The Best Gym Equipment for Building the Ultimate Home Set-Up
When it comes to the best home gym equipment, less is always more. You don't need racks and racks of dumbbells or 15x15m metre space in which to crush a home workout in 2024, nor do you need an 'Iron Paradise' like Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson. Far from it, actually — you can build muscle, hit your fat stores and feel healthier with minimal kit and, crucially, minimal space.
But, as with anything, knowing where to start can be the biggest obstacle in assembling your ideal home gym setup. One kettlebell or two? An adjustable dumbbell or all-in one weight bench? An exercise bike or treadmill?
It's a head-scratcher, that's for sure. Don't sweat it though, as we're on hand to help you separate necessity from luxury, alongside our recommendations on where to spend your hard-earned cash.
Not only will you save swathes of money, you'll make a health and fitness nirvana that, on a cost-per-use basis, could be the best money you've ever spent. And we're not exaggerating. What's more, when you've got your own gear, you don't have to worry about unwelcome germs or sweaty kit. The only downside? You'll have zero excuses for shirking a workout. Let's go.
Free Weights
Dumbbells
Tried, tested and devilishly effective, you could invest in a set of dumbbells (or an adjustable set) and consider your mission for exercise equipment a roaring success.
Easily-scalable, they're great for accelerating fat loss, developing strength, building muscle mass and improving your cardio – plus, you don’t need to worry about setting up a machine or loading up a barbell before getting your pump on.
There's three main things worth considering when shopping for dumbbells: space, material and shape. If you've got the space and budget for a full rack of dumbbells, then go for it. For most people, though, an adjustable dumbbell will be the more appropriate option. The only downside of adjustable models is that it takes a little extra time to switch between weights.
Like kettlebells, if you're working out in a space where you want to keep noise to a minimum or you're worried about damaging your flooring, opt for a dumbbell with a soft coating, like rubber. The same can be said if you plan to perform ballistic movements, where your body would benefit from a softer material.
While circular dumbbells are the classic shape, triangular and hexagonal options are worth choosing if you plan to perform floor-based exercises, such as press-ups, as unlike circular options, they won't move about.
Kettlebells
The OG of muscle-building, there's very little the humble kettlebell can't do. From kettlebell swings to overhead presses and thrusters, they're the ultimate fat-burning, muscle-building tool.
There's a few things to consider when buying a kettlebell. The most important is choosing a suitable weight. Unless you opt for an adjustable kettlebell, or you buy an entire set, you should choose a weight that allows you to perform the most exercises. As our fitness editor Andrew Tracey puts it: 'You want something light enough to perform smaller, single-joint movements but heavy enough to provide a stronger stimulus on exercises like swings, squats, and deadlifts.'
When it comes to kitting out your home gym, it's also worth considering the material of the equipment. Think about the space you have to work with. If you're in a flat or your workout space isn't on the ground floor, or you're worried about scratching your flooring, a softer weight might be more appropriate.
The material of the weight you choose will also depend on your training. As Tracey explains: 'Ballistic movements like cleans and snatches, when you're learning the movements, will beat up your wrists and your collarbone as you're moving the kettlebell down.' To avoid this, consider buying a kettlebell with a soft coating.
Cardio Machines
Spin classes are old hat. For many, exercises bike are one of the most convenient and low-impact ways to stay fit, especially if poor weather or injuries are stopping you from getting your daily dose of outdoor exercise. But they're not your only option for at-home cardio gains.
Below are some of our top-rated picks from our best rowing machines, the best treadmills and the best exercise bikes round-ups, all tried, tested and recommended by our fitness experts.
Resistance Bands
One of the most effective pieces of home workout gear, the humble resistance band is still vastly under-rated by the average person, despite being a low-cost and high-impact piece of kit. Let's change that, shall we?
Not only is resistance band training cost-effective and great for adding variety to your workouts, but it keeps your muscles under constant tension throughout the full range of motion, without momentum, helping to improve the quality of your reps, train smaller muscle groups, and improve your form.
There's a few different types of resistance bands to choose between. Tube resistance bands often come with handles and door attachments, making them a great option for hypertrophy training. Flat resistance bands, on the other hand, are ideal for strength and mobility work, while mini resistance bands are best suited to lower-body warm-ups and strengthening work.
Once you've picked one up, get some inspiration for how to incorporate them into your workouts with our guide to best resistance bands exercises for every muscle group, which includes 20 exercises you can do anywhere.
Benches, Bars and Racks
Weight Benches
No home gym is complete without a weight bench. Perfect for upping your chest workout, your leg sessions and so much more, investing in a good quality bench will undoubtedly level up your set-up.
There's a few different styles of weight benches available to buy. If your budget allows, we'd recommend investing in an adjustable bench, like the ones you find in commercial gyms, as they can be adjusted to an incline or decline, allowing you to target different muscle groups.
Flat benches are usually a little cheaper as they are naturally more basic in design. If you want to keep things simple, a flat bench is still a good option and will be great for bench presses, tricep dips, shoulder presses and more.
Pull-up Bars
No home gym is complete without a pull-up bar – or pull-up rack, if you have the space. Dubbed 'the upper-body squat', pull-ups are a bodyweight movement that predominantly use the muscles in your back, shoulders, core and your biceps. Pull-ups are also scalable: simply attach a weight to a weight belt or put on a weighted vest to up the difficulty.
Though simple, there's few things to watch out for when buying a pull-up bar. Firstly, consider the space you have to work with. If you're after something wall-mounted, can your walls take screws, or would a hanging pull-bar bar be more appropriate? If space is not an issue, consider investing in a pull-up rack. Not only do they require less DIY know-how than wall-mounted options, but they're also more stable and usually come with attachments for dips and barbell brackets for squats. Here's a few that made our guide to the best pull-ups bars and pull-up racks.
Conditioning Kit
Consider the following conditioning kit as optional extras that aren't essential but nice to have anyway. Each has its own benefits, which are listed below.
With the new lockdown in effect, it's safe to say you're probably wondering about how to get your fitness fix. If you're spending more time at home, you're probably also considering what's the best way to approach your fitness goals without committing to the gym. For many men, home workouts are ideal — no busy weight rooms, nor any crowded squat racks — so it pays to invest in some gym equipment to make yours the best home gym around. Below, we talk you through some of our favourite products that will transform your dreary home workouts. Let's get after it.
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