Working out at home isn’t easy. Home is where you kick back from the rigors of work and the busyness of life. But trying to get and stay fit by exercising in the confines of your four walls can also be a huge benefit because it’s more easily incorporated into your daily routine. Plus, it saves you time, money, and travel time. But it takes more than an iron will to get the most out of home exercise. You have to have the right equipment and enough space to fit it all.
But don’t lose heart. More than ever, exercise equipment comes in many forms and more compact sizes for smaller spaces. Even if you have a large home, you might not want to allocate an entire room or a big section of your basement for exercise equipment. We have our own setup, which includes some of our curated selections for the highest-rated gym equipment on Amazon. Also, allow the fact that some of the best compact home gym equipment is also affordable. Pick up one or more of the top-rated selections from Amazon and get yourself in gear, especially now that the chill of fall and winter is just around the corner.
SNODE Folding Wooden Water-Resistance Rower
A stationary water rower provides the most life-like rowing experience without actually having to be on the water. SNODE’s version isn’t just beautiful with its beechwood frame, but it’s also practical because it folds down and rolls out of the way to save space when it’s not being used. The LCD console provides key data like elapsed time, calories burned, strokes per minute, and distance. You can also use the FitShow app on your smartphone for actual interactive personal training. It’s one of the best whole-body fitness experiences, and you don’t need an entire room to use it.
Buy: $603
Sportsroyals Dip Station
You don’t have to use weights to get strong, and you definitely don’t need a giant apparatus to get huge. This multi-function dip station is constructed with steel tubing and can manage 1,200 pounds of weight, so you’ll be fine after that Thanksgiving meal. Not only can you adjust the height, but you can also adjust the individual feet if you have uneven flooring. Perform bar dips, push-ups, tricep dips, L-situps, and even pull-ups like a Cirque du Soleil performer. The soft hand grips provide security and comfort, and the black powder-coated finish should hold up well under hard use.
Buy: $130
Gorilla Bow Travel
The Gorilla Bow Travel one-ups the standard Gorilla Bow because it can break down into a compact size and be thrown into its own sack for easy transport. It’s one of the best small gyms around thanks to its incredible versatility. The included resistance bands attach to the bar, and you can use them individually or combine them for greater challenges. The aircraft aluminum bow is strong and light, capable of handling up to 350 pounds of resistance. In mere minutes, you can pack it away for hotel workouts during work travel or on vacation.
Buy: $250
NordicTrack T Series 6.5 Folding Treadmill
You don’t have to spend thousands to get a treadmill that will probably just take up way too much space, anyway. The 6.5 might not have unique technical features, but it has a low deck height and a small footprint when folded. Plus, it can manage speeds up to 10 mph and inclines all the way to a glute-killing 10%. The FlexSelect deck provides for soft landings, and it can handle 300 lbs of weight. You can even get an iFIT membership for live stream or on-demand workouts in case you don’t like working out alone.
Buy: $649
MAXPRO SmartConnect Cable Gym
This has got to be one of the most ingenious compact gyms ever created. Not only is it brilliantly small and foldable, but it can also deliver a substantial resistance range from 5 to 300 pounds that’s adjustable via simple dials on the housing. The MAXPPRO SmartConnect’s sheer level of versatility allows for a multitude of muscle-building upper and lower body exercises wherever you go. It comes with the unit, three-piece bar, two handles, two ankle/wrist straps, mounting brackets, and a charger that allows you to connect to the workout app. Say goodbye to bulky free weights, perhaps forever.
Buy: $809
HCI Fitness PTX GYM Folding Functional Trainer
If you must have weights in order to get the proper workout, you don’t have to stress about space with the PTX GYM. It has stackable and removable cable-driven weights for a total of 220 pounds, more than enough to break a sweat with. The weight stack folds, as does the seven-position adjustable bench. It also comes with the necessary accouterments like two straight bars, hand grips, ankle straps, and a triceps rope. You can also remove the weights to use all by themselves for added versatility.
Buy: $2,199
Bullworker Classic
The brutal Bullworker has been around since we were kids, and that’s saying something. But fear not, it has evolved into a truly modern and still radically effective resistance tool for building muscle. Not only can you pump up your chest, shoulders, and arms, you can also perform leg exercises and deadlifts. Five different resistance levels are possible with the swappable springs, and you can get up to 160 pounds of resistance. It also happens to make a scary home-defense weapon.
Buy: $200
Yes4All Premium Surf Balance Board Trainer
There are a ton of portable home gym systems on Amazon, but the Yes4All version comes with a balance board that adds a core-strengthening and surfing practice component the others don’t have. The balance board also acts as a standing platform that connects to the 30- to 50-pound resistance bands and included accessories. Then, just detach the bands and get on the balance board so you can hang-ten like a champ when things warm up again.
Buy: $120
