What Is The Best Compact Home Gym Equipment? Product Guide And Review
Exercising from the comfort of your own home is becoming more and more popular today. There are many benefits of owning your own gym equipment, and thanks to new innovative designs, you can build your own compact fitness regime, without having to go to the gym.
In this complete guide and review, we will look at the benefits of owning your own gear, and how to choose the best products for your space. We also reviewed the best compact home gym equipment on the market today, to help you with your search.
Let’s get started!
Points We Will Be Covering
Best Picks For Muscle Gain At A Glance
OUR TOP PICK FOR STRENGTH AND MUSCLE
Bowflex SelectTech 552
Adjustable Dumbbells (Pair)
Marcy Power Tower VKR TC-3508
Multi Workout Home Gym Pull Up Chin Up Dip Station
Reebok Bench
Professional Deck Workout Bench
Best Picks For Weight-Loss/Management At A Glance
OUR TOP PICK FOR WEIGHT-LOSS & WEIGHT MANAGEMENT
Exerpeutic Folding Magnetic Upright Exercise Bike
with Bluetooth App Tracking Option
Stamina in-Motion
Elliptical Trainer
Exerpeutic Folding Recumbent Exercise Bike
Sunny Twister
Stepper
5 Benefits Of Having A Compact Home Gym
1.Avoid Monthly Subscription Costs
The average person spends anywhere between $600 to $800 annually on a single gym membership. This is enough money to put towards a couple of solid piece of equipment at home.
Owning your own equipment can save you hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in the long run.
2.Privacy
Situation 1: So you’re all pumped up for your workout, and your ready to crush it at the gym, only to find out that all the equipment is occupied. Now you have to completely change your routine and workout schedule. Pretty annoying right?
Situation 2: You are lifting your weights and are in complete focus mode while finishing off those last few reps, only to be distracted by the caveman. You know who I’m talking about…, that one guy who shows up every day raging on steroids.
With your own personal home gym, you can always have equipment available while avoiding distractions, that takes away from you maximizing your fitness efforts.
Like studying, having more privacy will allow you to get more done, and help you utilize the time you have towards achieving your goals.
3.No Travelling
If you live in the city like me, then you know how annoying traffic can be. With your own compact home gym, you can save time by not having to travel, as well as money on fuel.
4.Full Control And Ownership
You can have full control and ownership of when you work out, and how long you want to workout for. There are no limitations as to when you can use your personal gym.
Additionally, If you have family members or friends, they can have access to the equipment at no extra charge. You own it, and you’re in control, no rules, no limits!
5.No More Excuses
The most common thing I see people doing is making excuses as to why they cant go the gym. Either it’s too cold to warm up their car, too far, or you are too tired from work. We are all guilty of this.
Having your own equipment can better help eliminate excuses, since you have everything you need, right at your disposal.
Starting With Your Fitness Goals
Weight-Loss And Weight Management
It is important to think about your fitness goals and what tools you will need to achieve them. If you are looking to lose or manage weight, then you will need equipment that allows you to do cardio so that you can burn calories for losing weight.
Popular equipment that allows you to perform cardio can include rowing machines, mini steppers, and spin bikes. If you plan on not using machines, you can pick up a jump rope or a medicine ball if you want to perform more stationary type exercises.
Gaining Muscle
If your goal is to gain muscle, then you will need equipment that forces resistance. I recommend going with weights, cable machines, and chin-up/pull-up bars.
For more smaller spaces you can enhance stationary exercises such as pushups or core workouts using pushup stands, ab trainers or a body ball.
How To Choose The Best Compact Home Gym
Your Budget
First, I want to clear the air by saying that owning home gym equipment is not cheap. However, it is important to understand that this is a long term investment that will help you save hundreds and even thousands of dollars in the long run. Because this is a long term expense, it is important to highly consider going with quality equipment that will last.
Budgeting for this can vary from person to person. If you are looking to lose weight, it may be less costly since you may only require one piece of equipment.
If you are building muscle, this may require you to purchase multiple pieces so you can target different muscles. An alternative would be to purchase an all-in-one machine such as a Bowflex. However, equipment such as these are usually not compact and can run for hundreds, if not thousands of dollars.
Determining Space
Since you are looking for equipment that is compact, you need to evaluate how much space you need. Start to look around and explore areas around your home where you can store your gear, and plan out where you will be using it.
Common spaces where you can exercise can include your living room, garage, common area and even outside on your deck or backyard. Make sure you refer to the dimensions of each piece of equipment so you can come to a realistic conclusion. Lastly, be sure you give yourself enough clearance so you don’t run into anything in your home that may cause injury or damage.
Noise
Another feature which you may want to consider is noise reduction. Equipment including spin bikes, mini steppers, cable and rowing machines can often make a lot of noise. Going with a quieter machine will allow you to still listen to music or watch tv as you exercise without waking anyone up.
Best Compact Home Gym Equipment For Strength And Muscle
TENSION TONER
Compact Workout Bar with Built-in Resistance
- Quality
- Price
- Our Rating
Our top pick is the Tension Toner, and for very good reason. This is a multi-use piece of equipment that can work out your whole body, including your arms, abs, legs, upper and lower body. It only weighs 3 1/2lbs and is small enough to fit inside a carry on or luggage.
A great feature is a multi-tension system with patented built-in resistance bands. It works your muscles in two directions while keeping every muscle that you are targeting, engaged in each workout.
The tension toner does not require any assembly and can be used straight out of the box. You will also get 2 latex bands, a door anchor, quick start guide, a bag that fits your accessories in one place. To learn the exercises, you can find over 70 exercise clips online through the company’s website.
Overall, you get a ton of value for the price, and would highly recommend it if you like an all in one solution where you don’t require a ton of space.
Pros
- Exercise any part of your body
- Patented multi--tension system
- Zero assembly required
- Guides and video's to help you get started
- Foldable design for easy storage
- Includes accessories
Cons
- Customers found it difficult to learn hw to use at first
Bowflex SelectTech 552
Adjustable Dumbbells (Pair)
- Quality
- Price
- Our Rating
If you are looking for dumbbells as an addition to your compact home gym, look no further. Each of these dumbbells adjusts from 5 to 52lbs, saving you the hassle of having to own 15 pairs. You can select the weight you want with a turn of a dial which makes the transition quick and smooth. This is a great feature if you are doing super-sets, and want to increase or decrease the weight in one take.
The dumbbells are very durable and are molded around the metal plates, making them quiet during workouts. You will also get two impact-resistant stands to keep them in place. What you will appreciate about these is they won’t jam on you and will last a long time. It’s no wonder these Bowflex dumbbells received a 2019 Best Home Fitness Reward!
Pros
- Not too bulky and easy to store
- Each dumbbell adjusts from 5 to 52lbs
- Durable and quiet
- Easy dial for smooth and quick transition
- Impact resistant stand
- Received 2019 Mens Best Home Fitness Aard
Cons
- Expensive
Marcy Power Tower VKR TC-3508
Multi Workout Home Gym Pull Up Chin Up Dip Station
- Quality
- Price
- Our Rating
If you love to use your own body weight to build muscle, then the Marcy Power Tower is the perfect solution. This is primarily a raise and dip station, which allows you to perform core exercises, as well as pull ups or chin ups. But it doesn’t end there. Near the bottom, you also get foam pads for doing ab exercises on the floor, and elevated push up handles for chest workouts.
Additional features include ergonomically angled VKR pads which reduce stress to the shoulders, as well as rotator cuffs to better help secure your forearms against the pads. The durable back pad helps you stay comfortable during workouts while supporting your back.
Overall this is a very sturdy piece of equipment that can fit in the corner of your room without taking up too much space. It’s great for taller people, however, you may struggle to reach the handles if you are under 5’4”.
Pros
- For all muscle groups using body weight
- Ergonomically angled pads reduce stress on shoulders
- Triangular base makes it easy to fit in any corner of your home.
- Durable back pad for comfort and support
- Very sturdy
Cons
- Not ideal for shorter individuals under 5'4''
- Only comes in black
Reebok Professional Deck Workout Bench
- Quality
- Price
- Our Rating
For those who will be using weights and want a compact bench, this is a great option. The Reebok Pro allows you to sit either flat or at an incline or decline position when performing ab workouts, or when lifting. It can hold up to 450lbs of weight and is super durable and stable.
The bench is super lightweight at only 25lbs, and can easily fit in a closet, or even under a tall bed by taking off the detachable base legs. In addition, you can also use it as a step bench with the legs removed. It even has a storage compartment for smaller accessories which is quite handy.
Pros
- Can be used as a step bench
- Super light weight
- Comes in either black or blue
- Portable and compact
- Sit flat, incline or decline
- Extra storage for smaller accessories
Cons
- The deck is a bit short for taller people over 5'7''
- Expensive
Best Compact Home Gym Equipment For Weight Management
Exerpeutic Folding Magnetic Upright Exercise Bike
with Bluetooth App Tracking Option
- Quality
- Price
- Our Rating
The Exerpeutic is a famous exercise bike that folds in half, making it easy to store. It even comes with wheels so you don’t have to lift when transporting it. The bike can be easily adjusted to fit anyone between 5 and 6 feet tall and can support up to 300lbs.
Features include a large display, which monitor distance, calories burned, time, speed and heart rate. The hand pulse sensors also monitor your targeted heart rate zone, providing valuable data to help you maximize your sessions. 8 levels of magnetic tension control also allow you to adjust the tension level for an easier or more difficult level.
As for noise, the bike is designed to be quiet when in motion thanks to a state of the art V-belt. Overall, this is a great solution if you want an indoor bike that is compact, durable and light-weight for a reasonable price.
Pros
- Affordable
- Light weight
- Monitors heart rate, calories burned, time and speed
- Stable and durable
- Quiet while in motion
- Easy to read display
Cons
- Batteries for LCD display may drain quickly
- Customers reported pedals breaking off if not assembled properly.
Stamina In-Motion
Elliptical Trainer
- Quality
- Price
- Our Rating
If you really want something small that allows you to get your cardio in, then the Stamina In-Motion is a great option. This is a compact and lightweight elliptical trainer that can fit under a desk or in a closet. It can be either be used standing or sitting, and has a forward or reverse motion that stays very quiet.
Features include an electronic monitor which tracks your strides, exercise time and calories, along with a dial which allows you to increase the intensity. This elliptical trainer has a sturdy steel construction which helps it stay planted firmly on the ground. Also, the pedals have a really good grip so that you can go as fast as you want without slipping off.
Pros
- Steel build for durability and stability
- Great for cardio and stamina
- Inexpensive
- Portable
- 1 year warranty
- Quiet
- Options in black, orange or green
- Tracks strides, exercise time and calories
Cons
- Users feel awkward using it at first
- Short stride makes it difficult for taller individuals
Exerpeutic Folding Recumbent Exercise Bike
- Quality
- Price
- Our Rating
The Stamina Body Trac Glider is another great option that mimics rowing on the water. It has a compact steel frame with an aluminum center beam to help reduce the weight, making it easier to transport around. It has a 250lbs capacity and can be extended to support both taller and shorter individuals. The seat is designed to be really comfortable so that you can perform workouts for longer periods of time.
A great feature is a display which monitors current workout time, stroke count, calories burned, as well as the total strokes accumulated so that you can track your progress. The row bike also has a manual knob which lets you control the resistance, allowing you to increase or decrease the difficulty of your rows.
Overall, this is a great option if you are looking for something truly compact, and are looking to burn calories while building lean muscle for a decent price.
Pros
- Compact and light weight
- Smooth ball bearing roller system
- Monitor tracks workout time, strokes, calories and total strokes.
- 250lbs capacity
- Supports tall and shorter individuals
- Comfortable
Cons
- Customers complained that the pedals are too large
- Guide wheels may squeak, requiring you to oil them
Sunny Twister
Stepper
- Quality
- Price
- Our Rating
Last, on the list, we have the Sunny Twister Stepper for cardio and toning up that butt. This machine specifically works your thighs, and buttocks using a smooth stepping motion system that is quiet when in motion. It can hold a maximum of 250lbs and is ideal for both tall or short individuals. It also has an adjustable stepping height handlebar that helps keep you balanced.
The LCD screen keeps track of elapsed time, calories burned, and the number of steps. You also have the option to have these monitoring features continually repeat so that you can keep up with all your calculations.
Pros
- Affordable
- Safe and durable
- Quiet
- LCD displays time, calories burned and steps
- 1 year warranty
- Holds up to 250lbs
Cons
- Has some plastic parts that may break if not assembled properly
- Cannot be folded for storage
Our Top Picks, And Why
For Muscle Gain And Strength Training
Finding the best compact home gym equipment for muscle can be more complicated because there are multiple areas that need to be targeted. Luckily we found a great all in one option that doesn’t require multiple pieces of equipment.
We chose the TENSION TONER as our winner in this category because it is multi-purpose, is extremely portable, and avoids the headaches of assembly. You can literally use it right out of the box and offers over 70 different workouts, along with a library of videos which guide you along the way. This machine is by far the quietest and sturdiest option on our list.
For Weight-Loss/Management
Determining our top pick for weight-loss was much easier since all we need to worry about is cardio.
We went with the Exerpeutic Folding Bike because it is easy to store, is quiet and monitors your calories, heart rate, time, and speed. This bike is like having your own personal spin class at home for an affordable price.
