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Adjustable dumbbells are an integral piece of fitness equipment to have in a functioning home gym, as they can be used for working on the chest, arms, shoulders, and many other muscle groups. The sweepingly popular BowFlex SelectTech 552 has been the choice of many for over a decade, but the price has shot up in recent years. If there's another brand to know about, it's PowerBlock, which packs just as much power and convenience as BowFlex dumbbells but for less—and now its bestselling set is on sale.
The PowerBlock Elite EXP Adjustable Dumbbells are on sale for $360 on Amazon—a 20% discount on the normal $449 price. These squared-off dumbbells have earned more than 1,700 five-star ratings from shoppers who have gone as far as saying they're "better than BowFlex," maker of the iconically popular SelectTech adjustable dumbbells.
PowerBlock Elite EXP Adjustable Dumbbells, $360 (was $449) on Amazon
Courtesy of Amazon
The PowerBlock Elite EXP adjustable dumbbells offer a range of weights from 5 to 50 pounds in a slim, rectangular form that's unlike any other model. The handle sits inside a cage-like design that's padded with thick foam to protect and stabilize your forearms when lifting. Adjusting the weight is simple, too: Just use the color-coded guide on the top of the dumbbell to pick your weight, remove the magnetic selector pin, and pop it through the weight plate of the corresponding color. Once your weight is selected, everything is locked into place until you remove it again. What's even better is that, once you've graduated from 50-pound weights, PowerBlock offers two expansion weights to build on your existing set.
Those who have brought PowerBlock's adjustable dumbbells into their home gyms have raved about the high-quality build, the comfort, and their compact design, but many obsess over how easy they are to use. "I did quite a bit of research before pulling the trigger on these, but they're exactly what I needed," one shopper stated. "These are very easy to use. Changing weights takes me maybe 30 seconds between sets. They're super compact and easy to store, too." Another shopper agreed, simply stating that they're "the most versatile, easy, and well-built that I have used."
Many shoppers also praised the design of these dumbbells, specifically how their length is relative to the weight you select. "The weights feel great in the hand, and it is smaller when you're using less weight as opposed to the BowFlex 552, which has the same length throughout," one shopper described. Another shopper pointed out that with longer, fixed-length dumbbells, you "cannot get [them] close together when doing chest exercises," but this model will allow you to achieve that complete motion.
PowerBlock adjustable dumbbells are a fine choice to feature in your home gym because of their ease of use, comfort, and design, but they're even more of a no-brainer now that they're on sale for just $360 and more affordable than the BowFlex SelectTech 552. We're not expecting them to sell out, but the price could shoot back up at any time, so make sure to take advantage of the $89 savings and pick yours up soon.