The 15 Best Home Gym Machines of 2023

There are a lot of perks to working out at home. Not only will you save time and gas by not having to commute to the gym, but you’ll also never have to wait for the curl-bro to surrender the squat rack. That said, if you’re going to ditch the Globo Gym and go domestic, you’ll need a space to work out and the proper home gym equipment to meet your fitness goals. Of course, you can do some solid training with just a pair of dumbbells or kettlebells, but if you want to go big, you’ll need a full home gym.

There are plenty of options on the market, which is good because different people can have very different needs for their home gym. The right home workout machines for you may be a free-weight setup with a power rack and pull-up bar, some weight plates, and a barbell. Perhaps you want a cable-focused home gym that replaces eight machines. There are also smart home gyms that track your sets, reps, and calories burned through trainer-led classes. Though it’s up to you to choose your ideal setup, we think these are some of the best home gyms on the market to suit many customers’ needs.

Our Picks for the Best Home Gyms of 2023

• Best Home Gym Overall: Force USA G6 All-In-One Trainer
• Best Home Gym for Small Spaces: REP FT-3000 Compact Trainer
• Best All-In-One Home Gym: Force USA X20 Pro
• Best Smart Home Gym: Tonal
• Best Home Gym for Bodybuilding: Force USA G20 All-In-One Trainer
• Best Cable Machine: REP FT-3000 Compact Trainer
• Best Home Gym Treadmill: Sole F80
• Best Home Gym Rowing Machine: Hydrow Wave
• Best Home Gym for Powerlifting: REP Fitness PR-5000
• Best Bowflex Gym: Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE Home Gym
• Best Budget Home Gym: Gold’s Gym XRS 50
• Best Portable Home Gym: TRX Home2 System
• Best Home Gym Squat Rack: REP Fitness PR-4100 Folding Squat Rack
• Best Home Gym Power Rack: Force USA MyRack Modular Power Rack
• Best Squat Stand With Pull-Up Bar: Rep Fitness SR-400 Squat Rack

How We Tested and Chose the Best Home Gyms

Home gyms come in many different designs, sizes, and prices. When deciding our picks, we took many factors into consideration but gave the most weight to versatility, value, and functionality in a home gym space.

Versatility

Home gyms require different equipment than commercial gyms. Generally, you’re not going to have unlimited space in a home gym, which means each piece of equipment has to do double duty (or more). The more types of exercises or purposes that a piece of equipment can serve, the better it will rank on this list because of that. It might be nice to have a machine dedicated to each movement, but those that can serve multiple needs are valued more for a home gym list.

Value and Quality

We get it: outfitting a full home gym can be quite expensive, which is why we place a premium on products that offer the most bang for your buck. The value a piece of equipment offers is also weighted heavily here and stems quite often from the quality and durability of a product.

That said, we don’t simply select items based on price, as you’ll find some expensive items on this list. The price reflects what they bring to the table, or more accurately, what they bring to the garage, basement, or spare room. Oftentimes, the more expensive items are selected due to their exceptional quality, and we expect them to last a lifetime with proper care.

Functionality

Some items sound great in theory until you get them in your home gym, and they don’t quite function the way you expected. The functionality of your equipment is essential to setting up a space that works for your training needs. In order for us to recommend something, it has to do what it is intended to and do it exceptionally well. Otherwise, that product may not make our list.

Best Home Gym Overall: Force USA G6 All-In-One Trainer

Specs

• Dimensions: 91 inches tall, 72 inches wide and64 inches deep
• Exercise Emphasis: Resistance training, Bodybuilding, General Fitness, Crable Training, Suspension Training
• Highlights: A full gym suite, great utility, up to 11 different machines in one
• Price: $3,499.99

Pros

• The setup can replace an entire gym’s worth of equipment. 
• The cable machines offer up to 110 pounds of resistance with the 2:1 pulley ratio.
• It includes safety bars.

Cons

• The weight plates and bench are sold separately. 
• It’s a tall machine, so pul-lups may not be possible.

Our top pick is a home gym package that offers stunning versatility, can take the place of 11 strength training machines, and comes at a relatively low price. The compact design and nearly endless variety of workouts give the G6 an edge over the competition here.

One of the main considerations when building a home gym is balancing space with utility. You want enough gear to provide a complete workout space, but you may not want a truckload of gear taking up the whole house. Force USA’s G6 All-in One Trainer provides an excellent balance between the two. This setup combines a power rack, cable machine, Smith machine, and leg press with chin-up and dip stations — and that’s just to name a few. You can set it up to do low rows, as well as core exercises with the landmine station. Plus, you can even hook up TRX bands to the suspension trainer ring.

You’re basically getting an entire gym setup that only consumes 72 inches by 63 inches of floorspace. It comes with safety spotter arms, a dual hook straight barbell, a pulldown rope and v-bar, and a host of other attachments. Plus, you can add on jammer arms and a leg developer as well. While the weight plates need to be purchased separately, there is weight plate storage on the outside of the rack. Although, with two 220-pound weight stacks on the 2:1 ration cable trainer, you may not need those weight plates for a while.

If you want to fit an entire gym into a small(ish) space, Force USA’s G6 is the way to go. With nearly endless workout options, this machine has something that can please just about anybody. “[It is] everything I was hoping for,” one five-star reviewer writes. “My wife loves it, too. … Has all the lifts I need to continue to improve my lift.”

Best Home Gym for Small Spaces: REP Fitness FT 3000 Compact Trainer

Specs

• Dimensions: 78 inches tall, 52 inches wide, 34 inches deep
• Exercise Emphasis: Resistance training, Bodybuilding, General Fitness
• Highlights: A compact footprint, dual heavy weight stacks
• Price: $1,999

Pros

• With a 52” width, 78” height, and 34” depth, it has an incredibly small footprint. 
• This is a solid cable machine that offers a lot of movement variety. 
• The frame has a lifetime warranty.

Cons

• This home gym does not come with a squat rack. 
• There are similar, albeit larger, machines that offer heavier weight stacks at a similar price point.

Trying to extract the same functionality of a commercial gym in your tiny one-car garage might seem like an overwhelming prospect. Thankfully, we found this home gym to be a big hitter while maintaining an impressively small footprint. “So far, this thing is great,” writes one five-star reviewer. “I have a small garage and it fits in the corner nicely. Plenty of weight for my purposes.”

We like this functional trainer for people who are limited on space because it packs a ton of features into a compact package. This home gym is less than 4.5 feet wide and less than 3 feet deep, but it is built to handle the rigors of a commercial gym. It is pretty short, though, so taller lifters might have to bend their legs during pull-ups. Despite its conveniently low profile, REP managed to fit a pair of 180lb weight stacks into it (360 pounds total). 

The pulleys are designed for incredibly smooth operation without catching or sticking, and the station also comes complete with a pull-up bar. REP even managed to include some storage pegs for your cable attachments in the middle of this functional trainer. One thing to keep in mind is that the pulleys are on a 2:1 ratio, which means you’ll get one pound of resistance in hand for every two pounds on the weight stack — moving 100 pounds on the weight stack will be 50 pounds in your hand. The pulleys also take some time to break in and may require some greasing the first few times you use the FT-3000.

Space is one of the top factors to consider when setting up your home gym. Whether you have ample room or are working with a single tight corner, the REP FT 3000 can open up a world of training possibilities.

Best All-In-One Home Gym: Force USA X20 Pro

Specs

• Dimensions: 91 inches tall, 70 inches wide, 86.5 inches deep
• Exercise Emphasis: Resistance training, Bodybuilding, Cross-Training, General Fitness
• Highlights: Extremely versatile with a ton of attachments
• Price: Starting at $4,249

Pros

• You can perform over 400 different exercises with this machine.
• This rack’s size makes a great centerpiece for any gym.
• You can perform both compound and isolation lifts with this home gym.

Cons

• This setup may be too complicated for beginners.
• The rack itself takes up a large area.
• People on a budget may not like the price tag here.

If you want every option under the sun, this home gym is truly the complete package. Cables, heavy weight stacks, weight plate storage, racks, pull-up bars, and more — this machine has it all. If you’re looking for a true centerpiece for your home gym, the Force USA X20 Pro is the way to go.

This rack is a beast, and it’s hard not to feel both overwhelmed and excited when looking at it. The X20 Pro is an all-in-one home gym solution with a solid power rack, two 289-pound weight stacks, and 17 different attachments included. The rack itself is extremely solid and feels well-grounded, even without being bolted down. It even includes weight storage, so this can truly be the centerpiece of your gym. Don’t worry when going heavy either because the X20 Pro includes flip-down safeties inside of the rack and spotter arms for lifting outside on the extra half-rack.

The Force USA X20 Pro is focused on being an all-in-one space for making gains. To achieve that, the rack comes with a variety of attachments, though some are certainly better than others, and you may have to replace some with more ergonomic or specialized pieces. The Upgrade Kit is likely not super useful for most people, but it would be a great addition for athletes because of the jammer arms. 

All of this utility does come at a price, and this rack isn’t small by any means. You’ll want to ensure you have sufficient room for this behemoth of a rack, especially the height. Ours had barely an inch of clearance to spare. However, if you have plenty of space, customers do love interior depth. “I love the ample interior space and the freedom it gives me to have a full range of motion for squats, benches, and deadlifts,” one five-star review points out.

We should mention that this rack can be a nightmare to put together, and it’s nearly impossible to do on your own. We had a professional put it together for us, and it still took them over five hours.

The X20 Pro Multi Trainer replaces nine workout machines, can support multiple people training at once, and is equipped with over 17 attachments (29 if you include the Upgrade Kit). Anyone looking for ultimate versatility from an all-in-one home gym solution won’t need to look much further than this pick.

Read our full Force USA X20 Pro Review.

Best Smart Home Gym: Tonal

Specs

• Dimensions: 50.9 inches tall, 21.50 inches wide and 5.25 inches deep
• Exercise Emphasis: Resistance training, Bodybuilding, General Fitness, Cross-Training
• Highlights: Zero footprint when not in use, great utility, adaptive programming
• Price: $4,785

Pros

• The setup takes up zero floor space when not in use and only extends five inches from a wall.
• Tonal offers thousands of on-demand workouts.
• You get 200 pounds of customizable resistance. 

Cons

• Tonal’s price tag may put it out of many buyers’ price ranges.
• You need a seven-foot by seven-foot area to work out in.
• The on-demand workouts require a monthly $60 subscription.

It’s on the pricey side, but if you can afford it, Tonal’s virtual coaching, nearly endless number of workouts, and small size make it well worth the cost.

Our top pick is a high-tech home gym package that takes up zero floor space, offers up to 200 pounds of resistance, and provides workouts that adapt to your training and progress. The innovative design, useful tech features, and variety of workouts give Tonal an edge over the competition here.

One of the main considerations when building a home gym is balancing space with utility. You want enough gear to give yourself a complete workout space, but you may not want a truckload of gear taking up the whole house. Tonal’s home gym provides an excellent balance between the two. This smart cable machine mounts to a wall and sits flat against it when not in use, but thanks to the adjustable cable arms, you can perform around 200 different movements. Each≠ƒp cable arm can provide up to 100 pounds of resistance, but the ability to add eccentric pressure and virtual chains adds difficulty. Still, it may be a bit light for advanced lifters.

Tonal comes with two cable handles, a rope pulldown attachment, a bench, and a barbell. The handles and barbell have a Bluetooth spotter button that you can press to instantly reduce the weight. 

The major component of Tonal is the 24-inch touchscreen, that allows you to customize programming, access the thousands of on-demand trainer led workouts, and even uses cameras and sensors to critique your form as you work out (it felt surreal when Tonal told us that we weren’t going through a full range of motion during cable flyes). The tech also allows you to keep a close eye on your progress without the need for pen and paper. “The objective data tracking on Tonal is incredible,” one five-star reviewer writes. “It’s pretty cool to see that each month I was able to push/pull more weight as I got stronger.”

Read our full Tonal Review.

Best Home Gym for Bodybuilding: Force USA G20 All-In-One Trainer

Specs

• Dimensions: 91 inches tall, 79 inches wide, 67 inches deep
• Exercise Emphasis: Resistance training, Cross-Training, Bodybuilding
• Highlights: Extremely versatile with 29 attachments included, plus a Smith machine
• Price: Starting at $5,999

Pros

• The G20 has a pair of 289-pound weight stacks to help isolate lagging areas, perfect for precise bodybuilders.
• There’s a long list of attachments and exercises you can perform with this machine.
• You get commercial-grade quality for daily, repeated use.

Cons

• Bodybuilders on a tight budget might find this machine to be too big of an investment. 
• This machine takes up quite a lot of space.

If you’re looking to build muscle and get shredded (recreationally or professionally), having a home gym that enables you to train heavily while also dialing in on specific muscle groups is absolutely essential. This home gym allows bodybuilders to do just that.

At first glance, the Force USA G20 may look intimidating, but once you start looking at all the separate parts more closely, you’ll see just how useful this multi-trainer can be. One thing this home gym is not short on is attachments — 29 come included. This rig replaces a leg press, smith machine, functional trainer, lat pulldown, power rack, low row, and more, so you don’t have to purchase them all separately and find room for each individual machine.

The G20 is constructed like a tank, which is great for confidence and security when lifting, but don’t plan on moving this monster once it’s put together. Force USA does provide top-notch materials where it matters, though, and all of the structural elements are rock-solid. “No issues with the quality so far,” says one five-star reviewer four months after using this machine. “[The] unit is strong and solid. Using it 4-5x/wk and doing a wide variety of exercises makes a hypertrophy macro cycle more tolerable.”

The pulley system doesn’t pull any punches with a 1:1 resistance ratio instead of the more common 2:1 ratio. That means every pound of resistance will still be a pound in hand instead of half a pound. You do have to fork over a pretty penny, but the financing options are pretty good, depending on credit approval. We should caution that you’ll want to measure your space — especially the ceiling height for pull-ups — and make sure it can support the weight of this machine.

With so many different exercise possibilities and the ability to handle a large amount of weight, this setup seems designed to build lean mass. We’re impressed with how the G20 can bring the bodybuilding gym experience right into the comfort of your own home.

Best Cable Machine for Your Home Gym: REP Fitness FT 3000 Compact Trainer

Specs

• Dimensions: 78 inches tall, 52 inches wide, 34 inches deep
• Exercise Emphasis: Resistance training, Bodybuilding, General Fitness
• Highlights: A compact footprint, dual heavy weight stacks
• Price: $1,999

Pros

• This cable machine is more compact than just about any other one on the market.
• You can dial in on specific muscles and target areas for growth.
• REP includes an impressive warranty and a 30-day money back guarantee.

Cons

• This only offers cable resistance, so people who prefer free weight training may feel unfulfilled.
• This great home workout machine is priced well, but if you’re looking for something that’s really budget-friendly, there are some cheaper options out there.

A great cable machine should be reliable, smooth, space-efficient, and able to handle any workout you throw its way. The REP Fitness 3000 Compact Trainer is all that and then some.

REP makes a lot of high-quality products, and this home gym cable machine is no exception. While we really like the REP Compact Trainer for its compact size, we just couldn’t ignore just how solid of a cable machine it really is. The pulleys and cables are silky smooth, though they do require a short break-in period where you might experience some catches or cable tightness. Putting some light lubricant on the pulley wheels may help alleviate that initial stickiness.

While it’s not the cheapest cable machine on the market, it’s competitively priced, considering the quality of its build. One thing that taller athletes should consider is that the FT-3000 is shorter than most cable machines, so you may find it challenging to perform pull-ups or overhead cable exercises like skull crushers. According to one six-foot, two-inch customer, “Tricep extensions are fine but I suspect it would be a problem if I was any taller.” REP also clearly believes in the durability of this machine since it comes with a limited lifetime warranty.

The REP Fitness FT 3000 Compact Trainer saves on space, has a fair price point, and is a smooth-operating cable machine that should last for years if not decades. Even though the weight stacks are lighter than some other machines, the FT-3000 is still a great option.

Best Home Gym Treadmill: Sole F80

Specs

• Dimensions: 66 inches tall, 38 inches wide, 82.5 inches long
• Exercise Emphasis: Running, general fitness
• Highlights: Cushioned running deck, Folds easily, Powerful motor
• Price: $1,899

Pros

• The Low-profile hood doesn’t get in the way of taller runners.
• The frame and motor both have a lifetime warranty.
• The easy-assist folding makes it easy to save space when you’re not using it.

Cons

• The included technology isn’t as extensive as some other competitors.
• The Z-shaped design might get in the way of some people who have wider arm swings.

If you’re a runner or a lifter looking to perform more cardio at home, a durable, high-quality treadmill may be the perfect piece of home gym equipment for you. The Sole F80 is powerful yet compact and loaded with extras, making it our top choice.

There are a lot of treadmills on the market, but the Sole F80 is our favorite, thanks to a few key factors that make it great for home use. It performs like a full-sized treadmill that you might find at a health club due to the powerful 3.5 HP motor, but it still has a relatively compact footprint as well as easy-assist folding. We like how unimpeded it feels to run on this treadmill, thanks to the low-profile hood that won’t get in the way of your strides. “The last thing you want is a machine hindering or forcing you to alter your running gait,” says our on-staff triathlete.

The cushioned deck can potentially reduce impact by up to 40 percent, making the F80 potentially better for your joints than outdoor running. Plus, Sole does a great job with the infotainment system — combining a 10.1-inch touchscreen with a wireless charging pad to make for a seamless and high-tech user experience with all of your gadgets within arms reach. Larger runners should be aware that they may experience some track slipping or skipping, since the 2.36-inch rollers are smaller than some other treadmills in the same price range.

Though pounding the pavement outside can be nice, the pavement may start to pound back if you put in enough miles. The cushioned support deck helps to potentially reduce the impact on your joints, which might save you from overuse injuries. Plus, the lower hood for more natural strides, solid tech, and foldability make the F80 stand out from the crowd. Five-star reviews say it’s quieter than other treadmills, easy to use, and “works well on carpet floors.”

Read our full Sole F80 Treadmill Review.

Best Home Gym Rowing Machine: Hydrow Wave

Specs

• Dimensions: 43 inches tall, 19 inches wide, 80 inches long
• Exercise Emphasis: Rowing, general fitness, resistance training
• Highlights: Smooth magnetic resistance that mimics rowing on water, folds upright for storage
• Price: $1,895

Pros

• The resistance mimics rowing on the water.
• There are over 4,000 online classes with instructors and scenic locations.
• The resistance is virtually silent.

Cons

• The monthly membership is a big part of the user experience.
• The seat is pretty standard, despite the other high-quality components.
• This rower is pretty pricey compared to others.

Rowing machines bring a unique mixture of cardio and strength to the table, which is why they’re the preferred choice of cardio equipment for many lifters. They’re also heavily featured in CrossFit and cross-training style workouts. This rower is the best example of form meeting function, offering a variety of fun colors and a vibrant touchscreen to brighten your home gym environment.

With this updated version, Hydrow kept all of the great features of the original design but made the machine lighter and more compact. According to our personal testers, rolling the machine around was way easier than expected. Following along with the classes on the 16-inch screen is enjoyable, and the trainers are top-notch — we really like the chill on-water rowing classes. If you connect your headphones, the only noise will be from you huffing and puffing, thanks to virtually silent magnetic resistance. To complete the immersion, the resistance is designed to have a similar drag to rowing water, which is great if you’re practicing for on-water competitions.

Though the trainers are great, the roughly $44 monthly subscription may be a bit steep for some people, and you essentially need it to make the most use of the Wave. However, customers love the tech experience. “The whole immersive experience and the instructor-led sessions are excellent,” one five-star reviewer writes. “The option to row around the world at your time of choice is fantastic. How they can talk while rowing amazes me every time.” 

Compared to the original Hydrow and some other high-end rowers, the seat on this one may not be comfortable for very long sessions due to the lack of cushioning (especially if you’ve got a muscly bottom). Though the rower is more costly than some, the stainless steel frame and high-quality build, coupled with the premium rowing experience, justify the price in our eyes.

If you’re in the market for a premium rowing machine that combines a smooth, quiet ride with convenient sizing, then this is the rower for you. It may be more expensive than some other options, but it does deliver value with a large, versatile touchscreen, thousands of on-demand workouts (with a membership), and automatic resistance adjustments.

Read our full Hydrow Wave Rower Review.

Best Home Gym for Powerlifting: REP Fitness PR-5000

Specs

• Dimensions: 80 or 93 inches tall, 50.8 inches wide, 16, 30, or 41 deep
• Exercise Emphasis: Resistance training, General Fitness, Powerlifting, Strongman
• Highlights: Customizable, Lots of attachments, Solid build
• Price: Starting at $899

Pros

• You can mix and match REP components or other compatible equipment.
• Perfect for powerlifts, this sturdy rack can handle up to 1,000 pounds even without the added stabilizer.
• The price can be as low or high as you customize it to be. 

Cons

• Without Westside spacing, this isn’t ideal for competition bench pressing.
• People who don’t have a lot of room may be better served with a folding rack.

Luckily for powerlifters, the amount of equipment needed to deadlift, squat, and bench press is relatively low when it comes to space. However, stability, durability, and quality should be top of mind when lifting heavy, which is how we decided on our top home workout machine for powerlifters. 

Though all powerlifters perform the same three movements for competition, how you train for them may be vastly different depending on whether you’re raw or equipped, where your sticking points are, and if you’re working around any nagging injuries. To accommodate these individual needs, the REP PR-5000 is fully customizable. It’s also compatible with dozens of attachments from REP and other major equipment brands so that you can set it up to match your needs. And since you’ll be moving some heavy weight (you beast, you), we like that the thick 11-gauge steel can handle up to 1,000 pounds.

If you compete in a federation that doesn’t make you walk out your squat, you can add monolift attachments to mimic competition. We are a little disappointed, however, that REP doesn’t include Westside spacing through the bench press area. The two-inch spacing throughout may make it a bit more challenging to find the perfect height for your bench press. The rack does feel extremely stable, though, even with the four-post layout. And if you want even more sturdiness, you can add the extra two posts for storage since it includes a rear stabilizer. “Love the laser-cut numbering along the uprights, making it easy to set up for different lifts,” writes one five-star customer review. “Haven’t had any quality control issues on any of my uprights.”

We really like how grounded this rack feels and how beefy its construction is. The PR-5000 means business, and the options for customizing it are great for ensuring you can train to perform optimally come meet day.

Best Bowflex Gym: Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE Home Gym

Specs

• Dimensions: 83.25 inches tall, 49 inches wide, 53 inches long
• Exercise Emphasis: Resistance training, General Fitness
• Highlights: Compact, but you can still perform full-body workouts
• Price: $1,499

Pros

• Bowflex makes quality, space-friendly products. 
• You can easily hit every muscle, head-to-toe, on this machine. 
• Few cable machines can provide up to 310 pounds (let alone 410 pounds) of resistance. 

Cons

• The resistance curve is similar to that of resistance bands and is the opposite of your natural strength because of the rod used to create tension. 
• There isn’t a way to do cardio using this machine.
• It’s challenging to train dynamic and explosive movements with this machine. 

Bowflex built its brand on the idea that gymgoers would trade in the gym membership for a home gym that was affordable and compact. Here’s the one we think is the best of the best.

This isn’t your dad’s Bowflex that was impossible to use and ended up as a coat rack in the basement; the Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE is a tank. It comes with 210 pounds of resistance, but you can upgrade it to 310 or even 410 pounds if you’re already pretty strong. You can perform 70-plus exercises on it — including leg extensions, squats, deadlifts, and pulldowns, which you usually can’t do with simple cable machines. “I can do everything a gym offers right in the comfort of my home,” writes one five-star review (among many others). “I have time constraints and this allows me to stay in shape without going anywhere.”

A feature that we like is Bowflex’s implemented “No-Change” cable pulley system, so you can work your back and legs all on the same cable pulley without having to adjust it. For an extra charge, you can add a preacher curl and ab crunch attachment, though there are likely cheaper ways to achieve the same effect. The quick transitions and no-frills setup of this machine make it an excellent choice if you want to get a full-body workout in with limited time and space.

The Xtreme 2 SE is our favorite Bowflex gym because it’s effective, space-friendly, and accommodates more than 70 exercises. If you’re looking to get in better shape (and stay there), this is a solid buy. Bowflex has a ton of options, but this one takes the cake.

Read our full Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE Home Gym Review.

Best Budget Home Gym: Gold’s Gym XRS 50

Specs

• Dimensions: 78.75 inches tall, 38 inches wide, 64 inches long
• Exercise Emphasis: Resistance training, General Fitness
• Highlights: Budget-friendly, heavy resistance available
• Price: $399

Pros

• You get plenty of muscle-building exercise options for a fair price.
• At around 300 pounds, this is a fairly mobile piece of workout equipment.
• You can add onto this machine with more attachments to vary the focus of exercises. 

Cons

• This machine only uses cables, so folks who want to perform strength-building moves like barbell squats and Pendlay rows. 
• Advanced athletes may need more than 280 pounds of total resistance. 

You may save money in the long run, but a high-quality home gym can cost you a lot upfront. If you want to save a little money (relatively speaking), go for the Gold’s Gym XRS 50.

It’s not the most versatile pick on this list, but the XRS 50 lets you perform pulldowns, leg extensions, flyes, rows, and curls. For most day-to-day lifters, it ticks all the boxes, according to one five-star customer review. “We are just starting to use our home gym and find it meets our needs for family workouts. There are a range of weightlifting exercises that can be performed with the equipment.” 

You can also purchase more attachments to vary your grips. With a little creativity, you can perform even more exercises with the XRS 50, like hamstring curls and triceps pushdowns. This means you can perform basically a whole-body workout and not even have to purchase a bar or weight plates — great for cost and space savings.

In total, the XRS 50 offers 280 pounds of weight which is more than enough for most people, so you won’t hit the limit with this machine for quite some time. By then, you may be ready to upgrade. To purchase 280 pounds of weight by itself might cost more than this entire machine if you’re buying plates or dumbbells, further proving the value of the XRS 50. We also like the small footprint, so you can tuck this machine into the corner of your home and have all you need to develop your muscles.

Your money will go far with this home workout machine that offers up a variety of tried-and-true pieces of equipment in one machine. You can train your chest, triceps, back, and legs while spending less on this than many other pieces of equipment on this list.

Read our full Gold’s Gym XRS 50 Review.

Best Portable Home Gym: TRX Home2 System

Specs

• Dimensions: Six to Eight Feet of Floor Space Needed
• Exercise Emphasis: Resistance training, General fitness, Bodyweight training, Core training, HIIT, Yoga
• Highlights: Cheaper than many other options, great for stabilization and core training
• Price: $229.95

Pros

• You can work out pretty much any place where there’s something sturdy to attach it to. 
• The bodyweight exercises are great at working the core muscles and stabilizers. 
• The entire system fits in a small mesh bag.

Cons

• There isn’t really a way to progressively overload once you master the bodyweight movements. 
• If you’re looking to build muscle, then it might be better to use external resistance like weights.

You shouldn’t have to choose between a life on the go and staying fit — and you don’t have to. There are plenty of portable gym options out there, but we like the TRX Home2 System the best.

It only takes about a minute for you to set up this TRX on any tree or door for a full-body bodyweight workout. The TRX is designed to work with just your body weight (though you can throw on a weight vest for an added challenge). It can fit in a mesh bag for easy storage, making this pick our most space-friendly gym by far. We advise letting the system air dry before putting them back in the bag, though, especially after a sweaty session. The handles and even straps can become somewhat funky smelling if you constantly toss them in the bag right away.

This product won’t really satisfy folks who want to lift heavy iron and easily track weight and reps, but if you’re into calisthenics, the Home2 System is a great way to train. If you’re more of a casual gymgoer who wants to burn calories and get intense workouts in at home, then this will also do the trick. We also like this system for frequent flyers. “You really can’t beat this thing for portability and amazing ability to work out every part of your body,” writes one five-star reviewer.

If you prefer bodyweight workouts that you can do anywhere, this is the cheapest and most space-friendly pick on our entire list. TRX workouts even have a thriving online community, so you can connect with others doing similar exercise routines.

Read our full TRX Home2 System Review.

Best Home Gym Squat Rack: REP Fitness PR-4100 Folding Squat Rack

Specs

• Dimensions: 92.25 inches tall, 48 inches wide, 21 or 41 inches deep
• Exercise Emphasis: Resistance training, General fitness, Cross-Training
• Highlights: Folds to save space, good attachment compatibility for a folding rack, Budget-friendly
• Price: Starting at $499

Pros

• The space-saving design frees up a ton of room when it’s not in use.
• Most folding racks are very limited in their attachment compatibility, but this one is surprisingly versatile. 
• Price-wise, this rack is a bargain for the high-quality materials and heavy weight capacity. 

Cons

• Some people may want the added security of a full-fledged four-post rack. 
• If your floor isn’t level or has any inconsistencies in it, your rack may not sit right. 

A lot of people dream of having a squat rack in their home gym but think they can’t have one because they lack the space. Truth is, you can have a squat rack without sacrificing a ton of space since this one folds away. If you’re looking for a squat rack to be the centerpiece of your home workout equipment, then this is a great choice.

Let’s do some math: If you lift five days per week for an hour each day, your rack is essentially in the way for 163 out of 168 hours of the week. This is not so with the PR-4100 — it folds away neatly and only extends six inches off the wall when folded, so you have plenty of room on rest days. The setup is relatively simple, with just four pull-pins, and only takes about a minute. “Pretty good videos of install online,” one five-star review says. “Very satisfied with the look and quality.” REP says it can handle up to 1,000 pounds when properly mounted, though we haven’t tested that yet (goals).

We really like the Westside spacing through the bench press area, which lets you can dial in the perfect rack height. Despite the minimalist design, the PR-4100 is compatible with a surprising amount of attachments and pull-up bars, which adds versatility that many other folding squat racks don’t have. You do need to be a bit handy to install this rack, so you may need to recruit a buddy with some handyman skills to make sure it’s mounted right. Even if you install the rack perfectly level, you could end up with a wobbly rack if your lifting area isn’t flat, so make sure you take that into consideration when installing. 

We were pleasantly surprised by how functional and stout this folding rack was during testing. It also comes with a nice set of features that you’d expect to be reserved for higher-end racks, like Westside spacing, increased attachment compatibility, and a high weight capacity. It makes for a great home gym rack, especially for people with limited space to dedicate to exercise equipment.

Best Home Gym Power Rack: Force USA MyRack Modular Power Rack

Specs

• Dimensions: 87 inches tall, 47 inches wide, 55 inches deep
• Exercise Emphasis: Resistance training, General Fitness, Powerlifting, Strongman, Cross-Training
• Highlights: Compatible with a variety of attachments, High weight capacity
• Price: $499

Pros

• This is a stable power rack that can support thousands of pounds.
• You have the option to add a lat pulldown and/or cable pulley system to their power rack.
• The matte red and blue color options are bright and fun instead of the typical matte black color that equipment usually comes in. 

Cons

• You’ll likely have to purchase add-ons and extras to fully outfit your gym.
• There aren’t any dedicated cardio options with this rack. 

This power rack is constructed of steel, can be bolted to the floor, and is compatible with add-ons to create a complete home gym. The modular design also allows you to add attachments as you need. “I purchased the myrack, cable crossover, bar, dip handle, spotter arms, j hooks, chin up bar, pull down seat and a bunch of bumper plates,” one satisfied customer writes. “I put it together with ease and I love this stuff!”

We like this power rack for home gyms because of its innovative modular design that allows the MyRack to accommodate up to 20 different attachments like a cable crossover, lat pulldown, and dip handles. Those are some of the biggest home gym pieces aside from a rack, so having them all in one machine is great if you’re working with limited space. The Westside spacing is nice for powerlifters, too. 

We’re also fans of how affordable this rack is, as well as the ecosystem of attachments that Force USA has developed. It’s important to note that the upright size means that it’s only compatible with Force USA attachments as far as we have found, so you’ll have to buy your accessories from there. If you’re cool with that, then this rack is a total package that can support nearly any type of lifting you do, whether you’re a beginner or advanced lifter.

This basic power rack can be built out to serve as the centerpiece of your home gym, plus, you can add the exact equipment you need for a complete setup based on your personal training goals. Even if you don’t want to add a ton of attachments, it’s still a very solid rack at a good price.

Read our full Force USA MyRack Modular Power Rack Review.

Best Squat Stand With Pull-Up Bar: Rep Fitness SR-4000 Squat Rack

Specs

• Dimensions: 96 or 103 inches tall, 52.4 inches wide, 71 inches deep
• Exercise Emphasis: Resistance training, General Fitness, Powerlifting, Strongman, Cross-Training
• Highlights: More efficient with space
• Price: Starting at $684.99

Pros

• This squat rack is sturdy enough for standard and explosive pull-up exercises, like kipping pull-ups.
• You get a 1,000-pound weight capacity, which is suitable for most athletes.
• The steal is heavy duty for repeated use

Cons

• This is just a squat stand, so you need to buy separate plates, bars, etc.
• Beginners might be better off with a full-fledged four-post rack for more security in case they fail a lift. 

If you either have an existing home gym or want a bare-bones setup to squat and perform overhead presses, a simple squat stand will do the trick at a fraction of the cost of a complete home workout machine.

As the saying goes, big things come in small packages, and Rep Fitness’ SR-4000 Squat Rack is a testament to that. It weighs about 237 pounds, so moving it around with two people is totally doable. It comes equipped with a built-in pull-up bar for extra back work. You can also hang resistance bands for pulldowns and triceps work. The short height (96 inches) may be too low for taller people to comfortably perform pull-ups, but you can opt for the 103-inch option instead.

The SR-4000 allows you to save space while still having a solid squat stand that’s compatible with most 4000 series attachments, like the Monolift, ISO Arms, Dip Attachment, and Spotter Arms. REP Fitness is known for its high-quality manufacturing, and the steel of this rack (along with the many five-star reviews) is a reflection of that. “I purchased this squat stand because the price was hard to pass up,” one customer writes. “I’ve had it for two months now and my fiance and I love it.”

If all you want is a squat stand, you won’t do much better than this durable and lightweight one from Rep Fitness. It’s made extremely well and will last a lifetime with proper care. Though it may not look like much at first glance, the SR-4000 is a great buy.

The Benefits of Home Gyms

Not sold on shelling out for your own iron paradise? There are quite a few benefits of owning your own home gym, and among them are convenience, customization, and long-term cost savings.

Home Gyms Are Convenient

Above all else, convenience is probably one of the major benefits of owning a home gym. You wake up in the morning, have your pre-workout, and then walk 15 steps to your garage to start clanging and banging. You’ll never have to wait for the curl bro to get out of the squat rack, nor will you have to wipe another person’s sweat off the rower.

Because of this convenience factor, it’s safe to assume that you’ll be more dedicated to your workout program. Even if not, it’s a lot easier to get under the barbell for 45 minutes when you don’t have a 20-minute drive ahead of you.

You Can Customize It

The beauty of owning your own home gym is that it’s yours. All yours. Into CrossFit? Buy a simple squat stand, a plyo box, some rings, and a few kettlebells. More into powerlifting? Then opt for a more robust power rack, a quality barbell, and lots of plates. See where we’re going with this? Or, maybe you want a piece of equipment that can do everything you want (with the option to add more to it).

Your home gym can be as minimal or equipped as you’d like — and you won’t have to answer to anyone (other than maybe your significant other). 

It’s Cheaper in the Long Run

The final major home gym benefit is long-term savings. Home gym equipment’s price can be high, but it’s an investment. Over a long period of time, owning your own equipment can save you money in two ways. First, you can probably drop your gym membership fee, which can add up over time. Second, it saves you the time you’d take driving to and from the gym, along with the time you have to wait for equipment. For most, this extra time can turn into energy and time invested in other areas of their life.

How Much Do Home Gyms Cost?

Home workout machines can cost as much or as little as you are willing to spend. You can be extremely thrifty and scour the internet for free or extremely cheap offerings and spend very little. On the other hand, you can also order custom, engraved, or color-coordinated equipment from a high-end equipment manufacturer and spend tens of thousands of dollars. Most people will fall somewhere in between these options, making a few budget buys and some splurge purchases for items that will receive heavy use.

For the home gyms on this list, you’ll see a fairly wide range from around $300 to $500 on the lower end to between $2,000 and $5,000 on the high end. More comprehensive equipment that serves multiple purposes or can act as a home gym on its own — like a functional trainer — tends to be more expensive, while simpler pieces that require additional equipment to make use of them — such as squat racks — may be cheaper.

How to Pick the Best Home Gym Machine for You

The questions below will help you decide if investing in home workout machines or building your own gym is a wise, financially savvy choice. Take time to think about your strength goals, the space you have, and your budget before taking the plunge.

What are your strength goals?

If you’re looking to be the next Brian Shaw, then you need to really think about what that takes. You’ll need to invest in Atlas stones, logs, hundreds of pounds of weights (eventually), farmer’s handles — all sorts of strongman tools. You may be better off just finding a local gym with the myriad of equipment you need in this instance.

That’s not to say you can’t be elite and have your own home gym — but building that setup will take time and money. If you simply want to stay in shape, then a simpler setup will do the trick and might be more feasible from the outset.

How much space do you have?

This question should help guide you to what equipment will be best for not only your goals but your lifestyle, too. If you’re living in a one-bedroom apartment, then maybe an option like a smart home gym or suspension trainer is better for now. On the other hand, a two-car garage or large basement affords you a lot more space to build a complete set-up. The vertical height is also a big consideration. It depends on your height and goals, but generally, you’ll want at least 92 inches from floor to ceiling to allow for pull-ups with any rack though that may vary. 

What’s your budget?

This question is simple and will vary from person to person. Before investing in home gyms, we recommend realistically calculating your current gym expenses, considering the price of equipment and how much you’re willing to put into a home gym. Of course, you don’t need to buy everything at once. You can start with a squat stand, barbell, some weights, and a bench, and then go from there. Heck, you can start out with just a pair of dumbbells and grow as you go. Rewarding yourself with new pieces of equipment for important milestones is a great way to stay on track.

Home Gym Accessories to Add

It may be beneficial to add some accessories or attachments to your home gym. This works to really make it your own and tailor the equipment to your individual needs. After all, everybody has different goals and training preferences. Some accessories might be essential, like a barbell and weight plates if you have a weight rack. Others might be more workout adjacent like yoga mats or water bottles. Here are some of our favorites:

• Slam Balls: A great way to perform high-intensity cardio and train power for both upper and lower body
• Jump Rope: These take up very little space and provide an excellent way to perform cardio nearly anywhere.
• Grip Strengtheners: Nothing says strong like a firm grip and massive forearms, plus, you can use these anywhere, even as stress relief.
• Resistance Bands: Often overlooked, bands are great additions for powerlifters to perform accommodating resistance training as well as anyone else for warming up or strength training.
• Plyometric Boxes: Box jumps are excellent tools for building lower body power and reaction time. They’re also often used in agility training.

Final Word

The number of different ways you can set up your home gym is practically endless, but there are a few constants that apply to nearly all situations. A home gym is intended to give you additional freedom and flexibility to put the work in on your terms — stressing too much about the perfect piece of equipment can take away from that. If you keep the factors we discussed, like versatility, value, and functionality, in mind, you can’t go wrong.

Whether you’re a hardcore lifter, CrossFit enthusiast, yoga fan, or endurance athlete, there are home gyms that will accommodate your needs. The market has become saturated with tons of options for everyone, and the home gym community is more mainstream than niche now. There are home gym solutions to satisfy people who want to do a quick workout in their spare room to those who want to outfit their two-car garage as a home gym. You can opt for a smart gym or a good ol’ fashioned power rack and everything in between. But overall, hopefully, this article helps make your search a little easier, so you can keep the gains coming, even at home.

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More Home Gym Training Content

Pumped to get your own home gym going? Great. Now you should check out these other home gym-related articles from BarBend to make the most out of your training.

• 5 Steps to Building Your Dream Home Gym
• 9 Undeniable Benefits of Owning a Home Gym
• The 8 Best Home Exercises for More Muscle and Strength