5 Best Home Gym Equipment Options for Every Budget
Can't seem to make it to the gym? You're not alone. In fact, 67% of people with gym memberships never use them. One of the biggest hurdles is simply getting to the health club. The solution? Bring the workouts to you with a home gym unit that allows you to strengthen and tone from head to toe in the comfort of your house.
Best Budget Option
Affordable home gym options may not be as flashy as the pricey models, but they will still help you improve your strength and get closer to your health goals. While some basic systems don't look like much, they can offer up to 50 body shaping exercises that target every muscle group.
The best budget options typically use your body weight as resistance but may allow you to add up to 50 pounds of weight for more challenging lifts. According to customer reviews, these affordable systems usually take about 30 minutes to set up and hold up well even with daily use.
Mid-Range Home Gym: Power Line Home Gym with Leg Press
If you've been saving up for a home gym but don't want to spend a fortune, mid-range options provide excellent value. The Power Line Home Gym with Leg Press features low, mid, and high pulleys as well as a 160-pound weight stack, which can be upgraded to 210 pounds.
This home gym is suitable for users of any size thanks to adjustable seats that ensure a perfect height. Users report that although assembly can be challenging, the quality of the equipment is excellent for the price point.
Premium Option: BoFlex Revolution Home Gym
The BoFlex Revolution home gym offers a compact total body workout. What sets the Revolution apart is the company's SPIRRFLEX resistance technology, which delivers ultra-smooth, consistent resistance through the entire range of motion—an important factor in building lean, strong muscle.
The system utilizes lightweight interlocking plates which let you quickly and easily adjust the resistance from 10 to 220 pounds for upper body workouts, with an option to upgrade to 300 pounds. The machine duplicates virtually every exercise from your local gym with freedom arms that rotate 170 degrees to work muscles from various angles through 10 different settings.
The Revolution also includes a leg press plate for lower body workouts, along with a 5-position foot harness. In total, it supports more than 100 exercises, including a comprehensive core and abs workout.
Value Pick: Marcy 150-Pound Stack Home Gym
The Marcy 150-pound stack home gym offers over 30 strength training exercises to effectively burn calories and increase muscle mass. This home gym features dual-functioning press arms for chest press and pec fly exercises. The dual-function leg developer properly aligns with the knee joints for effective leg extensions and leg curls.
The multi-position high and low pulleys and cables connect to a 150-pound adjustable weight stack for smooth and controlled body exercises, eliminating the need to load and unload weight plates. You can also work on toning your abs and triceps with the adjustable preacher curl pad.
One common limitation with more affordable home gyms like the Marcy MWM-990 is that the exercises don't fit everyone perfectly. If you're six feet or taller, you may not fit comfortably in exercises that use the leg developer or the chest press. With its smaller footprint, this model is clearly designed for the average person.
Body-Solid G1S Home Gym
The Body-Solid G1S is centered on a 160-pound weight stack and provides more than 40 exercise options. Divided into five workout stations, it works your upper body, lower body, and abs. Along with high, mid, and low pulley stations, the G1S also has a chest press station and a leg developer station.
Exercises you can perform include lat pull-downs, triceps press-downs, ab crunches, and seated rows. You can also do leg extensions and curls, though the G1S doesn't come with a leg press. Also, it doesn't have upgradable resistance, and its maximum user weight isn't defined—important factors to consider if you want your machine to grow with you as you get stronger, or if you currently weigh more than 300 pounds.
For added comfort and durability, the G1S seat pad is contoured and adjustable, and its cables, pulleys, and upholstery are high quality. It comes with a water bottle holder and a triceps strap. Add-ons include an accessory rack, weight stack adapter plates, an ab crunch harness, and a multi-purpose bar. Guaranteed by Body-Solid for a lifetime, it has one of the best warranties in the industry.
Final Thoughts
Whether you're just starting your fitness journey or looking to upgrade your home gym setup, there's an option available at every price point. By investing in quality home gym equipment, you can eliminate the excuse of not making it to the gym and create a convenient workout space that fits your lifestyle and fitness goals.
