Dumbbells come in all shapes and sizes, and if you have done any looking at all, you've probably seen all different types - from iron, rubber, and adjustable dumbbells all the way to the neoprene 1, 2, and 3 lb. dumbbells.
If you have your pick of any option, I think there are only two types of dumbbells worth seriously considering - adjustable and rubber dumbbells, specifically the hex ones we will discuss today. However, not including the neoprene 1 lb. dumbbells in the list is hard. Imagine the pump from 3 sets of 200 reps bench pressing 1 lb. dumbbells. That would be insane.
Dumbbells are, in my opinion, the first piece of gym equipment that should be added to a home gym.
Even if you aren't in a place to consider that spare bedroom a home gym, by adding some dumbbells you give yourself a ton of options for getting a workout in at home. Dumbbells are relatively small, give you a great workout stimulus, and are not overly expensive.
I have actually had this same debate recently in my house about which dumbbells to get - rubber hex dumbbells or adjustable dumbbells, so I will take you down the journey we just embarked on.
Before we get too far, let's quickly talk about what adjustable and rubber hex dumbbells are. An adjustable dumbbell set is just what they sound like - they have one handle and the weight on the ends can be adjusted. Now there are a few different ways to adjust the weight. Some adjustable dumbbell sets have miniature weight plates on either end that can be added or taken off almost exactly like weight plates on a barbell. Others, have locking mechanisms such as a pin or rotation of the handle that adds or subtracts weight from the stack, leaving you with only the weight you want.
Rubber dumbbells have a metal handle and rubber coating on both heads. The hex is just the shape of the heads. Rubber coating is more helpful than non-rubber coating because it muffles noise and is safer on your floors. The hex head is helpful because your dumbbells can rest on the floor without moving - as opposed to circular heads.
There are three key differences that present pros and cons for each, so let's jump right in.
1) Storage and Space
This is probably the biggest difference between the adjustable and rubber hex dumbbell.
For the size of one large set of rubber hex dumbbells, you can have one adjustable dumbbell set that in most cases can function in the range of 5 lbs. to 50 plus lbs. You can see how this can be a huge pro for an adjustable dumbbell set.
I would say this is the best adjustable dumbbells perk.
Especially if you have very limited space, an adjustable dumbbell set may be a good idea. You are really giving yourself a ton of workout flexibility for almost no space.
When starting a home gym, we love a good swole-to-space ratio.
These give you a ton of exercise options (swole) and take up very little space.
Now, one thing to consider is that if you are looking at getting a heavy dumbbell pair - around 70 lbs. plus or so - finding an adjustable dumbbell set that goes that heavy is an extra challenge. The common range is about 5 to 50 lbs; however, it is still possible to find heavier ranges. Some brands even make extension packs that allow you to add to your existing adjustable dumbbells.
2) Ease of Use
This one is totally up to personal preference.
Spoiler alert: I chose to go with an adjustable dumbbell set for my own home. This was primarily because of point #1 as space is a premium and I don't have a garage. One day though, the plan is to build a sick garage gym, but until then half of the guest room is all I have to work with.
Okay, but with that being said, my personal preference for working out is rubber hex dumbbells. I prefer the feel of them. There really isn't much more to it than that. A rubber hex dumbbell doesn't move. They are permanent and set and sometimes the slight shifting of the adjustable dumbbells when training doesn't feel quite as nice or safe.
It's really not a huge deal, but if space was no issue, I have found that rubber hex dumbbells are ideal.
Okay, we are rounding third, and heading for home. The final biggest difference between the two dumbbell types.
3) Price
In this economy, we have to consider price.
So far, space and storage is a win for adjustable dumbbells, and ease of use is a win for rubber hex dumbbells. This last one is a toss-up, depending on your needs.
Now, this price difference really depends on what you are planning on buying. If we are comparing an adjustable dumbbell set that ranges from 5 to 50 lbs. versus buying a set of rubber hex dumbbells that have pairs of 5, 10, 15, 20, ... and 50 lbs, well you are going to save probably a couple hundred dollars by going with an adjustable dumbbell set.
However, do you really need weights in every 5 lb. increments? Probably not.
You could probably get everything done you need to with 3 to 4 pairs. For the average relatively new-to-training male, probably a 10, 25, 40, and 60 lb. set would be plenty. On the opposite side for the same category female, a 5, 15, 25, and 40 lb. set would be a great starter set. Picking the exact weights is up to you, but if you go this route, rubber hex dumbbells will probably come in at the same or slightly cheaper cost than adjustable. However, you do lose out on all the weights in between.
Whichever dumbbell set you purchase, you can't make a bad choice. Durability really isn't an issue for either. Having dumbbells at your home makes working out incredibly easy and there are a ton of options for exercises and workouts. Pick one and get to training!
