15 best home workout equipment, according to personal trainers and user reviews

Lifeline Jungle Gym XT Suspension Trainer System

The lifeline jungle is a simple tool perfect for folks looking to spend under $50 who live in cramped quarters and want resistance training but don’t enjoy traditional weightlifting. Tim Liu, CSCS and Precision Nutrition Certified Coach recommends this product as it is high up on his list of home gym additions that “do not require much space, and gives you a full body workout to help you reach your fitness goals, no matter what they may be.” A classic product that’s been around for decades, the system is also highly portable and helps build stabilizer muscles that improve your all-around performance no matter which workout you choose.

Kinetic Road Machine Smart 2 Trainer

The genius of this machine is hard to understate, as it uses equipment of your own and converts it into an immediate indoor cardio machine at a tiny fraction of the normal cost. “You put your own bike on it in about a minute - nothing complicated about it,” explains Debra Atkinson, MS, CSCS. She has worked in fitness for 36 years and is a best-selling author who founded Flippingfifty.com, a site dedicated to tackling and beating myths about staying in shape as you age. Cycling is a great low-impact way to burn calories and maintain lower body muscle, and the Kinetic Road Machine ensures you won’t have to buy a totally separate type of bike just because you’re stuck indoors for a bit. “You can ride and shift gears just like you were outdoors,” Debra adds, “[it’s] your affordable Peloton.”

JumpSport 250 In Home Cardio Fitness Rebounder

Another great suggestion from Debra comes in the form of a rebounder, aka a mini-trampoline you can set up at home and use while watching TV, listening to music, or just spacing out to clear your head for a bit. “Jumpsport makes several versions for those who can’t get outside, use a treadmill, or can’t do higher impact exercise. ” she explains, “It boosts your lymphatic system (immune boosting) and most find it fun!” Many cheaper options are available but have a tendency to droop or sag depending on how often they’re used, so if you plan to be bouncing quite a bit, it’s worthwhile to invest a bit more money for a sturdy version.

Ultimate Body Press Exercise Sandbag with Filler Bags

The Ultimate Body Press Exercise Sandbags might look a little intimidating at first, but the variety of moves you can do with these unexpected tools will whip your body into shape and give you endless option for how much you want to lift with their water-fillable bags available in weight ranges from 15 to 105 pounds separated into four different categories.

Fitness expert Lynn Montoya, who specializes in “personal training and nutrition for professional women” raves about the sandbags: “You can use it for strength training doing exercises like chest press; clean and press, rows, bicep curls, squats, deadlifts, lunges.” However, those more interested in torching calories than just toning are in luck as well, as Lynn continues, “It can also be used in a HIIT format that is guaranteed to burn calories…. You can do standard strength exercises in a HIIT format as well as a myriad of other exercises that include farmers walk, plank bag drag, power cleans, shoveling, rotational high pulls.”

UPDATE: The Ultimate Body Press Exercise Sandbags are currently unavailable, so we have substituted a similar product below to achieve the same results.

Axis Free Standing Heavy Bag

Sonny Weathersby, aka “Coach Sonny,” was drafted into the Kansas City Royals out of high school and played for three years before becoming injured and pivoting to a life of helping others through coaching, personal training, and other wellness endeavors. Because of this, his list runs as long as his experience and includes a few tools you might not consider otherwise.

“Boxing is my specialty, so of course I am going to recommend getting a boxing bag!” he explained when going into why he chose a boxing bag to include in this list. “[It’s] an amazing thing to have in an at home gym if you have the room. It is not only a great work out, but also an amazing stress reliever.” Weighing in at 70 pounds, the Everlast Free Standing Heavy Bag is no small add-on to your current routine, but not having to hang it means it can be transported more easily which is a workout in itself.

Fitness Gear Jump Rope

To go with the pricier option above, Coach Sunny also told of of his affinity for jumping rope. “15 minutes of jumping rope is equivalent to 45 minutes of running,” he explains, calling the $9.99 tool a great cardio workout enhancer. You don’t need much space for it either, unless you have low ceilings or a narrow living space, in which case you may want to run outside for a few minutes and find a quiet spot where you can breathe the fresh air and skip ‘til you sweat, then run back in for the rest of your session. It's also easily transportable and will fit easily into a suitcase or carry-on should you be a frequent traveler.

Tonal All-In-One Fitness System

Jennifer Cohen is a health and wellness entrepreneur, founder and CEO of No Gym Required, and a trusted consultant from brands you know and love like Muscle Milk, KIND bar, and Loews Hotels, so her advice on fitness is sure to appeal to anyone taking their journey seriously. Her first suggestion is on the luxe side, coming in at just under $3,000, but she raves, "Tonal is by far the best piece of fitness equipment I have ever used. It’s a full body strength training system that you install on your wall and offers hundreds of follow along workouts that you can do with one of their many coaches," and she explains the system is built with "even smarter than you are, and uses this A.I technology that customizes your workouts and resistance level based on your level of strength and fitness you start with. It literally tweaks and adapts to you as you get stronger and changes the weight you use on its own. It eliminates all of the guess work for you. It’s better than going to a gym and roaming around aimlessly or paying for expensive hourly trainers."

Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbells

“Bowflex Select tech adjustable dumbbells are one of the most effective and versatile pieces of fitness equipment you can have in your home gym,” ISSA certified personal trainer and Truism Fitness founder Jamie Hickey told us. A laundry list of pros followed, including space-conscious storage (“Combines 15 sets of weights into one”) and ease of use (“Lets you rapidly switch from one exercise to the next”), making these a valuable expenditure for those who like to circuit train or focus on specific muscle-building goals at home but don’t have much room to spare. A two-year warranty also provides assurance to those for whom this is a serious investment.

Tempo Studio

Similar to Tonal, the Tempo is an all-inclusive in-home gym experience brought to you via a virtual setup that combines real weights and thousands of exercises with “real feedback and expert coaching” brought straight to you. There are hundreds of classes, built-in AI monitoring to give you instant ideas on how to improve, and you can track your progress day to day with this machine.

Other perks include white glove delivery and a 30-day free trial to see if this is something you see yourself sticking with. Even after we’re all back to the gym full time like in pre-pandemic times, this could be a viable option for creating an entire home gym so you never have an excuse to skip.

As one in-depth user review states:

“I love this thing. The quality of the equipment is excellent, and I don't have to worry about cables that will eventually break down. The unit itself is sturdy, slim and sleekly designed, so it fits in almost anywhere. The best part is the coaches and the community. The coaches keep you engaged: whether it's a live or prerecorded class, it feels like a personal, 1 on 1 experience. The community is full of friendly competition and support. While it's a fairly new product, Tempo's willingness to engage with its customers, hear feedback and offer frequent updates makes some of the less-than-perfect aspects (occasional Wi-Fi or software glitches) seem negligible. After a month, I have only positive things to say!”

Bosu Pro-Balance Trainer

You’ve probably seen these at your regular gym but if you haven’t jumped on board with their versatility yet, let Toronto-based trainer Ellen Fielding convince you otherwise. “I love this because it can be used for so many things,” she tells us. “It’s amazing for balance work and joint stability but you can also use it like a step for cardio sequences.” She also notes for those confused as to where to start on this core-challenging tool that Bosu provide “tons of videos on YouTube and training tips on their website and Instagram.”

Element Fitness Hip Circle Band

Ellen’s specialty is helping to sculpt sleek, beautifully toned bodies, so naturally her next suggestion was one that will target a perennial favorite: the butt. “This is great for increasing resistance for glute exercises when you don’t have access to heavy weights,” she says of the $30 Element. “The larger the band’s circumference, the less resistance it’ll have and the lighter it will be.” Non-slip grip material sewn inside prevents the band from moving around while you’re squatting and lunging your way to a better backside, and three different sizes mean you can find the best fit for your body shape.

Forerunner 645 Music

When talking to a group called the Mile High Run Club, you know you’re about to get some excellent guidance on how to maximize your treadmill or (safely-distanced) outdoor workout. We’ve already researched the proper shoes you’ll need for that, so instead we asked one of the club’s running experts, Karli Alvino, what tool she would advise grabbing to spruce up your routine.

“There’s nothing better than taking a moment to disengage from your cell phone; especially during the times we are currently living in where there is a constant bombardment of sad news,” she explained. “ In order to maximize your time alone for some emotional and mental clarity, think about taking yourself out for a walk/jog/run while we are still able to do so.” According to Karli, the one tool to help you put down the phone and focus on your health for a bit is GPS/Smartwatch that can help you track your progress over time, like the Garmin you see above.

“Garmin has specialized in GPS for decades as well as wearables for most sports,” she says of her top pick. “The Forerunner linked here is a current favorite among many runners as are the rest of the watches in the Forerunner line.” There are many other options available through the company’s website as well, so you can cruise around a bit and see what best fits your needs and budget.

Power Reels

This next recommendations comes from renowned Hollywood physique expert Eric the Trainer, who counts Patrick Schwarzenegger, Brandon Fehr, Max Martini, and countless others among his long list of satisfied clients, so we trust he’s up on the best tools of his trade. “These dynamic, handheld devices create constant tension in the shoulders and upper back,” he explains of the multi-use Power Reels, “leading to better posture and hitting an area of the body that is many times neglected. They are light and TSA approved, so they travel well, too.” The reels provide constant resistance that can bump up nearly any exercise move out there, and weighing in at just two pounds, they can travel with you in a standard tote or suitcase. If you need some tips on how to use there, as well as picking up on plenty more moves, check out Eric’s free twice-daily live workouts here.

Crossrope's Get Fit 2020

If Tonal is a bit out of your reach at the moment, Jennifer has a much more affordable option that comes with plenty of moving parts to keep your sweat routine interesting. "On a budget," she tells us, "I love Cross Rope which is a weighted jump rope that’s a great way to get fit with minimal equipment There are interchangeable ropes that will help your body achieve maximum results in minimal time."

The Get Fit 2020 package seen here come with light and heavy ropes with different handles for different goals, all of which claim to be a boon to your HIIT cardio workouts. A fast-clip system means you eliminate any fuss and can just focus on skipping and torching away those calories.

Aipower Wearbuds

One of the easiest ways to get a grip on just how much you’re using your body is to invest in a wearable device that will remind you to get going. Another powerful motivator can be your favorite songs, playlists, and podcasts, all played directly in your ears while running or walking to keep you entertained and physically engaged even longer.

Wearbuds by Airpower combine both of these techniques and are a genius way to keep track of your trusty earbuds and charge them without a separate device while resting snugly inside a stylish, modern timepiece that tracks your fitness and encourages you to move more. Scratchproof and fingerprint-resistant glass with matte metals make this as beautiful to wear as it is convenient, and the touchscreen has gesture control so you can quickly skip through songs and scroll through the other features.

Not just for step-counting, you can also use this two-in-one device to monitor cycling or running, calculate your calorie expenditure, and gather sleep data for a holistic approach to health and self-care.