Stay in, work out: picking the best home gyms

Depending on where you live, and what kind of services are provided, gym memberships can be expensive. Now, for some exercisers, making offsite workouts part of the daily schedule may be a motivating factor. But what if you’re not quite as… driven? If getting out of the house is an obstacle itself – for any reason – maybe moving the gym to your place is the answer. But which home gym to choose? There are a couple of key factors to consider: how much space you have, and what kind of workout you’re looking for.

High-quality home gyms are not cheap. They can cost thousands of dollars, so by purchasing one you’re making a commitment. A setup like the best-reviewed BodyCraft X2 Family Xpress, which retails for around $3,500, is a very solid pick for serious exercisers who prefer to lift at home. It accommodates two people simultaneously, allowing you to work out with a friend, spouse, significant other, etc. for added encouragement or motivation. In addition, it features multiple exercise stations including a leg press, and its twin 200-pound weight stacks ensure you won’t outgrow it anytime soon. The downside is that it’s big and assembly is complicated. Reviews indicate that the BodyCraft is high-quality, though, and it’s protected by a lifetime warranty, making the long-term investment more attractive.

While the BodyCraft is a nice choice for serious lifters who have the space and budget to make it happen, a lot of people have tighter limits to work with. To that end, the best all-around home gym for most people is the Body Solid EXM1500S. It’s under $1,000 to buy, and its small footprint makes it a lot more attractive to people with space constraints at home. Like the aforementioned BodyCraft rig, the more affordable Body Solid gym elicits gripes from owners who say assembly is complicated. Also, the single weight stack maxes out at 160 pounds, so hardcore lifters will be left wanting, and there’s no leg press station. Overall, however, user reviews are excellent, and this  home gym’s operation is said to rival the big-bucks machines you’ll find at commercial gyms in terms of smoothness.

If you want a gym without traditional weight stacks, the BioForce 1.7 is a good alternative to the Bowflex machines you always see advertised on TV. Employing nitrogen-charged cylinders in lieu of actual weights, the BioForce 1.7's resistance limit tops out at 170 pounds, putting it in the same neighborhood as the BodyCraft – and at $900, it’s similarly-priced as well. Assembly and setup are said to be very straightforward, but some reviews say that the BioForce’s resistance system doesn’t feel like it’s as effective as traditional weights. And what if you're a total beginner? A full-featured home gym may seem a little intimidating, and the cost may give you pause.  If you fit that description, you may find value in the Weider Total Body Works 5000, a $175 device that provides 50 pounds of resistance, max. User reviews for the Wieder are great, but if you're an intermediate or advanced lifter, you'll want to look at more robust home gyms like the other three mentioned above.

These home gyms and others are covered in great detail in our updated full report. We also provide important tips to bear in mind while shopping. For instance, given that some gyms have over 100 individual parts and unclear instruction manuals, it may be worth paying extra for in-home assembly. Ultimately, the gym you choose will depend on your personal fitness goals, budget, and available space. Once you sort out those factors, you should have little trouble finding a home gym that suits you perfectly.