POWERBLOCK Adjustable Dumbbell - Black

I bought the PowerBlock EXP Stage 1 Adjustable Dumbbell Set back in 2020, right when gyms shut down during COVID, and I can confidently say it was one of the best purchases I made that year. It gave me a way to keep training at home without sacrificing space, and even now, years later, I still use them regularly. They’ve held up incredibly well.Functionally, these dumbbells are everything I hoped for. The weight adjustment system is simple, quick, and intuitive. You just slide the selector pin into the slot for the weight you want, and you’re good to go. The increments are practical for progressive overload, and for anyone doing home workouts, it beats having a full rack of separate dumbbells. I started with Stage 1 (5–50 lbs per hand), and it’s been more than enough for a wide variety of exercises—presses, rows, curls, lunges, you name it.Durability is another big plus. I’ve had these for over four years now, and they still function like they did on day one. The plates haven’t bent or chipped, the selector pins still slide in smoothly, and there’s been no noticeable wear beyond a few surface scuffs. I’ve used them multiple times a week and haven’t babied them either—they’ve taken their fair share of drops and rough handling without any issues.What surprised me the most is how ergonomic they feel once you get used to the shape. The design is different from a traditional dumbbell, but it doesn’t take long to adjust. The handle is comfortable, the balance is solid, and the compact footprint makes a big difference in tight workout spaces. I was originally concerned that the square shape might feel awkward, but in practice, it’s never been a problem.From a space-saving perspective, these are unbeatable. If you live in an apartment, have a small home gym, or just don’t want a bunch of loose weights lying around, the PowerBlocks are a no-brainer. I also appreciate that you can expand them later if you want to go beyond 50 lbs—they’re designed to grow with your needs.All in all, this was a perfect pandemic purchase that’s stood the test of time. If you're serious about building a home gym and want something compact, versatile, and durable, I’d highly recommend the PowerBlock EXPs. They’re an investment, but absolutely worth it.

I purchased this powerblock set primarily because of the cost savings over individual dumbbells and also the space savings. Let me say I’m glad I did, because after a couple months of use they haven’t disappointed in performance. I do have a couple of mentionable flaws that should be noted.To start, I ordered these and the available expansion packs. They did come in separate boxes as other reviewers noted, but all packages arrived on the same day. I took the liberty of contacting Amazon beforehand and informed them of the issues other buyers had (only receiving one single powerblock, for example). I requested they confirm there would actually be two powerblocks shipped with two tracking numbers. Amazon assured me both items would be shipped. Better yet, when they arrived on my doorstep, Amazon sent me an email containing a photo of both boxes on my front porch. Very pleased with their efforts in this respect.On arrival, the boxes for the powerblocks were pretty thrashed but still intact. This is due the weight of the blocks likely coupled with rough handling, but there is dense styrofoam surrounding the blocks so they were totally protected. I ordered the folding stand to go with the powerblocks as well. A stand at an appropriate height is is important for powerblocks IMO because it makes useability so much easier.Switching between weight is easy, just pull the plastic “U” pin and place at the desired weight. The plastic pin is durable enough but I do notice it’s flexible enough that it can be inserted crocked if not paying attention. Fortunately the plastic pin quickly retains its original shape it you insert it correctly. Also, ensuring the blocks are on very stable support is critical because the pin will not lock in place appropriately if the blocks are on a soft surface (a weight bench definitely is too soft, and even my rubber gym flooring is too soft). Another reason a stand is really convenient.Switching between 2.5 and 5lb increments is really easy by flipping the lever on the base of then kick and removing the weight inserts. There is a protective red rubber nub and goes on top of each lever, and they will annoyingly come off when you flip the lever over. For now I will hunt them down and put them back on, but I feel like over time I’ll get lazy and just leave them off. The finish in the metal at the end of the lever is kind of rough, and you could potentially scrape your hand on it, so I see why they put the protective rubber nub on. Maybe a tighter fitting nub would fix this issue.The grip on the powerblocks is awesome. I love the tapered shape, and the material provides excellent retention in the hand. Some users mention their knuckles contact the inside of the powerblock. Mine do too, however if you are thoughtful about your grip placement it actually feels like an asset; the powerblock actually feels like an extension of your limb on, say, shoulder presses and bicep curls. This feeling is different than traditional dumbbells and it does take a little getting used to, but I’ve grown to appreciate it. For reference on my hand size I’m a 5’11 adult male, I can almost palm a basketball but not quite. This is pretty average so if you have hands on the larger size then your knuckles will contact the inside of the powerblock that much more.The ability to change between 2.5lb and 5lb increments is a great feature. It allows me to get that much more out of my workout by keeping the volume high. I’d never pay for individual dumbbells, especially theses in between increments, and jumping up in 10lb increments often means sacrificing in terms of the number of reps. The ability to go up in smaller increments has translated into better gains. When taking out the weight inserts I keep my hand over one of the inserts while allowing the other to slide out. You can let both inserts out at the same time but trapping them in your hand simultaneously can be awkward. The folding stand I purchase has 4 small slots that I assumed were designed to hold each weight insert when not in use, another valuable aspect of the stand.The paint on the powerblocks has proven durable so far. When setting the blocks back down into the weights, the sides contact and shear past each other however the paint is durable enough to hold up to this. I do not drop the powerblocks under any circumstances, so the paint hasn’t been tested in that respect. As a side note: the owners manual states you can actually drop them if within a specified height and not void the warranty.Expanding on the cosmetic durability of these powerblocks, there are sticker labels on the blocks that have numbers and add to the cosmetic appeal of the product. On one of my blocks the stickers arrived with the stickers already peeling off. It also has bubbles underneath so that when you go to press down on the label it makes a “crackling” sound but won’t stick because the adhesive is lacking. I usually could care less about something like this, but the stickers actually help serve as a visual cue for which way the blocks are oriented and how they should be placed back into the stack. And with the sticker price these powerblocks command, the damn stickers should stay put. Pun intended.When in use, the powerblocks feel solid, even with heavier weights. There is a noticeable “clicking” that can be heard due to the weights shifting slightly during used. This doesn’t really bother me because I wear headphones working out and I am confident in the security of the “U” shaped pin. If you are closely playing attention you can feel the weights rattling a little, but the powerblock always feels like a solid unit. I also like how broad and flat the sides of the powerblocks are because it makes it comfortable to use your legs to raise the weights as you lean back for, say, chest presses. It also makes it a lot more comfortable to rest the blocks on your legs between sets.In all I am extremely pleased with this purchase, and I saved a ton of money and space over traditional dumbbells. I wish powerblock made extensions for this model beyond 90lbs because I’d be a buyer.