7 Best Weight Benches – 2017 Reviews And Top Picks
Picking a good quality weight bench is not as simple as hopping online and grabbing the first thing that pops up. You need to take the time and find the best weight bench available for you personally.
Your weight bench is arguably the most important piece of equipment you can purchase for your home gym. It is extremely versatile, from which you can use to perform a number of different exercises.
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More than that, a good weight bench needs to be safe. Your weight bench will be taking all of your weight during a number of different exercises. This means that it needs to be sturdy with a wide and stable base of support, ensuring that it doesn’t tip during exercise. Not only will this keep you safe, but it will significantly limit the wear and tear that your other gym equipment receives, increasing its lifetime, and ultimately saving you money.
Additionally, a good weight bench needs to be comfortable. You are likely to be spending a considerable amount of time on your weight bench during your workout, as such, you do not want to be uncomfortable. Finding a weight bench with enough padding to keep you comfortable is important. Finding a weight bench with enough good quality padding that won’t tear under stress, well that’s integral.
Weight benches vary significantly in both weight and size, and come in enough different variations to suit almost any space or area available for use. This makes it extremely easy to organise your home gym around the space that you have available.
It is also important to take into account the versatility of your weight benches. This comes down to whether you strictly want a flat weight bench to work with, or a wright bench that both declines and inclines, allowing for greater exercise selection.
While this may sound confusing, it is about finding the best weight bench for your home gym specifically. To help out, here are what we believe to be the 7 best weight benches available for you today.
- The Marcy Utility Weight Bench is an extremely affordable, entry level flat weight bench. It is used frequently among those with minimalist style home gyms in which only a small amount of space is available. It offers quality padding and sturdy base of support. Ideal for flat barbell and dumbbell pressing movements.
- Similar to the aforementioned Marcy weight bench, the Bowflex 3-1 Adjustable Bench offers an ideal entry level bench that can be adjusted into both an incline and decline position. It is relatively lightweight, and does not take much room, but provides a comfortable a stable surface to work from.
- The Marcy Diamond Olympic Bench comes with both an incline and decline setting, with an attached barbell rack and leg extension attachment. This makes it an extremely versatile piece of equipment, ideal for a small space.
- The Rep Fitness Adjustable Bench is a weight bench that brings commercial grade quality to your home gym. Frequently used among experienced gym users, this bench has both a number of different incline and decline settings, and comes with 1000lb weight capacity, making it an extremely safe and stable weight bench.
- The IRONMAN Triathlon X-Class Commercial Utility Bench is again similar to the Rep Fitness Adjustable Bench in that it offers commercial grade quality for the home gym. Perfect for the use with an Olympic bench, a squat rack, or a home smith machine, this weight bench offers 7 adjustable incline and decline levels, and can hold up to 1500lb in weight.
- One of the few flat benches on this list, the Valor Fitness Olympic Bench with Spotter is a weight bench that comes with an Olympic grade bar rack and spotter, making it ideal for the bench press. While not as versatile as the other benches on this list, it offers a great option for those with more space to work with.
- The final bench we are going to be looking at today is the Rep Fitness Flat Weight Bench. This bench is a versatile flat bench, which offers extremely simple yet strong construction at an affordable price. It takes up minimal rooming, making it ideal for the smaller home gym. It is rated to 1000lb’s, making it an extremely safe weight bench.
Reviews Of The Best Weight Benches
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**Below, you'll find more detailed review, but you can also click links above to see current prices and read customer's reviews on Amazon.
Via Amazon.com
Once assembled, this weight bench comes in at 43 inches long, 14 inches wide, and 17 inches tall. This weight bench in particular offers an extremely affordable option considering its durable powder coated finish, and the high density foam used in its construction. This, in conjunction with its strong boxed upholstery, makes it an extremely comfortable and durable entry-level weight bench.
Due to its compact size and versatile nature, it can be combined with multiple pieces of equipment such as squat racks, smith machines, and bench racks to double as an Olympic bench. Additionally, it offers a versatile option to perform a multitude of exercise with, allowing you to work all the major muscle groups.
The Marcy Flat Utility weight Bench offers a fantastic and affordable option for beginner to intermediate lifters, as its maximum user weight capacity is 300lb’s. Additionally, it is extremely easy to assemble, taking only 5 to 10 minutes to put together, although some users have been somewhat confused with instructions provided with the equipment.
Not only is this bench extremely simple to put together, it is also a versatile piece of equipment that is perfect for the smaller space.
Pros
- Ease of assemble
- Durable construction
- Compact and minimalistic
- Thick and comfortable upholstery
Cons
- Flat bench only, no decline or incline option
- Not stable for extremely heavy weights
Via Amazon.com
For beginner to intermediate lifters, this may be one of the best options available. Once put together, this Bowflex weight bench comes in at 56 inches long, 26 inches wide, and 20 inches high. It is an extremely affordable weight bench, particularly when we take into consideration its features.
Firstly, this bench offers both incline and decline bench options, making it an extremely versatile piece of equipment. Secondly, it comes with an easily attachable leg brace that provides additional safety and support when using the decline position. These additional options increase the amount of exercises that can be performed on this bench considerably.
This weight bench is made from heavy duty commercial grade steel, and has extremely durable vinyl upholstery – this bench is built to last! This fact is somewhat reinforced by the fact the Bowflex offer a 15 year warranty on this piece of equipment.
This Bowflex weight bench is ideal for those beginner to intermediate lifters who want a versatile piece of equipment and have a bit of room to spare. It is rated to 300lb’s and as such may not be suitable for the more advanced lifter.
Additionally, this piece of equipment is renowned for the simplicity required to put it together, and the clear instructions included.
Pros
- Ease of assemble
- Durable construction
- Incline and Decline Bench options
- Comes with attachable leg brace
Cons
- Somewhat thin upholstery
- Bottom part of the bench does not adjust
- Not stable for extremely heavy weights
Via Amazon.com
This bench provides a great option for those with a little less space available to make use of. It uses two piece construction in which it comes with both an adjustable weight bench, offering decline and incline options, and a barbell rack, making unique in that it can be used for both Olympic bench pressing AND squatting and lunging.
Furthermore, it comes with both a preacher curl pad attachment and a total leg developer attachment, allowing you to perform bicep curls, knee extension, and hamstring curls.
The bench in particular is again weighted to 300lb’s meaning it is perfect for the beginner or intermediate lifter, and due to the attachments offered, it makes it extremely versatile. While it is a slightly larger bench, it replaces a number of different pieces of equipment, making it extremely space efficient.
Pros
- Comes with an Olympic bar rack
- Leg and preacher curl attachment
- Incline and Decline Bench options
- Extremely space efficient
Cons
- Difficult to put together
- Bottom part of the bench does not adjust
- Not stable for extremely heavy weights
- Some people complain that the ‘flat position’ is not 100% flat
Via Amazon.com
This adjustable bench offers an extremely stable option for more advanced lifters. It is weighted to 1000lb’s making it suitable for all lifters of a range of strength and experiences. Despite this high rating, it is relatively compact, measuring at 14 inches long, 11.5 inches wide, and 17.5 inches high, and offers 7 different adjustable positions, varying from 85 degrees incline, to -20 degrees decline.
This bench comes with an attached leg brace to aid in stability when using the decline bench positions, has extremely thick foam padding with sturdy vinyl upholstery, and a strong steel construction. This makes it both extremely safe and strong.
The Rep Adjustable Weight Bench offers an extremely stable, compact, and versatile bench at a higher price point. It is suitable for the advanced lifter with a little more space to spare.
Pros
- Safe for use with extremely heavy weights
- Leg brace attachment
- Incline and Decline Bench options
- Quite a tall bench, making it suitable for both shorter and taller lifters
Cons
- More expensive
- Slightly larger than some other weight benches available
Via Amazon.com
This adjustable bench offers a number of both incline and decline settings, making it an extremely versatile weight bench. Furthermore it comes with an attachable leg lock that provides additional stability when using the decline setting, and can help you perform crunches and additional abdominal exercises.
This bench is weighted to a whopping 1500lbs, has extremely thick solid foam, and is made from commercial grade steel, making it an extremely safe and stable bench, suitable for the intermediate and advance lifter alike.
While stable, it is not the most space efficient piece of equipment, making it more suitable for the advanced lifter with a larger home gym space. In saying that, due to its length, it is suitable for both short and taller lifters.
Pros
- Safe for use with extremely heavy weights
- Leg brace attachment
- Quite a tall bench, making it suitable for both shorter and taller lifters
Cons
- More expensive
- Slightly larger than some other weight benches available
- Very heavy
Via Amazon.com
This flat bench offers a stable Olympic bench press option, to those lifters with space to spare. It comes with both a flat bench and an attached Olympic bar rack, making it the perfect bench press station. Unfortunately, this does limit its versatility significantly.
This bench is made from 12 gauge solid steel and has a 400lb weigh rating, making it suitable for both beginner and advanced lifters.
It is well known for its ease of construction and safe and effective structure. It is an extremely stable bench that provides a great option for those with the room to warrant a traditional bench press station.
Pros
- Safe for use with extremely heavy weights
- Attached Olympic rack
- Quite a tall bench, making it suitable for both shorter and taller lifters
Cons
- More expensive
- Lack of versatility
- Quite space intensive
Via Amazon.com
This bench is made with a 2×2 inch, 11 gauge steel, giving it a 1000lb weight rating, which makes it one of the safest and stable flat benches on this list, suitable for both beginner and advanced lifters.
Furthermore, considering its weight rating capacity, it is both extremely affordable and very compact. This makes for a very versatile and space effacement weight bench.
It is made with 2.5 inch dense foam core, making it both very comfortable and durable. It has been described as extremely easy to assemble, and suitable for both taller and shorter lifters.
As it is does not offer an incline or decline option, its versatility is somewhat limited compared to some of the other benches on this list. Despite that, if you are after an affordable and stable flat bench, this is a fantastic option.
Pros
- Safe for use with extremely heavy weights
- Compact and sturdy design
- Lightweight considering its weight capacity
Cons
- More expensive
- No incline or decline options
- No rack attachment
What To Look For In A Bench?
This does come down to both personal preference, and the space available you have at home. For those serious lifters with much more space available, it makes sense to opt for a more heavy duty bench that can
- Handle heavier loads
- Takes up slightly more room
For those with limited space, it would make sense to choose a bench that has high versatility, offering at least an incline and decline option.
If you plan on focusing on strength (and subsequently expect to be moving around some big weights) it would definitely be within your best interest to choose a bench with a higher weight capacity. Although slightly more expensive, they offer increased safety that is certainly worth the extra expense.Ideally a good bench will meet the following criteria:
- Offer both incline and decline option
- Weight capacity of 1000lb or above
- Comes with useful attachments
- Suitable for lifters of all heights
Conclusion
As a result of this review, we believe the best weight bench available is the IRONMAN Triathlon X-Class Commercial Utility Weight Bench.
Although one of the more expensive benches on this list, it comes with an extremely high weight capacity, offers a number of incline and decline bench settings, and is suitable for users of all heights.
Despite its slightly larger size, it offers an extremely safe option with increased versatility and a useful leg brace attachment. It uses commercial grade construction materials and offers a decent warranty to boot!
