BowFlex SelectTech 840 Adjustable Kettlebell

Why it's worth it

One dial-adjustable unit covering 8, 12, 20, 25, 35 and 40 pounds, so an entire starter rack occupies the footprint of a single bell. It's the answer for apartments, closets, and anyone who doesn't want six lumps of iron underfoot.

If you live in an apartment, this is the one that actually fits. Six weights live inside one shell and you change between them by turning a dial on top — Bowflex states under five seconds per change, and owners consistently describe it as quick and positive, with a firm click at each setting. A circuit that would otherwise need a rack of bells needs this and about two square feet.

The range is well chosen for how people actually start. Eight pounds is light enough for halos and single-arm presses; 40 is heavy enough for two-handed swings long after most beginners think they've plateaued. NSCA guidance puts new lifters at roughly 18 to 26 pounds for women and 26 to 35 for men on the fundamentals, so this thing brackets the entire beginner arc with room left over.

From our review of 8 kettlebells for home workouts, by Eleanor Vance, Health & Beauty Editor

What we like

• +If you live in an apartment, this is the one that actually fits
• +The range is well chosen for how people actually start
• +Owners report the loaded plates stay locked — no rattle at the bottom of a swing, no shifting mid-set

What to know

• –The plastic shell doesn't want to be dropped
• –It's bulkier than an iron bell of the same weight and shaped differently, so it sits wider on your forearm when racked