We Turned Our Garages Into Training Labs to Find the Best Smart Home Gym Equipment of 2026
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Does anyone remember the dumbbell shortage of 2020? The Covid pandemic revolutionized our workouts, igniting a massive exodus from traditional gyms to home-based routines. According to the Health and Fitness Association, 30 percent of gyms in the U.S. closed permanently, while digital-based instruction and home fitness equipment sales boomed. Supply couldn’t keep up with demand.
The pandemic might be over, but the interest in working out at home has sustained. The global market for at-home fitness equipment is on the rise, valued at $10 billion in 2025 and on course to reach more than $20 billion annually by 2034. Why? Because working out at home is convenient, and home equipment has gotten better thanks to advances in technology, materials, and design.
Forget the Shake Weights and ThighMasters of yesterday, today’s breed of home workout equipment offers commercial-grade quality in the convenience of your home. We’ve researched the top-performing brands and stuffed our garages with the latest equipment designed to maximize your sweat in a minimal amount of space. Here is the best home gym equipment you can buy right now.
Want the inside scoop on the best fitness gear of the year? Check out the rest of Men’s Journal 2026 Fitness Awards, where we’ve tested everything from hydration supplements and protein powders to cross-training shoes and workout headphones.
Best Smart Home Gym Equipment of 2026 at a Glance
- BestHome Gym EquipmentOverall: Speediance Gym Monster 2
- Best Home Gym Equipment for Workouts on the Road: MaxPro Smart Connect
- Best Home Gym Equipment for Heavy Lifters: Bowflex Results Series 1090 Selecttech Dumbbells
- Best Home Gym Equipment for At-Home Cardio: Ergatta Luxe Rower
- Best Home Gym Equipment for Small Spaces: LifePro PowerStone Boulder
- Best Home Gym Equipment for Old School Movements:Bullbar 2.0
- Best Home Gym Equipment Splurge: Freak Athlete Hyper Pro Bench
- Best Home Gym Equipment for CrossFit Lovers:Rogue Slice Sled
- Best Home Gym Equipment for the Dream At-Home Gym: PRX Profile Pro Squat Rack
- Best Home Gym Equipment for Training Explosive Power: REP Fitness 3-in-1 Soft Plyo Box
Best Smart Home Gym Equipment of 2026
Best Home Gym Equipment Overall: Speediance Gym Monster 2
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Speediance Gym Monster 2 is a smart system that offers a full-body workout in a compact, cable-centric design that can be stored in a closet. The cables have multiple adjustment points, from the floor to 72 inches high, and offer up to 220 pounds of resistance that you can easily adjust on the massive touchscreen. Different weight options—standard, chain, eccentric, or fixed speed—offer versatility. Tap into guided classes or workouts designed for specific sports, and add accessories like a bench or rower to unleash more movements.
This is the most versatile single machine I tested, and I find new movements to incorporate into my workout with every session. I like how you can switch between exercises quickly, by moving the attachment points and adjusting the weight on the screen, and I’ve found it particularly useful for traditional lifts like bench press and deadlift. With the addition of a Bluetooth Ring, which fits over your finger, you can turn the weight on and off while you’re performing the movement. This allows you to safely lift heavy and find your max in those traditional lifts without having a spotter.
Key Product Features
- Resistance: 220 lbs of adjustable resistance
- Smart Features: 370+ coach-curated workouts
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi & Bluetooth
Best Home Gym Equipment for Workouts on the Road: MaxPro Smart Connect
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If space is the most important factor when choosing home workout gear, MaxPro Smart Connect could be a good fit, as the portable cable machine offers up to 300 pounds of adjustable resistance in a tiny package that fits inside a backpack. Use it for straightforward exercises like squats, deadlifts, shoulder press, and curls, or connect with MaxPro’s app for fully guided sessions. Just note that the MaxPro offers concentric resistance, which means you only feel the weight when you’re lifting, not when you’re lowering during the movement.
I was originally put off by the concentric aspect, but I’ve found it to be a great way to push myself safely on exercises like curls and military press. Adding accessories like a bench ($225) and the wall track mount ($299) will drastically increase the variety of exercises you can perform with the MaxPro. In particular, I like the wall track mount, which allows me to do a variety of standing push and pull movements.
Key Product Features
- Resistance: 5 to 300 lbs
- Weight: Under 10 lbs, and is compact for travel
- Connectivity: Bluetooth
Best Home Gym Equipment for Heavy Lifters: Bowflex Results Series 1090 Selecttech Dumbbells
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Having a full set of dumbbells at your disposal unlocks a lot of workout potential, but it would probably take up the majority of your garage. Results Series 1090 Selecttech Dumbbells provide the versatility of a full set of weights in two dumbbells that adjust from 10 pounds to 90 pounds each with the turn of a dial. Each dumbbell adjusts in five-pound increments, offering an insane amount of versatility in the palm of your hands. The all-metal build is durable with minimal rattle, too.
I’ve always been skeptical of adjustable dumbbells because I’ve used some flimsy options in the past, but I’ve been impressed with the durability and solid feel of the 1090 Selecttch Dumbbells. I do a lot of full-body combination movements (think burpees into deadlifts), and these weights have held up to the constant abuse and movement. Adjusting the weights is a breeze, too, allowing me to move quickly between heavy weight movements, like squats, and lighter weight exercises, like shoulder raises, when I’m doing supersets.
Key Product Features
- Weight Capacity: 10 to 90 lbs per dumbbell
- Weight Settings: 17 weight options per dumbbell
- Dial: Twist-dial selection
Best Home Gym Equipment for At-Home Cardio: Ergatta Luxe Rower
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Ergatta’s new Luxe Rower is handcrafted from cherrywood and uses a water tank for dynamic resistance that changes based on your effort, just like when you’re rowing on the open water. Meanwhile, a 21-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth connection works seamlessly with Apple and Strava while also providing access to Ergatta’s library of game-based workouts. And when you’re done, the rower folds up and stores vertically, taking up minimal space. Not that you’re going to want to hide this rower when you’re done. The design is so striking that it could be considered a piece of functional art. There’s also something soothing about listening to the water swirl with every rowing stroke. The sensation borders on hypnotic.
Fortunately, the large touch screen and the variety of challenges and games you can tap into with it help keep you motivated and present throughout the calorie-burning workout. You can even join live, organized races and compete against other Ergatta users in real time. And if you’re new to rowing, the Ergatta has built-in classes to help you learn the nuances of the motion, so you can maximize your effort on the machine every time.
Key Product Features
- Resistance: Natural water row resistance
- Storage: Can be folded and stored
- Workouts: Access to thousands of live and on-demand workouts
Best Home Gym Equipment for Small Spaces: LifePro PowerStone Boulder
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The kettlebell is a calorie-torching, strength-building tool, and PowerStone Boulder fits multiple kettlebells in one adjustable package. Set the kettlebell shell on the base and twist it to the perfect weight for your intended exercise, from five pounds to 44 pounds, and get to work. The die-cast aluminum handle feels secure in your hands, and you can be certain that the interior plates are secure, even when you’re swinging the heaviest weight. Having the PowerStone Boulder in my home gym has opened up a whole new world of suffering, er, fun, in my workouts.
I thought I would set the PowerStone to its heaviest setting, 44 pounds, and only use it for swings and squat thrusts, but the ability to quickly adjust it to lighter weights has allowed me to incorporate different exercises, like single-arm swings, overhead lunges, and Turkish get-ups. Put it all together, and you have a full-body strength workout that hits the cardio button too, all with a single piece of equipment that you can hide under the couch. This could be the perfect piece of equipment for a streamlined home gym.
Key Product Features
- Weight Capacity: Up to 44 lbs
- Weight Settings: 7 weight options to dial between
- Material: Durable die-cast aluminum handle and steel plates
Best Home Gym Equipment for Old School Movements: Bullbar 2.0
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Bullbar 2.0 allows you to do pullups anywhere, even if there’s no door frame in sight. It’s a stable, freestanding pull-up platform that extends to 6’8” at full height, but folds flat enough to store beneath your bed. It sets up in less than a minute and holds up to 400 pounds. And it’s not just for pull-ups. Adjustable handles allow you to do dips and a variety of pushups, while an integrated resistance band can add intensity to the workout. Most of us have used door-jam hanging pullup bars before, which might make the Bullbar 2.0 seem unnecessary, but I actually live in a house that doesn’t have a door jam in a convenient location to use with a pullup bar.
Having the Bullbar 2.0 in my garage has allowed me to incorporate the ultimate upper body exercise into my workouts. And I thought I would only use this bar for pullups, but the ability to add dips into my routine has been a bonus that’s helped me build shoulder and upper chest strength. It’s easy to focus on your lower body when you’re working out at home with little equipment (dumbbell squats all day!), but the Bullbar 2.0 has helped me focus on upper body strength.
Key Product Features
- Frame: Foldable for storage in small spaces
- Material: Industrial steel
- Product Weight: 46 lbs
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Best Home Gym Equipment Splurge: Freak Athlete Hyper Pro Bench
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Freak Athlete Hyper Pro Bench targets the largest muscle groups in your posterior chain. This single bench adjusts to a variety of different configurations, allowing you to do a multitude of key movements like back extensions, hip thrusts, decline sit-ups, and most importantly, Nordic curls. And because it’s highly adjustable, you can dial in the level of incline for each exercise, customizing the level of difficulty. That’s the real secret to this piece of equipment.
The fastest way to pull a hamstring is by attempting a full Nordic curl straight off the couch. The ability to build up your hamstring strength, one level at a time, makes the Hyper Pro Bench priceless. And if you spend time working through each of the key movements you can do with the Hyper Pro (Nordic curls, back extensions, hip thrusters) and you’ll have a bulletproof posterior chain. If you’re looking for even more versatility, you can add on the Leg Developer ($400), which is an attachment that turns the Hyper Pro into a leg extension and hamstring curl machine, but you’ll need to add weight plates to the mix.
Key Product Features
- Weight Capacity: Up to ~500 lbs
- Machine Capabilities: 11 machines-in-1
- Footprint: Compact when folded for storage
Best Home Gym Equipment for CrossFit Lovers: Rogue Slice Sled
Pushing a sled is a simple move that offers big results, training your entire lower body for speed and power. Rogue Slice Sled is an all-metal sled with bars for pushing and a belt for pulling, allowing you to vary your training with the same machine. It weighs 65 pounds on its own, but the 14-inch bolt-on center post accepts large plates up to 300 pounds. The sled works on gym floors, grass, turf, and concrete, and the posts fold flat for easy storage.
If you’re looking for a single piece of equipment that can fire up your core, cardio, and lower body strength, look no further. Realistically, most home gyms are too compact for a traditional sled. You need some space to push the Slice around, but the solid steel construction means you can take this machine outside. Open up the garage doors and push it around on the driveway or backyard until your legs start to scream. If you do have a home gym that’s large enough for this sort of movement, you can add skis to the bottom of the sled to protect your floors.
Key Product Features
- Origin: Made in the USA
- ProductWeight: 65 lbs unloaded
- Weight Capacity: 300+ lb load capacity
Best Home Gym Equipment for the Dream At-Home Gym: PRX Profile Pro Squat Rack
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Having your own full squat rack is a dream for many, but most of us don’t have the room for such a luxury. PRX Profile Pro Squat Rack solves the space problem, with a wall-mounted design that features hydraulic shocks, allowing you to easily fold the rack flat against the wall when it’s not in use.
You’ll have to add on a bar and weight plates, but the relatively low cost and small footprint of this piece of equipment make having a full squat rack far more attainable for most of us. Adjustable J-cups and multiple attachment points for accessories increase the versatility of this rack, allowing you to add cable pull systems like the MaxPro for a variety of push and pull movements. You can also add PRX’s Dip Station ($158) for upper body versatility and Spotter Arms ($237) for added safety. The built-in pull-up station is a plus, too, allowing you to go from squats into pullups for the ultimate superset combo. And when you’re done, just push the Profile Pro against the wall.
Key Product Features
- Weight Capacity: ~1,000 lbs
- Equipment: Wall mounting brackets and hardware included
- Footprint: Compact when folded for storage
Best Home Gym Equipment for Training Explosive Power: REP Fitness 3-in-1 Soft Plyo Box
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Do you even plyo, bro? REP Fitness 3-in-1 Soft Plyo Boxes offer three different heights in a single box, giving you a platform for a variety of explosive movements, from step-ups to box jumps. Each box is made with a wooden/foam structure that can handle 400 pounds, and offers three different heights depending on the side you put on the ground. I still have scars on my shins from doing box jumps on homemade, wooden boxes in high school.
These soft versions of the plyo box allow you to push yourself to new jumping heights without having to suffer the bloody consequences of failure. Choose the right size for your needs—the small is 20x18x16 inches, and the large is 30x24x20 inches. And you’re not relegated to jumping exercises with these boxes. They’re perfect for supporting your back leg during Bulgarian split squats, or for adding a bit of insurance beneath your butt during weighted squats.
Key Product Features
- Sizes: 3
- Weight Capacity: 400 lbs
- Footprint: Stackable and easy to store