The number of brands making home gym equipment has increased significantly over the past few years. This makes it difficult to figure out which brands are worth the money and which ones you should eliminate from your research when you’re creating a home gym.
1. Peloton
Peloton was the first brand to offer a solution for people who wanted a studio-style spin class experience from the comfort of their own homes. It’s still most known for its bike and virtual spin classes, which you can take live or on-demand.
The brand also has a treadmill on which you can take walking or running classes, and rumor has it that Peloton will be coming out with a rower in the near future.
Peloton is considered a leader in the home fitness equipment space, especially when it comes to spin bikes. Other brands such as Echelon offer similar products at a more affordable price, though they don’t offer as much variety in their content as Peloton.
2. Tonal
Tonal is an interactive strength training system that uses electromagnetics to create resistance. It’s like a small, wall-mounted cable machine, and you can use handles, a straight bar, or a rope attachment to perform a variety of upper and lower body exercises.
Tonal takes up very little space. There’s no need for a squat rack or large storage racks for free weights. As long as you have free wall space and some room for a bench, if you choose, you can install it in any room of your home. Tonal offers a wide range of on-demand classes from about 15 to 40 minutes, and it has beginner, intermediate, and advanced classes.
3. Mirror
The Mirror is a wall-mounted fitness device owned by premium workout apparel brand Lululemon. It streams live and on-demand classes, including yoga, boxing, cardio dance, boot camp, and meditation. As the name suggests, the Mirror enables you to watch yourself in the reflective screen so you can keep an eye on your form.
The Mirror doesn’t have attached weights, though you can use bands, dumbbells, or ankle weights (either from Mirror or any other brand) to make your workouts more challenging. The Mirror is ideal for anyone who enjoys fitness classes but isn’t able to make it to a gym to take in-person classes. Because of its huge selection of classes, it’s also an excellent option for people who easily get bored with fitness.
4. Tempo
Tempo is an interactive fitness system that enables you to do strength training workouts with a small barbell, kettlebells, or dumbbells.
You can get the Tempo Studio, a full system that combines a stereo, monitor, and weight storage all in one unit, or Tempo Move, which includes the storage cabinet and weights only. With Tempo Move, you can use whatever device you want to stream classes. Tempo is for anyone who’s not interested in bodybuilding or powerlifting but wants to get stronger and build some muscle. Since you’ll get real-time feedback on your form, it’s also good for people who are new to lifting weights.
5. JaxJox
JaxJox is similar to Tempo in that it offers an interactive way for you to strength train without needing a squat rack. It comes with dumbbells and a kettlebell that are integrated with smart technology to keep track of your reps, sets, heart rate, and more.
The biggest benefit of JaxJox is that it helps you save space. You can get weights up to 50lbs (for the dumbbells) or 42lbs (for the kettlebell) with just one pair or one unit. As well, the weights on the JaxJox kettlebell and dumbbells are easy to adjust with just the push of a button.
6. Spud Inc.
Spud Inc. makes cable pulley systems that you can attach to a power rack. This enables you to perform a variety of cable exercises, such as lat pulldowns, cable rows, and tricep pushdowns, at home without needing to make room for a bulky cable machine. There’s even a belt squat attachment that’s compatible with most heavy-duty power racks.
Spud Inc. also makes lifting straps, speed/agility straps (such as straps that you can wear like a harness and use to pull weight plates behind you or ones that you can attach parachutes to for running workouts), and straps that you can use for Strongman/Strongwoman training.
7. Animalhouse Fitness
Animalhouse Fitness is a small brand, but it makes a product that I think is pretty clever: MonkeyFeet.
MonkeyFeet is an attachment that you can clip onto your feet and secure a dumbbell to so you can do exercises like leg extensions, hamstring curls, and glute kickbacks without a cable machine. There aren’t many MonkeyFeet competitors, though there are ways you can do movements like leg extensions at home, such as by resting a dumbbell across your feet or holding one head of a dumbbell between your feet. However, MonkeyFeet offers peace of mind by ensuring that the dumbbell will stay in place.
8. Manduka
Manduka is a yoga brand that makes mats, straps, blocks, yoga mat carriers, and apparel. Its products are made with responsibly-sourced materials, and the company is committed to minimizing environmental waste.
For example, some of its mats are made from biodegradable, natural tree rubber, and its blocks are made from recycled EVA, a flexible, plastic-like material. Manduka is primarily for people who teach and practice yoga. However, because of the higher price point, Manduka is more ideal for advanced yogis.
9. Hydrow
Hydrow is the Peloton equivalent of rowing. It’s an interactive rower that offers live and on-demand classes led by former competitive rowers, including some who competed in the Olympics.
Hydrow is for former rowers or any kind of athlete who wants to utilize rowing as part of their cardio routine. Because rowing is a low-impact activity, Hydrow is also good for anyone who’s rehabbing an injury or can’t do activities like running. Hydrow can be used by CrossFitters since many CrossFit workouts include rowing. But if you’re only planning on using it for that purpose, you’d be better off getting a Concept 2 rower that’s cheaper and better calibrated to the types of workouts you’d need it for (such as rowing for a set number of calories or a set distance).
10. NordicTrack
You’ve likely heard of NordicTrack since the company’s products are sold in many sporting goods stores. It sells standard pieces of equipment like treadmills, bikes, and ellipticals, but it also sells rowers, adjustable dumbbells, and an interactive strength-training studio system called the Vault.
In addition, NordicTrack offers the iFit app, which provides a large number of workouts you can do with or without NordicTrack equipment. NordicTrack products suit a variety of individuals with varying fitness goals. While they’re best suited for people who enjoy cardio workouts and prefer working out indoors or by taking instructor-led classes, it’s also a good brand for people who want to do some light strength training at home.
11. Bowflex
You’ve likely heard of Bowflex since the company has been making home gym equipment for decades. It started with the Bowflex 2000X, a total gym solution, and has since expanded to treadmills, adjustable dumbbells and kettlebells, bikes, elliptcials, and more.
Bowflex is ideal for anyone who enjoys traditional forms of cardio such as cycling or running but is interested in looking for different ways to switch up their workouts.
12. Rogue Fitness
Nearly all of Rogue’s equipment is manufactured in Columbus, OH, and the steel that’s used for products like squat racks and barbells is sourced from the US and Canada.
Rogue also has barbells that are approved for competition by the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) and the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF). In addition, the customer service team at Rogue is quite good. I’ve had to contact them a few times over the years, and sometimes it’s obvious that they’re just trying to sell more of their products to me, but they’ve always been friendly and quick to respond. Rogue also offers extensive warranties (lifetime, in some cases) on almost all of its products.
13. Rep Fitness
Rep Fitness was founded in 2012 by two brothers who saw a need for high-quality but affordable home gym equipment. It offers nearly every piece of equipment you can think of from squat racks to barbells to kettlebells.
Rep Fitness was founded in 2012 by two brothers who saw a need for high-quality but affordable home gym equipment. It offers nearly every piece of equipment you can think of from squat racks to barbells to kettlebells. Rep Fitness equipment is good for powerlifters, weightlifters, and CrossFitters who train at home and can’t afford equipment from more expensive brands like Rogue.
14. Titan Fitness
Titan Fitness is a budget fitness equipment supplier that caters mostly to home gym owners. It doesn’t live up to Rogue in terms of quality, but it’s plenty sufficient for individuals who only work out at home for an hour or two a few days per week.
Titan Fitness is for home gym owners who don’t have a large budget and don’t mind getting equipment that’s lower quality in exchange for saving a few bucks. It’s also a good brand for people who don’t have a lot of space. You can find squat racks that fit under low ceilings and have compatible attachments that enable you to add more variety to your training without having to add more machines.
15. Eleiko
Eleiko is a supplier of premium fitness equipment. The brand caters to weightlifters and powerlifters, and most (if not all) of its products are certified by the IPF, IWF, and WPPO (World Para Powerlifting).
Eleiko equipment is built to last. Even if you lift weights for a couple of hours a day multiple days per week, you can expect Eleiko equipment to withstand the abuse you’ll put it through. Eleiko also has high resale value. If you splurge and then decide that the equipment isn’t for you, you can sell it and likely make back almost all of what you originally paid for it.
18. Fitbit
Wearable technology like Fitbit has been popular for years, making it easy for wearers to see how many steps per day they get. They’ve advanced quite a bit since they first hit the market and now also track health metrics like sleep quality, blood oxygen levels, menstrual cycles, and resting heart rates.
Fitbit is for nearly everyone. The vast majority of people can benefit from increasing their step counts to offset the effects of sedentary liftestyles, which are prevalent in our culture right now. And even if you work out for an hour or two a day, watches like Fitbits can encourage you to remain active outside of your workout periods.
