If you’ve ever been in the market for a set of adjustable dumbbells, you’ve probably heard of the PowerBlock Elite series. In addition to being the best-selling adjustable dumbbells on the market, the PowerBlock Elite series come from the pioneers in adjustable dumbbells. In 1991, two fitness equipment designers realized that home workout enthusiasts didn’t have a practical way of working out with dumbbells at home. Until that time, if you wanted to use dumbbells at home, you either were restricted to a small range of weights, or you had to spend money on an entire rack that you’d somehow have to fit into your home. With the first set of adjustable dumbbells, PowerBlock changed that. In this PowerBlock Elite Dumbbells review, you can discover the pros and cons of this dumbbell set.
PowerBlock Elite Dumbbells Main Features
The PowerBlock Elite Dumbbell comes in three models: the PowerBlock Elite 50, PowerBlock Elite 70, and PowerBlock Elite 90. The numbers at the end of each name are the weight that model goes up to. So the PowerBlock Elite 50, for instance, goes up to 50 pounds per hand. The smallest weight each of them starts is at 2.5 pounds. The weights are made of a heavy, durable metal and the core handle is made of a strong plastic. This is equipment that will not wear out over time.
Each dumbbell is approximately the size of a normal pair of dumbbells so that they will take up very little room in your home.
Because of their large range, the PowerBlock Elite Series is perfect for any level of workout. Beginners can use them for lower weights. But more advanced athletes can use them just as easily for weights going up to 90 pounds per hand. Changing weight takes no time. They use the same type of weight-changing system you see on most machines in the gym. Simply remove the pin and slide it back in at the new weight.
Powerblock also offers an adjustable kettlebell, which we consider to be one of the best adjustable kettlebells on the market.
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PowerBlock Elite Dumbbells Additional Info
Maintenance
One of the great features about the PowerBlock Elite Series is that there is virtually no maintenance. They are made of durable metal and plastic. There is no moving part other than the pin you move in and out to adjust the weight. There are no cables or pulleys or the like, so there is nothing that needs to be oiled.
Warranty
Because of their durability and high quality, the PowerBlock Elite Series probably don’t even need much of a warranty. However, PowerBlock has made it easy for you. They offer a 10-year money back guarantee if you are dissatisfied with the product in any way.
Accessories
PowerBlock offers many different accessories to go along with the dumbbells themselves. These include:
Stands – PowerBlock offers a few different stands so that your dumbbells don’t have to sit on the floor.
Barbells – PowerBlock offers both a straight bar and a curling bar that can be inserted in the ends of the PowerBlocks.
Expansion Kits – There are kits to expand from 50 to 70 pounds and again from 70 to 90 pounds.
Benches – PowerBlock also offers an adjustable bench that itself comes with a few accessories of its own: a dip attachment and a chin attachment.
Recommended Routines
PowerBlock Elite Dumbbells are perfect for any dumbbell workout. In fact, PowerBlock offers posters that include their own recommended workouts: one for upper body, one for lower, and one for a total body workout. Each of these workouts should run about 20 minutes.
Of course, it is not necessary to follow those routines. You can use the PowerBlock Elite Dumbbells for any dumbbell workout you already do.
PowerBlock Elite Dumbbells PROs and CONs
The following is a list of both the pros and cons of the PowerBlock Elite that we found during our research. To summarize it quickly, the PowerBlock Elite has many, many things going for it. That having been said, though, they are not without their problems.
PROs
- Space Saving – This is really the selling point of the PowerBlock Elite Series. These dumbbells can go all the way from 2.5 pounds up to a whopping 90 pounds per dumbbell in the same space as a single pair of dumbbells. With traditional dumbbells, this would be an entire wall.
- Easy To Use – Because it uses a pin system, the weights can not only be changed quickly, but the way to change it is already familiar to anyone who has worked out for some time in a gym. With so many workouts these days demanding you move from one exercise to the next without rest, the PowerBlock Elite won’t hold you up between sets with a time-consuming method of changing weights.
- Balance – Of course, with a dumbbell that is going to expand from 2.5 to as much as 90 pounds per hand, there has to be some change in the size. With the PowerBlock Elite, the length of the dumbbell will change slightly. This could theoretically cause problems with the balance and feel of the dumbbell and either make certain exercises awkward or even undoable. But the PowerBlock Elite remains comfortable and balanced.
- Durability – As mentioned a few times already, the PowerBlock Elite dumbbells are made of strong, durable metal and a hard plastic that will last a very long time.
- Cost – The PowerBlock Elites are not only much cheaper than an entire rack of traditional dumbbells. They are also cheaper than any other adjustable dumbbell product we’ve seen.
CONs
This might be hard to believe, but it was actually fairly difficult finding any negatives about the PowerBlock Elite Series.
- Sticking – The only real negative we found about the PowerBlock Elite is the fact that the weights can sometimes stick. This is especially true of new sets. Most times, the sticking stops after a bit. However – and this is especially true of the expansion kits – sometimes the sticking doesn’t go away. So, for example, if a user slides a pin in under the 220-pound selection, the next weight can stick on to the dumbbell without him knowing. Not only is he now lifting 30 pounds, but there is nothing actually holding that last 10 pounds together. This, of course, can be dangerous.
PowerBlock Elite Dumbbells User Reviews
PowerBlock Elite dumbbells garner rave reviews all over the internet. They average 4.6 out of 5 stars. Most reviewers praise their size, durability, and ease of changing weights. There are, however, some who have experienced the sticking problem listed above.
Verdict
In the end, we recommend the PowerBlock Elite dumbbells for any level of fitness. The cost and space-saving design, when combined with the quick ability to adjust the weights, and the expansions that allow for your progress to higher weights, make these the gold standard of adjustable dumbbells.