Bowflex Selecttech 552 Adjustable Dumbbell Review

Bowflex 552 Dumbbells Review

We continue looking at Bowflex products with the Bowflex Selecttech 552 Dumbbells. If you are into home training Bowflex are one of the top brands for strength equipment. We have looked at their home gyms: Bowflex PR1000 Home Gym and the more expensive Bowflex Xtreme SE2 Home Gym both of which performed well.

Full Bowflex Selecttech 552 Dumbell Review:

So why are we now looking at dumbbells? One of the limiting factors of the home gym is the lack of core stability required with the lifts. With the machines guiding your movements you are really isolating the workout to a few muscles. With dumbbells your entire body has to support the weight at the end of the arm, making the exercise far more efficient.

Adjustable dumbells don’t come cheap, but they are better value than buying all the increments of weights.  We have managed to find them with % off here:

Why are the Bowflex Selecttech 552 Dumbbells such a good choice?

At the gym you will see rack upon rack of dumbbells, from tiny 1lb weights to mammoth 100lb+ versions and every option in between.

If you have the budget and the space for these great! However most people will find the price of this cost prohibitive. This is were Selecttech 552 comes in. On the side of the dumbbells is a dial, simply turn this and you can select weights from 5 up to 50Lb in easy 5lb increments.

This is a really simple and intuitive system. It means that you can have a full set of dumbbells in the same space as a single pair of 50lb weights.Bowflex 552 Dumbbells Review

As they come in a complete package they are extremely compact, and take up little space so you could easily have them in a bedroom or a small home gym.

Are they as good as regular dumbbells?

With the intuitive selection dial they feel just like regular dumbbells in the hand. The bar is good and regular, and its easy to use these dumbbells for hammer exercises, or tricep presses. One thing they don’t like is being dropped, but since you will be using these in your own home it’s unlikely that this will be an issue.

The dial makes it very quick to change the weight, much quicker than removing collars and tightening things up again. However this does come at a price. The

 retail at about $350. While this is considerably cheaper than buying a set of dumbbells, it is more than the cost of a bar and a few detachable weights.

However they are very well made, they are stable and are not prone to rolling round the floor when dropped.

Bowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbell Features:

Bowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbell review and best price

Alternatives to the Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells:

Product nameRating Price
Bowflex SelectTech 1090 Adjustable Dumbbell (Pair) Bowflex SelectTech 1090 Adjustable Dumbbell (Pair)
$599.00
Bowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbells (Pair) Bowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbells (Pair)
$329.00
Ironmaster 75 lb Quick-Lock Adjustable Dumbbell System with Stand Ironmaster 75 lb Quick-Lock Adjustable Dumbbell System with Stand
$599.00
Power Block GF-SPDBLK24 Adjustable SpeedBlock Dumbbell Power Block GF-SPDBLK24 Adjustable SpeedBlock Dumbbell
$105.99
StairMaster Pair of TwistLock Adjustable Dumbbells (100-Pounds) StairMaster Pair of TwistLock Adjustable Dumbbells (100-Pounds)
Click to see

Lets look at what others have said about the Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells in their reviews:

With over 800 customer reviews, the Bowflex 552 Dumbbells are incredibly popular. When torn between these and a similar system from Power Block one user wrote “The dials, in my opinion, are ten times easier than the magnetic pins of PowerBlocks, and these Bowflex dumbbells look ten times more fashionable (our gym equipment is on our loft, so yes my wife and I have a style standard)”

Others have commented how convenient these are “For the price and storage, this item cannot be beat.” But really what sums them up is this comment from a verified user “They are simple to use and easy to store (provided you choose your storage location well. They are heavy). Best of all, they make me (and my wife) want to work out more, and more easily. Save your nickels and dimes and get the good ones. You’ll love them.”

Any Negatives?

These are excellent top end dumbbells, and really the only criticism is the price. However for such a well made piece of equipment it is no doubt worth paying for a lifetime of use.

Bowflex Selecttech 552 Dumbbell Review Verdict:

Would I buy these, yes in a heart beat. At the moment I have access to a gym, but if things change and I start to workout from home the Bowflex 552 Adjustable Dumbbells would be the first thing on my list.

Bowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbells (Pair) Review Summary:

  • Each dumbbell adjusts from 5 to 52.5 pounds; adjusts in 2.5-pound increments up to the first 25 pounds
  • Lets you rapidly switch from one exercise to the next
  • Combines 15 sets of weights into one, using a unique dial system
  • Eliminates the need for multiple dumbbells cluttering your workout space
  • Two year warranty on weight plates and parts