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Home Gyms: Ratings of Sources
Total of 13 Sources

For an explanation of how we rank reviews, see our ratings criteria page.

1. Amazon.com
As of August 2010
Home Gyms
by Contributors to Amazon.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentAmazon.com has a wide selection of home gyms and an equally solid collection of user reviews. While many home gyms receive only a few ratings, several weight machines enjoy a significant amount of feedback, including the Weider Total Body Works 5000. Other home gyms from Total Gym, Body-Solid and Bio Force also get high marks. Unfortunately, many of the home gyms that attract a lot of feedback have already been discontinued.
2. Buzzillions.com
As of August 2010
Home Gym Reviews
by Contributors to Buzzillions.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentThere are more than 600 home gyms and exercise products listed on Buzzillions.com, a site that compiles owner-written reviews from online retailers. However, the vast majority of these home gyms only attract one or two comments. Three home gyms do receive a significant amount of feedback, especially the Total Gym XLS, which boasts nearly 1,800 individual reviews.
3. Sears.com
As of August 2010
Home Gyms & Stations
by Contributors to Sears.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentSears.com allows readers to post reviews for products, including home gyms and weight machines. Since Sears sells a large percentage of the nation's fitness equipment, the site gets good traffic. Some home gyms attract more than 100 individual reviews, making Sears.com a useful source for owner feedback. Weider home gyms, including the Weider Pro 4950 Weight System, earn the highest ratings here.
4. Health
June 7, 2010
The Best Home Gyms Under $200
by Su Reid-St. John
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentHealth magazine evaluates four "low-tech" home gyms costing under $200. The home gyms have been tested, and reviewer Su Reid-St. John clearly breaks down pros and cons for each machine. Serious exercisers may find that the recommended machines are too basic for their needs, but these home gyms may be a good fit for beginners and those on a budget.
5. Men's Health
Not Dated
FreeMotion EXT Dual Cable Cross
by Editors of Men's Health
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentMen's Health magazine doesn't have a comparative look at the best home gyms, but its editors do post a single-product review of the FreeMotion EXT Dual Cable Cross machine. The analysis is largely superficial and focuses on the benefits of free-form machines rather than the pros and cons of this particular home gym.
6. Exercise Equipment Expert.com
As of August 2010
Best Home Gym
by Bret Spottke
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentThis site contains reviews of all kinds of fitness equipment, including home gyms. All reviews are written by Bret Spottke, a personal trainer with 20 years of fitness experience. Spottke provides his top picks in a variety of categories, including most innovative, best under $200 and best compact gym. Some comparison ratings are given within brands, but no comparisons are made between the recommended models and brands that didn't make the list. Recommendations include Total Gym, BodyCraft and Bowflex. While the site doesn't claim to be totally objective and no side-by-side tests are conducted, reviews are more detailed and up to date than those on some other websites.
7. MadeMan.com
April 17, 2010
5 Best Home Gym Machines
by Aric Mitchell
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentMadeMan.com, a men's interest website, reviews five home gyms. Each gym gets a brief evaluation, but there are no ratings and it doesn't appear that the gyms have been personally tested. Gyms from Body-Solid, Powertec and BodyCraft all score a recommendation. However, two of the recommended gyms have already been discontinued.
8. Walmart.com
As of August 2010
Exercise Machines & Weights
by Contributors to Walmart.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentWalmart.com sells fewer home gyms than other online retailers, but several popular gyms receive a good amount of feedback. The Weider Total Body Works 5000 tops the list as the best-reviewed home gym here, but the Gold's Gym XR45 and Bio Force 1.7 also get high marks.
9. HomeGymReview.com
As of August 2010
Home Gym Equipment
by Murray G. Hughes
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentHome-Gym-Review.com has relatively detailed reviews of home gyms, but the site seems mainly geared toward steering visitors to purchase certain products. Reviews are written by so-called "industry experts and professionals specializing in home gym reviews," but we don't know exactly who they are. The reviews list a complete rundown of features and specs, and most have a good mix of pros and cons. The Body-Solid EXM1500S is picked as the best home gym under $1,000.
10. ConsumerGuide.com
As of August 2010
Home Gyms
by Editors of ConsumerGuide.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentConsumerGuide.com reviews a number of consumer products, including appliances and home gyms. In total, 22 home gyms receive a review, but the analysis for most gyms is several years old. Nine gyms receive either a Best Buy or Budget Buy award, but there's no indication that these gyms have actually been tested. Reviews are relatively lengthy but focus on features rather than how the gym performs during real-world use.
11. ShapeYou.com
As of August 2010
Gear Awards
by Editors of ShapeYou.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentThere's no explanation on ShapeYou.com about who runs this site, which focuses on outdoor gear and fitness equipment. Manufacturers can submit their products, including home gyms, for consideration for the Gear Awards, which are supposedly judged by a "team of trainers, coaches, competitors, nutritionists, health care practitioners, industry writers, gym owners, and sports, health and fitness retailers." However, none of these judges are named. Four home gyms receive the Top Gear award, while others earn Great Gear or Seal of Excellence recognition. Several home gyms receive no award at all.
12. CNNMoney.com
February 2005
Gym Dandy
by Greg Melville
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentGreg Melville recommends home gym equipment, including the Parabody GS1, although that home gym has now been discontinued. No specific reasons are stated for why this home gym is chosen over others, other than because it's a versatile system "in a compact package." Dumbbells from Bowflex and a Deltech weight bench are also mentioned. No other home gyms are rated or compared, and this article is several years old.
13. Epinions.com
As of August 2010
Home Gym
by Contributors to Epinions.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentOf the 500 home gyms listed on Epinions.com, very few are actually reviewed. Two Bowflex machines, the Bowflex Ultimate 2 and Bowflex Revolution, get good feedback from consumers, but most other home gyms attract only a review or two. The Weider Total Body Works 5000 earns above average ratings.
     
 

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