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Adjustable kettlebells offer a great way to save space and money when working out at home and using kettlebells as part of a resistance or cardio based training regime will reap rewards in terms of gains.
The biggest advantage of an adjustable kettlebell over a standard kettlebell is of course the range of weights you can use and although they may cost a little more in your initial outlay, they are generally much cheaper than buying a set of kettlebells that range in weights.
Kettlebell workouts are highly effective and they can be incorporated in to any gym or home based workouts. With more and more people choosing to workout from home nowadays, the adjustable kettlebell is a great choice.
Why Use Adjustable Kettlebells?
Depending on whether you are following an upper body, lower body or full body workout regime (and you should be following a full body workout if possible) you will need to purchase a range of weights when following any kind of resistance training.
Even if your training is more cardio focused there will be some exercises where you will need heavier weights and some where you will need lighter weights.
Many people will find themselves buying at least three different weights of kettlebell and although when bought individually they can be pretty cost effective, when you start buying 3-5 weights the cost can soon add up. In addition to this, finding space to store your kettlebells can be another issue.
The adjustable kettlebell deals with both of these issues by offering over 5 different weight levels at an equivalent or cheaper price to buying individual weights and they only take up the space of one kettlebell.
Many of the exercises that can be performed with dumbbells can be performed with kettlebells and there are more explosive and dynamic exercises that can be used with the latter – meaning you have a greater range of training options available to you.
Let’s take a look at the best variable weight kettlebells available in the UK.
Bowflex 840 Selectech
The Bowflex 840 may be the most expensive adjustable kettlebell on our list but it is also by far and away the best.
It has 6 weight options that range between 3.5kg and 18kg and has one of the simplest means of adjusting the weights out of all the models available.
Although it may seem costly, if you consider the cost of 6 separate kettlebells then the Bowflex 840 is incredible value for money.
The weights sit inside the neat 14×16 inch plastic moulded casing and can be selected by adjusting the dial to the top of the kettlebell. This then selects the appropriate weight and attaches it to the inside.
There is no faffing around with various weights or removing latches or any of that – making this the easiest and most advanced variable weight kettlebell on the market.
The weights you can choose from are 3.5kg, 5.5kg, 9kg, 11kg, 16kg and 18kg and the design provides perfect weight distribution just like you would expect to find with a standard kettlebell.
The handle is super comfortable thanks to its ergonomic design and rubber finish and everything about the Bowflex 840 screams quality.
Bowflex is a top quality manufacturer with years of experience behind them and as such you can expect exceptional customer support should you need it. You will also find over 24 trainer led kettlebell workouts to follow on their website which are all designed for the Selectech.
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FitnessHouse Adjustable Kettlebell
If you are looking for something more budget friendly than the Bowflex model then this is a great option from FitnessHouse.
This looks more like a true kettlebell than any of the models we have reviewed here and with 7 weight settings in total to choose from it is well worth the investment.
There are 6 metal plates that sit inside the FitnessHouse kettlebell and it can also be used with just the weight of the main unit.
Each plate weighs 2.27kg and it has a range of 4.5kg to 18kg making it pretty much on a par with the Bowflex.
Although not quite as refined as our top pick it is still incredibly easy to use with a central locking mechanism keeping the plates secure and unlocking it being very easy to do. You can literally switch up the weight in a matter of seconds.
Storage is no problem with this model as it will take up the space that a standard kettlebell would and of course it is very cost effective – even if you were to buy just three of these weight levels.
The build quality of this model from FitnessHouse is very good, it has excellent user reviews and it looks and feels like a kettlebell. The handle is comfortable to grip and weight distribution is excellent with all the weight being perfectly balanced to the centre of the unit.
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Kettle Gryp
The Kettle Gryp is clearly not your average adjustable kettlebell and in fact it is designed to convert your existing dumbbells in to a kettlebell.
If you don’t have any dumbbells then read on, but if you have then you may wish to consider the Kettle Gryp and save yourself a lot of money in the process.
Made in San Diego by Kettle Gryp, this is the original product and although many have attempted to replicate this product they have mostly failed.
These guys have hit the nail on the head with their product and for anyone who has a few sets of dumbbells at an appropriate weight for a kettlebell then this is almost a no brainer.
This is also the only adjustable kettlebell that allows you to use up to 25kg of weight – that’s a whole 7kg more than the second highest, so anyone looking for heavy weights will benefit from this grip.
The Kettle Gryp is incredibly portable and weighs just 0.5kg meaning you can easily take it with you for those overnight hotel stays or even take it to your local gym if the kettlebells are in short supply.
Of course, most will use this as a home workout accessory and anyone who has a home gym setup with a dumbbell rack would be able to double their exercise options with this budget priced accessory.
It is incredibly well made of high density rubber and comes with a lifetime warranty. We found it easy to use and the only drawback was the weight distribution was not the exact same as a standard kettlebell as the dumbbells spread the weight further across the grip.
This does not really impact on the exercises you can perform but does take a little getting used to.
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Apex Adjustable Kettlebell
The Apex is a great option for anyone looking for a more industrial looking kettlebell. This is just about the most robust option you will find as it is made from cast iron which means this will be a solid lifetime investment that should see you well.
User reviews of this model are very good and we found the large oversized handle to be in keeping with a traditional kettlebell feel.
You simply add standard weight plates to the Apex in order to add weight and then use the spacer discs to fill out the rest of the kettlebell.
The weight distribution works really well and the kettlebell is surprisingly comfortable to use despite being made of cast iron. We would suggest wearing weight training gloves for comfort and safety though.
To adjust the weight of the Apex you simply remove the locking mechanism under the base plate and then add your weights. It’s not quite as quick to make this change as some of the other models we have reviewed but it does keep the plates very secure.
Whether this model will work for you will depend on whether you have the weight plates to add and whether or not you like the overall design.
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Sveltus Variable Load Kettlebell
The Sveltus is similar in design to the FitnessHouse model but it is a little kinder on the budget.
It can carry a load between 4kg and 18kg and the main reason we didn’t place it higher in our list is that changing the weight settings is not quite as straightforward as the FitnessHouse model.
The process is essentially the same but for some reason we found the Sveltus trickier to operate which meant that the time it takes to change the weight is a little longer.
This is not a deal breaker though and for anyone looking for a cheap adjustable kettlebell the Sveltus is a good choice.
We loved the weight distribution of this kettlebell and found the handle very comfortable. There is no reason why you shouldn’t be using this for years to come as it is very well made feels very robust indeed.
That completes our roundup of the best adjustable kettlebells. Whichever of these you choose should serve you well but if you do come across another that you think is worthy of being on our top 5 list then please get in touch.
Check Latest Price Of The Apex Kettlebell
James is a full time personal trainer and an award winning writer with over 10 years of experience behind him. So far, he has helped hundreds of people with their health and fitness through his career.
