8 Best Kettlebells of 2024 | GQ

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If you asked fitness trainers to choose one desert island fitness tool, many would pick the kettlebell. They let you swing, snatch, press, and carry, and according to strength and conditioning coach Katie Wilder-Thomas, CSCS, this dynamic mix of movement is great for making the most of your at-home workouts.

“A kettlebell is a tool that can be used to train power, strength, and endurance,” says Wilder-Thomas. While dumbbells distribute weight evenly on either side of a metal bar, kettlebells position a weighted bulb beneath a handle, which allows you to move the weight in new and challenging ways.

If you’re thinking of adding kettlebells to your home gym, you probably have questions about how to incorporate kettlebells into your workouts and how to find the best kettlebells for your space. We’ve tested more than two dozen kettlebells, and our team has thoughts—so keep on reading.

The Bowflex SelectTech 840 Adjustable Kettlebell has the feel of a traditional kettlebell but adjusts from 8 to 40 pounds in no time, thanks to its quick turn dial. Since this single piece of equipment replaces six smaller kettlebells for a mere fraction of the price, it was an easy number-one pick for us.

Here are the the kettlebells we recommend to anyone with an at-home workout routine:

Best Kettlebell Overall: Bowflex SelectTech 840 Adjustable KettlebellBest Intermediate to Advanced Kettlebell: PowerBlock Pro Adjustable KettlebellsBest Weight Range in a Top Kettlebell Set: REP Fitness KettlebellBest Kettlebell for CrossFit: Iron Bull Strength Kettlebells

Plus, four more kettlebells we tested and loved:

How We Chose the Best Kettlebells

The only way to test a kettlebell is to start swinging, squatting, and deadlifting—so we enlisted our dream team testers (including certified fitness pros, elite athletes, and weightlifting coaches) to do just that. We tested more than two dozen kettlebells and picked our favorites based on how they performed during our sweatiest, toughest workouts. Then we checked out their warranties and durability to create our final ranking. Here’s more about how we test fitness gear.

BowFlex

BowFlex

Why buy six kettlebells when you could just buy one? The Bowflex SelectTech 840 Adjustable Kettlebell adjusts between 8 and 40 lbs in no time, so you can move through exercises with ease and save some serious dough.

Product Features

Buying six kettlebells would normally set you back a few hundos, which is why discovering the Bowflex SelectTech 840 Adjustable Kettlebell felt like such a life hack. This model ranges from 8 to 40 pounds in increments of 8, 12, 20, 25, 35, and 40—all in a sturdy, easy-to-adjust construction made of metal and plastic. Given that it goes up to 40 pounds in one compact setup, we recommend this kettlebell for beginner to intermediate fitness folks and anyone who needs every last inch of their small studio apartments.

Our team was also impressed with the two-year warranty, which will give you some peace of mind when you’re investing in a more expensive piece of workout equipment. This kettlebell adds up to around $150, so it’s comforting to know that the brand has your back if a part breaks or if you just decide you’re not a fan. (Just make sure you register the device online as soon as you unbox it. Otherwise, the warranty won’t hold.)

"As an adjustable model, this kettlebell feels uniquely shaped and proportioned compared to your typical gym kettlebells,” our tester says. “It's almost oblong, and quite tall. I really like using it for lower-body lifts—it's the perfect size for deadlifts."

PowerBlock

PowerBlock

The mid-weight PowerBlock Pro Adjustable Kettlebell works wonders for those just starting to introduce heavier weights into their fitness routines. Plus, an intuitive pin-insertion system makes it effortless to switch between weights.

Product Features

It doesn’t always feel plausible to have heavy weights at home. (The price point alone might send you running back to the gym.) Our testing team loved that the PowerBlock Pro Adjustable Kettlebells are a one-time investment in what basically amounts to a mid-weight set of kettlebells ranging from 35 to 62 pounds. Although that $300 may hurt at first, it’s a lot more justifiable compared to the price of purchasing five individual weights.

Although the kettlebell isn’t round like other models we tested (it has a blockier profile), we found that it feels really good to squat and swing thanks to its secure, high-traction grip. Our testers especially enjoyed the contoured surface, which stays grippy through the duration of leg and arm day. Plus, the color-coded weight labels mean you can easily spot which weight you need next between sets.

The unusual shape worked for some of us, and annoyed others. One of our testers found the square-ish shape to be preferable for exercises that involved placing the kettlebell on your shoulder. However, others wished the brand had chosen a more traditional spherical shape.

A small but important note: A single pin allows you to select your chosen weight, so make sure you don’t lose it in between sets.

REP Fitness

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Rep Fitness

The REP Fitness Kettlebell is for those who take great pride in their at-home gym setup and want to stock up with a full set of weight options. Not only do these kettlebells come with a solid, comfortable grip, but you can get them in a wide range of sizes between 9 and 106 pounds (1 to 48 kg).

Product Features

Whether you’re a beginner or an old kettlebell pro, REP offers the precise weights you need. While adjustable kettlebells, like adjustable dumbbells, tend to jump quite a few pounds between settings, REP has smaller increases in weight between kettlebells, so you can progress at your own pace. REP also labels the bell with both pounds and kilograms, so you never need to do pesky calculations between sets again.

The textured, matte-black coating on the bells looks sleek and sexy in home gym settings, and the color-coded handles allow you to spot which weight you need from a distance. We found the grip on these kettlebells to be incredibly solid, though its 30 to 40 mm thickness may feel tough to grip for those with smaller hands.

During our time testing these kettlebells, we found that they have a tendency to rust, so we recommend keeping them in a dry place. Take care of them, and these kettlebells will last you hundreds of future workouts.

Iron Bull

Iron Bull Strength

The Iron Bull Strength Kettlebells have a solid cast iron construction with a corrosion-resistant coating that feels ultra-comfortable and downright luxurious to clean, swing, and squat. If you’re looking to treat yourself, this kettlebell is it.

Product Features

If you’ve been dreaming of a home gym for a long time and finally saved up the money you need to kit out your garage, our team recommends the Iron Bull Strength Kettlebells. Designed with corrosion-resistant iron, these kettlebells feel solid, durable, and comfortable to grip from set to set. And, thanks to the color-coordinated kilograms and pounds labels, it’s easy to pick the kilograms and pounds that are appropriate for your workouts.

The Iron Bull Strength Kettlebells are sold in singles ranging from 9 to 88 pounds, so you can really decide what suits your fitness needs. Reviewers also loved how sleek and legit they looked in their spaces, which is no small thing given that exercise equipment tends to be an eyesore.

Like many kettlebells, the thick, 30 to 40 mm handle on these kettlebells may feel uncomfortable and thick for some. Use the brand’s 30-day money-back guarantee to ensure these actually feel grippy and comfortable during your workouts.

Onnit

Onnit

Product Features

You can spot an Onnit kettlebell from 100 miles away—or at least from across a gym. These distinct kettlebells take their aesthetics seriously with zombie, ape, and Bigfoot designs. They match a certain vibe, to be sure, but they’re not all about the looks. The chip-resistant iron and easy-grip handles make them exceptionally solid workout companions, and our testers love that you gain access to a free library of workouts when your kettlebells arrive. That said, they’re definitely pricier than some of our favorite options on this list.

Titan Fitness

Titan Fitness

Product Features

Chances are you’ve spotted these brightly hued competition kettlebells at your local gym. These well-priced favorites range from 18 to 71 pounds and feature slightly textured, non-slip handles. Another small feature we love is that all the Titan Fitness Competition Style Kettlebells all have handles of the same diameter (about 35 mm), so you don’t have to constantly adjust your grip from weight to weight. Unfortunately, Titan only displays its weights in kilograms, so you may have to do some quick conversions if you’re used to measuring your workouts in pounds.

Eleiko

Eleiko

Product Features

These pricey kettlebells are the right pick for anyone trying to stock their at-home gym while maintaining their aesthetic sensibilities. While other kettlebells tend to come in hyper-pigmented blues and reds, Eleiko has chosen a pastel theme for its competition line. Reviewers also love the roomy handle, which comfortably fits two large hands. Eleiko’s competition line goes up to 32 kg (about 71 pounds); if you want to lift super-heavy, you can try the brand’s all-black training line, which goes up to 56 kg or 123 pounds.

Rogue Fitness

Rogue Fitness

Product Features

Rogue is a household name for anyone who pumps iron in their spare time—and there’s a reason for that. The brand delivers great value when you consider shipping costs, weight accuracy, and coating. The textured powder outer layer feels grippy and secure in your hands. It also protects the weights from corrosion, which is important if you’re planning on stashing them in your garage. Rogue uses colored bands to help you differentiate the different weights from afar; the bells come in one of the widest weight ranges of all the models we’ve tried. Once again, the kettlebell handles get much larger as the pounds progress, making them more uncomfortable to hold once you get into the hundred range if you have smaller hands.

Here’s a price breakdown for each individual kettlebell. For fixed-weight kettlebells, we've listed the price range for the lightest and heaviest models.

You probably won’t be surprised to learn that we have a lot of gym rats here at the office. In our quest to find the best workout equipment for your home, we’ve spent weeks testing more than two dozen types of kettlebells and running them through the reps of our own fitness programming. For each, we considered factors like price, weight range, warranty, material quality, and more to figure out which model to crown as our best overall kettlebell. We also sussed out which of our runner-up kettlebells work best for every type of user. For more insight into our obsessive testing methodology, take a look at our fitness testing standards.

Adding a single kettlebell to your at-home lineup opens up a world of fitness possibilities, according to Wilder-Thomas. You can construct infinite full-body workouts with just a kettlebell.

But swinging weights doesn’t just engage your body. According to Wilder-Thomas, your mind also benefits from complex kettlebell moves. “Any of the exercises performed with kettlebells—snatch, swing, Turkish get-up—are truly skill-oriented movements, meaning that you have an opportunity to not only get stronger and more powerful but that you also use your brain while you’re training,” says Wilder-Thomas.

Kettlebell training also counts as resistance training, which has countless benefits for your body. It can strengthen your bones and help you gain some serious muscle, both of which are important for staying fit and healthy as you age. And unlike with dumbbells, the uneven distribution of weight on a kettlebell also helps you work on your stability—plus the handle space for two hands allows you to achieve more power and range of motion. (More on that below.)

If you’re ready to expand your at-home workout setup to include a kettlebell, Wilder-Thomas recommends considering a few criteria:

Material

“Ideally, you will want to look for a kettlebell that is cast iron and produced from one solid unit of metal,” she says. “If possible, you will want to avoid kettlebells that have painted handles or are coated in a rubberized material as they can get very slippery when your hands sweat and may have a tendency to chip over time.”

Price

Kettlebells come in a range of prices and tend to get more expensive the heavier weight you buy. For example, a REP 1 kg kettlebell will only cost you $15, while our number-one pick, the SelectTech 840 Adjustable Kettlebell, will set you back around $150.

Weight

Of course, considering what weight kettlebell you need is equally important. If you’re brand-new to the world of cleans, jerks, and swings, Wilder-Thomas recommends starting with a kettlebell that weighs somewhere between 8 kg (18 pounds) and 32 kg (70 pounds), depending on your skill level and what exercises you intend to do.

Wilder-Thomas loves kettlebells for strength training, conditioning, and workouts that combine the two. “Focusing on pure strength means we are using loads that challenge us at a bit lower rep range. When training for strength, you want to emphasize your recovery so that you can maintain good form, range of motion, and effort with each set,” says Wilder-Thomas. For example, you may string together a workout that consists of clean and presses, goblet squat, and dead-stop swings.

Here’s what that would look like:

Dead Stop Swing x 5 reps (with a heavy bell)Goblet Squat x 5 reps (with a medium bell)Clean and Press x 5 reps R/L (with a light bell):90 with 2 minutes restRepeat 3-5 sets

Meanwhile, a conditioning and strength training workout consists of adding a few more reps to your program. “If you’re more concerned with training for conditioning, you will want to utilize complexes or slightly higher rep ranges,” says Wilder Thomas. In this case, you would rep through exercises like a single arm swing, a single arm snatch, and arm thrusters with minimal rest in between each set.

For example:Single arm swing x 3 repsSingle arm snatch x 3 repsSingle arm thruster x 3 repsTransfer sides and repeat1:00 - 1:30 rest

When you hold a dumbbell, the weight is evenly distributed between each side. That’s not the case with kettlebells, which are bottom-heavy. This uneven issuing of weight means that kettlebells are less stable than your ordinary hand weights, which can be useful for training coordination and improving your motor skills. Some people also find kettlebells easier to hold because you can grip one in both hands and bring it close to your chest. If you feel more comfortable and secure during your workouts, you may feel emboldened to pick up heavier weights and try things that make you uncomfortable. However, the great debate of dumbbells versus kettlebells is ultimately deeply personal.

Which are the best kettlebells to buy?

The best kettlebell to buy ultimately depends on your price range, desired weight, and grip strength. However, our overall pick is the Bowflex SelectTech 840 Adjustable Kettlebell, which can easily be adjusted from eight to 40 pounds. This means that it takes the place of six kettlebells.

How should a kettlebell be held?

“When swinging the bell, both hands are side by side, gripping on the top of the horns,” says Wilder-Thomas. “If we are holding the bell in a goblet position for, say, squats, you grip the bell on the sides of the horn.” However, if you plan on lifting the kettlebell up over your head, she recommends gripping the horn between your index finger and thumb and keeping your grip as neutral as possible.

What is the best weight for kettlebells?

For beginners, Wilder-Thomas says to pick a kettlebell that weighs somewhere between 8 kg (18 pounds) and 32 kg (70 pounds).

Do I need one or two kettlebells?

Actually, three is the magic number (unless you’re investing in an adjustable kettlebell). “I recommend starting to build your home gym with three different size kettlebells. Something lighter you can press overhead with, something heavy you can hold at your chest to squat with, and something that is a challenge to pick up from the floor,” says Wilder-Thomas. As you build up gains, you can begin to incorporate higher weights.

How quickly do you see results from kettlebells?

There’s no quick and easy answer to how long it will take for all those hours in the home gym to start paying off. “Like any strength routine, this will depend on how frequently and consistently you train,” says Wilder-Thomas. “You will notice strength improvements in just a few months if you focus on big compound movements (like squats, swings and presses), moving through your full range of motion, and if you are consistently challenging the weight you use.”

To really diagnose your fitness, she recommends choosing an exercise and weight that establishes a baseline. For example, “I squat X reps of X pounds. After eight to 12 weeks of consistent full body strength training, you can reassess, and you should notice an increase in your ability to complete more reps at that same weight, or the same reps with a heavier weight. This is gaining strength,” Wilder-Thomas explains.

Katie Wilder-Thomas, CSCS, is a NSCA-certified strength and conditioning coach.

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