I’ve always fantasized about buying an all-in-one piece of home gym equipment, and the other day I found myself wondering, “Are home gym machines worth it?”. I mean really, you can get an olympic barbell set with 300 pounds for under $700, but most home gym machines are over $1,000. So, I decided I needed to settle this question once and for all, so I can put my mind, and hopefully yours, at rest on the subject.
Yes. Home gym machines can be worth it, but you need to make sure the home gym machine:
- Has a high weight capacity and/or weight add-on available
- Can perform the exercises you want to perform
- Is a well-made, high quality piece of equipment (though not necessarily super expensive)
- Is not taking away from more important, basic home gym expenses (like dumbbells or flooring)
Let’s go over just how to decide if a home gym machine is worth it for you.
Before we do that, check out this helpful video from YouTuber Fitness 1st Steps on advice about buying a Multi-gym home gym machine:
How to Decide if a Home Gym Machine is Right for You
The first question to ask yourself is, “Why am I purchasing this home gym machine?”. You need to know your fitness goals and whether the specific piece of equipment you are buying fits them. For example, if you never do chest presses, then why would you get a home gym machine that has a chest press?
Another thing to consider is the overall goal of your training. Do you train for bodybuilding purposes? If so, this could be a great piece of equipment for you. Are you a powerlifter? It could be a solid investment then. Are you an olympic lifter? In that case, a home gym machine wouldn’t really add much to your overall training goals.
There are plenty of different home gym machines out there that are capable of a wide variety of exercises. You just need to find them.
The second question you have to ask yourself is, “Do I have the basics in place already?”. I am sorry to say this, but no matter how good a home gym machine is, it will never be as good as a barbell, a power rack, and 300 pounds. These machines definitely have their place, but if you are serious about making strength and physique gains, you need to have the basics in place first.
Do you have a pull up bar? Squat rack? Barbell? Maybe you are training in a home gym with limited space and those options don’t work for you. In that case, I would recommend purchasing dumbbells before buying a home gym machine.
Think about whether a home gym machine will actually add value to your training, or whether you just want a fancy new toy. The biggest mistake people can make with purchasing a home gym machine is believing that it is a proper replacement for the basics. Get your house in order, and then purchase the addition!
Now that we have have some answers to the question, “Are home gym machines worth it?”, let’s go on to figuring out how to choose the best home gym machine.
How to Choose the Best Home Gym Machine
The best home gym machine will have some different features, including:
- High weight capacity and/or weight add-on available
- Multi-functionality with several different attachments
- Warranty
It’s critical to select a home gym machine with a high weight capacity or an add-on weight feature. If you are able to max out the machine within a month or two of using it, then what was the point? Sure, you can increase the reps, sets, or decrease rest time in between sets, but you will need heavier weight eventually.
Unfortunately, a lot of home gym machines have a pretty light weight stack. Make sure you find one that doesn’t, so you can keep making progress on it over time. Keep an eye out for machines with add-on weight stacks as well. That way, you don’t have to purchase the add-on right away, but you can work on maxing the machine out first and then eventually purchase the add-on.
Another thing to look for is a home gym machine with multi-functional exercise capability and different attachments. I mean, if you’re going to pay for a big machine, make sure it can do a lot for you.
Generally speaking, home gym machines have the following basic features:
- Chest press (can use as a lat row and chest fly as well)
- Lat pulldown
- Curl attachment
- Leg extension (can use as a leg curl)
- Seated row
Now, some machines will have other bells and whistles, but this is the substance of most basic home gym machines. These are full body training machines, and those are some important exercises to be able to perform. If you can find a good machine, it can really add value to your training regimen.
You also want to make sure your home gym machine has a warranty. Unfortunately, some of these machines are known to have problems, and if part of your machine breaks, it’s not like it can be easily fixed unless you have a warranty. So look out for that.
Finally, just know that, to some extent, you get what you pay for with home gym machines. The best of the best machines will be more expensive. Now, that doesn’t mean you cannot find higher quality home gym machines at a lower price. In fact, if you’re on a limited budget, check out my in-depth review on the Best Home Gym Machine Under 500 Dollars.
What Are Some Good Alternatives to Home Gym Machines?
As I mentioned earlier, dumbbells are my first choice for those looking for a more basic and effective alternative to home gym machines. Dumbbells are especially good for people with limited space. Even better are adjustable dumbbells. Some of the best options for adjustable dumbbells are:
Merax Deluxe 71.5 Pound Adjustable Dumbbells
Ativafit 71.5 Pound Adjustable Dumbbells
Cast Iron 100 Pound Plate Loaded Dumbbells
Another alternative which is even better for a home gym with limited space are resistance bands. Resistance bands offer a ton of different exercise capability, along with various levels of resistance (you can combine bands as well for added resistance). Check out my article on the best compound resistance band exercises as a great starting point to familiarize yourself with resistance bands. Some of the resistance bands I recommend are:
Rogue Monster Bands
TheFitLife Resistance Band Set of 4
ToYuugo Set of 5 Resistance Bands
A great option to pair with resistance bands and/or dumbbells would be a solid weight bench. I did an in-depth review of the best weight bench for small spaces which you can read here. Combining a weight bench with dumbbells and bands will give you a lot of different options for exercises. Take a look at my ultimate guide to the best weight bench exercises at home for some great ideas on how to get the most out of your weight bench.