Dumbbell Product from Homefittools offers a great at-home weights solution for people who want to add some variety to their workouts without needing a full set of fixed iron dumbbells or a space-hogging rack. These compact free weights allow lifters to quickly switch between a wide range of exercises, from basic bicep curls to shoulder presses and lunges. They also let beginners scale up their weights gradually and comfortably, with many offering one-pound increments or capping out at around 20 pounds.

Unlike traditional dumbbells, which require you to physically move the weights to change the load, adjustable dumbbells have built-in parts and mechanisms to swap out different sets of weight plates. These systems can vary, but most use some combination of a dial, pin selectors or locks. A dial is the most common, and in these models, the user rotates a handle or knob to select the desired weight. Then, the corresponding weight plate slides into place along the bar of the dumbbell. This type of system works well enough, although some dials get stuck between two numbers when you’re changing weights.

Dumbbell Products from Homefittools: A Guide to Choosing the Best Set

Pin selectors, like those found on the REP QuickDraw adjustable dumbbells, work similarly by using pins that can be pulled out and slid to other positions. Lock switches work a little differently, with some, such as those on the Yes4All adjustable dumbbells, requiring you to flip a switch up or down to change the weight.

One thing to keep in mind with these types of dumbbells is that they can be much longer than regular dumbbells. For example, the Titan Fitness Loadable handles and the Yes4All Adjustable with Weight Plates are both 14 inches long, with six of those inches being grip area. That leaves just four inches on each side of the cradle for additional weights, and that’s about what you can fit onto most spin-lock handles (aside from the MX Select MX55 Rapid Change adjustable dumbbells, which have a special handle design that allows them to hold up to 13 additional plates).