Find out what to look out for in a dumbbell rack and if you really need one here
Should you buy a dumbbell rack? A good one can be an invaluable addition to any home gym. But not everybody needs one — or at least, not the one that you thought. Read on for more information about dumbbell racks, including what to look out for in a decent model.
Advantages of a dumbbell rack
Let’s start with some obvious reasons why people love dumbbell racks:
-
Organisation — with a rack you can keep your dumbbells in the order you want them, making it easier and quicker to workout and find the weights you need.
-
Storage — dumbbell racks are a great way to neatly store away your dumbbells (rather than having them scattered about on the floor). This also reduces the risk of somebody tripping over your dumbbells.
- They look good — a dumbbell rack can add a “professional” appearance to your home gym, giving you inspiration and showing others that you mean business.
That’s pretty much it. And although that might not sound like a lot, a dumbbell rack can make an unbelievable difference in productivity and motivation when it comes to working out.
Disadvantages of a dumbbell rack
There pretty much are no disadvantages to having a dumbbell rack. Some people might argue that there are disadvantages to using dumbbells per se (for example, if you’re over reliant on them for doing certain types of exercises).
But if you love and use a lot of dumbbells in your exercises, there really isn’t a disadvantage to having a dumbbell rack.
Some people will be quick to point out that dumbbell racks can be pricey. While that can be true in some instances, that is hardly a disadvantage of the dumbbell rack itself.
What to look out for in a dumbbell rack
The dumbbell rack you choose should depend on the following factors:
-
How many dumbbells you think you’ll need or use for workouts.
-
The total weight range of those dumbbells and if the barbell rack will be able to hold your dumbbells. (Note: this shouldn’t be a problem if you’re buying the dumbbells along with the rack as a package.)
- The amount of free space you have available in your home gym.
- The design of the rack.
Let’s deal with them all separately.
Dumbbell racks based on how many dumbbells you’ll need.
You can buy dumbbell racks with various levels (or tiers). The more tiers your rack has, the more room there is for dumbbells.
Here is a 3-tier dumbbell rack (left) and a 2-tier dumbbell rack (right) that we sell here at Exersci.
 |
 |
In this case, the 2-tier rack is both narrower and has one fewer tier, meaning it can’t hold anywhere near enough dumbbells. But it can still hold a good weight range (5kg-20kg). Some people will find this does the job nicely for them.
The 3-tier dumbbell rack holds a lot more dumbbells and has a weight range from 2.5kg-30 kg, making it one of the most comprehensive dumbbell racks in terms of options. This will open up a lot more opportunities for people who like to incorporate dumbbells into lots of different exercises, or who are perhaps sharing the rack with different members of the household with different strength levels.
Dumbbell racks by weight range.
Most dumbbell racks have a pretty good scope, starting with relatively light and ending with fairly heavy weights on them.
As you’ve just seen, even our smaller tier rack has a range of 5kg-20kg. While there is a noticeable difference with our 2.5kg-30 kg bundle, you should be able to get along just fine with a smaller rack depending on the workouts and exercises that you do.
The same goes for triangular racks. There are lots of triangular racks that focus on the lighter end of the weight spectrum. But you can still purchase a triangular rack with a pretty good weight range, such as 5-20kg.
—
Keep in mind
If you are buying a dumbbell rack on its own, without the dumbbells to go with it, then it’s important to make sure the system is capable of holding them all. You could risk a serious injury if you do not research this beforehand.
—
Small-space friendly dumbbell racks.
Small ‘triangular’ (or ‘A-frame’) racks are taller not wider, making them suitable for storing dumbbells in areas where space is limited. They’re good because they’re easy to move around and you can fit a modest number of dumbbells in them.
One potential downside is they have a lower weight capacity when compared to racks (though this isn’t always the case).
But, depending on the training you want to do, a wide “range” of light weights might do the job nicely.
 |
 |
As you can see from these two triangular racks, one of them has a weight range that reaches up to 20kg. The other one has 10 pairs of dumbbells that range from 1-10kg in 1 kg increments.
Well designed dumbbell racks.
If you’re shopping for a dumbbell rack, you’ll want to check for the following signatures of a good design:
- It has a welded, heavy-gauge steel frame.
- It has rubber or smoothed edges.
- It has an ergonomic design.
You’ll want your rack to have all of those features to keep it safe, stable and durable. The rubber/soft edges will help to minimise sharp points that could prevent you (or someone else) from injury — believe us, you don’t want to know the pain of stubbing a toe on a sharp rack.
You might also be thinking about if the racks are horizontal (flat) or slightly angled towards you. There’s no real right or wrong here.
Horizontal racks tend to be able to hold a little more weight as they are more structurally secure. But angled racks are a bit easy to grab hold of and make workouts that little bit easier. Personally, we prefer the slightly-angled racks ourselves.
Do you need a rack for dumbbells?
A dumbbell rack is a great solution if you have lots of dumbbells, or are looking to buy more. You can keep them organised, free up clutter, and make your gym environment a bit safer. A dumbbell rack will even make your workout sessions more productive, as you can see quicker and easier which weight is where.
But if you only tend to use one or a couple of pairs of dumbbells, you probably don’t need one. But even then, for organisational purposes, you can buy mini-dumbbell racks that hold even just a couple of pairs.
It’s really up to you, and what you feel will make your gym safer and more comfortable to work out in.
Check out our dumbbell racks and dumbbell sets at Exersci.
We sell a mixture of multi-tiered racks and triangular racks that cover a wide range of weights, suitable for all home and commercial gyms.
Got a question about dumbbell racks or can’t find what you’re looking for? Then please contact us today — we’ll be happy to help.