The Best Home Gyms

Wednesday, June 7th

2023 Home Gym Reviews

Bowflex

• Cost: From $1,499 to $2,899

Because they've been a leader in the home fitness industry since 1986, Bowflex's home gym system is probably one of the best known (thanks to their ubiquitous infomercials!). With clients as famous as NASA and others, Bowflex's revolutionary zero-gravity resistance-based home gym systems are proven to be far safer and more effective than traditional gym equipment.

Power rod technology

While most home gym systems rely on heavy, stacked metal plates to get you feeling the burn, Bowflex machines utilize a unique patented Power Rod technology. These flexible polymer rods maintain constant resistance throughout the entire repetition of an exercise and reduce strain on the user's joints and tendons. Without bulky stacks of weights to worry about, Bowflex Power Rod machines are compact and take up much less space than the average weight and pulley system.

Great for both newbies and experts

Many exercises can be performed from the same seated position with no weight reconfiguration required, saving time, keeping heart rates up, and improving the overall effectiveness and safety of the workout. If you're a weightlifting beginner, never fear! Bowflex's home gym models are great for experienced gym-rat and apprehensive couch-potato alike, with their exercise manual providing more than enough instruction to help you get your machine set up and your first workout completed.

Professional installation available

Set-up of your Bowflex machine will take between 1-3 hours with the option of in-home assembly available for an additional $299.

Upgradeable

Bowflex's Revolution Home Gym costs $2,899, allows for 100 different exercises and comes with a standard 220 lbs of resistance, which is upgradeable to 300 lbs for $99. 600 lbs of leg resistance is possible. A Bowflex workout DVD is also included.

Great features

The Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE model costs $1,499, allows for 70 different exercises, and comes with a standard 210 lbs of resistance, which is also upgradeable to 410 lbs for an additional $99.

Home gym overview

• Type of Home Gym: Resistance technology
• Cost Range: $1,499 - $2,899
• Different Models: 2
• Financing Available: Yes
• Weight Resistance: 210-410 pounds
• Return Policy: Up to 6 weeks, minus shipping and handling, if you aren't satisfied with your purchase
• Warranty: Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE - 7 years, covers manufacturing defects and Power Rod breakage. Bowflex Revolution - 10 years, covers machine and SpiralFlex resistance packs. Neither warranty covers wear and tear over time.
• Shipping: roughly $400 (without promotional offer)

Pre-approved financing

Although Bowflex's equipment is by no means inexpensive, Bowflex does everything they can to help customers get started on their fitness goals as soon as possible by offering pre-approved 18-month financing. If all payments are met on time and the purchase is made on a Bowflex Card, no interest will be charged.

Highest ranking

One of our favorite things about Bowflex is their innovative technology designed by health and wellness experts. Trusted by over 1 million customers, Bowflex delivers reliable, compact, and versatile home gym products to meet all your home fitness needs. With a no-questions-asked 6-week money-back guarantee and a comprehensive financing plan, you can't go wrong with a Bowflex home gym. These systems earn our highest ranking.

Total Gym

• Cost: From $599 to $3,795

Gracing the late-night television airwaves with celebrities Chuck Norris and Christie Brinkley since the late 90's, Total Gym is a home workout system originally designed for use in rehabilitation centers. Mr. Norris and Ms. Brinkley have been users of Total Gym for the past 30 years, recommending it as a convenient and effective way to stay in great shape despite a busy schedule.

Inclined, padded board

The inclined, padded board perfectly supports the spine and the smooth gliding motion prevents strain on the joints, making it clear just why Total Gym was such a successful physical therapy tool. Total Gym creates resistance using between 6 and 60 percent of the user's body weight, which can be adjusted for varying levels of intensity. By changing the angle and position of the board, the user can target different muscle groups and perform different exercises.

Workout accessories

Included with your purchase of a Total Gym home fitness system is a comprehensive exercise chart, a set of workout programs on DVD, and a training deck featuring the exercises possible with Total Gym and the recommended repetitions.

Light and compact

Weighing in at only 96 lbs, Total Gym is light, compact, and has the ability to fold up for out-of-sight storage. Three of the four available models arrive fully assembled, meaning you can begin working out within minutes of opening the box.

30 day money-back guarantee

Total Gym offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, meaning if you're unhappy with your home gym system for any reason, Total Gym will buy it back, no questions asked. Depending on the model you purchase, warranties on the frame last 1 year, 5 years, or a lifetime.

Website needs updating

If we have anything negative to say about them, we think that Total Gym's website could use a little improvement - the automatic scrolling feature can make trying to compare home gym models a bit frustrating, and the constant chat window pop-ups, though presumably meant to be helpful, are somewhat distracting.

Home gym overview

• Type of Home Gym: Resistance technology
• Cost Range: $599 - $3,795
• Different Models: 4
• Financing Available: No, but payments can be made monthly or all at once
• Weight Resistance: Ranges from 6-60% of your total body weight
• Return Policy: 30-day trial period
• Warranty: 1 year, 5 years, or Lifetime on frame, 6 months - 1 year on parts
• Shipping: Free

Great for beginners

Whether you're a senior, a stay-at-home new mom trying to get rid of some baby weight, or you're just someone who would like to tone up from the comfort of their own home, you'll love Total Gym's home gym systems. If you're a hardcore bodybuilder, though, you'd perhaps be better off looking somewhere else, as Total Gym's equipment is body weight-based and does not have extensive resistance modification capabilities.

For those in the market for an affordable, easy-to-use home fitness system, we recommend Total Gym as a great choice for a solid workout.

Marcy

• Cost: From $499 to $1,799

The Marcy fitness brand originated in Chicago, Illinois with weightlifter and performing strongman Walter Marcyan. Born in 1913, Marcyan began weightlifting at 18 and went on to win championships all over the USA, including earning 6th place in his division of the first Mr. USA competition. Marcyan had a great passion for physical education, and as well as opening his own chain of gyms in Los Angeles, he also began to design his own fitness equipment. In 1959, he introduced to the world what is claimed to be the very first All-In-One home gym system. Walter Marcyan's first home gym systems were used by larger-than-life figures such as Bruce Lee and President Ronald Reagan, as a rehabilitation tool during the latter's recovery from an assassination attempt.

10 home gym models

At present day, the Marcy brand offers 10 different home gym models, divided into two categories: weight stack home gyms and smith machines. Marcy's best-selling stack home gym, the MKM-91010, features a durable steel frame and a 200 lb vinyl-coated weight stack. This model includes a leg developer, a lat bar, a removable arm curl, and press arms, allowing you to target every muscle group and get a quality workout. This machine does require assembly, which can take anywhere from 4-8 hours. Customers say that the product is very well made and that any questions they had about assembly were quickly answered by Marcy representatives.

Serious strength training

The MD-9010G Cage System, Marcy's best-selling smith machine, is an all-in-one home gym system ideal for serious strength trainers and bodybuilders. Though weight plates are not included with the MD-9010G, it is compatible with both standard and Olympic plates, allowing you to up the intensity of your workout as desired. This smith machine includes many different functions and accessories, including a free-weight squat rack, high cable crossovers, an incline bench press, a pec deck station, a low pulley with a foot rest, and a weight bench with a Preacher Curl Pad and Dual Function Leg developer. Though assembly is a lengthy process (expect to spend at least 10 hours on it), the instructions are easy to follow.

90-day return policy

Whether you decide on a weight stack home gym or a smith machine, you'll qualify for a 2 year manufacturer's warranty and a 90-day return policy.

Home gym overview

• Type of Home Gym: Weight plates
• Cost Range: $499-$1,799
• Different Models: 10
• Financing Available: No
• Weight Resistance: 100-220 on weight stack machines, smith machines are standard or Olympic weight plate compatible
• Return Policy: 90 days
• Warranty: 2 years
• Shipping: Not specified

Solid choice

Though Marcy's traditional home gym systems take up a bit more space and require more assembly than the average commercial-grade super compact machines, it is space well used. Between their safe, top quality construction, dozens of possible exercises, and Olympic weight compatibility, if you're after nothing less than a quality workout, look no further than Marcy.

Life Fitness

• Cost: From $1,750 to $7,069
• Subscribe to email list and save 10%
• Equipment is delivered and installed by professional technicians
• "A+" Better Business Bureau rating
• Helpful customer reviews

It's not uncommon to see Life Fitness equipment at your local gym, which is the reason many people turn to this company for their at-home gym equipment. A fun fact about Life Fitness is that they invented the first electronic stationary bicycle in 1968. Other products they sell include treadmills, rowers, ellipticals, weights, and more. Their brands include Life Fitness, Hammer Strength, Cybex, Scifit, ICG, and Brunswick.

8 home gym options

Life Fitness offers 8 home gyms to choose from ranging from $1,750 - $7,065. At the time of this review, the Signature Series Dual Adjustable Pulley was sold out, which also happens to be the most expensive choice. The different gyms include features like row bars, lat pulldowns, a leg press, triceps rope, rotating arm bar, and more. Optional add-ons include a 50 lb weight stack upgrade for $89, an adjustable bench for $599, and a leg-press add-on for $850.

Subscribe and save

If you want to save a little on your home gym, you can subscribe to Life Fitness' email list and receive a code for 10% off your next order. This could mean hundreds of dollars, so we highly recommend taking advantage!

Informative customer reviews

Some of the home gyms from Life Fitness have customer reviews and Q & A information, which is helpful. Most reviews are very positive and helpful for customers who are doing their research before going forward with such a big purchase. People say the home gyms here are just like what they use at their local gym and that they hold up great with daily use. They are solid and high-quality, giving people an awesome solution for adding weight training to their at-home workouts.

Home gym overview

• Type of Home Gym: Resistance technology and weight stacks
• Cost Range: $1,750 - $7,069
• Different Models: 8
• Financing Available: No
• Weight Resistance: Not listed
• Return Policy: Return within 15 days of delivery only if it is defective, damaged, or the wrong item was delivered.
• Warranty: No general warranty information is listed for Life Fitness home gyms. The Cybex Bravo Advanced and Basic Functional Trainer come with a 10-year limited warranty for frame; 5 years for pulleys, weight plates and guide rods; and 1 year for bearings, cables, grips, and electrical.
• Shipping: $399 White Glove delivery

White Glove delivery required

In addition to the hefty cost of a home gym, Life Fitness does not give you a break when it comes to shipping. All of the home gyms require "White Glove" delivery, which means installers will call you to set up a time to assemble the equipment in your house and clean up any excess material. The cost for this is $399. It's nice that you don't have to worry about installation, but some people might wish there was an option to set up their home gym on their own and save a few hundred dollars. Most of the home gyms ship in 2-3 weeks.

Buyer's remorse is not an option

You'll want to make sure the Life Fitness home gym you choose is what you want long-term since you can't change your mind about it once it arrives. There is a 15-day return policy, but it is only valid if your home gym is defective, damaged, or the wrong item was delivered. However, if you decide to cancel your order before it ships out (usually within 1 business day of ordering), you will get a full refund.

Lack of warranty transparency

One of the main things we were concerned about with Life Fitness home gyms is their lack of warranty information. Their terms and conditions mention that each product they sell has its own limited manufacturer's warranty, but as far as home gyms go, there is only a warranty listed for the two Cybex products. The Bravo Functional and Advanced trainer come with a 10 year structural warranty on frame, 5 years for weight plates, pulleys, and guide rods, 1 year for bearings, cables, grips, and electrical, and 90 days for upholstery, springs, and other unspecified items. Warranties are important for big-ticket items like a home gym, so it's unfortunate that Life Fitness is not transparent with a warranty on all of their products.

Good fitness choice

Life Fitness has an "A+" rating from the Better Business Bureau and overall great customer reviews on their products. We wish there was clearer warranty information for customers to review before purchasing here, but we recommend working with customer service to verify the warranty on the home gym you're interested in before buying it. Overall, this is a good company to look at if you want a home gym to help you focus on strength training.

Bodycraft

• Cost: From $1,749 to $3,588

Though perhaps not so familiar to the average consumer as other fitness brands we have reviewed, Bodycraft has been in the home gym business since 1994 and has maintained an amazing reputation since.

2 home gym systems

Bodycraft separates their home gym systems into two classes: Platinum and Legacy. According to the descriptions of the strength training systems that fall under the Legacy category, the innovative features of these machines were found to be so effective when first released by Bodycraft that it changed the way the whole industry designed home gym systems.

Adjustable cable arm design

For example, the XPress Pro was the first to incorporate Bodycraft's very own patented 180-degree Adjustable Cable Arm design to allow for a wide variety of exercises previously impossible to perform with a standard home gym machine, such as dumbbell training, core training, and rehabilitation exercises. This particular machine offers up to 200 lbs of weight stack resistance for most exercises and up to 400 lbs for the bench press and leg press. The cherry on top is a lifetime warranty for both frame and individual parts, which is the same for every Bodycraft home gym purchase.

Strength training system

From the Platinum category, we have the small-but-mighty GL Strength Training System. With its weight stack situated at a 45-degree angle, this home gym saves space and is easily accessible. Featuring an Ab Crunch station, Low and High Pulley Stations, Leg Extension and Curl Stations, as well as several other optional attachments, an excellent full-body workout is completely possible with this machine.

Home gym overview

• Type of Home Gym: Weight plates
• Cost Range: $1,749-$3,588
• Different Models: 7
• Financing Available: Yes
• Weight Resistance: 10-400 lbs
• Return Policy: 31-day money back guarantee
• Warranty: Lifetime
• Shipping: Free in the US

Assembly instructions confusing

Assembly can take anywhere from a few hours to half a day. The only issue we found with Bodycraft home gyms is that assembly instructions can be somewhat confusing to follow, and there were a few reports of missing parts. However, Bodycraft seems to respond to these complaints quickly, shipping customers replacement parts overnight at no extra cost.

Lifetime guarantee

We like Bodycraft's wide range of models and their innovative steps in the history of the home gym industry. Their phenomenal lifetime guarantee is in itself a testimony of the quality of their products, demonstrating the confidence Bodycraft has that their home gyms are built strong enough to withstand the tests of time and daily use. For a reasonable price and exercise equipment suited to all fitness levels, we have no hesitations in recommending Bodycraft home gyms.

Precor

• Cost: From $1,899 to $4,599

Precor was founded in 1980 by industrial designer David Smith and has been a leading innovator in the fitness industry ever since. In 1981, Precor invented the world's first ergonomically-sound rowing machine, and in the years to follow, they added the elliptical trainer, cushioned treadmill and other staple pieces of gym equipment to the list. Precor aims to "design with the human body in mind" and creates workout equipment that prioritizes user comfort and ergonomically-correct form.

Home gym overview

• Type of Home Gym: Weight Stack
• Cost Range: : $1,899 to $4,599
• Different Models: 4, with add-ons available
• Financing Available: Yes
• Weight Resistance: Up to 210 lbs
• Return Policy: 30 days; customer responsible for return shipping costs
• Warranty: Limited Lifetime Warranty for residential customers
• Shipping: Free in the lower 48 United States on all items over $500 (which includes all Precor home gyms)

4 home gyms to choose from

There are four main home gyms sold by Precor: Inspire M1, M2, M3, and M5 (we're not sure what happened to the M4"�). As you might expect, the higher the number, the more you get for your money. For example, the M2 has a weight stack of just 150 lbs., while the M3 goes up to 210 lbs. You'll also find a few subtle differences in the equipment included in each one. Look at the images for the Inspire M2 and you'll see a lat pulldown bar not found with the M3, but the M3 has leg curl and abdominal crunch capabilities built in.

Customize your gym

If you're interested in a particular Inspire home gym and it doesn't seem to have what you want right out of the box, be sure to check out the available options. You may be able to get extra weight for the stack, a leg press add-on, or other compatible equipment.

It's up to you to find out

Unfortunately, Precor doesn't make it easy to see which exercises can be done on each Inspire model. If you're a beginning exerciser, you might find it confusing trying to determine which home gym is right for you. The company could make it easier if they had an at-a-glance chart for comparing the various models - or, better yet, videos with people demonstrating all of the components.

Financing available

Precor home gyms have financing available through Bread. On the equipment that interests you, look for the monthly price listed and click there to be taken to the questionnaire that will determine your eligibility for financing. By the way, you're not obligated to accept the payment plan when answering the questions to see your options, and your credit score won't be affected either.

Limited lifetime warranty

Pricing on all of Precor's Inspire home gym models ranges from $1,899 to $4,599, not including any add-on equipment you might select during checkout. All of the Inspire series gyms have a limited lifetime warranty when used by residential (not commercial) customers. Unfortunately, the Precor website doesn't go into detail as to what you can expect with that warranty.

Free shipping on orders over $500

Because Precor offers free shipping on all orders over $500, you won't pay anything for delivery of your home gym. However, it should be noted that at times when fitness equipment is in high demand, such as Christmas or the New Year, Precor's delivery wait times increase substantially.

Long delivery times

The majority of negative reviews on Precor equipment come from customers stating that delivery of their fitness equipment took place weeks or months after it was initially promised. In fact, many of the items on the Precor Home Gym page were listed as out of stock at the time of this review. To make it worse, the ones that weren't marked as out of stock turned out to only be "available for pre-order" when we clicked on the individual home gyms. Most people aren't going to be excited to spend thousands of dollars now to get a home gym in "4+ weeks" as the Precor site promises.

Middling BBB rating

All of that left us unsurprised to see that Precor Home Fitness had a "C" rating from the Better Business Bureau during our most recent evaluation. On a slightly more positive note, there were only three complaints registered there that led to that less-than-stellar rating - which really isn't so terrible considering how long Precor has been in business.

Is it worth the wait?

When it comes to gym equipment, Precor is one of the gold standard brands in the industry. Will you get a great strength workout with any of their Inspire line of home gyms? Absolutely, if you already know how to use the equipment or you're willing to take the time to learn (or maybe hire a personal trainer for in-home visits). But, when will you actually get the equipment? With as many products as Precor offers that are shown as "out of stock" or "pre-order for delivery in 4+ weeks" , you could be in for a long wait.

Body Solid

• Cost: From $715 to $3,640

An Illinois-based manufacturer of both commercial and home fitness equipment, Body-Solid has been providing exercise equipment to specialty retailers, fitness centers, schools, fire departments and more for over 30 years. Earning an A+ from the Better Business Bureau, Body-Solid is most well-known for their "Built for Life" lifetime guarantee on their products.

Single station gyms

Body-Solid offers a wide range of trainers, multi-stack stations, and free weight gyms, but for a compact and versatile home gym, we recommend their line of single weight stack Single Station Gyms.

Can't purchase online

One thing to keep in mind when browsing Body-Solid's online catalog of home gym systems is that, unlike other brands included in this review, you will not be able to purchase directly from the site. You will have to enter your zip code on the Dealer Locator page to find the nearest Body-Solid dealer to you and order from them instead. Fortunately, it seems Body-Solid dealers are widespread across the USA with dozens of locations in some states. Another thing to note is that Body-Solid's recommended retail prices may differ from actual prices in stores nearest to you.

Entry level home gym model

On the lower end of the home gym price range, Body-Solid offers the BFMG20 model for just $715. It comes with a 145 lb weight stack and, for a machine that only measures 64 inches in length and 47 in width, it is versatile enough to make a full body workout possible. Stations include the Pectoral Fly, Tricep Pressdown, Tricep Extension, Bench Press, Leg Extension/Curl, and the Low Pulley station allows you to perform a dozen more exercises, including seated rows and curls. The Body Focus tab lays out in more detail which areas of the body can be targeted, which exercises can be performed on each Body-Solid home gym system, and tutorials on how to perform them. The BFMG20 will not arrive preassembled, and assembly is reportedly on the more challenging end of the spectrum.

Height considerations

While it's great that this model is small enough to fit in any room, bigger may be a wiser choice. Some customers above 6 feet tall report that, due to their height, it is not possible to fully perform leg exercises. Shorter customers report being unable to reach the leg extension bar at all and that it is not possible to adjust it. Ultimately, it seems as though the BFMG20 is best suited to those of average height, though there is no mention of this in Body-Solid's product description.

Higher end model

Once again affirming the rule that you get what you pay for, the $3,640 G6BR Bi-Angular home gym model, which features a 210 lb weight stack and 6 stations, has pages of positive reviews. The Bi-Angular press arm feature allows fluid and smooth motion, applying resistance from multiple directions and producing up to 25% more muscle engagement by preventing the user's chest muscles from resting during the repetition. This machine is heavier than the BFMG20, but that means increased stability and no wobbling, even during fast, high-rep exercises. It is also much more adjustable than the previously mentioned model. More than 40 exercises are possible with the G6BR home gym system (included with purchase is an exercise chart and workout DVD) and the weight stack is upgradeable to 260 lbs. The only complaint we found about this model is that it is not easy to put together. Expect that it will take at least 8 hours.

Home gym overview

• Type of Home Gym: Weight plates
• Cost Range: $715- $3,640
• Different Models: 9
• Financing Available: Yes
• Weight Resistance: 145 lbs-260 lbs
• Return Policy: Will vary based on vendor
• Warranty: Lifetime
• Shipping: Not available through Body-Solid

Good collection of home gyms

Body-Solid's collection of single stack weight home gym models have something for every budget and workout. If you're working with a bit more space, we also recommend you check out their smith machines and multi-stack trainers. We like Body-Solid's excellent lifetime guarantee on all of their machines, which not only includes frames and parts, but also normal wear on cables, grips, upholstery, and more. The most obvious drawback is that it is impossible to purchase directly from Body-Solid's website, but it will most likely not be too difficult to find a vendor near you.

NordicTrack

• Cost: From $1,999 to $3,299

If you ever went inside that gym you paid membership fees to, you're probably already familiar with the NordicTrack brand. They don't only manufacture treadmills and ellipticals, though - NordicTrack's unique Fusion CST 2-in-1 trainers combine cardio and strength for a trainer-led, fat-burning, lean muscle-building workout.

Easy on the joints

Their 6-foot tall tower features 3 pulleys with 20 possible resistance levels. The Fusion CST also uses flywheel-based magnetic resistance technology, which makes a workout with this system easy on the joints. Some models also include a pull-up bar and a rower. Assembly of this machine is very doable, requiring only the attachment of the arms, legs, handles, and feet. Grab a friend to help, though, as Fusion CST models weigh around 400 lbs.

iFit membership included

If you're not already a strength trainer, the prospect of teaching yourself how to use each station of a typical home gym can be a little intimidating. The Fusion CST series is not only visibly less complicated: with the purchase of one of these models comes a 1-year iFit membership, giving you access to a library of interactive easy-to-follow training sessions, as well as the ability to tune into live classes. You will also receive a wireless Bluetooth chest strap heart rate monitor, and the screen located in the middle of the tower of some models is actually a removable NordicTrack tablet. This home gym system is a cross-training favorite of the cycling and running crowds.

Home gym overview

• Type of Home Gym: Magnetic resistance
• Cost Range: $1,999-$3,299
• Different Models: 3
• Financing Available: Yes
• Weight Resistance: 20 levels, otherwise unspecified
• Return Policy: 30 days, $250 + 10% restocking fee
• Warranty: 1 year parts and labor, 10 year frame
• Shipping: Free, $99 extra for in-home delivery

Limited for body builders

It probably goes without saying that the Fusion CST is not a serious body-building tool. The resistance doesn't go any higher than 20 levels, and it isn't really specified anywhere just how much weight that actually is. Another con is that the cable arm height is not adjustable.

Disappointing warranty

Finally, the limited 1-year parts and labor warranty leaves a lot to be desired - many home gyms come with 2 year, 10 year, or lifetime warranties, and should your Fusion CST stop working in some way, it would probably be more of a challenge to find a third-party repair service. There is a lifetime warranty on the frame.

Poor return policy

Another possible drawback of purchasing from NordicTrack is their return policy: any returns, which are only possible for the first 30 days, will cost a $250 fee as well as a 10% restocking fee. You had better be sure the Fusion CST is the unconventional home gym of your dreams, or prepare to bite an expensive bullet.