Sick of gym fees, crowded locker rooms and spending your gas money on trips to the gym?
You’re not alone.
The solution is simple: start saving time and money by investing in a home gym.
On our list below, we help you find the best home gym for your workout needs. There are options for a variety of budgets, so if you were thinking that you’re going to have to shell out $1000 minimum, think again!
Take This into Consideration
Choosing a home gym is more complicated then choosing your workout clothes, so here are a few things to think about before you make your choice.
- Exercises. The types of exercises and the number of exercises that it allows you to do is important.
Decide if you need a machine that allows you to work your chest, shoulders, arms, legs, back, abs, etc. Some machines will allow you to focus more on upper body and others allow you to work out all areas of your body equally.
- Features. It’s good to get a gym with a bench that inclines and declines, as well as a seat that you can vertically adjust.
- Weight Resistance. If you have serious workout goals, you need a machine that will continue to challenge you. Look for a machine with a high weight resistance if you are looking to build some serious muscle mass. If the machine’s highest weight resistance no longer provides you with a challenge, then it won’t be of much use to you for back and arm days.
You might also consider a machine that uses your own body weight as resistance. Numbers three and five on our list below, for example, contain no weights and will provide you with a greater range of motion as you work out without the need for additional weights. Just adjust the seat incline position to provide yourself with more or less resistance. Convenient and less bulky!
- Size. How much space will the home gym take up and how much space do you have available?
- Assembly. If you don’t have the tools to assemble a home gym, or if you don’t know someone that has tools that you can borrow, then look for a home gym that requires little assembly and it easy to set up.
Top 10 Home Gyms Comparison Table
| Picture | Name | Price | Rating (1-5) |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1. Bowflex PR1000 Home Gym | $$ | 4.5 |
 | 2. Powerline BSG10X Home Gym | $$$ | 4.5 |
 | 3. Total Gym 1400 Deluxe Home Fitness Exercise Machine Equipment | $ | 4.5 |
 | 4. Body Champ Olympic Weight Bench | $ | 4.5 |
 | 5. Weider Ultimate Body Works | $ | 4.4 |
 | 6. Bowflex Blaze Home Gym | $$$ | 4.4 |
 | 7. Marcy Diamond Elite Smith System | $$$ | 4.4 |
 | 8. Body-Solid StrengthTech EXM2500S Home Gym | $$$ | 4.3 |
 | 9. Bowflex Revolution Home Gym | $$$$ | 4.2 |
 | 10. Phoenix 99226 Power Pro Olympic Bench | $ | 4.2 |
Top 5 Best Home Gym Equipment Reviews
1. Bowflex 100141
Affordable, versatile and challenging, the Bowflex PR1000 is an excellent gym to have at home for your own private use.
You can do up to 30 different strength-training exercises, anything from upper body and back to calf raises and seated hip abduction/adductions. You can also use this as a rowing machine to get some cardio in.
Now let’s talk space and features. The machine measures 81 inches in height, 38 inches in width and requires a workout surface area of 100 inches by 78 inches. Users will benefit from up to 210 pounds of rod resistance and it can support users of up to 300 pounds in weight.
Free weights have nothing on the Bowflex. For all of the strength training exercises that it allows you to perform at this price range, it is considered the best home gym in its class.
Give it a try and invest in something you can use when you want and as often as you want rather than dealing with the limitations and expensive membership fees of the gym.
2. Powerline BSG10X
Those who don’t have much space for a home gym should have a look at this compact option.
It features a 160-pound adjustable weight stack; low-high pulleys; an arm press with eight different positions and leg developer station. You can perform up to 40 different strength-training exercises, great for those who are looking to keep their arms and legs toned or for anyone who is looking for a challenging way to build muscle mass.
Other reasons to love this home gym are the fact that it comes 90% assembled and that it is well built. Users love the quality and durability of this compact machine and the fact that it is so easy to put together once you get it home and changing weights during your workout is just a matter of switching a pin.
Forget the gym membership fees. This machine is as good as anything you would find at the gym and will save you tons of money in the long run.
3. Total Gym 1400
This affordable workout station will mix up your workout by allowing you to perform a mixture of strength training, cardio and stretches, ideal for those who want a machine that will provide them with a full body workout.
The Total Gym 1400 has over 60 different exercises that you can perform which will help you reduce your body fat and increase your muscle mass.
The machine folds easy storage and has a 250-pound user weight capacity.
Not sure how to get fit with the machine? No worries. It comes with a workout DVD that will help you maximize your results and understand how to use the machine properly.
Rather than weights, you’ll use your own body weight as resistance during the workout. No barbells, no changing machines. This has everything you need without the bulk!
4. Body Cham BCB5860
If you’re looking for a good weight bench and don’t have a lot of money to invest, then the Body Champ Olympic might be just what you need.
It features adjustable uprights, a dual-action lev developer with adjustable foam rollers, an Olympic plate adapter and spring clip for the leg developer and finally a preacher curl pad/bar with crunch handle attachment. The backrest is easily adjustable to decline, flat, inclined and military positions
This also has safety hooks that feature a no-pinch design to help keep you safe during your workouts.
It’s probably more appropriate for a beginner bench press user because the rack will only hold up to 180 pounds. If you’re used to benching 300 at the gym, this isn’t the machine for you.
Users over 6 feet tall have also found it a bit challenging to use due to their height, so again, if you’re looking for a beginner bench, you won’t spend much money on it and can always sell it and upgrade when you’re ready for something more serious.
5. Weider Ultimate Body Works
Similar to the Total Gym 1400 above, this is another adjustable bench that allows you to use your own body weight for resistance.
It features an adjustable incline bench that will offer you up to 50 pounds of resistance (that’s with the four resistance bands), it has a cable and pulley system that provides you with a greater range of motion, it is easy to fold and store when you’re done using it and it doesn’t cost too much!
While the machine is narrow, it does require quite a bit of space length wise since it’s over 7 feet long when fully extended, but the unbeatable price and range of exercises earns it the number five spot on our list.
If you want a good workout in very little time from the comfort of your own home, this is a great little machine!
