The Best Budget Home Gym Equipment of 2025

Although a weight bench isn’t necessarily what we’d consider essential, for many, it will be a highly used piece of equipment. It’s obviously good for bench presses, but a good weight bench is a very affordable way to increase the use of most of your equipment. It may be used for box squats, rows, triceps exercises, step-ups, box jumps, Jefferson curls, and a variety of other exercises.

In addition to the training movements, when you’re not squatting inside the rack, you may frequently find yourself taking your rest sitting down (perhaps laying) on the bench in between sets. Or when you are squatting or deadlifting, you may find it as a useful safe area for your kids to be seated off the platform while you are in the middle of your set.

For most people, we suggest getting an adjustable bench simply because it gives you more bang for your buck. You can do incline presses, shoulder presses, and target muscles from different angles than you could on a flat bench.

Ironmaster is a trustworthy company that sells high-value equipment (value meaning best price to features/quality ratio). Having earned a spot on our best adjustable dumbbells list, Ironmaster leads the way for budget-friendly benches with the aptly named Super Bench Adjustable Utility Bench.

What makes this bench such a great bang-for-your-buck investment is the adjustability. In addition to four positions (flat, incline, decline, and upright), you get 11 lock-out angles ranging from 0 to 85 degrees. That allows you to perform a wide range of exercises and target different muscle groups at specific angles. Throw in the fact that the Super Bench is also compatible with a lengthy list of attachments, and this product earns an easy 5-out-of-5 versatility score.

Made with 11- and 12-gauge steel, this sturdy bench supports up to 1,000 pounds in a flat position. If you work at an incline, it’ll support up to 600. That helps the Super Bench earn a construction score of 4 out of 5, docking a point for using a combination of steel rather than 11-gauge throughout.

However, you shouldn’t be too concerned about durability. Ironmaster uses powder-coated frames with chrome parts to ensure your bench will last over time. Plus, the thick, commercial-grade pad is covered with a high-quality vinyl upholstery that gives you a comfortable grip. Our team tested the higher-end version of the Super Bench (check out our full Ironmaster Super Bench Pro V2 review), with our founder, Coop Mitchell, noting that the padding wasn’t quite up to par with other companies. Overall, we’ll rate the durability a 3.5 out of 5.

As for the price? Expect to pay around $400 — a more than reasonable figure given the versatility and solid construction. We rate the value a 4 out of 5, especially when you factor in Ironmaster’s 10-year frame warranty.

Once you have a barbell and a place to set that barbell, having weights that slide onto the barbell is the next piece of equipment you should be looking for. The best weight plates are likely going to be the most costly piece of equipment in your gym.

You can start out with a small amount of weight, but what typically becomes painfully obvious, and quickly, is that you need more weight. Thankfully, weight plates can be had for rather cheap per pound; just recognize that the price will add up over time, especially if you desire matching plates. The first place to look is the secondary market. Although not every market is this way, many will feature crazy good deals on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace.

Many of you are also likely debating if you should purchase iron plates or bumper plates. We’ve used a wide array of both, and here’s what we’ve found. Although bumper plates are better in a garage gym for most people due to their ability to be dropped without damaging the floor and their great resale value, they’re vastly more expensive than iron plates.

We suggest REP Fitness Iron Weight Plates for those on a budget purchase iron plates unless they plan to do a lot of Olympic Weightlifting or CrossFit. Even the power clean can be lowered from the front rack to prevent damage to the floor with enough practice (this was done for decades before bumper plates were invented. If you plan to do some of the classic lifts like the clean and jerk and snatch, then we suggest purchasing a few bumper plates, and then filling the rest of your weight plate needs with iron.

The reason we suggest the REP Fitness Iron Plates is pretty simple, they’re some of the best-priced iron plates with consistent and standard sizing on the internet. At $0.89/lb (as of this writing) the EP Iron Plates are dirt cheap in comparison to many of the other options from companies like York Barbell, Rogue Fitness, and Ivanko.

Although the Rep Iron Plates are cheap, they’re not too bad. Sure, they’re going to be less consistent and accurate than some of the more expensive plates you can purchase, they should meet most people’s needs. The 45-pound plates have the standard 17.7 inches outside diameter and Rep guarantees a 3% tolerance on all plates. This means that if the plate is outside of 3% of the stated weight, then they should, in theory, replace it.

“The overall design and function of the plates are great,” says GGR founder and home gym equipment expert Cooper Mitchell. “This also includes the powdercoat that is tough and hasn’t chipped yet despite quite a bit of mishandling.”

Coop rated the overall value of these plates a 4.75 out of 5 because of their durability and how good they performed when used for back squats, bench presses, and more.

The REP Iron Plates look like the standard barbell plates that have been around for years and are seen in just about every commercial gym in the country. Cast Iron is what most iron plates are made of, and these are no exception.

Each plate also includes a small lip that makes it easier to pick up and carry around, black paint on the entirety of the plate with silver-painted letters and numbers. If you’re wanting budget weight plates, then these are your best value.

Kettlebells are versatile pieces of equipment that are great for both building power and muscular endurance. We’ve used quality kettlebells over the years for a variety of different movements; a few of our favorites are kettlebell swings, bottom-up presses (much harder than they look), farmers’ carries, and snatches. Although they’re great for these movements, they also work well for adding weight to bodyweight movements like dips and pull-ups.

We would definitely suggest purchasing dumbbells before kettlebells due to their versatility and the amount of usage they’ll see, you can get by with just a few kettlebell weights. The weight we’d suggest for most people is 53 pounds. If you’re not as strong or want to use kettlebells more for endurance, then you can go for a lighter weight.

There are various styles of kettlebells, but for most people, we’d suggest standard cast-iron kettlebells. Competition kettlebells are great for the clean and jerk and snatch, but are a bit more difficult to use for two-hand swings and they’re also more expensive.

RELATED: Best Kettlebells

The Iron Bull Strength Powder-Coated Kettlebells are some of the best-priced, pound-for-pound kettlebells available that come in a wide range of weight increments. The Iron Bull Kettlebells are available in weight increments from 4 kilogram/9 pounds to 32 kilograms/70 pounds and use color bands on the handles as well as the weight increments cast into the front of the kettlebells in both pounds and kettlebells.

The bells have bottoms that are machined so they’re flat and then they’re coated in a black powder coat for corrosion resistance and a better grip when chalk is used.

Although the cast iron kettlebells aren’t the absolute best that is available, if you’re on a budget, this is likely your best bet for a kettlebell that is made to last.

The best weight sleds are fantastic tools for both houses of fitness: the people who love cardio, and the people who love building strength. You get your heart rate up, work upper- and lower-body muscles, and make gains all with one piece of equipment. However, most sleds cost at least $300, with some costing upward of $700. The Rogue Cast Pack Sled comes in at just $125 for the 20-pound model or $145 for the 30-pound model.”

“This is a killer deal. The innovation with Rogue’s manufacturing power—you can’t beat that for the price,” says GGR founder and home gym expert Coop Mitchell.

What makes this impressive for the price is that it doubles as a weight plate for a rucksack. If you want to add ruck training to your routine, all you need is a rucksack. You can buy one on the Rogue website when you purchase the sled, but it will cost you an extra $180 (for the 20L ruck) or $190 (for the 25L ruck). Still, we rate the value a 5 out of 5, especially since Rogue products are known for their durability.

RELATED: Rucking Workouts for Beginners, Intermediate, and Advanced Trainees

However, while the Cast Pack Sled’s ability to function as a sled or a ruck is unique, we only rate it a 4 out of 5 for versatility since you can’t do sled pushes with it. That said, we do like that you can load the sled with weight plates, ruck plates, or sandbags (with the optional pack sled buckle straps).

The footprint earns a 5 out of 5. Measuring just 12.5 inches long, 9 inches wide, and 2.15 inches high, the Cast Pack Sled will take up very little space in your garage or home gym. Plus, you can remove the weight post and slide the sled under a piece of furniture or a shelving unit in your gym space.

One more thing to note—we recommend ordering the Pack Sled Plastic Kit with your purchase. The kit includes two skis that attach to the bottom of the sled and help reduce friction between the sled and whatever surface you use it on.

GGR Managing Editor Amanda Dvorak has a different sled from Rogue—the Slice Sled—and finds that the skis help make the sled easier to maneuver. “I use my sled on the street outside my house, and the skis definitely help the sled move more smoothly,” she says. “I also think they help keep the noise level down. It’s much quieter than a lawn mower.”

Adjustable dumbbells on a budget? It’s definitely an affordable option in today’s market. While adjustable dumbbells may not be a necessity for many garage gym owners, they are very useful tools in the right hands. Having a good set or pair of adjustable dumbbells will allow you to perform plenty of great exercises for both hypertrophy and accessory work.

For the garage gym owner, the thought process for purchasing the best dumbbells should include ideas about space and convenience. Most people would not have the room to house an entire set of dumbbells from 5 pounds all the way up to 100 pounds. And even if you did, finding great quality dumbbells at an affordable cost is rare indeed.

We hear frequently of people snagging nice adjustable dumbbells at a fraction of the ticket price, as well as purchasing whole dumbbells sets for around 50 cents per pound. Luckily for you, we have been able to review several great options and have found what we believe to be the best budget dumbbell options money can buy.

Available in 50- or 80-pound versions, the Eisenlink Adjustable Dumbbell is a cheaper yet still durable alternative to many higher-priced adjustable dumbbells. While other budget-friendly options typically don’t go as heavy, 80 pounds should suffice for the majority of home gym owners. And if you want to push yourself even more, you can upgrade these dumbbells to hold up to 160 pounds. That helps them earn a maximum weight score of 4 out of 5.

“I can’t think of another adjustable dumbbell that goes as heavy as these as cheap as they are,” says Coop Mitchell, our founder and resident gear guru.

Despite their budget-friendly price tag, don’t make the mistake of thinking the Eisenlink Adjustable Dumbbells are cheaply made. Coop conducted repeated drop tests, even dropping them from shoulder height. Unlike some other dumbbells, these held up perfectly, earning a durability score of 4 out of 5.

A fair warning: These cast iron dumbbells aren’t the quickest for making weight changes. Instead of a twist-lock mechanism that you’ll see on many competitors, you must unscrew the end cap to add or remove weight plates. And because the weight plates aren’t clearly labeled, it can be confusing to figure out exactly how much weight you have loaded.

“The adjustment system from heavy weight to light weight is going to be quicker on Ironmasters because once you take all this weight off you got to screw that thing all the way down,” Coop explains, rating the adjustment speed a 3 out of 5.

Another callout: Be aware that these dumbbells have a square head design. That’s great for ensuring they won’t roll around on your gym floor. But that’s not so great if you’re used to resting dumbbells on your thighs. That said, other companies like PowerBlock and Ironmaster also make square head dumbbells, so this isn’t exclusive to Eisenlink.

For more details on how these dumbbells look, feel, and perform, check out our complete Eisenlink Adjustable Dumbbell review.

If you’re on a quest for the best budget-friendly dumbbells, look no further than the CAP Barbell Solid Cast Iron Hex Dumbbells. While we wouldn’t typically recommend CAP over other brands (it tends to be associated with cheaper quality), you can’t beat the value you get in these cast iron dumbbells.

A popular product on Amazon, the price fluctuates depending on when and where you buy them, but for the most part, these come out to be less expensive than dumbbells from Rogue, REP Fitness, Titan Fitness, and other big-name brands. For example, you can get a pair of CAP 25-pounders for about $74 on Amazon. Meanwhile, REP Fitness charges almost double the price ($130) for a pair of 25-pound hex dumbbells.

To no surprise, the CAP Cast Iron Hex Dumbbells earned a perfect value rating of 5 out of 5, especially since you can get free shipping if you’re an Amazon Prime member.

From a design standpoint, these share many similar features to higher-end dumbbells, including a fully knurled handle and a hexagonal head to prevent the dumbbells from rolling around in between sets. (This also makes them easier to store.)

Fair warning: If you expose these dumbbells to outdoor elements, including the often humid environment of a garage gym, expect the coating to crack and chip, leaving the iron core exposed. Unfortunately, these dumbbells aren’t going to last as long as other models we’ve tested, leading to a disappointing durability score of 2.5 out of 5.

You can get these CAP dumbbells in weight options from one pound all the way up to 120 pounds. They’re available in increments of 2 to 3 pounds up to the 15-pound dumbbell, at which point they come in 5-pound increments. However, they only come in pairs up to 25 pounds. If you want to go heavier, you’ll have to buy them as a single dumbbell. As a result, CAP earned an optionality rating of 3 out of 5.

While these are decent dumbbells all around (especially if you’re trying to keep costs down), remember that you can’t drop them since they don’t have a protective rubber coating. If you want them to last as long as possible, be mindful of where you store them so rain, humidity, or other conditions don’t cause CAP casualties.

A pull-up bar can be one of the most useful pieces of upper-body equipment you purchase. There are many people who like having a mounted pull-up bar separate from their rack, as they can also use it as an area to attach resistance bands from, use for accessory work, or even superset pull-ups at the wall with squats in the rack. If you follow CrossFit-type programming, this is especially helpful.

When it comes to choosing the best pull-up bar, you first need to think of where you would want to mount it and at what height. Most versions you can find are wall-mounted, but there are also ceiling-mounted versions as well. It is also important to think about all of the activities you may do on the bar besides pull-ups. If you think you’ll attach gymnastic rings to it so that you can do exercises like inverted rows, you’ll need to make sure you have the space for it.

Also, you don’t necessarily have to mount a pull-up bar to the wall, you could also get a doorway pull-up bar to put inside your house and many often double as push-up stands. For these reasons, we’ve included a few different options depending on your price point and potential use.

Our top pick is the Titan Fitness Wall Mounted Pull-Up Bar. It is the classic design that can be found in many elementary schools across the country. The Titan Pull-Up is designed to be mounted into wood studs or can be fixed into a concrete wall. The depth of the bar from the wall is 32 inches, more than enough to give you room to hang and work from.

The weight capacity is listed at 500 pounds, and even with kipping style pull-ups, this should be secure enough for most people. However, it may not be far enough from the wall for you to do all your kipping movements, depending on how tall you are. The entire structure is matte black powder-coated, which provides a decent grip that shouldn’t be a problem even with sweaty palms. The bar can be adjusted to 16 inches, 32 inches, or 52 inches apart, which is set just right for the standard 16-inch wood studs found in most homes.

Overall, the Titan Wall Mounted Pull-Up Bar is our classic value pick. For the price of under $100 with free shipping, you’re getting a very basic pull-up bar that gets the job done and functions quite well.

When it comes to cardio equipment on a budget, you’d be hard-pressed to beat the jump rope. The benefits of jumping rope include building aerobic capacity, improving bone density, and boosting your mood—and you can do it on the cheap.

What’s more, jump ropes are lightweight and portable. You can’t pack a treadmill in your car to take with you on vacation, but a jump rope fits easily into a carry-on bag or your trunk. Also, you can use a jump rope just about anywhere, as long as you don’t mind pavement potentially damaging the casing, or the sound of the whipping rope on your kitchen floor.

The WOD Nation Double Under Speed Rope is a longtime favorite on our team for both its price and performance. It’s priced at under $20 on Amazon and even comes with an extra cable in case yours shreds. One of our product testers, certified personal trainer and GGR Head of Content Kate Meier, has had her WOD Nation rope for nearly five years and replaced the cable after three years. As an avid CrossFitter, she logged plenty of jumps before the rope needed replacing.

“This is still my absolute favorite jump rope even after testing dozens of other options,” Kate says. She loved how light and smooth the rope felt during training and rated the workout experience a perfect 5 out of 5.

RELATED: The Best Jump Ropes

On top of price, the WOD Nation rope also stands out for the variety of colors it comes in as well as its adjustability. The cable itself is long enough for just about any user. Once you size it correctly, you will need wire cutters to cut the cable to match your height.

As long as you use this rope on smooth surfaces, you’ll get a lot of life out of it. Kate noticed that her rope’s casing suffered damage when she jumped on asphalt, but that’s to be expected. You can read more in our WOD Nation Double Under Speed Rope review.

A budget exercise bike is a fantastic addition to home gyms because, compared to ellipticals and treadmills, bikes take up far less room and still pack a powerful cardio punch. We like fan bikes for two reasons: We are gluttons for punishment, and they are ideal for both high-intensity workouts and easier recovery days.

The Schwinn AD6 is an excellent choice for those on a budget looking for an air bike. IT’s priced under $800, making it one of the more affordable but still high-quality air bikes on the market.

We haven’t tested this exact model, but we have used other exercise bikes from Schwinn, like the AD7 (another fan bike in the brand’s lineup) and the IC4 (an upright bike). In our experience, their bikes are durable, easy to assemble, and offer a superb riding experience.

For footprint and portability, we rate the AD6 a 4.5 out of 5. It’s relatively compact, measuring 49.7 inches long, 25.7 inches wide, and 50.9 inches high. There is no handle on the back, but there are transport wheels on the front. You can lift the bike by the rear stabilizer bar to wheel it around. It weighs 115 pounds, which most fit, able-bodied individuals should be able to maneuver.

Like most fan bikes, the AD6 isn’t technologically advanced. Its LCD screen shows time, speed, distance, watts, calories burned, and heart rate. However, it doesn’t connect with any cycling apps. The bike earns a 2 out of 5 for tech capabilities.

We do appreciate Schwinn’s lengthy warranty period, though. The bike comes with a 10-year frame warranty, a 2-year parts warranty, a 1-year electronics warranty, and a 6-month labor warranty. That said, if you have to return your bike, you’ll have to pay for the return shipping costs and may be subject to a handling fee of up to 20% of the bike’s cost. For these reasons, we rate the customer service a 4 out of 5.

There are few things we look for in a the best Olympic barbell, such as overall construction, the tensile strength of the bar, the knurling, spin, finish, price, and warranty.

The almighty barbell is perhaps the most important piece of equipment in any home gym. No matter your goal, you should have a barbell in your hands at least some of the time. The biggest reason for this is its effectiveness; the second reason is its versatility. No piece of equipment can be used for as many different purposes as the barbell, and the best part? It produces results.

We’ve used all of the barbells we recommend and during testing, we performed all of the major barbell exercises including squats, deadlift, bench, overhead press, clean and jerk, and snatch. We also took measures to get the opinion of others and interviewed industry representatives to determine why they feel their bars are superior to the competition.

The best budget barbell is the Synergee Regional Barbell. For us, it’s one of the very few bars priced around $200 that we would ever recommend. Generally, super cheap barbells are susceptible to corrosion, they don’t spin well, or they come in odd lengths and shaft diameters. Not the case with this barbell.

The Regional bar comes in 15- and 20-kg options, each available in either a hard chrome or black phosphate finish. It has a 190,000 pounds-per-square inch tensile strength, meaning the bar can withstand very heavy weights. In fact, the Regional bar is rated to withstand up to 1,500 pounds, helping it earn a perfect tensile strength score of 5 out of 5.

While there’s nothing wrong with specialty bars, this one caters to a much broader audience. A true multi-purpose bar capable of being used for everything from general strength training to Olympic lifting, it has needle bearings that provide a great spin. Overall, we rate the versatility a 4.5 out of 5, as users of all experience levels and body types should enjoy training with this bar.

The knurling on this is solid, but not the best we’ve felt. As one of our product testers put it, “It’s not a cheese-grater knurl like you’ll see on powerlifting barbells.”

Still, Synergee deserves a tip of the cap for designing a solid budget-friendly barbell that costs between $189.95-$219.95, depending on which finish you select. We feel that’s excellent value, rating it a 4 out of 5 in this category.

Is it the most durable? No. Does it have the best knurling? No again. However, if you’re just starting your home gym, this is a great option that will get the job done until you’re ready to upgrade.

You’re likely going to need some sort of home gym flooring. If you lift weights, then you’re definitely going to want something to protect your foundation and lower the noise when weights are dropped. There are a lot of intriguing options, but we’ve found that most foam, puzzle-piece type flooring ends up tearing up, getting nasty, and simply not enjoyable to use pretty quickly.

For this reason, we suggest staying away from the cheapy (although it’s often more expensive than our recommendations) foam tiles and go with rubber matting.

RELATED: The Best Horse Stall Mats for Home Gyms

In most instances, we’d suggest going to your local Tractor Supply or similar farm store and picking up some 4’x6’ ¾” rubber horse stall mats. Yes, they’re initially made for horses, but practically every gym in the world uses these exact mats or something similar. They weigh about 100LB a piece and can take whatever abuse you can throw at them.

We’ve used horse stall mats in our garage gym for close to a decade and they still look practically new.

The squat rack is the centerpiece of nearly every home gym, and for good reason. No matter what your goals are, squat racks will likely play a big part in helping you achieve them. The only piece of equipment more versatile than the squat rack is a barbell, and if you follow our recommendations, then you’ll already have one.

A squat rack can be used for obvious exercises like squatting and benching, but they’re also great for pull-ups, rackable deadlifts, and overhead press. You can add in some attachments for a bit more and suddenly your rack can do everything from landmine movements to lat pulldowns.

We’ve noticed that many people starting home gyms will purchase squat stands and then upgrade later to a power rack due to their versatility. It also needs to be mentioned that most squat stands, when safety bars are added, aren’t much cheaper than their power rack equivalents. With the price of power racks today, we suggest skipping the squat stand option and going for a power rack. You won’t spend much more (in some cases you’ll spend less) and you’ll be much safer and satisfied in the long run.

You’ll be hard pressed to find a power rack that provides more bang for your buck than the Fitness Reality 810XLT. For around $300, you get a sturdy place to squat, bench, overhead press, and perform pull-ups on the pull-up bar cross-section. 

While the price tag may lead to doubts about quality quality, powerlifter and experienced product tester Roger Lockridge says the 2-inch-by-2-inch 14-gauge steel uprights offer a durable foundation for walking squats back into the rack. He rates the construction at 4.5 out of 5. It’s also worth noting the holes are 1 inch in diameter with 1-inch spacing, which will allow you to explore some universal power rack attachments.

GGR Senior Staff Writer Stephen Sheehan, CPT, CNC, owned the 810XLT for two years and was highly impressed with the overall quality and versatility of this rack.

“For about the same price as a pair of adjustable dumbbells, I think this is a fantastic value for home gym owners of all levels,” he explains, rating the value a 4.25 out of 5. “It just gets the job done.”

The Fitness Reality 810XLT offers an 800-pound weight capacity and comes with a landmine attachment, spotter arms, and weight storage. You can buy a lat pulldown attachment for this rack through Fitness Reality or Amazon. You’ll also find multiple spots with band pegs for accommodating resistance.

“I got this second-hand and luckily the previous owner purchased the lat pulldown attachment,” Stephen explains. “I really enjoyed being able to work on rows, triceps pushdowns, and other upper-body exercises all in one spot.”

The Fitness Reality 810XLT’s footprint is ideal for space-conscious home gym owners, as it only takes up about 4 square feet of space. However, it’s over 6 feet tall, so it may not fit in some basements or garage gyms with low ceilings. We rated it a 4 out of 5 in this category.

“It’s still a reliable rack that could serve a lot of home gym owners well,” Roger adds.

To read more about our hands-on experience, check out our Fitness Reality 810XLT review.