7 Best Weight Benches in 2024

Every weightlifter dreams of a home gym at some point during their fitness journey. If you can get the same quality workout at home, why not do it, right? The problem with home gyms typically comes down to a lack of space, budget, and available equipment. But what if the best weight benches (the foundation of any home gym) were actually a possibility?

Good news! We’re happy to report that weight benches come in all shapes and sizes, and start around $50 — meaning there’s probably an option that would work for you.

While our favorite is the Bowflex 5.1, it’s not the only top-tier option on the market. In this product roundup, we’ll be checking out the best flat, adjustable, and Olympic weight benches. Sound like a plan? Let’s kick-start the next phase of your journey and jump right in.

Our Top Picks: Best Weight Benches

In a hurry? Here are our top picks:

Remember those late-night advertisements? You know, the ones featuring Bowflex home gym products complete with attractive men and women working out in scantily-clad outfits?

While those adverts are of questionable taste, Bowflex actually makes some excellent exercise equipment — including the 5.1 Weight Bench! In fact, this is probably the best adjustable workout bench for the price.

What makes it so special? First of all, the Bowflex 5.1 has six different angle adjustment positions, with notches that go from 17 to 90 degrees. It also has a maximum weight capacity of 480 pounds, so unless you’re benching 150-pound dumbbells like a boss, you should be good to go. 

As for the bench’s weight, it comes in around a whopping 60 pounds! Fortunately, it has wheels on the backside for you to roll it into storage after completing your workouts. Prefer to leave it out? No problem — the sleek all-steel frame with red and black accents looks and feels like a commercial quality product, and it’s backed by a 30-year warranty.

On a small budget, but want big muscles? Get the most bang for your buck with the Weider Pro 225 L, AKA the best cheap weight bench this side of the Rockies.

This superb piece of equipment boasts everything you need to get started, including six adjustable seating positions, leg rollers, and more. As for durability, the Weider Pro 255 L Weight Bench features a powder-coated steel frame that’s locked, loaded, and ready to go. Customize your workout to meet your specific needs with the included exercise guide, and start pumping that iron.

The only downside? If you’re a more experienced lifter, this entry-level unit may not withstand the pressure.

If you’re looking for a flat bench at an affordable price, look no further. The Marcy Flat Weight Bench is a premium quality weight bench with a max weight capacity of 600 pounds. Probably our favorite thing about this flat weight bench is the 14-gauge steel tubing and powder-coated finish. Not only does this make the bench extra durable, but it also gives you flawless stability when working out with weights.

While it doesn’t have the versatility of an adjustable or Olympic weight bench, it does feature the finest craftsmanship around. And you’ll be as comfy as can be thanks to the two-inch thick, high-density foam pad with the perfect level of springiness.

FLYBIRD is an up-and-coming company with fantastic quality products. This extends to their entire lineup of workout equipment, but the true gem among the bunch is the FLYBIRD Weight Bench.

At a fraction of the price of competing models, this adjustable bench has it all. It’s made from commercial-grade steel and boasts a 620-pound weight capacity suitable for intermediate and pro lifters alike. It also features a whopping 21 different seating positions, making it perfect for every exercise in the book, from dumbbell curls to presses.

Not only that, but this bench folds to a minuscule 30 x 16 x 9 inches without sacrificing on quality. Still not sure? With a 1-year warranty and thousands of happy customers, you simply have to check it out.

Looking for a diamond among the rough? Few Olympic weight benches match the performance of this exceptional model from Marcy.

First off, the Marcy Diamond Weight Bench is extraordinarily versatile. It comes with the bench itself, a squat rack, leg and curl attachments, and much more. It’s also as durable as diamond thanks to the 14-gauge steel tube frame and powder coating that’s resistant to rust and water. As for storage? Throw your weight plates on the side of the squat rack, and keep them out of the way until your next session.

The Marcy Diamond Weight Bench costs several hundred dollars, making it a pricier option. But you won’t find a better deal in terms of overall performance and craftsmanship.

What if you have a fair amount of space to set up and perform your workout, but must pack things up when you’re done? That’s no problem. Just snag the Fitness Reality 1000, AKA the best folding weight bench on the market.

This bad boy has a powder-coated tubular steel frame that holds up to 800 pounds and adjusts to over 12 positions. This makes it ideal for all sorts of dumbbell and bodyweight workouts, including shoulder presses, bench presses, dips, and more. And that’s not even the best part! The FR 1000 folds up to just 51 x 24 x 9 inches, complete with transportation wheels for easy-breezy relocation.

While it won’t suit heavy lifters quite as well, it’s more than enough for most beginner and intermediate players.

If you’re seeking an all-in-one multi-purpose weight bench — but don’t have much room — the Gold’s Gym XRS 20 is the way to go.

While the Gold’s Gym XRS 20 isn’t quite as small as a flat bench, its size is about on-par with adjustable benches. But unlike adjustable models, the Gold’s Gym XRS 20 packs quite a well-rounded punch, complete with a squat rack, detachable yoke curl, leg rollers, and more. It also comes with 9.5-inches spotters that provide support during rigorous bench press or squat workouts.

Overall, it’s a fantastic value for under $200. The only downside? It can be tricky to find.

What to Look for in the Different Types of Weight Benches

If you’ve been to a gym or workout facility, you probably recall seeing a number of different exercise benches.

In fact, there are three main categories of exercise benches: flat benches, adjustable benches, and Olympic/multi-purpose benches. Each offers its own set of unique features.

Starting with flat weight benches, let’s go over how and why each one excels. After that, we’ll go over which one is best for different situations.

Flat Weight Benches

Flat weight benches are as uncomplicated as they come. These simply provide you with a raised surface up off the floor, which you can sit or lie down on. From there, you can execute standard bench presses and use it for other exercises such as dips, one-arm rows, skullcrushers, and seated bicep curls.

Unfortunately, decline or incline press won’t be in the cards with flat benches. Nevertheless, you can get pretty creative and hit all the major muscle groups with a flat bench. Plus, flat weight benches are very inexpensive due to their simple design.

Adjustable Weight Benches

The adjustable weight bench is probably one of the best values right now. It is versatile enough to vary your exercises, yet not super expensive or bulky like a multi-purpose weight bench. Also, if you add a squat rack or power rack to an adjustable bench, you’ve got yourself a solid set up. 

Most adjustable benches allow you to tune the degree of incline to the desired level. These used to be upwards of two to three hundred dollars, but they have come way down in recent years. Some people refer to them as dumbbell benches.

Olympic Benches & Multi-Purpose Weight Benches

Olympic and multi-purposed weight benches are the most varied in design and encompass a broad category. These are the transformers of weight benches, morphing to whatever purpose you require. Most have multiple ways to adjust them, and often include built-in squat racks. Gyms usually have rows of fancy multi-purpose weight benches with full racks. These “stations” allow weight trainers to do any exercise under the sun.

Considerations

So, what is the best weight bench? The answer depends on your intended use.

If you intend on doing casual workouts or bench presses here and there, a flat bench will do fine. If you want to get full-body workouts in, you may want to shell out the cash for a multi-purpose weight bench.

In our opinion, the best all-around weight bench for the money is probably those that fall into the adjustable weight bench category. They don’t take up too much room, allow you to do plenty of exercises when paired with some dumbbells, and don’t cost an insane amount of money.

Benefits of Owning a Weight Bench and Weights

Like we mentioned earlier, purchasing your own weight bench and adjustable dumbbells is an efficient and relatively low-cost way to start working out at home. But what other benefits can you expect?

• Save Time. All those trips to and from the gym add up. Think about it. If you’ve got to store stuff in a locker, remember to bring a water bottle, and use the facilities’ showers, that all adds up quickly.
• Reduce Costs. There are more individuals than ever before canceling their gym memberships and setting up a simple garage gym or workout room. The average gym membership is about $40-$60 a month. At $50/month, that’s $600 annually. You can buy your own adjustable dumbbell set and adjustable weight bench for less than that.
• Flexible Schedule. Another reason people are switching to home gyms is so they have the freedom to train whenever they want. We’ve known individuals who build up to benching sets of 90-pound dumbbells just because they worked in sets whenever they had a little downtime.
• Avoid Crowds. Most people like to work out after work and before dinner, but that means you go straight from traffic rush hour to gym rush hour. Leave those grunting lunks and exercise machine campers behind!

Our Process

For this guide on weight benches, our team spent 4 hours researching the most popular options from over 25 brands and manufacturers big and small. We then read about one hundred user reviews (both positive and negative) to discover what shoppers thought about each bench. After comparing this data, we narrowed our list down to the top 7 weight benches on the market. You can count on this research to guide you to a mindful purchasing decision.

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