If you asked fitness trainers to choose one desert island fitness tool, many would pick the kettlebell. They let you swing, snatch, press, and carry, and according to strength and conditioning coach Katie Wilder-Thomas, CSCS, this dynamic mix of movement is great for making the most of your at-home workouts.
“A kettlebell is a tool that can be used to train power, strength, and endurance,” says Wilder-Thomas. While dumbbells distribute weight evenly on either side of a metal bar, kettlebells position a weighted bulb beneath a handle, which allows you to move the weight in new and challenging ways.
If you’re thinking of adding kettlebells to your home gym, you probably have questions about how to incorporate kettlebells into your workouts and how to find the best kettlebells for your space. We’ve tested more than two dozen kettlebells, and our team has thoughts—so keep on reading.
Our Favorite Kettlebell Overall
The Bowflex SelectTech 840 Adjustable Kettlebell has the feel of a traditional kettlebell but adjusts from 8 to 40 pounds in no time, thanks to its quick turn dial. Since this single piece of equipment replaces six smaller kettlebells for a mere fraction of the price, it was an easy number-one pick for us.
Best Kettlebells: At a Glance
Here are the the kettlebells we recommend to anyone with an at-home workout routine:
Best Kettlebell Overall: Bowflex SelectTech 840 Adjustable Kettlebell
Best Intermediate to Advanced Kettlebell: PowerBlock Pro Adjustable Kettlebells
Best Weight Range in a Top Kettlebell Set: REP Fitness Kettlebell
Best Kettlebell for CrossFit: Iron Bull Strength Kettlebells
Plus, four more kettlebells we tested and loved:
How We Chose the Best Kettlebells
The only way to test a kettlebell is to start swinging, squatting, and deadlifting—so we enlisted our dream team testers (including certified fitness pros, elite athletes, and weightlifting coaches) to do just that. We tested more than two dozen kettlebells and picked our favorites based on how they performed during our sweatiest, toughest workouts. Then we checked out their warranties and durability to create our final ranking. Here’s more about how we test fitness gear.
Why buy six kettlebells when you could just buy one? The Bowflex SelectTech 840 Adjustable Kettlebell adjusts between 8 and 40 lbs in no time, so you can move through exercises with ease and save some serious dough.
Our Tester’s Take
Buying six kettlebells would normally set you back a few hundos, which is why discovering the Bowflex SelectTech 840 Adjustable Kettlebell felt like such a life hack. This model ranges from 8 to 40 pounds in increments of 8, 12, 20, 25, 35, and 40—all in a sturdy, easy-to-adjust construction made of metal and plastic. Given that it goes up to 40 pounds in one compact setup, we recommend this kettlebell for beginner to intermediate fitness folks and anyone who needs every last inch of their small studio apartments.
Our team was also impressed with the two-year warranty, which will give you some peace of mind when you’re investing in a more expensive piece of workout equipment. This kettlebell adds up to around $150, so it’s comforting to know that the brand has your back if a part breaks or if you just decide you’re not a fan. (Just make sure you register the device online as soon as you unbox it. Otherwise, the warranty won’t hold.)
“As an adjustable model, this kettlebell feels uniquely shaped and proportioned compared to your typical gym kettlebells,” our tester says. “It’s almost oblong, and quite tall. I really like using it for lower-body lifts—it’s the perfect size for deadlifts.”
The mid-weight PowerBlock Pro Adjustable Kettlebell works wonders for those just starting to introduce heavier weights into their fitness routines. Plus, an intuitive pin-insertion system makes it effortless to switch between weights.
Our Tester’s Take
It doesn’t always feel plausible to have heavy weights at home. (The price point alone might send you running back to the gym.) Our testing team loved that the PowerBlock Pro Adjustable Kettlebells are a one-time investment in what basically amounts to a mid-weight set of kettlebells ranging from 35 to 62 pounds. Although that $300 may hurt at first, it’s a lot more justifiable compared to the price of purchasing five individual weights.
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