Yes, the price is high...for my little garage gym though this was what I needed. I did look at other products (bowflex, powerblock, cheap adjustable) and ended up going with this for the following: 1. Durability - from other reviews, this product will seem to last. From my use so far I would agree. The screw and lock feature does work great but I did notice a little bit of wobble in one side of one of the dumbbells. I make sure to check that the lock and screw are tight, just a cautious thing to do. 2. Weight capability - this was one of the main reasons I got this, I can put up to 120 lb (with additional kit, which I bought) on these guys. Most other alternatives I did not have that option. Needed the higher weight for bench press, shrugs, etc. 3. Function/shape - this was the main reason I chose this over the power block and I'm glad I did. These adjustable dumbbells feel like regular dumbells. I can work out and not feel like I have blocks on my hands.
Downside - not as quick to adjust weights as bowflex and powerblock...but with planning you can have these ready to go by adjusting the type of workout you do before doing dumbbell. Also, I do not drop my dumbbells from high as I spent a lot on them; however I noticed that when I set them down (technically dropped from less than 1 foot) on one of the corners, the plates seemed to deform a bit. When I 'dropped' them it was on a stall mat too, so not sure why the corners the deformed...kinda sucks because the plate does not sit totally flat not against the other plates.
I did not buy the stand as it did not seem to have sufficient space to adjust the plates. I ended buying the kit to increase the weight capacity and also bought the kettle bell. I just use the plates and screw from this with the kettle bell.
Overall I'm glad with this purchase and would recommend this.
Super solid weights. They're not as easy to adjust as some of the alternatives, but it doesn't make a lot of difference for a strength training routine. If you are planning on changing weights mid-routine a lot, you might look elsewhere but if not these are the perfect home gym weights. There's still a lot of flexibility and they are pretty quick to setup, just not as fast as some fully adjustable weights. Much nicer than having racks of weights if you have a small home fitness space.
The bars and the weights themselves were wonderfully packaged. Boxes looked like Fedex tried their best to destroy them en-route but you couldn't tell once you unboxed everything.
The weights feel solid and the bars with their mechanisms really lock in once you get everything on there. They stack pretty easily and take up a small amount of space. If you have foam mats or something, I wouldn't worry too much about the stands.
Only problem I have with the units is getting the weights on the bars. The mechanism for locking isn't super obvious when looking from the sides and I've managed to accidentally unlock the other side somehow while trying to get the second side locked in. I'll update later when I've had more experience with the system and see if practice makes use easier.
I'd really like to give it 4.5 stars if I could. The major reason I wanted a modular system was to switch weights during the routine and that delay really takes you out of it. That aside, it definitely feels like it will hold up longer than any other modular system (I've used the bowflex model and demoed a few of the others) and is worth the bump in price.
I bought these on another reviewer's recommendation from a different set of adjustable dumbbells. Zero regrets, these things are amazing! Weights are tight with no clinking or movement whatsoever. Every piece is perfectly weighted to scale the weights up from 5lbs to 45lbs in 5lb increments (2.5lb if you buy the separate micro plates). It wasn't until I was working my way down in weight during exhaustion that I realized how brilliant the design is. If you are looking for a set of adjustable dumbbells, look no further!
It should be noted that Ironmaster has a whole slew of attachments for their Quick Lock weights including bars and a kettlebell. The weights can also be used with their bench accessories.
I've been using some Iron Bull Strength fat grips with these dumbbells and they fit well.
I don't have room for a bench right now, but I've found that an AmazonBasics large foam roller works well for me as a stand-in. It allows just enough drop to do bench presses and flies, and takes up virtually no room in the corner.
I did my research(youtube reviews) and also tried out the Powerblocks and Bowflex adjustable dumbbells at a local sports store. Even though I couldn't try out the Ironmasters before purchasing them I am glad I went with them. I agree these are not quick enough to do drop sets with. I haven't had much practice with them(couple weeks) and it takes me about 25-30 seconds to change both dumbbells to a different weight, but that is fast enough for me between exercises since I am OK with a 30 second rest period. I have had the traditional screw on type adjustable before and they always came loose very quickly. I have not had these come loose on me once, same as many other people have stated. If they did begin to rattle they won't fall apart unless the threads line up with the slot(think of a skeleton key). I can tell these will last forever, which I doubted with the Powerblocks and Bowflex dumbbells which had a cheap feel to them. Buy these if you care more about quality and less about speed. If you want speed I would recommend buying a set of multiple dumbbells, although pricier. Those would be worth your money versus going with Powerblocks or Bowflex dumbbells.
I bought the quick-lock kettlebells and the dumbbells, and so far I love them. 1 -They are sturdy. When I was looking for adjustable weights for my home gym the more common Bowflex style sets had a lot of reviews complaining about clips breaking (the ones I tried at Dick's were broken) and the weights shifted slightly when using them. These feel as well constructed as the traditional dumbbells at the gym and there is NO unsettling weight shifting when using them. 2 - They are the right size! Any of the other adjustable weights I tried were bigger and bulkier than what I am used to using, and that threw my game off. These are the same size as the traditional sets used in gyms, which is great for keeping my form and range of motion on point. 3 - They take up very little space, and look awesome! My dumbbell and kettlebell sets take up about a 2X3 ft area and look sharp doing it! They probably are slower for adjusting the weight, but not by much when you get used to them. For me, I could care less about the slight loss of speed when I lift my sturdy, solid, traditional size weights! I LOVE them.
These weights are a must buy if you're looking for quickly adjustable weights that will last. Compared to other adjustable dumbbell systems, these do take a bit more time to add or remove plates, but the durability is well worth it.
I had adjustable dial weights from another company that wore out, causing the plates to fall off the handle during my workout. Luckily there is only a dent in the floor and not in my head. I am happy to now own the Ironmaster Quick-Lock system, and no longer have to worry about damage from falling plates.
This is the real thing! Small, compact and very solid! This is all metal unlike the competition. May take a few more moments to put on the right weights, but the system is fast and very well engineered!
Was looking at the Stairmaster Twistlock and the Boflex, but both were made with plastic and were not upgradable! Seems like the only solution for someone who wants a very solid upgradable weights that can be changed without taking a huge amount of space!
I purchased these dumbbells based on Ironmasters reputation for building quality gym equipment and these are certainly a fine example of that quality. The nicely knurled handles are fully welded to the square side plates which are made of stamped 3/16” steel. The screw in locking pins are machined from one piece of steel making them very burly for the application. The assortment of 5lbs and 2.5lbs weight are great quality cast iron with crisp lettering and nice matte black powder coating. These dumbbells may seem expensive but you are paying for quality and when you compare the price to buying a full set of 5lbs to 45lbs rubberized dumbbells your saving a substantial amount of money not to mention the space savings.