Recommend me where to buy heavy dumbbells that don’t cost the earth!

[Reastie]

I have dumbbells up to 5kg and I have a barbell. However, I’d like to buy heavier dumbbells as I need more challenge and I can’t always get to the gym.

they're so expensive! I’ve been looking for months and nearly purchasing and then I just get scared off because of the cost. Do I get separate dumbbells or do I get one that can be adjusted for different weights ? And if I get one that can be adjusted, will it actually work or willl it take ages to change the weight…. I get so overwhelmed I just give up.

but I now really need them, so can anyone recommend me theirs?!

Have you looked on Facebook market place? That's where I got mine from as I was having the same issue as you, and found new weights so expensive. I looked at the adjustable ones too, because I thought they would take up less space. In the end I just got dumbells and kettle bells.

Yep, tried there and even posted in search of posts in local buying and selling pages. Nothing.

I believe my husband got his off eBay in the end. A local seller. He did have to keep an eye out for a while though

Asda! Got mine a year ago! Oh the kettle bell is from Argos

Don't get the adjustable ones. I inherited my adjustable of my husband and they are just awkward, the bar is a funny weight so the total weight is always weird e.g 6.3 kg, they work lose and wobble during workout. See them as an invest and look at cost per use of their long life!

That’s a shame. Have you got an Aldi near you, they have a fitness event on at the moment and have weights etc for sale. As a PP has said Argos are pretty cheap. I tried eBay once, found some cheap dumbells, bought them, but then realised it was for just one weight!!!

Depends what you mean by heavy really. I had some adjustable ones from Argos that did the job for a bit. They went up to 20kg I think so it depends if that is the kind of weight you're at?

On Facebook the Powerlifting kit for sale UK is great if you're after heavier. Gyms sometimes sell off full sets of dumbbells which will run much heavier than 20kg.

Best price I found is networldsports (but still expensive). Adjustable are a faff and wobble about, for ease of actually using them ‘grab and go’ is much more likely to be used!

I have some adjustable but prefer fixed. I just invest in a set at a time.

My range now is from 5kg to 30kg, but I really need a couple of 40s and the price is eye watering!

Thank you so much, I've been looking on eBay and nothing close to me. I've looked on Vinted too (just in case) and nothing. I've checked on Argos and networldsports and think I'm going to go with the latter and get hand weights from 6 kg - 10kg and add to them as and when I might need heavier. It's really useful that the adjustable ones aren't that great as I probably would've gone for that to save money. I have a barbell that is screw up and it drives me mad how it constantly comes loose!

Another quick question - is there a difference in quality/longevity between this kind of dumbbell and this one ? Can't decide between the two but thinking of getting the latter as they're in more weight options.

Don't get adjustable. They really are a pain. They put me off wanting to do a proper workout because it's such a faff.

The neoprene is a bit kinder on the hands. Not sure how durable it is although I had a pair of 5kg.The other type are what the gym has. I wear gloves otherwise I develop calluses in short order. The other issue with adjustable weights is the bulk - they quickly become unwieldy. Have a look at Decathlon too.

I'd go with neoprene as they are much easier on the hands, the metal grips on the other ones can be uncomfortable without gloves and slippy with sweaty hands.

Above 10kg, the neoprene handles are too big for me to get my hand round properly. Way too much girth! Anything above 10kg, I have the metal bar handle and wear gloves.

Thank you so much - I’ll go with the neoprene ones up to 10kg and then go for metal once I’m that strong!

I have adjustables for anything over 6kg and they are absolutely fine.
i have a neoprene 6kg and hate how thick the handle is.

I have had adjustable for the last 7 years - I bought a set of Powerblock Sport for under £100 and would highly recommend, especially if you don’t have a dedicated workout area for storage.

They go upto 11kg, incredibly simple to adjust and I have had no issues. I switch weights during workout regularly and it takes seconds. No doubt price will have increased but they have served me well and continue to do so

I have the Bowflex adjustables and they are amazing. No complaints. I got them to save space, not money though. If I had unlimited space I’d probably go for individual weights.

I find the net world neoprene 10kg a bit uncomfortable due to the girth but I do have very small hands/13cm wrists. They are much chunkier than the 8kg ones.

The neoprene ones are much more comfortable though for the cg workouts where she rests them at shoulder level for squats lunges etc.

You may have purchased some already, but TX Maxx usually have the odd kettlebell, same at Tiger, I once saw 8kg kettlebells at a very reasonable price.

The one time I saw dumbbells in Homesense (same company as TK Maxx) they looked to be a bargain but were lbs rather than kg so not such good value and pretty light.

Thanks, I purchased from networldsports in the end. Neoprene ones yet to arrive but 10kg ones with metal handle arrived today but they smell so plasticky I actually can’t go in my study (where they are) as it’s so overpowering

I have my own home gym and went the spinlok route because the weight plates are also used on my cable machine. I managed to get 120kg of plates all in at about £1 per kg from various facebook marketplace purchases. I also have 2 sets of handles which allow me to set up warm up weights and then working set weights.

Takes a bit longer to setup but i use that as rest time between sets. I do sometimes look at adjustable and wonder but for the money it would be impossible to get the flexibility i have now. If i was going adjustable the assassin goods metal adjustables are a work of art and money off at the moment. But they are still a LOT of money.

For anyone checking out this thread for ideas I can recommend the Bowflex adjustable DBs. They are hideously expensive and a somewhat odd shape so not perfect but if you need to save space they are the most convenient option.