Let me start this Technogym Bench review by saying it's not a weight bench. Sure, it's called 'Bench', and there are weights in the box the product comes in, but if you're looking for a piece of home gym equipment to supplement your strength training vertically, the Technogym Bench isn't the right choice.
It is the right choice, though, for those with plenty of disposable income interested in studio-style strength and toning workouts and who prefer to furnish their home gym with products manufactured by premium brands like Technogym. If you need a bench for, say, bench pressing, check out T3's best weight bench guide; there will be plenty of better options for that purpose.
Who's the Technogym Bench for? Is it a good piece of home gym equipment? Is the best home gym equipment? Is the Technogym Bench worth the hefty price tag? How should it be used? These and more burning Technogym Bench-related questions are answered in this Technogym Bench review!
Technogym Bench review – Price and availability
The Technogym Bench is available to buy now directly from Technogym US, Technogym UK and Technogym AU for a recommended retail price of $1,850/£1,450/AUA$2,790. This is the price of the standard bundle, which includes the bench, three sets of resistance bands, five pairs of hexagon dumbbells (1.25, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 kg), weighted knuckles and a training mat.
You can have three extra pairs of heavy dumbbells in the UK for an additional £500. In all countries, two months of Technogym Plus membership is also included. In the UK and AU, you can add a 4-year Technogym Care warranty for an extra £169/AU$250. With the extended warranty, you get four years of callouts, labour and spare parts included.
Technogym has a limited edition version of the Technogym Bench created in collaboration with the fashion brand Dior. It's the same bench from a functionality point of view, but the colour is different, and there is a large 'Christian Dior' logo on the side of the bench. Check the widgets at the top and bottom of this review for the best Technogym Bench prices.
Technogym Bench review – Assembly
The Technogym Bench comes fully assembled, and the delivery people even unpack the box and take it away if that's what you want. The only 'assembly' required is to put the weights, knuckles, mat and resistance bands in their respective places on the bench. It's pretty obvious where things go, but you can always consult the owner's manual if you get confused. There are stickers in the box for the dumbbell holders, although they are different in size, making it easier to identify which is which.
Technogym Bench review – Build quality and ergonomics
I expected the Technogym Bench to be a high-quality piece of home gym equipment, considering it bears the Technogym logo and the fact many gyms use the brand's machines (and, of course, the price). And from a design point of view, it delivers; the unit has a good heft to it, and all equipment can be stowed away neatly in their compartments. There are a couple of castor wheels on one side to help move the bench when needed.
As for quality... it's okay. The weights and resistance bands are excellent quality – although nothing extraordinary – but the bench itself is just a plastic unit and could also be more ergonomic. Hooking the resistance bands to the bench is easy enough (there are small holes around the edge of the Technogym Bench for this purpose), but the weights always fell off when I trollied the bench around. Not only do you have to tilt the bench at an angle that automatically triggers the dumbbells to fall off – this could be avoided if the end of the holders curled up – but there aren't proper handles to hold the bench in this position either.
How does the Technogym Bench work as a weight bench? It's okay, at best. It's a compact unit, I agree, but for the same reason, it's much slimmer than standard weight benches. It's also quite firm; the mat is supposed to provide some softness when placed on top of the bench (it can also be used as a standalone workout mat), but it's a far cry from the padding of a weight bench you used to in gyms.
Technogym Bench review – Workout performance
As mentioned above, the Technogym Bench is best used as a platform to perform studio-style workouts streamed via the Technogym Plus app. Technogym claims there are over 1,000 workouts available in the app, although it's worth mentioning these aren't all Bench workouts. That said, when you register in the app, it'll ask you what equipment you've got so that the workouts recommended will be tailored to the Technogym Bench.
You'll also find challenges, mindfulness exercises and blog-style recommendations similar to the Centr app (read my Centr review here). I'm telling you all this because you'll not only have two months' worth of Technogym Plus included in the price of the Technogym Bench, but it also makes more sense to do these workouts than just trying to come up with a routine yourself.
I imagine people who might buy the Technogym Bench are beginners – no offence – and they need all the encouragement and motivation they can get. The Technogym Plus app provides a structured workout experience, which can be very helpful to people not too experienced with home workouts. I prefer to do my own sets, but I guess I'm more experienced than someone who never did any workouts.
I'm not saying the Technogym Bench isn't suitable for standard workouts. You can perform any – well, most – exercises on the Technogym Bench you could on a flat bench, including the dumbbell bench press, pec fly, one-arm dumbbell row, triceps dips, inverted push-ups... the list goes on. It might be firmer than a standard weight bench, but the Technogym Bench is sturdy enough to support these movements.
What the bench isn't good for are heavy compound exercises (here is an explainer on the topic: what are compound exercises?). I wouldn't use the Technogym Bench for the barbell bench press, even if I had a barbell rack in my garage gym – it's simply unsuitable for such exercises. This takes away from the bench's versatility; even cheap flat weight benches can be used for this purpose, so it'd be excellent for the Technogym Bench to handle such workouts.
Technogym Bench review – Verdict
The Technogym Bench is a niche product; it's best suited for people with plenty of disposable income and those who prefer home workouts streamed via an app like Peloton or iFit. People who like to have branded, good-looking home gym equipment to grace their spare rooms or dedicated home gyms. People who'd buy an expensive weight bench cube for even more money because it says 'Christian Dior' on the side.
You could buy a very decent adjustable weight bench with a rack and a set of adjustable dumbbells (here are the best adjustable dumbbells) for less than the Technogym Bench. Yet, those products won't have a Technogym logo emblazoned on them, which I'm sure is a deal breaker for those who contemplate buying the Technogym Bench.
If only the price would be justified! The included weights are perfectly fine but not branded (the dumbbells and knuckles), and the bench itself is far from being the most comfortable surface I've ever worked on. It's also somewhat narrow compared to standard weight benches. Moving around the bench is a bit iffy due to the lack of carry handles and the dumbbell falling off their holders.
The Technogym Plus app is a decent offering and might help beginner exercisers feel more confident working out. You get two months for free (nice!), and the monthly fee isn't unreasonable, either, and it's certainly cheaper than subscribing to the Peloton app. If you like studio-style home workouts, prefer designer home gym equipment and have a price-no-object attitude, you should check out the Technogym Bench.
Technogym Bench review – Also consider
Those in the US who need a heavy-duty weight bench should check out the NordicTrack Utility Workout Bench – It's the perfect workout partner for home dumbbell training. The cost of entry is relatively high for this premium model, but it's an investment you're unlikely to regret. Read TJ's full NordicTrack Utility Workout Bench review for more details.
You could also buy Mirafit's cheap M1 Folding Weight Bench with Dip Station or a fraction of the price of the Technogym Bench. It's not perfect, but it is still worth considering for the price, especially if you are on a tight budget. Powerlifters need not apply. Read my full Mirafit M1 Folding Weight Bench with Dip Station review today.
