Fitness Awards 2025: Home Gym Equipment
These Are the Standout Home Fitness Products of 2025
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Our annual AskMen Fitness Awards are back, and we’re proud to announce that this year’s competition was larger and fiercer than ever before, with a record number of brands participating.
In our most competitive categories, more than a dozen products vied for the top spot, while our panel of judges, encompassing current and former college athletes, weekend warriors and personal trainers, worked overtime to generate feedback and vote on winners.
In the fast-growing category of Home Gym Equipment, we sifted through the most popular and the most obscure products across a wide variety of price points to find the best home gym solutions for most people, combining excellent build quality and longevity with functionality and versatility.
So whether you’ve got a whole garage or basement to dedicate to fitness or just want that one perfect piece of equipment to help you train from home, we found a solution for you.
Here are our favorite products of 2025 in the category of Best Home Gym Equipment:
Best Treadmill
NordicTrack X24 Treadmill
Treadmills are among the more expensive home gym cardio options, but they’re also among the most versatile and longest-lasting, so it’s worth splurging for the long term. The X24 treadmill from NordicTrack stands out for its superior build quality, vibrant 24” touchscreen display, and huge variance between its 40% incline or -6% decline settings. Its built-in motor is capable of speeds of up to 12 MPH (for those of you capable of a 5-minute mile pace), while that extra-large display makes doing any of the 10,000+ pre-programmed iFIT workouts a wonderfully immersive experience.
Best Under-Desk Treadmill
PacerMini Portable Treadmill
The work-from-home revolution has coincided with a rise in health-conscious desk workers, which has given rise to the under-desk treadmill, and we’re all for it. The PacerMini Portable Treadmill combines solid construction (with a maximum weight load of 220 pounds), a comfortable walking experience, and a quiet motor to help you get your steps in while you work. And because the motor operates under 60 decibels at all times, it’s completely suitable for the office as well, without bothering your coworkers.
Best Rowing Machine
Hydrow Pro Rower
There’s no shortage of phenomenal rowing machines on the market, but we keep returning to the Hydrow Pro. Our judges love the sleek design, relatively small footprint, and silky smooth operation, while the seamless integration with popular fitness trackers, including Strava and the Apple Watch, make it easy to track your progress, plan future workouts and set new goals. Convenient design features — like the ability to store it upright or swivel the screen 90 degrees — seal the deal, making this our favorite home rowing machine of 2025.
Best Stationary Bike
NordicTrack X24 Bike
NordicTrack’s all-new X24 exercise bike is basically the culmination of everything they’ve learned about how to create a jack-of-all-trades cardio machine. It boasts 24 different resistance levels, so you can coast through flats or pedal your heart out up a steep hill, while the incline settings go from a -10% decline to a 20% incline. The pivoting, 24” touchscreen display is easy to use and equally beautiful whether you’re streaming a workout, receiving personalized AI coaching, or watching your favorite movies or YouTube channels. Integrated dumbbell storage, physical controls for resistance and incline level in the handles, and a built-in fan to keep you cool round out the features and made this our standout bike of the year.
Best Elliptical
NordicTrack AirGlide 14i Elliptical
Want to spare your joints and not your lungs? The AirGlide 14i from NordicTrack offered the smoothest ride of any elliptical we tested outside of a commercial gym, in no small part thanks to its oversized and cushioned pedals, generous -5° to 15° ramp, and AutoAdjust technology, which makes following a prescribed workout effortless. The build quality was also a standout: it’s rated for a maximum weight capacity of 300 pounds, while their proprietary resistance technology never allows the operating noise to rise too high. A handle at the back of the machine and cleverly placed front wheels also make it surprisingly portable, so you can store it out of the way when not in use.
Best Cable Machine
REP Arcadia Max
REP Fitness has made serious waves in the home gym space in recent years, and their newly-released Arcadia Max functional trainer shows why. If you have the space and the budget to spare, this machine gives you all the functionality of a commercial gym cable machine in the comfort of your own home, with premium touches like aluminum pulleys and 220-pound weight stacks (upgradeable to 270 pounds) adjustable in 10-pound increments at a 2:1 pull ratio. As with all REP products, it’s also massively customizable, with multiple color options to help you match it to the aesthetics of your space, while the comfort and convenience features include built-in pegboard storage, integrated band pegs on the base and headplate, and a multi-grip pull-up bar.
Best Cable Attachment
MAG Grips
What good is a cable machine without a wide array of attachments to help you target specific muscles or train different movement patterns? There’s no shortage of grips and handles out there, but even in that crowded landscape, MAG stands out with ease, offering a huge variety of grips that pronate and supinate your hands, or place them at a wide or narrow grip. Build quality is also top-notch, with a rubber coating that manages to be extremely comfortable without sacrificing your grip strength.
Best Bench
REP AB-4100 Adjustable Bench
For the vast majority of home gym users and casual lifters, REP’s AB-4100 is everything they’ll ever need in a bench: relatively lightweight (just 85 pounds) and incredibly portable, with built-in wheels and the ability to store vertically, as well as a fast-adjusting ladder design that allows you to choose between seven different back positions and three different seat positions, for a maximum of 85 degrees of incline. And unless you’re capable of lifting an elephant, its 700-pound weight capacity should be more than adequate for even the strongest lifters and heaviest bench press sessions.
Best Squat Rack
REP PR-4000 Custom Rack
If you’re going all-out and purchasing a squat rack, take full advantage of REP’s custom rack builder and customize one to your needs and space. You’ll be able to choose between two different rack heights (80 and 90 inches), four different depths (from 16 inches to 41 inches), and add safety features, J-cups, weight storage pins, and a wide variety of pull-up bars. REP also offers the most control over aesthetics, with seven different color options on not only the rack but also the crossmember connectors. Bottom line: whatever your needs, whatever your space limitations, REP’s PR-4000 can accommodate.
From $799.94 at REPFitness.com
Best Squat Stand
CAP Barbell FM-905Q Carbon Squat Stand
A squat stand is a phenomenal budget option, especially for people working with space constraints, and CAP Barbell’s FM-905Q nails the format thanks to its relatively compact design (the base measures just 46 x 50 inches) and bevy of features, from the built-in pull-up bar to the included J-cups and plate storage. It’s made from very solid 11- and 12-gauge steel, finished with a powder coat and industrial zinc to add durability, with the final result being a maximum weight capacity of 500 pounds. Competitive powerlifters may have to look elsewhere, but for us regular mortals, this is the standout squat stand of 2025.
Best Folding Squat Rack
Rogue RML-3W Folding Squat Rack
Folding squat stands are the ideal choice for people tight on space, or those who want to be able to park a car in their garage when their gym isn’t in use, and Rogue’s RML-3W beat the field to win our award this year. Built with Rogue’s signature 3x3”, 11-gauge steel (powder coated, naturally) with laser-cut holes, and designed to fold perfectly flat in seconds, this folding rack looks, feels and performs like a premium product, with the included lifetime warranty a nice cherry on top.
Best Fixed Weight Barbell
Synergee Fixed Barbell
If you don’t want to fool around with plates and collars but still want to take advantage of the barbell format, Synergee makes some of the best fixed weight barbells in the business. The knurled handles and standard 32 mm grip make these very comfortable in hand, while the chrome-coated steel and extra-durable rubber end caps add a premium quality to each barbell. And because they use a standard 1.25” diameter across all their barbell weights, you’ll find the same consistent grip (and the same consistent forearm burn) no matter which weight you’re using.
Best Dumbbells
GIANT Rubber Hex Dumbbells
In one of the tightest categories, the standout dumbbells of the year were the GIANT Rubber Hex Dumbbells for their combination of great build quality and affordable pricing. They’re available in 2.5-pound increments from 2.5 pounds all the way up to 100 pounds, with each dumbbell boasting an ergonomic knurled handle offering a comfortable, secure grip, as well as friction welding between the handle and cast iron core, ensuring excellent durability. And unlike so many budget dumbbells, these use a low-odor rubber that won’t stink up your home gym when you take them out of the box.
From $11.24 at GIANTLifting.com
Best Adjustable Dumbbells
REP x PÉPIN FAST Series Adjustable Dumbbell
The fruits of a collaboration between two of the biggest names in the home gym business, the REP x PÉPIN FAST Series Adjustable Dumbbells (affectionately known as the Reppins) are available in three maximum weight options: 85 pounds, 105 pounds and 125 pounds, but because they share a common design and frame, you also have the option to upgrade to a higher weight at a later date. Everything from the construction to the materials to the fast-adjusting weight selection system is best-in-class, while premium details like the nickel-plated handles with volcano-style knurling and cleverly placed UHMV protective liners to minimize scratching help further elevate this adjustable dumbbell above the competition.
From $999.99 at REPFitness.com
Best Kettlebell
Amazon Basics Cast Iron Kettlebell
Surprised to see an Amazon product make this list? You shouldn’t be. Their kettlebells, available in five-pound increments starting at 10 pounds all the way to 60 pounds, are simple but effective, deploying a solid cast-iron construction and extra-wide grip to give you confidence in even the most dynamic movements. And for the price (always a major consideration, but especially so with kettlebells), they’re incredible value.
Best Weight Plates
The Strength Co. Olympic Iron Barbell Plates
If you love the sound of iron on iron as you squat, deadlift or bench, you’re going to love The Strength Co.’s Olympic Iron Barbell Plates. They’re available in pairs from 0.75 pounds all the way up to 100 pounds, all made from American-made iron forged in the Waupaca Foundry in Wisconsin, one of the world’s largest ductile iron producers. The plates are thin, but their lips are deliberately forged deep, to make it easier to take them off the bar, while their precision casting means they fit snugly on a standard barbell and are all within 2% of their designated weight. If you’re after the look and feel of old-school weight plates, look no further.
Best Bumper Plates
REP Pinnacle Bumper Plates
The standout bumper plates of the year were REP’s Pinnacle series, not only for their excellent quality and dense construction, but also for their striking, colorful aesthetics, soft-bouncing crumb rubber material, and thin (for a bumper plate) design. REP also makes them available to purchase either as pairs or in handy sets of weight totals, which can make it easier and cheaper to find the right weight set for your needs.
Best Ab Wheel
Lagree Mega Ab Wheel
We thought we’d seen everything, but Lagree managed to innovate even the humble ab wheel. The aptly named Mega Ab Wheel uses a real rubber tire for superior stability and roll, combined with curved, detachable handles that are both ergonomic and easy to grip. And if that wasn’t cool enough, the handles are secure enough to hold up your feet, should you want to do elevated push-ups.
Best Sandbag
RDX Fitness Sandbag
Sandbag training is both fun and functional, but finding a secure, comfortable and versatile training bag can be a chore. We fell in love with the RDX Sandbag from the jump thanks to its eight handles, 1200D water-resistant cordura construction and reinforced, cross-stitched seams. It’s available in three colors and four weight ranges, with multiple inner bags providing a compartmentalized design that helps to balance out the weight of the sand.
Best Battle Ropes
POWER GUIDANCE Battle Rope
A forearm workout and cardio workout in one, battle ropes are severely underrated, especially among home gym owners on a budget. Our favorite model this year is Power Guidance's battle rope, made from heavy-duty poly dacron with a dual-layer nylon protective cover and rubberized handles for a more secure grip. The rope itself uses a three-strand design available in 30-, 40- and 50-foot lengths and either a 1.5-inch or 2-inch thickness.
Best Olympic Bar
Rogue Ohio Bar
There are cheaper barbells and there are more expensive barbells, but for its value, versatility and utility, we’re pretty confident there are no better barbells than Rogue’s ubiquitous Ohio bar. It’s the official barbell of the CrossFit Games for a reason: made from American steel with a jaw-dropping 190,000 PSI tensile strength and a knurling that, for our money, strikes the perfect balance between gripping your hand firmly without ripping off the skin. And because Rogue have basically perfected their manufacturing process, it’s now available in more than 15 cool color combinations and finishes, including cerakote and matte black; you even have the ability to customize the sleeve, bushings, shaft and collars, or add a custom image or text to the bar itself.
Best Barbell Collar
Titan TwistLock Pro Barbell Collars
Titan’s TwistLock Pro barbell collars are the ultimate example of a luxury item you won’t want to live without once you have them. Their patented TwistLock design makes it easy to lock and unlock your collars with one hand, while the built-in knurling and black satin finish help make these look and feel premium. They’re even magnetized, for easy storage on your squat rack or stand.
Best Resistance Bands
WIKDAY Resistance Bands
Considering how cheap and versatile they are, resistance bands should be a staple in absolutely everyone’s home gym, whether you’re using them to warm up your muscles and joints, deload bodyweight movements to help your progression, or add tension to popular barbell movements like the deadlift, bench press and squat. Do yourself a favor and pick up WIKDAY’s sets, in whatever color varieties suit your fancy; they’re built strong, with a comprehensive range of resistances ranging from 8 pounds of tension on the low end to 125 pounds on the high end, making it easy to slot them into your routine.
Best Workout Mirror
Tonal 2
People were skeptical when the first fitness mirrors hit the market, but with a bevy of high-profile celebrity and influencer endorsements, as well as some seriously clever engineering, they’ve started to gain some serious traction in the home gym space. Our pick for the best workout mirror of 2025 is the Tonal 2, which takes the already rock-solid foundation of its predecessor and builds on it in basically every way. Resistance increases in one-pound increments from 5 pounds all the way up to 250 pounds, while the HD display and stereo speakers offer an immersive workout experience that’s easy to follow. You can even get real-time coaching or form advice thanks to the built-in camera with a 120° viewing angle.
Best Foam Roller
Chirp RPM
If you take recovery seriously, you’ll love the Rolling Percussive Massager (RPM) from Chirp, which combines all of the ease-of-use and maneuverability of a foam roller with the percussive therapy of a massage gun. The large massage area, five customizable intensity settings, and hands-free dock made the Chirp our go-to foam roller of 2025, and one of our favorite recovery devices ever created for reviving fatigued muscles or alleviating muscle tension.
Best Yoga Mat
Lululemon The (Big) Mat
Combining a sustainably sourced rubber base that’s both highly cushioned and textured to prevent slipping, with a moisture-absorbing top layer treated with antimicrobial additives to stave off mold and mildew, Lululemon’s The (Big) Mat makes it easy to hit even the most intricate yoga poses with total confidence. Our judges loved the mat’s superior durability, as well as the wide range of color options and the extra-wide design. If you’re on the taller side, especially, you’ll appreciate the extra space this yoga mat affords.
Best Home Gym Accessory Under $20
Magnetic Phone Mount
If you train at home, you know how convenient having easy access to your phone can be, as well as how easy it is to drop a dumbbell or weight plate on it if it’s left on the floor. This magnetic phone mount, which attaches easily to any metallic squat rack or stand, helps keep your phone safe and within reach, making it easy to switch songs or track your lifts between sets.
Best Home Gym Accessory Under $50
Kensui Fitness Swissies
Swissies have blown up in popularity thanks to their incredible versatility and excellent build quality, but the idea behind them is a simple one: they offer an easy way to get a neutral grip on a barbell or pull-up bar, helping you increase your range of motion while also reducing strain on your wrists and shoulders. The hook part of the Swissies attachment is lined with a protective rubber, to prevent slipping while simultaneously shielding your barbell from scrapes and scratches, while the knurled handle offers a secure grip, even when you’re lifting heavy. And with a maximum carry capacity of 800 pounds, you can rest assured that the Swissies are built to last.
Best Home Gym Accessory Under $100
AIREX Balance Pad
With the growing awareness that mobility and balance training are an integral part of a healthy fitness regime, a good balance pad is a must-have, and AIREX’s model (available in two sizes) impressed us the most thanks to its incredible durability, soft and lightweight construction, and versatility. Use it for yoga, pilates, basic stretching, or as a protective layer during knee-on-the-ground exercises like single-leg squats or lunges. It even floats, so you can use it during pool workouts as well.
Best Gym Fan
Vie Air Commercial Floor Fan
One common challenge home gym owners face is climate control, and if you happen to live somewhere hot, that can be especially tricky; after all, no one wants to work out in high-heat environments! Gym fans are a great low-cost solution, and we’re especially fond of this 24-inch commercial floor fan from Vie Air. Assembly is easy and intuitive; the design offers three fan speeds (low, medium and high) and a fully adjustable tilting function, and the built-in wheels make it easy to move out of the way when it’s not needed.
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