Bowflex PR3000

The Bowflex PR3000 earns positive reviews from owners who appreciate its compact design and workout variety. Unlike home gyms that utilize weight plates, the PR3000 uses a series of "power rods" to create up to 210 pounds of resistance, and additional rods can be purchased to add another 100 pounds. Trainers can build their strength with up to 50 different exercises, including a vertical bench press and leg extension.

Owners say the Bowflex home gym operates smoothly, and most are pleased with their workout results. However, some caution that the resistance is not consistent throughout an exercise's range of motion. We also saw numerous complaints that assembly can be frustrating due to the PR3000's many small parts. For those on a budget, the Bowflex PR1000 (*Est. $450) also gets high marks. It has a similar design, but the resistance cannot be upgraded and it only supports about 30 exercises.

The Bowflex PR3000 attracts a good amount of user feedback on sites like Amazon.com and Buzzillions.com. Although there are few professional reviews of home gyms, user reviews are balanced and quick to point out where a machine falls short. We also found a handful of reviews at Walmart.com.