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After investing in a reliable pair of adjustable dumbbells or a barbell set for your home gym, it’s not hard to see that those alone can only get you so far. Adding one of the best weight benches helps you level up your home workouts by tackling different exercises and, even more importantly, different muscle groups. With the right weight bench, you can do bench presses, seated overhead presses, decline sit-ups, and more; but filtering through different weight benches to find what best suits your needs can be challenging.
There’s no shortage of options available when shopping online. Whatever you buy, you’ll want to be sure to scan the bench specs for how much weight they can support, cushioning, adjustability (to allow for flat, incline, and even decline angles), and how high off the ground they are. You’ll also want to check out the reviews for user feedback—nobody wants to deal with a wobbly workout bench in the middle of the last brutal rep.
Are Adjustable Weight Benches Worth It?
With many high-quality, affordable weight lifting benches available, it’s definitely a worthwhile investment to make in your home gym. Even if you’re the type of gym guy who prefers standing exercises like squats, lunges, and military presses, it’s amazing how many exercises do require a bench.
Common strength training exercises where having a weight bench comes in handy include:
- Chest: flat, incline, and decline dumbbell or barbell presses
- Shoulders: seated overhead dumbbell or barbell presses
- Back: one-arm dumbbell rows
- Triceps: one-arm dumbbell kickbacks and bench dips
- Biceps: incline dumbbell curls
- Upper Trapezius: prone dumbbell shrugs
- Abdominals: decline sit-ups and crunches
- Legs: bench step-ups
All major muscle groups can be worked using an adjustable weight bench. Plus, some benches include accessories for leg extensions, preacher curls, and others. With just one purchase, you can add dozens of new exercises and movement variations to your at-home workout repertoire.
How to Choose a Weight Bench
When selecting the best weight bench for a home gym, first consider how you’re going to use it. If you’re getting it for a specific purpose and know that you’ll only need it to be in a flat position (bench surface parallel to the floor), you don’t necessarily need to get an adjustable bench. For example, if you’re getting it for the sole purpose of doing flat-bench barbell presses in a power rack, you probably won’t need the adjustability.
Otherwise, we recommend opting for the versatility of an adjustable weight bench that allows you to lie back (or even lie facedown in some cases) at various angles—namely, incline, flat, and decline. These angles allow you to do all of the aforementioned exercises and more.
Also, consider your home gym space. If you need to move the bench around the room, look for one that’s lightweight and has wheels so that it can be easily transported from one place to another. If your home gym does double duty with a bedroom or home office, you may prefer a foldable weight bench that stands up against a wall or can be stowed in a closet when not in use.
Average Cost For a Weight Bench
Whatever your budget, you should be able to find a quality weight bench to suit your needs. Expect to find many options in the $100 to $250 range, with some solid models under $100 and higher-end commercial gym-caliber benches fetching $400 to $800 (and up).
If you’re a serious powerlifter who trains heavily and wants something heavy-duty, you may need to shop the higher price points. Those who lift reasonable loads, even up to 500 pounds, should be able to find an affordable weight bench with no problem.
To help you sort through all the different models and price points, we’ve found the best home workout bench options. Whether you’ve got a spare basement with plenty of space and a power rack already in place or only a sliver of real estate between your bed and the radiator, here are the top picks.
The Best Weight Benches of 2023
Yoleo Adjustable Foldable Weight Bench
The Yoleo adjustable weight bench checks a lot of boxes—versatility, portability, and price, to name a few. With seven different backrest positions, you can do all of your flat, incline, and decline exercises using the simple ladder-style adjustment system. The bench holds up to 660 pounds of weight, yet it also folds up to store easily against the wall or in a closet. Most importantly, the value here at under $150 is hard to beat considering the various features and sturdy construction.
[$80 (was $130); amazon.com]
Major Lutie 1,300-Pound Adjustable Weight Bench
This Major Lutie adjustable weight bench is for the serious lifter looking for a premium-level bench at a reasonable price. With a 1,300-pound capacity, you’ll feel the added sturdiness immediately. Most benches of this caliber cost north of $500, making this an excellent value. It’s adjustable from flat to incline to upright, with various angles in between. It’s a bit on the heavy side at 62 pounds, but the low handle in front and wheels in the back make it easy to move around your home gym.
[$300; amazon.com]
Keppi Adjustable Weight Bench with Resistance Bands
Technically you don’t need a weight bench to do resistance band exercises, as most can be done standing. But with a bench like this, you can do band moves that you couldn’t do before. Aside from being foldable and offering a ton of adjustable positions—eight for the back, four for the seat, and three for the feet—the Keppi bench also includes two resistance bands with accessories to attach them directly to the bench for band chest presses, curls, seated crunches, and many other resisted exercises. You get added sturdiness, too, at 800 pounds of load capacity.
[$150 (was $200); amazon.com]
Lusper Adjustable Multi-Purpose Workout Bench
This Lusper workout bench is a great option for anyone on a tight budget that needs maximum versatility. For well under $100, you get six adjustable settings (decline all the way up to incline) and a foldable design that tucks away nicely when your workout is over. And, if you think this is some flimsy piece, it actually has a 660-pound weight capacity, so feel free to do heavy dumbbell presses on it with no worries. Another thing we like about this piece is its width. At 16.7 inches (wider than many other comparable benches), it provides a stable surface to help you stay balanced during your lifts.
[$70 (was $100); amazon.com]
Amazon Basics Flat Weight Bench
If all you need is a flat bench to slide into a power rack and you prefer a clean design without knobs, adjustable rungs, or foot holds, this is for you. It’s basic, very budget-friendly at around $50, and will support even your biggest bench press one-max attempts with its strong alloy steel construction. At 11” x 41” x 18” (D x W x H), you get the familiar feel of a classic commercial gym bench press station.
[$52; amazon.com]
Finer Form Multi-Functional Weight Bench with Back Extension
This unique multipurpose tool does double duty as an adjustable weight bench and a back extension station. Although it doesn’t accommodate incline positions (only flat and decline), it makes up for this with a flat pad on the front with ankle/foot securements for doing back extensions (aka hyperextensions) to develop the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back—the all-important “posterior chain” muscles that help boost sports performance and injury prevention. The hyperextension pad can also be used to secure the legs when doing decline sit-ups for core strength.
[$150 (was $250); amazon.com]
Bowflex 5.1S Stowable Bench
If you’re starting to feel like your bedroom is a dresser, bed, and gym equipment, we dig that this weight bench can be stored vertically, decreasing the amount of space it takes up by more than half. It also offers six different adjustment angles to target various muscle groups and a 600-pound load capacity. For something that still stores vertically (50 percent reduced footprint) with fewer bells and whistles (five adjustable angles and a 550-pound weight max), check out the slightly more affordable Bowflex 4.1S Stowable Bench.
[$299 (was $499); amazon.com]
NordicTrack Utility Bench
Adjust this weight bench among flat, incline, or military positions to fuel some of the best shoulders, chest, lats, front delts, and triceps workouts you’ve ever had. On this model, we especially love the uber-comfy foam-padded backrest to support you during lengthy workouts. Bonus: This bench features box-stitched and sewn seats, which are much more durable than seat covers that simply get stapled on. Bonus: They make for a more gym-worthy appearance.
[$299; nordictrack.com]
Fitness Reality 1000 Super Max Weight Bench
This is a great starter bench for any home gym. With 5,627 five-star reviews on Amazon and counting, a few standout features on this workout bench are its 800-pound capacity, wide backrest, detachable leg hold-down, and the ability to adjust the backrest into 12 different positions. Worth noting: If you’re over 6’4”, this bench won’t work for you.
[$113 (was $129); amazon.com]
Flybird Adjustable Weight Bench FB139
An ideal combination of versatility and value, the Flybird Adjustable Weight Bench is a top choice. It accommodates full body workouts with 24 different seating positions (no decline options), while its heavy-duty steel construction can handle up to 600 pounds. The synthetic leather-padded seat and backrest are comfortable and easy to clean, while those living in tight quarters will appreciate the ability to fold it up and stow it away.
[$140; amazon.com]
Weider Platinum Series Utility Bench
Well-suited for both experienced and beginner lifters, the Weider Platinum Series Utility Bench includes a bench and a preacher curl pad. The bench supports up to 610 pounds and can be adjusted to incline, decline, or flat positions to accommodate nearly any workout. Weider also offers a squat rack attachment for this weight bench. The addition of the independent squat rack sets this apart from others—it allows users to expand their home workout into a more traditional gym routine including deadlifts, squats, and more (Olympic bar and weight plates sold separately).
[$185; amazon.com]
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