8 Best Kettlebells of 2024, According to Personal Trainers

Read more: Best Dumbbells

We love adjustable kettlebells for their versitilty and ability to save a little floor space. Here, REP splits the difference between an old-school ‘bell and a modern adjustable kettlebell. It looks and feels like a classic kettlebell, with the proper weight distribution to match.

It’s ultra durable, easy to adjust, and the additional weights won’t shake or rattle when you’re tossing things around. Plus, we love the grippy, matte-powder-coated surface and rubber bottom to protect your floors.

Read more: Best Adjustable Kettlebells

If you’re working out at home and looking for your first kettlebell to work with, this is a reasonable choice. It should come at no surprise that Amazon has a good read on how to have a quality product made without unnecessary expense. For the price, you won’t get a kettlebell that will grow with you as your fitness level increases or will hold up to years of intense use.

What you will get is a functional, affordable piece of equipment to add resistance to your workouts. We do wish this was powder-coated because the vinyl can feel slick when things get sweaty, but overall it’s a great choice for the price. (Plus, vinyl carries less potential to scuff and ding your floors compared to cast iron.)

Read more: 2024 Men’s Health Fitness Awards

If your budget allows, going with an adjustable option is always a smart space-saving move. This next-gen kettlebell features a modernized design and solid, durable construction. We love the simple, easy-adjust mechanism, which allows for more versatility and usability in home workouts. The weight can be changed to your exact preferences for each exercise, so you can replace six kettlebells with just one to save space and money.

The only downside? Appleton says, “The weight distribution feels slightly different than a traditional kettlebell due to its shape. Because of that, I don’t love it for things like KB swings or Turkish getups, but it works great for most other KB exercises I do at home. And the trade-off in terms of space is well worth it for apartment dwellers.”

Read more: Best Adjustable Dumbbells

It’s hard to beat the classics. Rogue’s durable KB features a protective rubber coating around the entirety of the bell, which helps prevent scuffs and chips (and your flooring!)—something we’ve noticed with lesser powder-coated kettlebells after a ton of use.

Single-piece iron casting adds to the durability of its construction, so you won’t need to worry about this thing coming apart mid-swing, no matter how hard you go. If you don’t have a mat or otherwise need to protect your flooring, “these are a solid option,” says Martinez.

Read more: Best Power Racks

Onnit’s animal-inspired Primal Kettlebell is the most unique-looking KB we’ve tested, hands down. The chip-resistant, powder-coated, primate-inspired cast-iron construction is also damn near bulletproof. And we’ve found the weight to be very evenly balanced.

We also like the enlarged handles, which are great for both one- and two-handed grips. Martinez admits to owning a handful of these and loves the aesthetic. But he cautions that they’re “useless on one side because of the design. If you clean or snatch them, they will bite back.” Ouch.

Read more: Best Creatine

This 1000D Cordura-made kettlebell bag is filled with iron sand and perfect for beginners, as it’s less likely to hurt when you whack your noggin trying those Halos of Death. Reinforced stitching and a TPR handle make the bag virtually indestructible, and it won’t damage your hardwood floors if you drop them.

The catch? With a maximum size of just 44 pounds and a design that’s not quite as balanced or authentic to that of a traditional kettlebell, working out with these is limited. Still, the affordable price point and soft design makes these very approachable for budget-conscious, cautious newbies.

Read more: Best Rowing Machines

Of course, the best way to save money and space on kettlebells is … to not have to buy them in the first place. This Shark Tank-featured widget cleverly turns the dumbbells you probably already own into almost-kettlebells. Not only that, but if you have a few dumbbells then it is a kettlebell option that is also adjustable.

The high-impact ABS plastic construction is extremely durable and strong enough to support up to 50 pounds. Plus, the soft-feel handle is easy to hold for a secure grip. The downside is that the awkward size of standard dumbbells means this solution is limited to basic ‘bell exercises (e.g., not swings).

Read more: Best Weightlifting Shoes

What’s the Right Kettlebell Weight to Use?

There is no one best kettlebell to use, as it all depends on what you’re looking to accomplish. If you’re looking to build out a complete home gym, Martinez recommends at least a couple of kettlebells. Adjustable kettlebells are a solid option, too, as they combine multiple weights into a single product, saving you money and space.

“If I was just starting with kettlebells, knowing what I know, I would get a lighter competition kettlebell for cleans, presses, snatches, windmills, get-ups, etc., and a heavy cast-iron kettlebell for swings, squats, rows, etc.,” says Martinez.

That said, for absolute kettlebell noobs who are just getting started and looking to add a few new movements into their program, “A single, cast-iron kettlebell is their best bet. Most people would benefit greatly from just adding swing variations to their current routine.”

What’s the Best Size Kettlebell to Start With?

Before you get started, understanding the basics and laying out your goals are important. Martinez says, “You want to make sure that you can get into each position safely, so before you add speed, you want a ‘bell that you can control in all positions.” For most people, one light- and one moderate-weight kettlebell should provide everything they need for a full-body workout. If you can only pick one, opt for a lighter ‘bell, then just add in heavier dumbbells to the mix for movements that aren’t kettlebell-specific (e.g., squats, rows, and presses).

For Martinez’s female clients, he recommends a lighter kettlebell of around 8 to 26.5 pounds (4 kg to 12 kg) and 26.5 to 45 pounds (12 kg to 20 kg) for their heavier ‘bell. Lighter is great for more technical exercises, while the heavier ‘bell is for deadlifts and, eventually, two-hand swings. For his male clients, one lighter ‘bell weighing 26.5 to 45 pounds (12 kg to 20 kg) and one heavier, about 45 to 70 pounds (20 kg to 32 kg), is usually perfect.

For brand-new kettlebell users, opting for the lighter bell in each category is the way to go. Stronger and well-trained users should go with a heavier bell. “Even my moderately strong athletes were able to use the heavier bell for explosive deadlifts and two-hand swings pretty quickly,” says Martinez.