Bowflex Dumbbells Review

Bowflex Select Adjusable Dumbbells Review Notes for model 1090, 552 and 220: The Bowflex select dumbbells are a giant leap forward in dumbbell design from a mechanical and aesthetic viewpoint. Unlike Powerblock dumbbells, the Bowflex Selecttechs are beautiful in their design, and similar in function which means you won’t need to give up 20 square feet of floor space in your gym to use them like you will with a full set of traditional hex dumbbells.

The select dumbbells are unique in the fact that you can incrementally adjust the weight of each dumbbell by turning a dial on each end of the dumbbell and select from a mere 5 pounds of weight all the way up to 52.5 pounds(2.5 lb. increments the first 25 lbs.) with a quick turn of the wrist.

Bowflex thought long and hard about the ergonomics of the selecttech’s design and it shows right away when you pick up a set for the first time.

What I Liked About the Bowflex Select Dumbbells

Bowflex 552 Adjustable Dumbbells

As far as using the dumbbells for a workout, I found the selecttechs to be very simple to operate and had no trouble adjusting between the lightest and heaviest weight settings on the fly.

I must add that I did find them ‘easier’ to adjust with the optional stand where you can perform the dial adjustments at waist level instead of crouching down (in other words buy a stand with them if your budget allows).

During my workout I felt the dumbbells were stable and solid, and had no misgivings about placing the weights in harms way over my head. Overall my experience with the Bowflex 552 dumbbells was a very pleasant surprise.

They’ll also meet the “wife approval factor” because of their appealing look, so if that’s an important factor in your buying decision you’ll score points there.

What I Didn’t Like About the Bowflex Select Dumbbells

My comments to this point have been positive about the Bowflex selects, but I do have few things that bugged me (one of them was a deal breaker), so if you’re considering buying a set for your home gym please read the following few points carefully.

First off, since the selecttechs have mechanical linkage parts inside of them I would caution against dropping these dumbbells repeatedly or you may end up breaking them (or your floor for that matter) — there’s even a warning sticker on the handle that addresses this fact so it’s not to be taken lightly.

If you’re hard on your equipment these dumbbells will not last long and I’d assume that user damage is NOT covered by the warranty.

And second, although the design has that certain “sexy factor”, serious users may wish they didn’t top out at 90 pounds (the 1090 selects are up to 90 pounds and the 552′s are up to 52.5 pounds each).

If you’re serious about your training and need dumbbells with a higher weight limit, the Ironmaster Dumbbells are a better bet because they’re far more durable and have a much higher weight limit of 120 pounds.

My third gripe with the Bowflex dumbbells, and this is extremely significant,  is that the actual weight of each dumbbell is not very accurate. When I weighed my 52.5 dumbbells on my scale they only weighed 46.5 pounds which is a staggering 12% weight discrepancy.

Keep in mind that all dumbbells (and weight plates too) have a degree of tolerance for a prescribed weight but it should NEVER exceed 5%, and the 12% discrepancy of the Bowflex’s is just flat out unacceptable.

It’s one thing if your only paying for 46.5 pounds of weight when you buy your dumbbells but last I checked I paid for the full 52.5 pounds when I bought mine!

Bottom Line on the Bowflex Dumbbells

I do recommend the Bowflex Selecttech Dumbbells for very casual users who aren’t hard on their equipment and don’t mind the fact that they’re quite large (at 16″ in length) and NOT great ergonomically for some basic exercises like bench presses and dumbbell curls.

If you need a set of dumbbells that are more durable, and have a higher and more accurate weight limit you should checkout the Ironmaster Dumbbells that I use in my gym.

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