for 12 total 10 pound plate pairs from StrengthCo.
Loadable dumbbell handles $89.97 from Titan right now.
Iron crush collars Amazon $30
Altogether that’s $1,110.97 shipped to my door for a120 pound each handle.
And that’s all buying brand new. Could be cheaper for the handles if bought used or scratch and dent. Only paid $50 for mine.
Equivalent pair of Rep Peppins: $1,399.99
Equivalent pair of Iron Masters: $1,097 + taxes
Equivalent pair of Powerblocks: $1,859 + taxes
Snodes don’t even go that high of weight
It’s definitely cheaper for loadables and are equally adjustable, just not as quick for time or convenience.
And you don’t need special weight for loadable. I cut the weight price in half bc you can you plates for your dumbbells and barbells. Loadable are by far the cheapest and make the most sense. I’m new to buying home gym equipment so spending $1k on dumbbells is out of the question
Literally using the powerblock pros in the clip where he is saying the elite usa’s are his much preferred option 😂 12:37
COREs have served me well since building my home gym during Covid. 50lbs is fine with me. Love ‘em.
Powerblock EXP Steel ‘18 series going on 3 years. No complaints. Go up to 90 lbs. Only complaint unable to use straps correctly when working back due to cage. But other than that, amazing.
Powerblocks are what I have. They have absolutely stood the test of time. I had the 85lb rexan pro for almost 10 years and used them often. Still have them but bought a new set 2 years ago of woot because they're were on clearance. ($388 for a whole 90lb set). I come from a time where it was only Bowflex or powerblock adjustable dumbbells. Glad I made the right choice.
I still think the Powerblock USA 90's are one of the best options. I personally would put it in at least A tier. It's quick changing (which automatically puts it above slow changing ones like ironmaster in my opinion), it's a great value at 90 lbs for only $797 with free shipping, it's durable, it's time tested for 30 years, and it's made in the USA. The only negatives are that it takes a few extra seconds to take out/put in the adder weights, and it's not good for things like pullovers which some people don't do anyway
Glad you put in eisenlink. I’ve been thinking of those. Another one that is modeled like the eisenlink is the I FAST hexagon dumbell. Same system. Can go to 160 pounds.
The Trulaps go by different names in other countries. They just have different branding. In the UK they are sold by Assassin Goods who have just launched a premium black version, which also supposedly has better, higher tolerance dovetails to connect the plates, plus they look so nice. Watch this space.
LMX and Braingain also sell this two versions.
When are the new Nuobells releasing?
Came here to say this exact thing! Repins are going to swallow the market until Nuobell releases something durable instead of their fitness model photo prop.
I love dumbbell talk! I had the Bowflex 1090s for about a decade or more. Eventually the plates started falling off, but I got a lot of miles out of them and they were great for the time. I have had Nuobells for the last few years and there is no comparison. Major leap forward in every way. No complaints other than they only go to 80 pounds. 100's or 120s would be much better for pressing, but they are great for accessory or lighter weight movements. If you want more resistance, you can string a resistance band or two through them and across your back. A little awkward, but it works in a pinch.
Nuobells need to be lower, maybe not F, but D at the highest. D for lack of durability. As someone who had them and was very gentle with them, they broke the second time I went up to 80lbs 6 weeks after buying them. And that was just from setting them down on the ground gently. Plus, the customer service side doesn’t exist. They use the “it will break if your drop them” to get out of covering or replacing anything on the dumbbells if some of the plastic pieces fail. Truly the worst piece of gym equipment I have ever bought from a durability standpoint. Basically spent 700 dollars on glass dumbbells.
Another benefit to my Ironmasters is the fat grips. They're now discontinued but i absolutely love how those utilize more forearm in my workouts.
Both Bowflex and Powerblock could be higher - it feels like they were punished for being the same for decades. Right now, the old school power blocks seem to be getting cleared out (90 pound metal ones) and they are rather reasonable versus other options too
Powerblocks have been the same for decades because they work. Coop reviewed the Powerblock Pro 100 EXP's and did so favorably less than a year ago. I bought them based on his review, now he's like "eh, putting them in the C tier". I've had mine since March. I love them.
I'm not sure how powerblocks could really innovate. Aside from small things like offering a knurled handle, the appeal to me at least is the very simple and durable design. The Elite EXPs are a great budget pick.
We need an ares 2.0 vs Athena + lat pull down comparison again!
What are Nuobells doing there in A? Why do you keep pushing them despite the clear issues which you yourself mentioned?
I have the Snodes with the magnets. I use them like 5 times a week and love them. The magnets get weird on some exercises, but I even use them to micro load my barbell stuff.
I think the “barbell-style” adjustable dumbbells are underrated. Features:
-Use barbell attachments.
-Increasing weight capacity is as easy as picking up some 5 or 10 pound plates.
-Asymmetric loading options is a feature for controlling how reps feel.
-As hard to break as a barbell.
-SUPER CHEAP. I got a pair of handles for $40 new.
-Practically no limit on weight loading when you can use Olympic plates.
Another great video coop.keep up the good work. Would love to see a tier list for deadlift barbells . From giant, Valor, American barbell, rep, rogue, Texas and 4 other low level to mid level. My youngest kid new thing is sumo, deadlift, and open trap bar deadlift. I bought the giant northland open trap bar base off your trap bar deadlift ranking list. We had it for 2 weeks and using it every other day. The built qualify seems to be good. They got the 48lb weight right. Not too heavy like titan, rep, kabuki. I also picked up the balance from open trap bar. Budget for outside use.
13:45 I wonder how the Ifast hexagonal equal to these would fair on this list... the shap vs size advantage an all
If the tiers are based on price, how can both the OG Pepins and the Repins be in the same tier? One's like twice as much as the other
I have had the power lock elite UsA for -0 years. Still love them. Super compact. I love the cage and the multiple grip options. I also prefer that these don’t have knurled handles. Much more comfortable to me. I think these are A tier.
As an owner of 125lb powerblocks (fb marketplace steal), one of the things i love about them is that they really haven't innovated. When i was in the market for like 6 months trying to find a deal on adjustable dumbells, ive come across so many build quality issues and failures from even the most modern and premium adjustable dumbells. While the footprint of the powerblock is large when its 100lbs+, it is rock solid. Yes, I would prefer to have a magical dumbell rack from 5-125lbs in my apartment (lol),but thats the cost of convenience. I know that if it ever breaks (doubtful), i easily will be able to fix it. Gimme my OG giant cinderblock dumbells LOL
REP x Pepins are the best. Fast to change. Durable. Lots of weight increments. Solid price for high quality and plenty of weight.
About 6 years ago brought a cheap knock-off version of bowflex adjustable dumbbells off Amazon
With maximum weight of 24 kg under £300 ( for both) they a bit loose now but still going strong
Considering how much adjustable dumbbells are now I feel I still got a bargain
Great video 👏🏾
Thanks for your opinion on the boflex ones. No wonder I’m always seeing em on sale 🤔
I bought the Powerblock Elites because of your reviews. I liked that i could buy the 50's and expand them (which i did) up to 90 and incremental with 2.5 lbs
I recently purchased a pair of the tried and true PowerBlock Elite USA 90s and they are terrific.
IMO Ironmasters should be S ... with the heavy handle kit these feel exactly like fixed dumbbells. Also, the other brands rattle. The IM never rattle. I also don't like the rail system of the other brand or the micro add-on plate design. .
Love my Iron Maters! At the time, Peppin’s was double the price I paid for my IMs so it was an easy choice but I’d still go with IMs now to save the money and not to have any rails on the side. Definitely a harder choice tho now that the Reppins are a thing! IMs still S tier in my eyes
Damn why didn’t this come out 3 weeks ago when I bought some bowflex dumbbells.
They’re good dumbbells don’t beat yourself up over it.
You didn’t research enough my dude
@ they were cheap on marketplace got the 1090s for $250.
@ great deal
No mention of the Nuobell 2? Seems like that addresses the durability?
I’ve owned the 552s for about 15 years with no issues whatsoever in durability. It’s all about how you take care of your stuff. My only real complaint is how hard it is to get in the cradle with max or close to max weight. Something that is NEVER talked about by reviewers of cradle style adjustable DBs. I also have iron masters with heavy handle. Use the 552s for 40 and below and the iron masters for 45-90.
Honest opinion on 200lb yes4all dumbells?
Would love to see this video redone with what I'd objectively best and not done based on what are most popular, nuo bells are so high for no reason and the mx85s are built so well and get the job done well for such a low price. Their size is hardly an issue in actual use
Thanks for the video !
I'm looking for a durable model, since I recently broke an adjustable dumbbell I bought on Amazon.
It was at 32kg, I lost the grip while switching hands, it fell from approximately waist height, and the plastic pins holding weights just ruptured.
Powerblocks baby, they last. And I don't mind the cage but if you do then I dunno there are plenty of other options and a lot of them these days are built more durable
@b2284 Problem is, I'm belgian and a lot of models are not available here in Europe. But I think Powerblocks are at least.
I want to see a review on the CAP adjustable dumbbells on Amazon. Ordered a set and they seem pretty decent so far. Would like to hear your take though, Thanks!
My trulaps are incredible!!
Same! Mine haven’t had any issues sticking, and I love the small incremental changes. At times dropping 5 pounds is more than I need, so having that 2.5ish pound option is great
I got a set from Braingain, which are the exact same but in Europe and they're fantastic. Changing is super smooth and my wife can use them easily because of the increments. They are bigger than my Nuobells but not by much. I wanted to get the Rep x Pepins but they don't ship to Greece yet so I might look into them in a few years.
the kensui adjustabells are great imo. they're the sleeper budget pick
I love my PB Pro 50’s w/ urethane & non square design. I honestly just want 15 more LBs. But love the portability, ability to drop set anywhere, and build quality.
Do u have a full review on the repXpeppin ? Curious how they hold up with different exercises specific 1 would be dumbbells tricep extension. The handle is definitely not ur typical handle but they definitely look like a better option then bowflexs 1090s. Been looking at 1090s but there's more options these days . Def looking at something between 85 to 100lbs with increments of 5lbs
loadable dumbell is the best imo everything else is just way to light. You can load up 100kg on loadable dumbells no issue at all and you still can make them work for benching
I really don't get how spinlocks like the kensui are in B while loadables are F. They're almost the same thing
i went with powerblock sport EXP stage 3 90lbs when they were on Woot dirt cheap earlier this year. The 90lb setup cost me $400 shipped. I then upgraded to stainless handles from average joes for another $100, and got tired of adjusting them on the floor so i got the powerblocks stand from woot for $110. they're a pain to adjust weight when they're on the floor. Hard to beat that setup for $500 including stainless handles.
Awesome, loved this now do curved/manual treadmills assault vs woodway vs truform
I got some pepins from fb marketplace and love them. Really nice knurling. Feels like a premium barbell. Currently waiting on some weightitout in the mail currently!
Anker 7 or tonal without subscription. Just use it as a cable machine. Which one would you think is better??... Someone is selling a like new tonal for 1350 but Anker 7 looks nice also
Nuobell getting A tier but Trulap getting B tier don't make no sense.
Trulaps are similar price, warranty 1 drop, have better adjustments, and are made with higher quality components. Also they're sexy AF.
I completely agree. I have used both and have now sold my Nuobell. I was always afraid the Nuobells were going to break after too much use and that's why I bought the Trulaps when they went on sale.
My 20s and 40s fixed have done it for me thus far (simple needs). Might try one of those S class adjustables though, look pretty nice.
My poor loadable dumbbells. To be fair, I only do 2-3 different exercises with dumbbells so I have 3 different sets of the loadable dumbbells and only change them when it's time to add weight for that exercise.
I have the Bowflex 1090s and 552s, haven’t had any issues, the 1090s are big though and can be a bit awkward but they do the job. Only complaint I have besides the size is sometimes I have a hard time getting it out of the cradle, don’t know why they stick sometimes but I waste some energy trying to yank them out of the cradle and it pisses me off
Curious as to why the powerblock elite exp don't get reviewed? They seem as reliable as the powerblock usa at a much more affordable price.
It's weird seeing these dumbbells at the price they are at while i'm still rocking the OG selecttech 1090s from 2010 at half price. I do agree that they're just little too big
I've had the Nuobells for a few years now and they are great of you take care of them. You shouldn't be throwing or dropping dumbells anyway. I've seen so many bent and loose commercial grade dumbells at big box gyms.