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Dumbbells are a great piece of equipment to have at home, not just for strength training and building muscles in your arms and shoulders, but also for full-body workouts. So, the best adjustable dumbbells should be versatile, offering a range of different weights in one package to help you further vary your workout.

Ideally, you need a variety of different dumbbell weights for different exercises and for working different muscle groups. Though heavier weights are perhaps best for packing on serious muscle, lighter weights allow for a better range of motion, and are also good for exercises such as pilates and injury rehabilitation. Plus, if you’re a beginner, you’re going to want to start light before advancing to the next weight up as you progress.

The only catch is that building a comprehensive collection of dumbbells can take up a lot of time, space and money. Adjustable dumbbells, on the other hand, can help you save on space while being cost-effective in the long run. We’ve put together a quick list of the best adjustable dumbbells available to order right now, as well as a buyer’s guide to help you make your decision.

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There are two main types of adjustable dumbbell:

The most sophisticated adjustable dumbbells work via a combination of plates that can be attached and released from the dumbbell bar using a dial or switch. They come with a stand that keeps hold of the plates that you aren’t lifting. These are known as selectorised dumbbells.

Spinlock dumbbells, on the other hand, can be adjusted by removing or adding plates which are secured onto the bar with a nut. As spinlock dumbbells are adjusted manually, they require a bit more effort and don’t have the added convenience of a weight stand. However, they are generally much cheaper than selectorised dumbbells.

Although water-filled dumbbells also technically fall into the adjustable dumbbell category, it is primarily these two types outlined above that we’ll be covering in this roundup.

On the face of it, adjustable dumbbells appear very expensive, with very few selectorised adjustable dumbbells falling below the £150 mark. While you’re sure to find regular dumbbells at a cheaper price, we’d argue that the money a good adjustable dumbbell will save you in the long run, by combining multiple weights into one, makes the steep upfront cost worthwhile.

Here’s an example to illustrate my point. The Bowflex SelectTech adjustable dumbbell featured in our roundup below costs £200, and includes 15 weight options between 2kg and 24kg. If you were to buy these separately, you could easily end up spending a lot more - not to mention the space that it would take up in your home gym.

With this in mind, adjustable dumbbells can be a great investment, but perhaps only if you’re going to commit to a dedicated weightlifting regime. If you’re just after a basic pair of dumbbells for a causal arm workout, then you should check out our best dumbbells roundup first.

READ NEXT: The very best exercise equipment to complete your home gym

Price: £200 | Buy now from Amazon

Before you wince at the idea of spending £200 on a single dumbbell, understand that you’ll be saving a great deal of money and space in the long run with this piece of kit.

Bowflex’s SelectTech dumbbell is a selectorised dumbbell, which means its weight can be adjusted simply by turning a dial when the dumbbell is resting in its base. It combines 15 weights ranging from 2kg to 24kg, so you can easily achieve a varied workout.

The 552 isn’t the only adjustable weight from Bowflex. The 1090i adjustable dumbbell, for instance, ranges between 4kg and 41kg, while the brand’s adjustable kettlebell ranges between 3.5kg and 18kg.

Key features – Main material: Metal, plastic base; Weight range: 2-24kg; Number of weight options: 15

With a dial to adjust the weights, Everlast’s adjustable dumbbell works very much in the same way as the Bowflex one above, yet at a fraction of the price. £150 will get you a dumbbell range of weights between 2.5kg and 25kg, which can be adjusted at 2.5kg increments. A heftier version of the Everlast adjustable dumbbell, with a maximum weight of 32.5kg, is available for £200, as well as a smaller 12.5kg version for £60.

Despite the (comparatively) affordable price, Sports Direct categorises the Everlast Adjustable Dumbbell as an “oversized delivery” which will cost £10.

Buy now from Sports Direct

Price: £84 | Buy now from Decathlon

If you can’t afford a selectorised dumbbell, opting for a spinlock one can be a more affordable adjustable alternative. This cast iron dumbbell set from York Fitness has a maximum weight of 20kg and comes with 12 discs of varying weights (0.5kg, 1.25kg and 2.5kg). Bear in mind that 20kg is the overall weight of both dumbbells, including the weights of the bars.

Adjusting the weights requires sliding the discs onto the bar and securing them in place with the spinlock collar. This is more of a laborious process when compared to a selectorised dumbbell, but a pair of these is significantly cheaper than a single Bowflex SelectTech dumbbell.

You can also purchase additional weight discs for the spinlock bars. Two 10kg discs, for instance, will cost you £60.

Key features – Main material: Cast iron; Weight range: 0.5-20kg; Number of weights: 12 (4 x 0.5kg, 4 x 1.25kg x 4 x 2.5kg)

Price: £70 | Buy now from Amazon

This dumbbell from Strongology has got a more limited weight range when compared to the Bowflex and Everlast dumbbells featured above, but it’s a good entry-level option for those who are unsure whether the investment into a more expensive selectorised dumbbell is worthwhile.

For less than £100, this is an easily adjustable dumbbell with weight options ranging from 2.2kg to 11kg. While it’s in its base, simply move the pin into the chosen slot and you’re good to go.

Key features – Main material: Unspecified; Weight range: 2.2-11kg; Number of weight options: 5

Price: From £24 | Buy now from Amazon

The Nice C adjustable dumbbells, sold in pairs, are much lighter than the other options in our roundup. Each dumbbell has a weight of 1kg, which can be increased by inserting small metal weight blocks.There are four blocks for each dumbbell, and adding two on either side of the dumbbell will increase its weight to a maximum of 2kg.

You’re not going to be able to achieve the same levels of strength training that you are with some of the other dumbbells featured above. However, they’re a decent lightweight option for physical therapy and toning as well as cardio workouts. And the non-slip neoprene makes them easy to grip.

Key features – Main material: Plastic, neoprene, metal weight blocks; Weight range: 1-2kg; Number of weight options: 3 (per dumbbell)

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