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Hands-On Review of Nuobell Adjustable Dumbbells

Dumbbells are an essential part of any gym. When it comes to home gyms, space is generally very limited, so a full rack of dumbbells is typically not in the cards.

Enter: adjustable dumbbells.

By having an all-in-one solution for dumbbells, you save yourself a ton of space, but are they worth it? There are tons of popular adjustable dumbbells on the market today, so you definitely have options, but I’m going to break down SMRTFT Nuobell Adjustable Dumbbells for you today.

Nuobell Dumbbells

I was very hesitant to pick up a pair of adjustable dumbbells, mainly because I am very cheap.

For about 2 years, I was using free-weight loadable dumbbells, which take forever to actually change the weight. Once I saw how quickly you can adjust the Nuobell dumbbells, I knew I needed to give them a shot.

Before I dive in, I have 2 quick notes.

1. I do actually own these dumbbells, so this is a hands-on review. I can’t stand when I see product reviews that only use stock imagery, because how can you trust that the product was actually tested? Here’s some quick photo proof for ya.

2.  This post contains affiliate links to purchase these adjustable dumbbells through Bells of Steel (one of the few authorized sellers of these dumbbells). Using affiliate links comes at no cost to you, but I do get a small commission to help keep the lights on around here. Nonetheless, everything in this Nuobell review is 100% honest.

 

Overall thoughts on SMRTFT Nuobell dumbbells

I’ll dive deeper into each aspect of these dumbbells below, but it’s only fair I start off with my overall thoughts.

To put it simply, I love them.

Sure, they’re not perfect, and we’ll get into why that is, but these adjustable dumbbells have completely changed my home workouts.

These dumbbells easily switch between 5lb increments starting from just 5 lbs, all the way up to 80 lbs (they also have a 50-pound option if you do not need heavier weights).

When I was in the market for adjustable dumbbell sets, I discovered that most of the options out there stop at 50 pounds (like Core Home Fitness and Bowflex Selecttech), so finding a dumbbell that can go all the way up to 80 pounds was a huge win for me as someone who likes to lift heavy.

I do wish there was an option to upgrade to an even higher weight (much like how Powerblock dumbbells allow you to add additional weight) but 80 pounds has been great for me.

If you typically workout with lighter weights, then the 50 lbs version will be great for you. Since I love heavy weights, having a total weight of 50 pounds just doesn’t cut it for me.

I enjoy doing lots of drop sets in my workouts, which these dumbbells have been incredible for. If you’re unfamiliar, a drop set is simply performing an exercise with a specific weight, then immediately dropping the weight and going right into the next set, and continuing as low as you’d like to go.

With my previous plate-loaded adjustable dumbbells, performing drop sets was nearly impossible. But with the Nüobell adjustable dumbbells, I can perform drop sets effortlessly.

Having anything from a 5 lb dumbbell to an 80 lb dumbbell all-in-one is also a huge space saver, which is absolutely critical for my basement gym.

With a weight capacity of 80 pounds, that means you have 16 weight options. I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather have 2 adjustable dumbbells than 32 regular dumbbells.

If you have the space for a full rack of 5-80 pound traditional dumbbells, then that’s amazing. But if you’re like most of us, space is limited in your home gym, so having a pair of adjustable dumbbells like these is life-changing.

But it’s not all butterflies & rainbows, so let’s look at some of the pros & cons.

 

Nuobell Adjustable Dumbbells Price

This honest Nuobell review would not be complete without a breakdown of the price.

Since there are so many adjustable dumbbell options out there, it’s easy to fall into the thinking that these dumbbells are too expensive. Here’s how the price breaks down at the time of writing this:

50-Pound Dumbbell Pair: $589.99

80-Pound Dumbbell Pair: $749.99

Dumbbell Stand (not required to use these dumbbells): $199.99

I own both the 80-pound dumbbell set, as well as the optional stand, which comes to about $950 total.

I know I know, that’s not cheap.

For the record, the price will be the same whether you purchase through their website, Bells of Steel, Rogue Fitness, or any other authorized sellers.

If you compare these dumbbells to other brands like Bowflex or Powerblock, they’re much more expensive. For many people, cheaper options are more appealing, and that’s absolutely okay.

However, let’s look at the price of a full rack of normal dumbbells to see how that compares.

If you were to buy a set of dumbbells ranging from 5 to 75 pounds from Rep Fitness, it would cost you $2,199.99.

That doesn’t include the rack, so if you want to add a rack for your dumbbells (which you’d want to do unless you want dumbbells all over the ground) you’d need to purchase 2 racks for a total of $419.98.

All-in-all, a full set of dumbbells will cost you $2,620, which is almost 3x the price of the Nuobell Adjustable Dumbbells.

Between the money AND the space you save by not having a full rack of dumbbells, you can purchase additional pieces of equipment for your home gym.

I should add that the shipping of these dumbbells was also incredibly impressive. They were very well packaged so they did not come at all damaged, and they shipped to me in about 4 days. You’d hope for both of those things when paying a high price, but it’s nice to see them come through!

 

Nuobell Adjustable Dumbbells Design & Aesthetic

One of the biggest advantages of the Nuobell dumbbell specifically is that no matter what weight you choose to use, it looks & feels like a regular dumbbell.

First and foremost, the knurled handle has a great grip to it (knurling refers to the rough part of barbells that allows you to grip easier) so they actually feel like true dumbbells.

Powerblock dumbbells are great for what they are, but with their rubber handle and box design, they just don’t feel like a traditional dumbbell.

As a former gym rat, having adjustable dumbbells that feel like the real thing is huge for me.

But even better than that in my mind is the fact that the ends of these dumbbells always stay flat. No matter how large the dumbbell is, it will always be able to sit flat on any surface.

That may not seem like a huge deal to you at first glance, but consider the plate-loaded dumbbells that many people use for home workouts.

When you slide the weight plates on, you’re left with the bar sticking out on the end. When you go to rest the weight on your legs at the end of a set, you have to actively try to not stab yourself in the thighs. With light dumbbells, this isn’t a huge issue, but as you go heavier, it becomes quite an inconvenience.

I used plate-loaded dumbbells for years, but I ended up using them very infrequently largely due to this issue.

The machined steel weight plates really add to a great overall aesthetic, and although there are pieces of hard plastic as part of the design, the overall design is definitely very high quality.

 

Nuobell Adjustable Dumbbells Durability & Stability

One major drawback of these Nuobell adjustable dumbbells is that you can’t throw them around.

Well, let me be more clear: you can throw them around, but they won’t hold up very well.

Because the weight plates all lock in separately, if you drop the dumbbells often enough, they’re bound to fall apart.

The stainless steel weight plates are not cheap by any means, but they do contain some plastic components, which calls into question their long-term durability.

For me, this is not a huge concern, because I’ve never been one to throw my dumbbells down on the ground after a set. But if you’re someone who likes to throw around dumbbells, Nuobell dumbbells are not going to be a good option for you.

Even though I don’t drop my dumbbells, I do put them through the wringer with certain workouts. For one, I enjoy doing a lot of single dumbbell work, which often requires holding the ends of the dumbbell:

I really enjoy overhead tricep extensions, which require holding the dumbbell as you see here. I’ve never had to question the stability of these weights or worry about them falling apart, and I’ve regularly held 80-pound dumbbells over my head without issue.

Similarly, it seems that these dumbbells can support weight really well. I’ve used these adjustable dumbbells for pushups and they have held up great.

I weigh roughly 190 pounds and I’ve never felt unsafe putting my weight on these dumbbells.

The design of the Nuobell Adjustable Dumbbell actually allows them to sit flat on the ground, too. Since the backside of these dumbbells is flat, they won’t roll on you! So if you want to perform pushups, renegade rows, or any similar exercise, you don’t have to worry about these rolling away from you.

 

Nuobell Adjustable Dumbbells Safety

One thing I really appreciate with these dumbbells is the built-in safety precautions. Specifically, if you attempt to pick up the weight before it is locked in, it won’t allow you to pick up the dumbbell.

Of course, that’s tough to capture in a photo, but if the weight isn’t fully set, then the dumbbell will stay locked into the holder. This is definitely a huge plus when you’re dealing with heavy dumbbells.

I mean, I’d prefer to not have a steel weight plate fall on my face during my bench press.

If you do home workouts without a workout partner, then safety should be top of mind when choosing equipment. If you want to build your perfect home gym and you want it to be safe, then these adjustable dbs should definitely be one of your top picks.

 

Nuobell Adjustable Dumbbells Quick Weight Change

The quick-change nature of these adjustable dumbbells is the main draw, and I can tell you first-hand that it does not disappoint.

To change the weight, all you need to do is turn the handle, which means you can perform a weight adjustment without ever taking your hand off the dumbbell.

Plus, when you change the weight, each 5 lb increment makes the most satisfying clicking sound, so you might find yourself changing the weights just for the fun of it.

This feature is obviously best demonstrated in a video, so I recommend checking out Garage Gym Review’s video, which does a great job at demonstrating this.

Any other adjustable dumbbell set will require turning a dial, loading plates, or using pins to change the weight, but these innovative dumbbells make weight selection so seamless.

These adjustable dumbbells aren’t perfect, however. When you drop the dumbbell back into the holder to change the weight, sometimes you’ll find that the weight doesn’t quite line up.

When this happens, you have to lift the dumbbell out slightly to allow it to lock into place. All things considered, it’s not a huge deal for me, but I do find it happening once or twice during each workout session, which I can see irritating many people.

If you’re performing a single set this is less of an issue, but if you’re trying to move quickly through a drop set, this can set you back a bit.

Another set of adjustable dumbbells may not have this same issue, but they also may not have the same ease of use either, so it’s definitely a tradeoff.

 

Are Nuobell Adjustable Dumbbells Worth It?

Overall, I absolutely love the Nuobell dumbbells, and they’ve quickly become one of my favorite home gym purchases (coming in second after the Lever Arms).

I’ve tried other dumbbell sets out there, but this is the first adjustable dumbbell that I truly love and plan to use for a long time.

If you’re an experienced lifter that has only ever used regular dumbbells in the gym, switching to adjustable dumbbells will definitely require some getting used to, but these are the best dumbbells you can get to replicate that authentic dumbbell look & feel.

They’re certainly more expensive than other options out there, but in my mind, they’re worth every penny.

I’ll close this out with my final thoughts…

Pros

  • Change the weight quickly & effortlessly
  • Dumbbells sit flat on your legs
  • Won’t roll when set on the ground
  • 80 pounds is heavier than many other options out there
  • The additional stand puts these at the perfect height

Cons

  • More expensive than other options
  • Can’t be dropped
  • Durability may be a question for long-term use
  • Dumbbells sometimes don’t lock back into place
  • Storage racks sold separately

At the end of the day, it comes down to what is most important for you, so maybe a different option out there is better suited for your needs.

If you’ve tried these Nuobell dumbbells, let me know what you think of them! I’d love to hear other opinions out there since we all have different preferences and needs.

You can purchase Nuobell adjustable dumbbells through their website, but I always recommend shopping through Bells of Steel if you can! I’ve fallen in love with that company, not only because of their amazing products (like their Lever Arms) but also because of their amazing customer service. I highly recommend checking them out.

Just be warned that it seems like Nuobell has a lot of knockoffs out there, so be sure to check that you’re buying authentic dumbbells through an authorized seller!

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About Matt Rosenman

With over 15 years of experience in health and fitness, Matt Rosenman is the expert voice behind Cheatdaydesign.com. Matt’s philosophy is simple: no foods are off-limits, and a healthy lifestyle shouldn't be complicated or restrictive. As a former certified personal trainer with a bachelor’s degree in Health Behavioral Sciences, Matt brings well-rounded expertise to his blog. From revamping classic recipes with a nutritious twist to breaking down fast food menus, his goal is make healthy living less confusing for everyone. Featured in major publications and with a strong following on social media, Matt is committed to making “healthy” uncomplicated—no matter where you are in your health journey. Join Matt on his mission to simplify health without sacrificing flavor. Learn More