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When you move to the suburbs, apparently you buy two things: a barbecue… and a power rack. When my husband and I settled into our new home, one of the first projects we tackled (after negotiating which corner his electric drum set could occupy) was building out a usable gym in our unfinished basement.
I’ve tested more than my share of fitness gear in my role as Executive Health and Fitness Director of Women’s Health US. I know the difference between “fun to try” and “worth owning.” But when it came time to choose big-ticket items like racks, benches, and adjustable dumbbells for our home, I treated it like a serious assignment, researching options, comparing specs, and making sure every piece would earn its place in our space and in my training routine.
We wanted a setup that felt functional without being cluttered. That meant picking equipment that was versatile, durable, and at least somewhat nice for me to look at. I went down so many review rabbit holes, stalked what my trainer friends were using, triple-checked dimensions (basement ceilings are sneaky), and weighed cost against quality.
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How we chose
In this roundup, I’m sharing all the gear we landed on — from free weights and mats to storage and mirrors — along with the specific reasons they made the cut for me. While I’m lucky to receive a lot of fitness gear through my job, almost everything on this list is something we personally invested in. (I’ve also noted which items were gifted and which we bought ourselves because transparency matters!) And some picks come from our UK Senior Health and Wellness Ecommerce Editor Hattie Parish, who has a home gym in her garage.
This isn’t some Pinterest-perfect dream gym (as you can probably tell from the pics above!). It’s a no-frills, well-tested space that helps me stay strong, consistent, and excited to train. If you’re building or upgrading your own at-home setup, take what you need and leave the rest. I hope my list saves you a headache and the decision paralysis… and maybe even inspires your next workout.
The best home gym equipment to buy in 2026
Jacqueline Andriakos/Hattie Parish
8kg Powder Coated Kettlebell
Ladder trainer and Body & Bell creator Lauren Kanski, CPT, who is also a Women’s Health advisor, recommended Kettlebell Kings to me years ago, so I already knew the brand was legit. I received a few KBs from the brand directly years before we moved. In the spirit of saving some money while building out a larger collection, I ordered a kettlebell from Yes4All on Amazon because it was cheaper, and decided to compare. I immediately went back to Kettlebell Kings.
Its bells have a noticeably smoother finish that is much more comfortable to grip and ideal for moves like cleans. The rougher coating on the budget bell scratched my skin in a racked position, which was uncomfortable and painful. For me, the premium price of Kettlebell Kings is completely worth it. Shop other weights here.
Read more: Best adjustable kettlebells
Multifunctional Weight Bench
Some benches are so heavy and bulky that moving them feels like the workout in itself. This one from Flybird is surprisingly light to carry from under the power rack for bench pressing to the open floor for other exercises. I will note that it does not have wheels for easy manoeuvring, but at 13kg, it is easy enough for me to lift and carry a few feet without much effort. Despite the more affordable price point compared to other big-name brands, it offers all the adjustable features I see on more expensive benches.
We keep ours fully assembled, but it appears to fold flat easily by removing a pin, which could make it a great choice for smaller spaces. While some reviewers have complained about wobbling, I have not found that to be the case, even when I use it for less-stable moves like step-ups.
Read more: Best gym benches
Mat Pro
If you know me, you know I’m a huge fan of Stakt and its innovative fitness staples (that have earned multiple Women’s Health Fitness Awards!). For our home gym, they generously sent me two new mats, and I’ve been using them nonstop, per usual.
The mat has a spongey feel and extra thickness that makes it far more comfortable than a standard yoga mat, especially when I’m on my knees or hands. When folded, it doubles as a yoga block or low step. For example, I use it to improve my push-up range of motion by placing it vertically under my torso as a guide for how far to lower my chest, and it also works beautifully as a bolster under my palms if my wrists feel strained in a high plank position.
Other upsides: The mats stack neatly on our storage rack without unrolling or flopping open. They also come in a variety of cute colours and limited edition designs.
Read more: Best yoga mats
25kg Adjustable Dumbbell Set
I can’t stop raving about these adjustable dumbbells. You can quickly change the weight from 5 to 25kg (in 5kg increments) with one hand by securing it in the cradle and twisting the grip.
The non-slip grip is comfortable, even during high-rep sets, and ladders well to barbell training. Since the plates are hexagonal, the dumbbells don’t roll away when out the cradle, and are stable under hand during exercises like renegade rows or supported push-ups.
One note: sliding the partially loaded handle back into the cradle takes some precision, so weight changes aren’t the quickest when you’re still getting the hang of it. Also, I wouldn’t recommend them if you’re training to failure and might need to drop the weights, to avoid damaging them.
Read more: Best adjustable dumbbells
Home Gym Mirror
These large mirrors are exactly as described. We installed a row of three in front of our power rack and another row on a wall near the free weights.
They may require professional installation or two people to mount, especially if drilling into concrete. (Ours was a Taskrabbit job.)
In the few months since installation, I haven’t experienced any fogging, warping, or flimsiness. The reflection is crystal clear — no complaints.
3 Tier Metal Wire Storage Racks
These no-frills racks do the job, holding free weights, bands, ankle weights, a portable speaker, towels, and more. They’re nothing gorgeous to look at, but they’re simple and practical.
We chose these flat, wire shelves over a traditional dumbbell rack to store a wider variety of equipment. Each shelf is large and deep, but not deep enough for two sets of dumbbells in a row.
They were fairly easy to assemble, though a bit tedious.
Barbell Olympic Bumper Plate Set
This budget bumper weight plate set is great. After four months, I haven’t noticed any denting or warping, and I like the speckled appearance. They feel higher quality than their price. We chose bumper plates over iron plates so they were safe to drop during lifts, and would help protect the floors.
A couple of downsides: They had a rubbery smell for the first week out of the box, and they seem to be coated in an oily residue, making them slippery when handling. I wiped them down with a rag, which helped, and other reviewers online recommended cleaning with a cloth and letting them sit outside.
Choose from a combined weight of 100lbs (45kg) or 160lbs (72.5kg).
Olympic Barbell
This is your standard 7.2 foot, 20kg Olympic barbell. It arrived quickly, was easy and quick to unbox and is comfortable to hold. No notes!
Multi-Functional Power Rack
This power truly rack does it all, allowing you to perform all of your standard barbell lifts in addition to moves like pull-ups, dips, and even cable and landmine exercises. (It comes with 20 different accessories and attachments.)
We scoured the web to find the absolute best bang-for-your-buck power rack that’s still solid and safe, with no collapsing or shaky wobbles after a few months. This cage has impressive weight capacity at 1000 lbs (454kg) and multiple adjustment points for the J-hooks and safety bars. We’ve had it for four months now, and it’s never faltered. Honestly, I feel confident that this is probably the most affordable price you’ll find for all the bells and whistles.
It’s worth flagging that if you are (or anyone planning on using this rack is) super tall, you may want to consider whether the height of this rack works for you. At 81 inches (206cm) it’s an ideal height for lower ceiling or basements, but is below than the standard 90 inches.
And fair warning, assembling this beast might turn into a game of rock, paper, scissors to see who has to do the honours. Or, better yet, bribe a couple of friends to lend a hand. It took my husband a couple of hours of steady work to put it together solo (I was, uh, busy!).
Puzzle Exercise Mat
These interlocking foam floor tiles have nearly 57,000 reviews on Amazon, and I can personally vouch for how easy they are to put together and customise in your space, the comfort, as well as their durability under foot traffic and weights during workouts. The half-inch thickness strikes the perfect balance: comfy enough for my palms and knees, without feeling so soft that stability is compromised. (We also use these puzzle pieces under our daughter’s playpen near the gym — fantastic for a wobbly toddler to fall on.)
They come in various package sizes, so you can easily get enough to cover your desired square footage, and there are a few colour options. Some reviewers mention that the tiles pull apart over time, but I’ve personally not experienced this issue at all.
Olympic Barbell Clamps
These fit snugly onto my standard-size Olympic barbell, and I have not ran into any issues. They feel very secure.
Resistance Bands
These thick resistance bands are a must if you, like me, enjoy training for pull-ups with a band. They are also versatile far beyond pull-ups. I use them for physical therapy exercises for my plantar fasciitis in addition to other upper-body and lower-body resistance band exercises.
For exercises outside of pull-ups, these rubber bands are less comfortable in your palms than latex bands, FYI.
Fabric Exercise Loop Bands
I used these thick fabric mini bands for years with no signs of wear or tear, but they got lost during our move, so I got a new set. They’re perfect for all my lower-body exercises — they’re not too tight and don’t dig into my thighs, making workouts comfortable and effective.
SafeGrip Dumbbell Set
If you love the look of a sleek, minimalist matching set of dumbbells, this 2-8 lb set is perfect for you. (They do come in heavier weights, up to 20 lbs, though!) While my adjustable dumbbells are fantastic for heavier lifting, I still enjoy using these lighter neoprene dumbbells for accessory exercises and sculpt-style Pilates workouts.
What I really appreciate is that they all come in the same neutral colour, making them more visually appealing than many of the neon options out there. Plus, unlike many neoprene dumbbells with curved heads, these feature square, flat ends that stay steady — no wobbling during push-ups, planks, or renegade rows.
Read more: Best dumbbells
Loop Resistance Bands
I believe everyone should own a basic set of mini loop, latex resistance bands. They are great for warm-ups, glute activation ahead of big lower-body lifts, and they are travel-friendly. This set has lasted me years and years and found its rightful place in my new gym.
Bars
I, like many (former) New York City fitness girlies, love the sleek workout equipment from Bala. These hand weights are super-soft to the touch, come in beautiful pastel colours, and are perfect for Pilates-type workouts. Mine were gifted, but I’d buy them in a heartbeat.
Pick up the FP Movement x Bala Exclusive 3lb Bars here.
More of our favourite workout equipment…
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