Choose the right Bowflex adjustable weight for your training style

Product overview

Product A is the Bowflex SelectTech Adjustable Kettlebell, rated up to 18.1 kg and priced at £179.95. Product B is the Bowflex SelectTech Adjustable Dumbbell 552, a single adjustable dumbbell ranging from 2 to 24 kg, priced at £168.99. Both sit at an identical 4.7/5 rating from 9,612 reviews, which strongly suggests Bowflex has delivered proven reliability across the range. The key difference is not quality, but training utility: Product A is a kettlebell tool, Product B is a dumbbell tool.

Build quality and design

Winner: Product B. The 552 dumbbell is the more substantial and versatile piece of hardware, with a broader loading range from 2 kg all the way to 24 kg. That larger spread makes it more future-proof for progressive overload on presses, rows, curls, split squats, and floor work. In practical home-gym terms, the dumbbell form factor is easier to use for a wider variety of movements and tends to feel more natural for heavy strength work. Product A’s kettlebell design is excellent for swings and ballistic training, but its 18.1 kg ceiling is a meaningful limitation if you want one implement to grow with.

Performance

Winner: Product B. For strength training, the 552 wins because it covers more exercises and more loading options. A kettlebell is brilliant for conditioning, grip, and hinge-based work, but most lifters will outgrow an 18.1 kg adjustable kettlebell faster than they expect, especially for goblet squats, presses, and rows. The dumbbell’s 2 to 24 kg adjustment range gives you a far better progression ladder for upper body and unilateral lower body work. If you want a single tool that can handle beginner work and still remain useful as you get stronger, Product B is the stronger performer.

Display/screen quality

Winner: Tie. Neither product is a screen-based device, so there is no meaningful display advantage to compare. In a home-gym context, the important “interface” is how quickly and clearly the weight changes can be set. Both Bowflex systems are designed around simple, intuitive selection rather than digital readouts, so the difference here is negligible.

Battery life

Winner: Tie. Neither product requires batteries in the way a connected fitness device would. That is a real advantage for garage gyms and spare-room setups because you are not dealing with charging, dead batteries, or electronic failure points. From a maintenance perspective, both are low-fuss and well suited to a serious home training space.

Price and value for money

Winner: Product B. At £168.99, the 552 is £10.96 cheaper than the adjustable kettlebell, while also offering a far broader training range. That is a better value proposition on paper and in real-world use. The kettlebell does have a niche appeal if your training is specifically kettlebell-driven, but most home gym buyers will get more total utility per pound from the dumbbell. When two products have the same 4.7/5 rating and the same review count, the lower-cost option with the wider use case is usually the smarter buy.

Game library/features

Winner: Product B. Translating this into gym terms, the dumbbell has the larger “exercise library.” It supports a wider range of pressing, rowing, curling, lunging, and floor-based movements, while also being easier to program for progressive overload. Product A is more specialised: it is ideal for swings, cleans, snatches, and goblet squats, but it cannot replace a dumbbell system for most full-body home workouts. If your goal is versatility, Product B gives you more training options without needing extra equipment.

Overall user experience

Winner: Product B. For most UK home-gym users, the 552 is the more practical and satisfying buy because it covers more training needs in one compact package. It is better for beginners building a first serious setup, better for intermediates chasing progressive overload, and better for anyone who wants a single adjustable implement that can handle both upper- and lower-body work. Product A is excellent if you specifically want kettlebell training and value the feel of a dedicated kettlebell, but its lower top end makes it a narrower tool. In a head-to-head decision, the dumbbell is the better all-rounder, while the kettlebell is the specialist choice.

Overall summary: Product B wins because it is cheaper, more versatile, and has a much wider weight range. Product A only makes sense if your training is kettlebell-led and you know you will use that format often. If you want the best single purchase for a home gym, buy the 552 dumbbell.