Hoist V5

We found the best comparison review of the Hoist V5 home gym, complete with detailed ratings, at Men's Journal, where it earns the Editors' Pick award. Bret Spottke, an experienced personal trainer, also recommends the Hoist V5 as the best gym, explaining how it adjusts to encourage proper form and eliminates the need for a spotter. Outside magazine also recommends it, but doesn't document any comparison tests.

Fitness reviews recommend the Hoist V5 as the best high-end home gym. This single-stack gym includes a lat pulldown bar, a chest press and a leg curl, along with a chest-high cable for a variety of core conditioning and dumbbell-type exercises. The weight stack is 200 pounds. The leg press is an optional addition, which extends the width of the system by another 34 inches; without the leg press, the Hoist V5 home gym costs about $2,700. Hoist offers a lifetime warranty on the frame. While Outside magazine calls the Hoist the "Cadillac of all-in-one weight-lifting machines," reviews say you can also get a good workout from a less expensive home gym such as the compact BodyCraft Galena (*est. $1,300; $1,600 with optional leg press).