BELLS OF THE BALL

Shift your dining table and serve up serious muscle with the best dumbbells, no gym membership required

Five of the best dumbbells for your home set-up, sweat-tested and rated by us

Working out at home isn’t a passing trend. A year of lockdowns may have forced people’s hands, but it has only gone to prove that progress can be made in the presence of carpets and houseplants.

You just need a solid training plan (see our PT section) and the right kit for your goals.

While taking up little more space than a shoebox, dumbbells, can help you build endurance, strength and power from the relative comfort (if you can call it that) of your living room. We admit that the best can be expensive – consider them an investment – but given the lockdowninspired price surges, you’ll still save money and space compared to buying a barbell and a bench, while missing out on none of the gains.

To find out which dumbbells are truly worth your cash, we got to grips with five different varieties, each with their own unique selling point. We assessed their value for money, ergonomics and appeal with every curl, lunge and press. Follow our recommendations to turn your living room into a part-time iron paradise, while still having space for a yogic recovery flow. Finishing with some Shavasana on the sofa, of course.