Bowflex SelectTech 552: For speed and convenience
So, you don’t like going to the gym and prefer to workout at home or maybe in the office. You’ve found some simple exercises you like and want to add some resistance. A good choice for many is using dumbbells. But, I don’t have extra storage room and don’t want to clutter up what little space I have with a bunch of dumbbells. Well, in that case a good option for you would be an adjustable dumbbell set. Takes up very little room, and with a quick flip of a dial, you go from a light to heavy weight and back. Simple as pie. Let’s look at a popular one on the market today, the The Bowflex SelectTech 552. I myself have not tried it, but I have researched all the forums and user comments, complaints and suggestions to give you a review of all the reviews. Here is what I’ve found:
Product The Bowflex SelectTech 552
Cheapest Price $285-295 on amazon(Pair)
Guarantee 2 year warranty on plate and parts
Specs The dimensions for the dumbbell are approximately 16″ L x 8″ W x 9″ H (40 x 20 x 23 cm). This a pretty large and can make them a bit bulky and difficult to use for some exercises. Most people seem to be able to adapt to it. There are 15 weight settings starting from 5 lbs and incrementing by 2.5 lbs up to 25 lbs and then by 5 lbs up to 50 lbs. There is an additional 52.5 setting. Not really sure why they just didn’t go up to 55 lbs.
Features The durable molding around the weights provide for a quieter workout, if you care about such things. Weights are adjustable up to 52.5 lbs which give a combined weight of 105 lbs. Adjustments of the weights are simple and quick, by turning a dial to desired setting. Many people also seem to like the traditional look and feel of the weights.
The Good It does not take up a lot of space. It also replaces about 15 different dumbbells you would have had to get to have the same weight range. So for a pair, that means 30. Can you imagine having 30 dumbbells lying around your office or work area at home. It takes less than 5 secs. to change the weight. Just turn the dial till it clicks and you have your desired weight. Reviews are very positive with an average of about 4.8 stars out of 5 on amazon
The not so good I don’t really like to say bad. But there are a few things that people have complained about. The bulkiness of it takes some getting used to. Some exercises are difficult to perform due to the 16” length. If you want to do incline, flat dumbbell or shoulder press, you gonna have to make some adjustments to accommodate the extra length of the dumbbell. Okay, here is a complaint that I find amusing…The parts can be damaged when dropping the dumbbells on the floor. What did you expect? Do you really have to throw them on the floor after a workout? Just set them down in their containers and things should be fine. If you accidentally drop them, then yes, you will damage them and break something. So maybe it may take some getting used to if you are accustomed to the solid piece of metal in the gym. Now, if you read some of the reviews in various forums online, a big complaint was the plastic locking tab breaking and weights falling out. Check the date of these reviews. If it’s around 2008, this was a problem. Bowflex have now replaced the plastic with metal tabs. Bear in mind this was one of the biggest complaints. Also, the sticking experienced by some consumers, when trying to pull the weights out of the container which eventually goes away.
Pros
- Easy to change weights
- Fast change time
- Weights go from 5-52.5 lbs in increments of 2.5 and 5 lbs
- Replaces about 30 dumbbells
- Has a traditional look and good feel to them
- 2 year warranty on all parts
Cons
- Bulky and length may limit some exercises
- Has multiple parts which can be damaged if dumbbell is dropped on the floor
- Weights might stick when trying to pull them out
Final thoughts The Bowflex SelectTech 552
Hi, I,ve just moved to a new home and we are doing up one of the rooms as a gym. I’ve been looking for a decent set of dumb bells that don’t take up a lot of space . I had seen these a while ago but some of the reviews had put me off regarding the plastic locking tab. Now that I know it is sorted I will seriously think about getting these. Thank you
No problem…Make sure to click the link on my website page
Thank you for showing me(us) these! I live in an extremely chaotic weather area and outdoor exercise has never been a good thing haha, so to stay active and fit one really appreciates anything indoor. It seems that these have many options thanks to their quick size change feature!(Biceps, tricps, pecs, even back with the “hammer” exercise.)
Also love the overall design of your site it’s like oh yeah health is epic!
Thanks, keep checking back.
Goat,
Really good review to read and to be honest I’ve always wanted to buy these dumbbells but wasn’t too sure if i should as lot of people have told me once you drop them they can easily be damaged. I guess i just have to lower these weights slowly.
But they look so good! for someone reason they come across really high tech even though there just dumbbells. I defiantly buy these and let you know how i find them.
Best regards,
Vinnie
Yes, definitely tell me how you like them and your experience with them. Cheers.
What a great idea to avoid having tons of weights cluttering up everything! BowFlex I feel usually puts out some good stuff. I like too that you clarified some of the negative reviews from the past. I think I would avoid buying these if I read them, but you clear up that the problem in those reviews from nearly nine years ago. I am sure they have improved the issue since then! What are some of your fav exercises with these?
With dumbbells in general, I like incline press, shrugs and kneeling one arm rows.
Thanks for putting together such a thorough review on these dumbbells and for explaining the difference in quality that would be reflected in older reviews. It’s also nice to know what to expect for the price so it’s easy to tell if a website might have them priced higher than other places. Have you ever heard of anyone getting these stuck or jammed together?
No problem. It can happen where it gets stuck, but eventually with some use, it stops.
Thanks for sharing with us on these dumb bells. I have 3 sets under my bed and they are already too light, so useless. I need heavier weights. So I like the idea of these, adjusting the weight as opposed to running the sports store to buy additional weights. Or paying to go to the gym and use their. I think you did a great job going over the pros and cons. Great review!
Thanks. Always glad to provide useful info people could use.
Hi
I have just spent a fortune on turning my garage into a gym and didnt see these bad boys! Love the the fact they are so easy to change as I work out alot on my own, and the price is amazing. Do you know If i can get them shipped to the UK Amazon?
Thank great review, wish i had done more research on these before I bought the run of the mill ones i did…at aleast i kept my receipt! 🙂
Dave
Hi Dave,
I don’t know if they will ship to Amazon UK. But you can always ask the seller.The ones on amazon are all shipped from the U.S. Anyway, I ended up asking. I’ll let you know their reply.
They don’t ship to the UK. But you can check Amazon UK to see if it is sold there.
Hi,
I just saw your review on the Bowflex SelectTech 552 weights. As someone who loves to exercise with free weights, I have to say, you really got me interested in this product. I really like that you can change the weights on these easily. Currently, I own an old pair of dumbbells, and honestly I don’t use them much because it is such a pain to switch weights.
Thanks for this great review!
Glad you got something out of it. Hey, give it a go if you plan on using dumbbells to workout.
Hey
Thanks for the great detailed review. Glad I don’t have to search through all of the forums and comments now!
Sounds like these are really easy for changing weight – the last dumbbells I had and recently sold had like metal things that screwed onto the end to hold the weights in place. It used to take ages to undo them, take weights off, put the right weights on and then screw them back on. Still beat having like 15 different dumbbells but these sound much easier.
My only concern would be the length. Always hate it when people just drop weights on the ground – even in the gym. If you can’t set them down properly then they’re probably too heavy for you to be lifting.
Anyway thanks for the review, will definitely be considering these as my replacement dumbbells.
Lol..yeah I know those…takes forever to get the plates in… I hate using them. The Bowflex 552 is a little long and would require some adjustment for certain exercises.
Thanks for this comprehensive review. I own dumbbells at home but they are ancient. These modern ones look much better, although the problem still is – you need to lift them yourself to make any progress! I guess that will never change. I assume a problem with getting heavy items shipped is the expense? The last time I bought weights from a department store I nearly pulled a muscle getting them back to my car so it may make sense to have them delivered.
Thanks for the info on these!
These seem to be decent dumbbells! I just wanted to order them when I stumbled upon your article. You helped me making my choice; going for different ones.
I thought for the pretty high price these should be indestructible but what you wrote on the quality and damage when dropping them made me worry.
And even they replaced the weaker plastic parts with metal tabs I don’t have a good feeling about these dumbbells. I think I will just go for some cheaper and simpler ones that don’t look as fancy as the Bowflex Selecttech 552 but can take anything.
Thanks again!
Adam
Lol…I helped you choose another set. Great, as long as the info was useful and you find what you’re looking for. Maybe try the Ironmaster Adjustable Dumbbell set.