“This is a solid product that works exactly as advertised”

I’ve been training at home for almost 4 years now and I’m only just starting to realise just how versatile my trusty dumbbell set is. The one big downside is the lost time in adjusting the weight used – I have to unscrew four collars, removeadd plates and then screw the four collars back on.

I find this such a pain that quite often I end up using a slightly inappropriate weight simply because I cannot be bothered with the hassle of changing the plates.

I know this isn’t right and I know I’m curtailing progress a little by not using the most effective weight, but I find it such a kerfuffle to be mucking about changing weights between sets.

Fifteen dumbbells in one - nice

I have looked at the possibility of buying several fixed weights dumbbells but this is impractical in terms of cost and storage.

However, a possible alternative becoming very popular lately is adjustable dumbbells.

I first heard of the idea of adjustable dumbbells several years ago but I never really took much interest. The little I did read suggested they were clumsy and nowhere near as sturdy as standard dumbbells. I had also read that the various weight locking methods where far from perfect.

They Ain’t Cheap

Plus the price was a big put off – you could easily pay well in excess of $500 for a pair of adjustable dumbbells. True, you would pay the same price for several sets of standard dumbbells that covered the same weight range, but it still felt an awful lot of money to be paying for one set of dumbbells – selectable weights or not.

But lately, I’ve been hearing how well manufactured these adjustable dumbbells are these days, with more sturdy, reliable and quicker weight selection and locking mechanism.

I still wasn’t convinced about the high price tag but I decided they at least deserved some investigation.

I spent a few weeks traversing through various sites and doing my best to avoid the manufacturer’s hype. I visited a friend who bought a set of adjustable dumbbells last year to hear his opinion and experience. Plus this was a good opportunity to have a go of them myself (and to prove to my mate that I can still lift more than him ).

The result of all my research led to one set of dumbbells coming out on top, Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells.

What To Look For When Buying a Set of Adjustable Dumbbells

Below are the main factors to consider when choosing your dumbbells. Most of these seemed obvious to me but my research uncovered a few more I hadn’t thought of:

• Number of separate weight settings
• The ease and speed of adjusting the weight settings
• The sturdiness of the weight locking system
• The overall size of the dumbbells (usage and storage)
• Build quality

I could list many more but these were the factors that users commented on most often. Let’s go through factors these in relation to the Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells.

The More The Merrier

The biggest selling point for adjustable dumbbells is the number of standard dumbbells they replace, i.e. the number of different weight settings.

The big dials at either end making changing the weight quick & simple

The Bowflex dumbbells have 15 different weight settings which is pretty impressive. These settings break down as (in lbs) : 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15, 17.5, 20, 22.5, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, and 52.5 pounds. Bear in mind that this is per dumbbell so if using them as a pair, the overall increment is actually double.

Note that the up to 25lbs, the weight can be incremented in steps of 2.5lbs. From 25lbs up to 50lbs, the increments are 5lbs. The final of increase of 2.5lb takes you to the dumbbells maximum weight of 52.5lb.

So the Bowflex dumbbells can actually replace 15 separate dumbbells, ranging from 5lbs to 52.5lbs – I do like that. Having seen just how much room 15 sets of dumbbells take up, that’s a big plus for these dumbbells. Personally, I would like to see increments of 2.5lbs for the full weight range but I think I’m being pedantic now.

Quick & Easy

Many adjustable dumbbells suffer from poor quality weight selection mechanisms. The weight selector (usually some sort of pin or magnet), can often be fiddly and tricky to change.

This is kind of defeating one of the main objects of adjustable dumbbells – you need to be able to change the weight quickly and simply. You don’t want be faffing around with pins in between sets when you’re out of breath and exhausted.

The weight selection for the Bowflex dumbbells is a simple easy to use ‘dial’ on the ends of each dumbbell. To select the required weight, you simply twist the dial to the desire weight. This locks the required plates in place then you simply lift the weight and the unused plates are left sitting neatly in the base plate – nice.

This easy weight selection is possibly one of the Bowflex’s dumbbells best features. It makes changing weights quick and painless, exactly how it should be. After seeing this in action, I was by now pretty much sold on the Bowflex dumbbells, but there was more good news to come – read on.

Lock Down

The weight locking system needs be secure. Although my research didn’t turn up anyone reporting the locking mechanism failing on their dumbbells, it was a common fear amongst users. Even if you just think the locking isn’t the securest, that’s enough to put you off using the dumbbells.

Some users did report that the Bowflex dumbbells had a disappointingly plastic lock but this was later updated with a metals lock in the 2009 model.

The new metal locking system is a big improvement and keeps the selected plates firmly in place. This results in very little shaking and movement of the separate plates, very much like using standard dumbbells.

Size Does Matter

At just under 16" long, these dumbbells are just within the limits of being too long

Another important factor to consider when buying adjustable dumbbells and also their weak spot compared to standard dumbbells, is the overall size of the dumbbell.

Larger dumbbells are difficult to use. Positioning and manoeuvring them can be tricky and cumbersome for certain exercises (try doing standing bicep curls with over sized dumbbells).

The length of the dumbbell is of particular importance. Too long and the dumbbell is difficult to user, too short and you can find the inner plates rubbing against your forearmswrists – not good.

Plate diameter is also important. Whilst you want a decent amount of poundage, large diameter plates again make the dumbbell difficult to manage and store.

Each Bowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbells measures 15.75″ L x 8″ W x 9″ H (40 L x 20 W x 23 H cm) which is pretty compact given the max weight of almost 24kg (53lbs). The handle is slightly shy of 16” long, which is just within the limits of a good sized handle. Anymore would have seen this dumbbell classified as too long.

The max plate diameter of 9” compares well to other adjustable dumbbells and makes storing these babies a synch.

Built To Last

By their very nature, adjustable dumbbells are always going to be less sturdy than standard dumbbells – that’s just the way it is. Standard dumbbells have no moving parts, adjustable dumbbells do.

But even adjustable dumbbells need to be able to take a bit of a hammering. They’re gonna get dropped and bashed and need to be able to withstand this sort of usage for several years.

Second to the easy weight selection mechanism, the most commented feature of the Bowflex Dumbbells was the impressive build quality.

The plates themselves are actually metal inside a very durable plastic moulding. This surprised (pleasantly) many buyers with several comments on how quiet the dumbbells are to use. If you’ve ever used metal dumbbells you’ll really appreciate just how quiet the Bowflex dumbbells are.

How Much Should You Expect to Pay?

The RRP for Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells is $549 but you really shouldn’t be paying any more than $400. The cheapest we have seen is on Amazon who consistently sell these dumbbells for slightly under $400.

What’s Included

• 2 * adjustable dumbbell
• Hard plastic storage tray

Does It include a Warranty?

Yes, the Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells come with a 5 year warranty on the plates and a 2 year warranty on parts.

What Others Are Saying

These dumbbells have received rave reviews from most buyers on the net with an average of 4 out of 5 from reviewers on Amazon (over 200 reviews to date). The Bowflex website itself has over 100 reviews and scores the dumbbells 4.6 out of 5.

Here are some of the comments to date:

• “Best Dumbbells ever!!!…”
• “We are 100% happier we bought these”
• “These weights are amazing, they are very convenient”
• “The dials on these dumbbells are effortless to use”
• “The construction of these dumbbells is flawless”
• “They take up very little space and are quickly and easily adjusted”
• “This is a solid product that works exactly as advertised”

Click here to read more reviews on Amazon.

Any Complaints?

I could only find two small issues worth noting:

1) As mentioned earlier, the 2008 model came with a plastic locking mechanism that some users reported had broken. The 2009 model replaced this with a much sturdier metal lock. You’ll be hard pushed to find the 2008 model but if you think you’ve found yourself an unbelievable bargain somewhere; chances are it’s the 2008 model (note, there is no 2010 model and no 2011 either, as yet, I’ll update if/when there is).

2) At almost 16”, some users reported that they felt the dumbbells were slightly on the long side. I have to agree with this but found this a relatively minor issue and pretty much the norm for adjustable dumbbells.

Where Can You Buy the Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells?

Best place I found to buy these dumbbells was from Amazon. At the moment they include free shipping which is making this the best deal around right now. Click here to view on Amazon.

Where Can You Read More Reviews For The Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells?

You’re always best off reading reviews form people who’ve actually bought the product. The best source for reviews I found for these dumbbells was again on Amazon with over 200 individual reviews.