A weight bench is one of the best pieces of home gym equipment you can invest in, as it will elevate your workouts to the next level. Whether you train with a pair of dumbbells, a barbell and weight plates, or even kettlebells, a weight bench will allow you to execute a variety of upper and lower body exercises – from Bulgarian split squats to incline chest presses, dumbbell flies, and more.
There are two main types of weight benches: flat and adjustable. Flat weight benches are good for performing basic strength exercises and if you’re on a budget. Whereas adjustable weight benches are often more expensive, but will allow you to hit your muscles from a range of angles for a more effective workout.
Features like weight capacity, comfort, stability, adjustability, and maneuverability are all key factors to consider when choosing the best weight bench for your home gym. Here at T3, we've tested a range of benches at home and in the gym, keeping these features in mind to help you pick the best weight bench to smash your fitness goals.
Whether you are on a tight budget or looking for a blow-out model with all the bells and whistles, below are our top picks of the best weight benches to help you take your training to the next level.
Best overall
The Again Faster Team Plus Adjustable Bench is designed for people who take weightlifting seriously. Even better, it comes almost fully assembled, so you can start pumping iron instantly as soon as the bench arrives.
It features a solid, 4 to 14-variable-gauge steel frame, durable, thick anti-slip padding, and a thick steel backplate holding the main pad firmly in place. The backrest can be adjusted from flat to 90 degrees of incline, ideal for working on the pecs, arms, delts and more–we found the 75-degree angle good enough to perform that exercise. The pad is dense and supportive, and the cover is made of anti-slip material, so you won't get stuck to it even after sweaty workouts.
Best for beginners
NordicTrack may be better known for its cardio equipment, however, their weight bench shouldn’t go unnoticed. It has a sleek design that will look good in any home gym and a steel construction that’s built to last. We also particularly liked the sewn-on seat covers, another mark of quality, as cheaper benches often just staple them to the back.
It has eight adjustment settings for flat, incline, and decline positionings, as well as three different seat adjustments. The seat is also pretty wide and at nearly 20 inches high, this bench should fall into the Goldilocks Zone for most average-sized adults.
While it may not be collapsible, the wheels on the back of the bench and front handle make it easy to manoeuvre, so you can stow it out of the way when not in use. You may, however, require an extra pair of hands to set it up, as we found it quite tricky doing it alone.
Read our full NordicTrack Utility Workout Bench review
Best budget adjustable weight bench
You can always count on Decathlon when it comes to great value-for-money fitness equipment. And we don't mean 'cheap' or 'rubbish quality'; Domyos fitness equipment is usually of decent quality and provides enough flexibility for most types of home workouts.
Case in point, the Corength 900 Weights Bench has seven different positions so that you can attack the pecs and shoulders from various angles, and there is even a footrest so you can do crunches. That said, since the legs are not too tall, tall people might find it uncomfortable to do sit-ups on it. For everything else, it's perfect.
Best all-in-one weight bench
The Technogym Bench offers an all-in-one solution for home gyms. Not only does it come with home weights included in the price – including five sets of dumbbells (up to 10kg), three resistance bands, and three weighted knuckles – but it offers a storage solution, too.
We found the bench somewhat narrower and shorter compared to a standard weight bench, so it’s not best for tall folk. Plus, as well as not being adjustable, the maximum weight capacity is a lot lower than other benches listed in this guide.
Bodybuilders, powerlifters, and those working towards moving serious mass should give this bench a miss. However, if you like studio-style home workouts, prefer designer home gym equipment, and have a price-no-object attitude, the Technogym Bench will suit you.
Read our full Technogym Bench review
Best budget flat bench
The Strength Shop flat bench combines high weight capacity and great features at an affordable price. Despite it being lightweight, we still found this bench incredibly study, and many of the customer reviews online also agree. It's been crafted with a 3mm steel frame, so it's durable and has a comfortable PVC pad with the Strength Shop logo embossed at the top.
It has a max weight capacity of 600kg, so more than enough for novice and advanced lifters. What we really liked was the flat foot design at the front of the bench, as it meant we could position our feet in just the right spot for a really good leg drive during our chest press.
There's also wheels at the back and a handle at the front, so it's super easy to move about. The only snag is that the wheels are positioned quite high, which means you have to lift the bench up high also so that they engage properly with the floor. Otherwise, it won't move. Apart from that, we think it's a brilliant bench at a brilliant price.
Best collapsible weight bench
Featuring high-density foam padding, the Bowflex 5.1S Stowable Bench complements Bowflex Selecttech modular dumbbells perfectly. The backrest can be adjusted in six positions, including 17° decline, flat, 30°, 45°, 60° and 90° incline. It would've been even better if the seat was also adjustable, though.
We loved the one-button 'click, lift and go' process, which makes stowing the bench effortless (you can store it flat and vertically), not to mention the space saving it allows. The additional transport castors mean the bench can quickly move around to different positions.
The only thing that we weren't too keen on was the leg bar. Despite being good for crunches, we found it just got in the way slightly when it came to setting up our feet properly for lifts.
Best heavy-duty weight bench
Those looking to press, curl and row some serious iron will require a seriously sturdy, heavy duty bench that takes no chances, and the V2 FID Bench from Primal is just that. It has a whopping weight capacity of 500kg (the largest in our guide), so whether you're using dumbbells or working in a rack, you'll have plenty of scope to work towards your goals.
This bench is extremely durable. As well as having a steel frame, the seating is filled with commercial-grade foam which is also rip-resistant, so it's made to last. Plus you get a lifetime warranty with the frame anyway. The seat itself has a decent width to support big backs, but we also really like that it angles slightly at the top, so we were still able to get a full range of motion when shoulder pressing.
We also really like the black and green colour combo (it's giving us incredible Hulk vibes). However, if you're not a fan, it also comes in red, yellow, grey and blue too. It's very easy to move around too as the wheels are angled low to the floor, however, this bench is pretty heavy.
How to buy the best weight bench for you
In-depth: 7 things to consider before buying a new weight bench
Storage space: You may have found the weight bench of your dreams, but do you have enough room to store it (realistically)? Weight benches come in all shapes, sizes and styles, so if you’re tight on space consider a more compact option, like a collapsable bench, one with wheels or, nowadays, you can even get one that looks like it’s part of the living room furniture.
Adjustability: You can either get a flat weight bench, one with an adjustable incline, or an adjustable incline/decline. Flat benches are often cheaper and will do for iron-pumping newbies, whereas a weight bench with adjustable incline/decline settings will offer far more exercise versatility, especially when looking to build the upper body or core. We’d therefore recommend parting with a little extra cash (especially if you’re an experienced lifter) and getting an adjustable option.
Weight capacity: It’s key that you choose a weight bench that’s sturdy enough to support your body weight and training, especially if you’re doing heavy weightlifting, like powerlifting, or high-impact exercises. Make sure you check the bench’s weight capacity before you buy it, the last thing you want is for it to collapse beneath you.
How we test the best weight benches
Weight benches are always tested in a home (or, more like, home gym) environment to ensure they perform in a setting they were meant to be used. We use weight benches for several exercises to determine what type of workouts they are best for. We aim to test each weight bench featured in this guide for at least a couple of months to ensure they don't fall apart after a few workouts. Find out how we test at T3 by clicking on the link now.
FAQ
What is the best weight bench for home use?
The best weight bench will differe from person to person, as it depends on your goals, budget, and the amount of space you have available. Our current favourite weight bench for home use is the Again Faster Team Plus Adjustable Weight Bench. It's a solid weight bench that's built to last with a sturdy steel frame, but won't cost you the earth. It also has a very decent weight capacity (450kg), is easy to maneuver, and has six backrest positions and three seat positions.
Are weight benches worth it?
Yes! A weight bench is one of the best pieces of home gym equipment that you can invest in (alongside a pair of dumbbells), especially if you're looking to build muscle. Weight benches can be used for much more than bench press, although that in itself should be a good enough reason to get one as it's one of the 'big 5' exercises that can give you a full-body workout and work almost every muscle in your body.
Whether it's a flat or adjustable weight bench or a weight bench with or without a weight rack, the best weight benches will enable you to work out your upper body in a way that's not possible without a weight bench. Do yourself a favour and start building monster pecs and arms today by getting a weight bench.