Here are our picks for the best home gym equipment available to create the perfect setup for any budget.
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Whether you’re new to working out or a seasoned fitness enthusiast with years of experience, having a well-designed home gym is a foolproof way to make sure you never miss a workout. But what’s the best equipment for your home gym? We’ve done the research for you and selected the best pieces of home Fitness Equipment on the market. From high-tech workout mirrors to space-saving adjustable dumbbells, you’ll find equipment to match any budget and any room size. Home workouts are more popular than ever, with treadmill sales soaring 135 percent and stationary bike sales nearly tripled following the pandemic. This is the perfect time to invest in the gear you need to build your ideal home gym.
SI Showcase
Smart home workouts are all the rage, and with a new athletic partnership with Serena Williams, Tonal is getting a lot of attention. Tonal is a wall-mounted fitness device that offers full-body workouts and uses artificial intelligence to automatically adjust the weights to match your strength levels. Tonal enables multiple users to share the equipment, so everyone in your household can take advantage of this cutting-edge workout system. Your workouts are automatically recorded, and you can attend live classes and receive real-time instruction from a trainer. The machine also provides automatic form suggestions during each training session. If you have the space and budget, Tonal is a fantastic option to provide a full-body workout at home, with the option to join live classes if they fit your schedule.
For more information, read our full Tonal review.
Hydrow
The Hydrow Rower has an immersive 22 inch touchscreen that pivots for workouts on or off the rower. A Hydrow app membership is $44 per month and it gives users access to live and interactive workouts led by a trainer that focuses on improving endurance, max and sustained efforts and more. If you want to connect your wireless earbuds, the speakers are Bluetooth-compatible.
The seat on the aluminum and steel frame is ergonomically designed so you stay comfortable for the entirety of your full-body workout, and the electromagnetic drag system works quietly and smoothly through each stroke and the webbed strap is durable to last long term. To save space, this rowing machine can be stored upright and secured to the wall using the storage kit.
For an in-depth look, check out our Hydrow Rower Review.
If you’re looking for a dumbbell set for your home gym, the Living.Fit Dumbbell Set has six different set options to choose from. The choices are as follows:
The dumbbells in each set come in five-pound increments and do not include a dumbbell rack, so that will need to be purchased separately. Each dumbbell is made with strong cast iron and the heads are encased with premium rubber to protect the floor. Living.Fit offers a lifetime warranty for sets that are purchased for home use.
For more options check out our top picks for the Best Dumbbell Set.
Crossrope
This isn’t your average jump rope—Crossrope uses a customizable rope design to let you choose the handles and weighted rope you need based on your workout. The Get Fit Bundle rolls up two of its most popular jump rope sets, the Get Lean and Get Strong jump ropes. This includes the Get Lean’s slim handles and quarter- and half-pound ropes designed for muscle toning, plus Get Strong’s thicker handle options along with one and two pound ropes. To get set up, simply clip your rope of choice onto your chosen handle from the bundle, and start jumping. If you need some pointers or workout inspiration, use the Crossrope app to track your metrics and stream workouts right to your smart device.
NordicTrack
Keeping with NordicTrack tradition, the Commercial 14.9 elliptical is a commercial-grade, tech-focused elliptical that would make the perfect addition to any home gym setup. This elliptical uses NordicTrack’s iFIT technology, enabling you to follow virtual workouts led by trainers who remotely control your resistance and intensity. The Commercial 14.9 elliptical also features an auto-adjusting incline and resistance, with an incline that goes up to 20 percent. It features SMR, or silent magnetic resistance, which allows for quiet, smooth adjustments as you cycle between 26 resistance levels.
NordicTrack
Treadmills are a cornerstone of any home gym, providing a variety of training options like endurance running, HIIT exercises or cool-down walks. The NordicTrack Commercial 2450 is designed to be up to the task, with a 3.6 HP motor that lets you work your way up to 12 miles per hour and a sturdy steel frame construction that supports up to 300 pounds. The deck can incline up to 12 percent and decline to -3 percent if you want to incorporate uphill and downhill training. The NordicTrack Commercial 2450 has a 22-inch touchscreen that tracks standard metrics like workout time, speed, calories burned and the overall distance you’ve gone. It also streams iFit workouts if you have an active subscription, and it can tilt a pivot for workouts off the treadmill. This Bluetooth-compatible treadmill also includes cooling fans, a water bottle holder and can be folded up for storage.
Want more options? Check out the Best Treadmills for Your Home Gym.
No weight rack, no problem—the Living.Fit Resistance Bands are a surefire way to get your muscles moving and blood pumping. These full-length strength bands are meant to be incorporated into your workout routine without putting extra stress on your joints, while the natural rubber latex construction is developed to stay durable, yet pliable.
The bands are all color-coded according to their respective resistance levels: red (10-35 pounds), black (30-60 pounds), purple (40-80 pounds), green (50-125 pounds), blue (60-175 pounds) and orange (70-200 pounds). These bands come with a carrying case and door anchor, and Living.Fit includes a lifetime warranty.
Amazon
The Side Shaper reverse crunch machine is engineered to assist you with strengthening your core, obliques and back, all in a short amount of time. Side Shaper claims that some users may be able to “burn up to 100 calories every five minutes” by going full effort on the machine to work on muscle tightness and fat burning. How does the machine work? Place your knees in the padded unit towards the floor, and place your elbows on the padded section near the handlebars. The bilateral swivel on the bottom portion lets you alternate your crunch angles, while sensors on the handlebars track your heart rate.
NordicTrack
If you’re in the market for a home exercise bike, look no further than the NordicTrack S22i. It is our choice as the most innovative, high-quality bike on the market. This cutting-edge bike includes NordicTrack’s iFIT technology. You can follow your favorite instructor on scenic rides around the world or join a live studio class. Whichever option you choose, you’ll enjoy the built-in AutoAdjust technology, which automatically adjusts your resistance and incline based on the ride you’re doing. Thanks to a 22-inch, 360-degree rotating touch screen, 30W premium audio and dual WiFi connectivity, you can enjoy a beautiful, immersive experience from the comfort of your home. There are plenty of home stationary bikes on the market, but we’ve yet to find one that beats the NordicTrack S22i bike.
The DB Method
The DB Method was created to help you squat your way to your goals in the most time-efficient and effective way possible. This squat machine helps to target your butt by not only ensuring good form as you squat, but also shifting your body weight off your legs and onto your glutes. The endgame is muscle gain, without sacrificing your knees or back to do so. Use the DB Method app to choose from over 60,000 trainer-led workouts and receive nutrition advice as you work on your glute gains.
Amazon
If strength training is your main focus, you need an adjustable bench. A staple in nearly every gym and fitness center on the planet, an adjustable bench enables you to train any muscle group with a variety of exercises. This is a heavy-duty bench that’s made to last, with both incline and decline adjustments as well as a 1,000-pound weight capacity. Whether you’re just starting out or a serious weight-lifter, if you’re looking for the best home gym equipment, the REP AB-5100 should be the only adjustable bench you consider.
REP Fitness
Whether you’re setting up your squat rack or are acquiring Olympic weightlifting equipment, getting a barbell should be at the top of your list. The REP Fitness Gladiator MX Barbell has the heavy-duty construction to withstand the wear and tear of your hardest workouts, supporting up to 1,500 pounds.
Hard chrome coating prevents rust over time, while medium knurling yields a solid (but not painful) grip, especially as you increase the number of weight plates. The knurl markings follow the International Weightlifting Federation standard to indicate where your hands should go on the barbell.
The Living.Fit Gym Mat Flooring can protect your home gym floors from scratches, sweat or accidentally dropping weights. These square mats are 0.4 inches thick and are made of extra heavy-duty black rubber. Every side has a puzzle-like cutout so you can connect multiple pieces. Each square is 40 by 40 inches and can be cut to fit your space. Living.Fit offers free shipping and a three-year warranty.
Fringe Sport
You should never use a barbell without safety collars. Fringe Sports’ Olympic Competition Collars are a fantastic investment for your home gym because they are some of the highest-quality collars on the market.
While most traditional gym collars stretch and bend over time, these collars are made from steel and have two adjustment points. The main level helps you secure it to your barbell and the second secures it to your plates. These barbell collars are calibrated to International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) specifications and weigh 2.5 kilograms each.
For more options, check out the Best Barbell Collars for Heavy Lifting in Your Garage Gym.
TRX
For a complete full-body suspension trainer system that you can use pretty much anywhere, check out TRX's Home2 system. The concept is simple: Using the included anchors, you hook the straps to a mounting point of your choice (a door works great). Then, you grab onto the handles to do various push and pull exercises with your body weight as the resistance. It's surprisingly tougher than typical, floor-based exercises—the lack of stability from the straps means that your body needs to recruit more muscles to stay balanced, giving you a better workout. We also love how portable they are. The Home2 system weighs just 1.5 pounds, can be easily packed in a purse or suitcase and can be used in a wide variety of spaces.
For more information, check out our in-depth TRX review.
REP Fitness
Medicine balls have a variety of uses, from building up core strength to working on muscle rehabilitation after an injury. It is another way of practicing strength training and they can be easily incorporated into all kinds of exercises, from wall ball throws to Russian twists. The REP Fitness medicine balls are constructed to be sturdy with textured synthetic leather for extra grip and double stitching, yet soft enough to remain easy to work with. Each ball is color-coded according to weight and comes in 10 sizes, ranging from four to 30 pounds.
REP Fitness
Kettlebells are a fantastic way to torch fat and build some serious explosive power. They’re also small enough to fit in almost any home gym. This kettlebell set from REP Fitness gives you key weight amounts to complete your home gym, with five kettlebells ranging from eight to 24 kilograms (18 pounds to 53 pounds). Each is color coded and labeled to help you keep tabs on which is which. These are also both iron-cast and gravity die-cast, ensuring their longevity in your home gym.
Mirror
MIRROR by lululemon combines leading technology with a practical home gym approach—just hang it on a wall or mount, link to WiFi and get started. This device helps you access all sorts of exercise classes and trainer expertise right from your home gym. Sync it to your fitness tracker, and see your stats appear on its HD screen. Unlike a traditional digital screen, the MIRROR keeps its reflective sheen while a trainer and class information appears onscreen as you work out.
To fully appreciate all its features, you’ll need to purchase a separate MIRROR class subscription ($39). However, this gives you access to over 10,000 classes within 60 fitness categories, from weight training to dance cardio. New classes are added on a daily basis, and you can access classes from your smart device anywhere, anytime.
Future
Future lets you work hands-on with a personal trainer, without ever leaving your home gym. When you sign up for the app, you will complete a questionnaire about what you are looking for in a coach along with your training goals––from there, Future provides coaches for you to pick from based on the results. Your coach will get in touch with you and formulate a game plan on how to help you achieve your goals, right from your smart device.
A Future membership will cost you a monthly fee of $149, but that lets you access your trainer’s expertise every single day without having to pay gym membership and singular personal training session fees. The app is only available for iOS devices, so make sure you have your iPhone or tablet ready to go.
For more information, read our full review of the Future app.
Consider the following variables when choosing the best home gym equipment for your needs.
Are you looking to build lean muscle? If so, you’ll want to stock up on strength training equipment.
Maybe you’re training for an endurance event or want to improve your cardiovascular fitness. Meeting these goals requires a spin bike or treadmill. No matter your goal, however, make sure you’re choosing the equipment that matches your area of focus, as there’s no one-size-fits-all solution when designing a home gym.
Another element to consider when buying equipment for your fitness goals is recovery. Many people overlook equipment to aid in post-workout recovery, and as such are more likely to experience soreness or injury. If you have the space and budget, adding in an ice bath like a cold plunge tub, sauna or even just making space for a yoga mat to stretch on can be incredibly useful in helping your muscles relax and recover after a tough at-home workout.
Naturally, certain pieces of equipment are more expensive than others. Make sure you’ve determined your budget before you start buying equipment. Costs can add up quickly if you’re not careful, so it’s important to remain disciplined throughout the purchasing process.
Know what you need. Know what you can afford to spend. And know when to say when.
Related Post: Best Budget Home Gym Equipment
If you’re setting up a garage or basement gym, space is likely not much of an issue. If you’re limited to a small room or corner of your apartment, you’ll need to prioritize small, yet versatile pieces of exercise equipment.
We chose the items on this list to ensure you have a well-rounded home gym stocked with everything you need to embark on or continue your fitness journey. We included cardio equipment, a suspension trainer, a rowing machine, kettlebells and recovery items like a foam roller because off days are just as important to ensure you're giving your body the proper amount of time to rest.
We also wanted to make sure we included starter items at varying price ranges so that you could begin to build out your home gym with a few pieces to see what your perfect setup might need down the road. You may choose to build a fully equipped garage gym or invest in just a few pieces of equipment to supplement your gym routine. There’s no right or wrong way to work out at home, so be sure to spend time thinking about your goals, budget and available space.
Consider what your fitness goals are and start from there. If you plan to start building out your home gym with heavy equipment to pump some serious iron such as squat racks, weight plates or a bench, we recommend you buy home gym flooring to protect your home's floors. If you want to start with a workout routine that requires less heavy equipment such as yoga, Pilates or barre, we recommend you purchase a mat, some resistance bands and possibly some yoga blocks. The best part about a home gym is that you can make it anything you want and purchase gym equipment that aligns with your goals.
That depends on what equipment you decide to add to your home gym. Home gyms such as the lululemon Mirror and Tonal start at $795 and $3,245, respectively. This doesn't include additional accessories you may want to add later on.
Training from the comfort of your home is a fantastic way to stay in shape, as you’ll never have to worry about crowded gyms, traffic, or waiting to use gym showers. There's the added benefit of privacy for those who prefer to get their sweat on at home. With a couple of pieces of the right equipment, you can build up a home gym to help you get stronger and healthier without having to worry about gym hours, inclement weather making it tough to drive to your favorite fitness studio or forgetting your shower sandals back at home.
Everything you need to help you get moving will be a few steps away. We recommend scoping out a space in your home to see where it makes the most sense to start adding equipment. Once you've selected a designated area as your gym, you can start adding pieces as you need them. Whether it's a smart home gym, a couple of kettlebells, a suspension system or an app that connects you to a personal trainer, soon you'll have the perfect setup to help you accomplish your fitness goals.
Prices are accurate and items in stock at time of publishing.