The Best Home Gym for Under 500 Dollars

December 2, 2021

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The Best Home Gym for
Under 500 Dollars

Ever since the inception of the coronavirus, home gym equipment has been one of the most sought after commodities on the market. Gyms have been shut down in many states causing people to start buying equipment to use at home. Bumper plates and adjustable dumbbells started flying off the shelves as demand increased and prices sky-rocketed. Now, it’s almost impossible to find all the equipment you need for less than $400 – $600. To help with that problem, we created this guide for building the best home gym under 500 dollars.

Prices have risen steadily as demand increased and some items are even sold or on back-order. To stay within budget, you might have to use some different kinds of equipment. Prices are just too high for things like bumper plates and adjustable dumbbells. You can get some really good non-traditional tools for staying in shape for a much lower price than the more conventional options. You may still be trying to find a way to squeeze standard gear into your budget. We have provided some information regarding price changes since the pandemic caused an equipment shortage to give you a better idea of why going a different route is the better option.

Bumper Plates Won’t be Within Budget

In February of 2020, training equipment companies were offering bumper plate sets for anywhere between $300 and $500. That could get you anywhere from 230 lbs to 350 lbs of weight to use for all your exercises. If you needed additional weight you could buy 45 lbs bumper plates for around 75$ – $120 a piece. Now you can’t even buy steel plates for that much and they usually cost a lot less than bumper plates. 45 lb bumper plates are currently going for over $175 and stock is so low you might have to pay $250 or more. The demand for weight plates, in general, has been pretty high since people are training at home and they are pretty universal when it comes to the exercises you can do.

Adjustable Dumbells are Very Expensive

The average person looking for home training gear has more than likely invested in a bike or treadmill for cardio. Those who wanted to train with weights bought bench sets and adjustable dumbbells. When coronavirus first struck you could buy some of the best adjustable dumbbells on the market for a decent price. Sets going up to 50 lbs we’re about $350 and 100 lb sets we’re about $650. Now if you search the internet for these same products the 50 lb sets are selling for over $700 in many cases. Even the dumbbell sets that aren’t adjustable are way out of budget.

Non-Traditional Gear is the Key to Building the Best Home Gym Under 500 Dollars

Since prices are so high and stock is so limited, you might need to look for equipment that is a little unorthodox. Depending on what your training goals are there might still be some items available that you have used before. Some of the more traditional options, such as kettlebells, will still be available for a decent price because they aren’t as easy to use. There may a learning curve for some of the gear on this list, but at least you will be able to get a good work out at home.

Top 5 Options for Equipment on a Budget

1. Brute Force Sandbags

One of the problems you run into when trying to build a home gym under 500 dollars is the amount of weight you can get. Dumbells, weight plates and even kettlebells cost a lot per pound. If you need 100 lbs or more, things are going to get expensive quick. This is especially true if the equipment you are buying isn’t adjustable. The convenience of being able to adjust weight usually drives up the cost substantially. With sandbags, you can go pretty heavy and only pay 1$ per pound, even if the sand bag is adjustable.

With Brute Force Sandbags if you are trying to throw up some heavy weight but you need to stay under budget. You won’t have a problem not having enough weight since you can just buy two sandbags if you need to. Sandbags are a very unique training tool because they focus on both strength and stability. For that reason, you might find that it’s harder to lift 100 lbs with a sandbag than with a barbell or dumbbell.

You can get a Brute Force Sandbag that can be adjusted from 25 lbs to 75 lbs for $149.95. If you need more weight you can get one that goes from 75 lbs to 125 lbs for $179.95. You could actually buy one of each and have a range of 25 lbs to 125 lbs for less than $350. That’s a really good deal, especially for a piece of equipment that you can use indoor, outdoor, or haul in your car anywhere you go.

Best Home Gym Under 500 Dollars

Ease of Use
Weight Range
Versatility
Affordability
Overall Value

Brute Force Sandbags

Adjustable Weight

25 lbs – 75 lbs

Buy on Amazon Now for $149.95

Adjustable Weight

50 lbs – 125 lbs

Buy on Amazon Now for $179.95

2. Bowflex SelectTech 840

You might not be able to get your hands on adjustable dumbbells, but adjustable kettlebells are still widely available. A lot of people actually prefer the kettlebell over dumbells. You can do squats, presses and all kind of endurance training exercises with a kettlebell. You won’t be able to do anything real heavy but you can definitely get a great workout.

The kettlebell we recommend for the best home gym under 500 dollars is the BowFlex SelectTech 840. This piece of equipment is an all-in-one home gym. You can adjust it to 8 lbs, 12 lbs, 20 lbs, 25 lbs, 35 lbs, or 40 lbs. It also comes with 24 workouts you can follow while BowFlex trainers walk through each exercise on video. This item is currently selling for $179 on Amazon and if you have Prime it is available for two-day shipping. It might be a good idea to go ahead and pull the trigger on this one.

Best Home Gym Under 500 Dollars

Ease of Use
Weight Range
Versatility
Affordability
Overall Value

Bowflex SelectTech 840

Adjustable Weight

8 lbs – 40 lbs

Buy on Amazon Now for $179.99

3. Joroto Belt Drive Exercise Bike

Not everyone in the market for gym equipment is looking to gain muscle or strength. Some people are just stuck at home during the coronavirus and need a way to stay active since some gyms are closed. The stationary bike is one of the top tools for weight management and endurance. SPIN has really taken off as a popular way to train and you can participate at home thanks to the many classes you can follow through digital apps including YouTube.

The great thing about an exercise bike is you can use it without having to be 100% focused on training. Due to the pandemic, kids are home, the house is messier, and you may not have as much free time as you would have expected. If you are a student or you have to work from home, you can study or get work done while using the Joroto Exercise Bike. Versatility is one of the main things you look for when you are buying training equipment on a budget. You also want something that benefits everyone in the household. This bike is suitable for all levels of experience and has many functions. At $399.99, you are looking at a lot of value.

Best Home Gym Under 500 Dollars

Ease of Use
Weight Range
Versatility
Affordability
Overall Value

Joroto
Exercise Bike

Stationary Bike

280 lbs Weight Capacity

Buy on Amazon Now for $339.99

Assemble Yourself or

Expert Assembly + $89.99

4. CAP E-Z Bar Set

Some people just need to have traditional equipment to feel like working out. To stay below the 500 dollar threshold, you won’t be able to buy a standard 45 lb barbell or steel plates to go with it. There is room in your budget however for the smaller E-Z Bar. This bar works great for bicep, triceps, presses and rows. The weight capacity is 200 lbs so you won’t be able to load it up with a ton of weight. That much weight would take you over budget anyway so an E-Z Bar with a set of 25 lb plates is going to give you the most versatility with this set up.

If you are an advanced athlete who lifts 300 lbs or more on your main lifts, an E-Z Bar won’t be the answer to all your problems. It will however provide you with the tools you need to work muscles that there aren’t as many substitutes for. You can do pushups for chest and pullups for back, but there aren’t a lot of options for biceps and triceps. An E-Z Bar will provide you with the best tool for your arms and you can get a great shoulder workout with it too.

Since this is a more traditional option, prices will reflect demand and stock may be a little low. That is the price you pay when using standard equipment, but you shouldn’t have too much of a problem with the E-Z Bar. Typically this item is an accessory so most people won’t buy one if they don’t already have other equipment. It is recommended that you use the smaller plates for the E-Z Bar because the bar isn’t as long. You won’t be able to grip the bar as wide and if you are doing something like a shoulder press, larger plates will hit your elbows when you are doing the exercise.

Best Home Gym Under 500 Dollars

Ease of Use
Weight Range
Versatility
Affordability
Overall Value

CAP E-Z Bar

E-Z Bar

200 lbs Weight Capacity

Buy on Amazon Now for $109.99

Set of 2

25 lb Plates

Buy on Amazon Now for $156.00

5. TRX All-In-One

Bodyweight training is what most people resort to when they start working out at home. The TRX All-In-One System allows you to perform a wider range of exercises that you wouldn’t be able to perform otherwise.

When you do pushups, you might want to do incline or decline pushups similar to what you do on a bench press. There are ways to do this around the house but many are unsafe and ineffective. The TRX Suspension System keeps you from having to look around the house for chairs, boxes and other things that aren’t meant for training. Moves that you can’t usually perform with bodyweight such as rows, curls, and tricep extensions are possible with this tool.

This piece of equipment takes time to get use to. The TRX System really engages your core and develops stability and balance. You can do just about any exercise with this equipment making it some of the most valuable home gym gear on the market.

Best Home Gym Under 500 Dollars

Ease of Use
Weight Range
Versatility
Affordability
Overall Value

TRX Suspension System