When you’re strapped for time and looking for a way to get in a few sets of your favorite muscle-tearing exercise, kettlebells can offer a variety of positive attributes to take your at-home workout to the next level. Whether you’re a beginner who’s making his first foray into the world of fitness or a seasoned vet who’s just looking to curl some iron on an off-day, this versatile item has become a staple within the weightlifting community, thanks to its intuitive structure, ease of use, and dependable construction. Below, we’ve outlined a handful of favorites that are trusted by gym-goers (and stay-at-home lifters) the world over, so dive right in to find the perfect kettlebell for your next big workout.

Why Use Kettlebells Anyway?

As an all-in-one piece of equipment, kettlebells are great whether you’re strength training or doing cardio. The unique shape allows you to use them easily with lower-body exercises. On the other hand, the disproportionate construction requires a more explosive pull and the inherent swinging effect gives you the opportunity to build control and power that affects more than just your arms. Likewise, the center of gravity helps bolster your grip strength.

Kettlebells Vs. Dumbbells

Dumbbells are a fantastic tool in their own right. The even weight distribution allows you to isolate muscles and/or muscle groups easier, such as your biceps or triceps. Also, the more frequent weight intervals typically offered allow you to fine-tune your strength training and even move up quicker.

Kettlebells, on the other hand, have much wider weight intervals, perhaps limiting their usage in certain instances. However, the low center of gravity helps strengthen stabilizer muscles as well as primary target muscles.

Benefits of Adjustable Kettlebells

Like adjustable dumbbells, adjustable kettlebells will save you an invaluable amount of space while providing you with a compact, more affordable unit. The downside may be that you’re limited to the weight selection provided by the manufacturer and may be capped off at a much lower weight, but you will also have much more room for other equipment as a tradeoff.

What to Look for In Kettlebells

Durability: Like any piece of workout equipment, you’ll want your kettlebells to last for years, if not a lifetime. Cast iron is a great material, especially if it’s unwelded and made from a single mold. There are some ABS- or rubber-coated options out there as well, which can be good options in their own right, but may begin to fall apart after a while.

Weight Range: Kettlebells typically range from around 4kg (8.8lbs) to upwards of 32kg (70.5lbs), with somewhat large intervals in between. If you already have a dumbbell setup for arms then you won’t need as many options for kettlebells. Try out a weight you think you can handle, depending on which exercise you’re using it for, and see if you like it. Also, unlike dumbbells, which more often than not require a pair, there are a lot of workouts you can do with just one kettlebell.

Handle: Handle feel and grip are crucial elements that can make or break your kettlebell purchase. Knurled or powder-coated handles will offer a better grip but may not be comfortable for some people (although you can try out some weightlifting gloves). On the other hand, these types of handles will handle grip chalk a bit better and will be less slippery than smoother handle options.

REP Fitness Kettlebells

Best Budget Kettlebells: Tons of people opt for a home gym setup simply because the cost of monthly gym memberships is weighing them down, especially when they have the space at home to keep their own equipment. REP Fitness can help you build up your home gym with ease thanks to its affordable Kettlebells, with 18 weight options from 1kg all the way up to 48kg. Labeled in pounds as well, these castiron kettlebells are color-coded according to international color standards. They’re made using a gravity die-cast technique that gives them chalk-friendly smooth handles and a perfectly flat base. The website is also easy to use, allowing you to go down the list of sizes and add or subtract which weights you want.

Onnit Kettlebell

Best Overall: Onnit’s prowess in the kettlebell space is undeniable and it has a history of having fun with its products (e.g., molded bells that look like animals or fictional characters). However, its basic kettlebell options are the best for what you pay. Starting at just $35 for the 6kg weight, its color-coded range goes all the way up to 32kg, with six weight options in total. They have powder-coated handles for fantastic gripping and are gravity-cast for insane durability. Admittedly, the floor and ceiling aren’t quite where you’d want it if you were a serious bodybuilder but these get the job done if you’re looking to supplement your home gym with some versatile lifting options.

Vulcan Competition Kettlebells

Best Competition Kettlebells: Kettlebells are a fantastic option to work into your weekly lifting routine but they can come with their disadvantages if used too much. Mainly, stress on your wrist and forearm. Vulcan has rectified this with their low-profile kettlebells for lifters who want to reach for the weights with high frequency. In order to achieve this, the company has improved the ergonomics of the grip and decreased the distance of the load (the kettlebell) from its fulcrum point (your elbow). It situates the lift at a stronger point in reference to your forearm, thus distributing the weight better. Ranging from 8kg to 32kg, with 7 options in total, the weights themselves are made from high-quality steel and come with a lifetime warranty against cracks or dents.

Rogue Kettle GRYP

Best Portable Kettlebell: Let’s say you’ve just invested in an entire dumbbell range for your home gym, but then you discovered the magic of kettlebells. What do you do? Well, the easiest solution is grabbing the Kettle Gryp from Rogue, which instantly turns any dumbbell up to 55lbs into a kettlebell. It weighs less than 1lb itself and is made of ABS-wrapped stainless steel and urethane foam inserts. This highly-portable option is also great to keep in your suitcase just in case your hotel fitness center only has dumbbells as well. And the best part is, you only need to buy two of them!

GORUCK Sand Kettlebells

Best Soft Kettlebells: GORUCK’s range of training equipment features some of the most versatile on the planet. Its Sand Kettlebells are no exception. These provide an alternative to standard metal kettlebells by using sand for weight and placing it inside a 1,000D CORDURA housing with double-pass stitching and a reinforced ballistic bottom for abrasion resistance. The neoprene-padded handles offer seamless grip adjustment mid-set and give the kettlebell an unusual yet effective swing. There are 6 weight options from 6kg to 24kg, allowing some variation since you’re filling the sack itself. You can also put these inside a sack for rucking and they fold up easily for travel when empty. Best of all, they come with an outstanding lifetime guarantee.

Kettlebell Kings Powder Coat Kettlebell

Best for Weight Options: You may not think of a need for a 92kg (203lbs) kettlebell but if you were the type to do some full-body lifts that high, Kettlebell Kings has you covered. The brand also goes as low as 4kg, with a whopping 21 options in total. Made from a single piece of unwelded cast iron with a chalk-friendly powder-coated grip, the weights are insanely durable and come with a lifetime warranty to boot. The company even throws away any products that are deemed imperfect rather than covering or painting over any rough edges that would snag. For added comfort while lifting, the printed numbers and logos are recessed rather than raised.

Rogue Fitness Rubber-Coated

Best Upgrade: Rogue Fitness is a household name when it comes to personal exercise equipment, and thanks to the brand’s genre-defining kettlebells, it’s easier than ever to get that full-body workout you’ve been longing for. This durable offering calls upon a protective rubber coating on the entirety of the bell, allowing it to be used indoors, and promoting long-winded lifting sessions where slippery hand sweat might impede your progress. Aside from deterring chips and scuffs to the kettlebell’s exterior, this rubber-coated wonder doesn’t fall victim to the intricacies of multi-part workout equipment, thanks to its single-piece casting. It also comes in a variety of weights and sizes, including 26-pound, 35-pound, 44-pound, 53-pound, and 70-pound offerings to help you get the best workout possible.

Bowflex SelectTech 840

Best Adjustable Kettlebell: Bowflex has become a well-known proprietor in the world of at-home gyms, and they’ve shown no signs of stopping when it comes to the creation of adaptable off-shoots of in-gym staples that you can utilize anywhere. The SelectTech 840 is one such offering, allowing you to replace up to six different kettlebells with one compact peripheral. Thanks to an ergonomic handle system, weight selection dial, and an efficient overall stature, this versatile example allows you to swap between 8, 12, 20, 25, 50, and 40-pound lifts with ease, while maintaining its composure as a well-crafted counterpart to all of your alternative at-home gym accessories. And if you find that you’re struggling to find the motivation to complete your workout, you’ll have access to Bowflex’s trainer-led technique videos to jumpstart your fitness journey.