The Best Dumbbells of 2024

It’s hard to improve on the durable simplicity Rogue’s Hex Dumbbells ($17-455) offer. Sold in pairs, these weights offer chrome-plated handles with a slight taper to provide comfort no matter how you grip them.

The heavy-duty rubber coating on the heads limits wear and tear on both the dumbbells and the floors you work out on, and they minimize noise. 

The Hex Dumbbells range in weight from 2.5 pounds to 30 pounds in 2.5-pound increments and from 30 pounds to 125 pounds in 5-pound increments. We’ve personally used these dumbbells for over a decade in various CrossFit gyms and have purchased them for gyms we’ve owned. 

They’re extremely durable — testers have dropped them from overhead on a daily basis for years without any visible damage. The subtle knurl on the grip makes them secure even in sweaty hands without digging into your palms or fingers. 

The only issues that have popped up are the rubber encasements on the heads. If left out in the sun over the summer, the rubber can stiffen up and eventually crack and peel off.

On rare occasions (we’ve seen this happen on two dumbbells in 10 years), the dumbbell heads can loosen up and wiggle a bit on the handle. 

Other than that, the Rogue’s Hex Dumbbells are durable and comfortable, and they fit well within a reasonable price range (as far as dumbbells go). Rogue Fitness is considered the premium in professional and home gym setups, and the Hex Dumbbells are a great example of why.

Looking to stock your home gym but don’t have a Planet Fitness budget? It’s no surprise Amazon has you covered with its Basics line. The Amazon Basics Rubber Encased Hex Dumbbells ($16-55) are, at a glance, similar to the Rogue Hex Dumbbells but at a much lower price. 

The hexagonal heads are encased in rubber to minimize damage to the dumbbells and your floor if you drop the weight. And the knurled chrome-plated handle is grippy without sacrificing comfort. 

Like any bargain, there are sacrifices. First and foremost, they’re sold as singles, so don’t purchase one and expect a pair to come in. It sounds like a no-brainer, but people have reported receiving one when they expected two, so just know that you need to actually order two to get a pair.

Also, we’ve seen reports the actual weight of the dumbbells can vary. You may purchase two 50-pound dumbbells and have a 49-pound and 48-pound dumbbell show up. 

And while the Rogue Dumbbells seem to last forever, we’ve noticed that Amazon Basics Rubber Encased Hex Dumbbells do have some substantial durability issues. After a few months of use, the dumbbell heads have started to loosen up from the handle (none have fallen off yet, but still). Also, the rubber casing on some of them has been chipping and peeling off, exposing the weight underneath. 

But if you’re not a stickler for precise weights, are willing to treat the dumbbells gingerly, and are looking to save a few bucks, you could do a lot worse than these bad boys.

While it would be great to have a huge space for your workout equipment, most of us can’t fit an entire rack of dumbbells in our spare bedroom or garage. This is where adjustable dumbbells are extremely useful.

Ativafit’s Adjustable Dumbbells ($420) can go from 11 to 66 pounds per dumbbell with the turn of a dial. To adjust the weight, users simply have to press the red button on one end of each dumbbell and twist the dial to the desired weight. 

As far as manually adjusting dumbbells go, it’s hard to get simpler than this. Each dumbbell has a button and dial so that you can swap out the weights quickly. The iron plates are durable and tough, and the rubber-coated handle enables a slip-free grip. 

One caveat with the Ativafit’s Adjustable Dumbbells is the lighter weights are at the farthest end of the dumbbell head. This means the weight will be farther away from the grip if you’re at the lightest setting. This creates a longer pivot arm and can cause instability during dynamic movements.

If you’ve got a traditional Olympic lifting setup, you may not even need a full set of dumbbells. For people with Olympic weights, a set of Olympic dumbbell handles is a great option. And Annzoe’s Olympic Dumbbell Handle ($120 for two) is one of the best of the bunch. 

These heavy-duty chromed stainless steel handles are fitted with Olympic heads that fit weight plates with the traditional 2-inch holes. This allows you to load up to 300 pounds per pair, which is ideal if you want to perform heavy deadlifts, lunges, or shoulder shrugs. 

The collars are ribbed to minimize slippage, and each handle comes with two screw-down clamps to secure the plates. There have been user reports of the clamps creating small divots in the collar ridges, but there should be little effect on performance. 

Keep in mind, these are only dumbbell handles. If you don’t already have weight plates, you’re going to be stuck with two 8-pound weights. But if you’re already kitted out, Annzoe’s Olympic Dumbbell Handle will add a lot of versatility to your home gym at minimal monetary and spatial cost.

Eleiko is one of the most well-respected names in Olympic weightlifting. So it makes sense they’ve created a dumbbell that will appeal to Olympic lifting purists. The Eleiko Evo Rotating Dumbbells ($225-$1,025) are extremely pricey, but they’re a rare dumbbell with heads that rotate independently of the handle. 

For the uninitiated, proper barbells have spinning collars. This allows the weights to spin without rotating the rest of the barbell in overhead lifts. This creates a more stable lift by preventing the bar from spinning in your hands during explosive movements that require rotation like clean and jerks and snatches. 

The Evo Rotating Dumbbells serve the same function. While they’re just as effective during stationary movements like strict presses and curls, the rotating heads reduce twisting and instability during workouts that require movements like dumbbell snatches. This reduced fatigue during workouts and felt extremely stable during overhead movements. Plus, it will save your grip during long, intense workouts. 

What doesn’t save your grip, however, is the uniform 38 mm handle diameter. Even though it’s only 3 mm thicker than the more common 35 mm handles, working out with these non-tapered grips felt like training on a fatbar. It was more difficult to hold, but our grip felt bulletproof after a few weeks of training. 

Also, for movements like devil’s presses or pushups on the dumbbells, there’s a chance the dumbbells will roll away from you while you put your weight on them. The hex-shaped heads will minimize this, but the possibility is still there. 

But if you’re a lifting purist and want the best overhead experience possible, the Eleiko Evo Rotating Dumbbells are the way to go.

If you’re new to working with weights, you’re going to want to keep things light and comfortable. SPRI’s Deluxe Vinyl Dumbbells ($7-66) are perfect for nervous newcomers with beginner-friendly weight options, smooth vinyl covering, and fun, bright colors. 

With weights starting at one pound and capping out at 20 pounds, these are ideal for calisthenics, rehabilitation, and introductory weightlifting classes. And instead of the knurled handles (which some people find abrasive against the skin), the vinyl coating on the dumbbells provides a smooth, soft touch. 

That vinyl can get slick, however, so if your hands get sweaty, be sure to minimize any flailing or explosive movements to prevent accidentally hucking one of your dumbbells through a window. And if you plan on eventually using heavier weights, you may find the SPRI’s Deluxe Vinyl Dumbbells’ 20-pound top weight insufficient before long.