Best Weight Bench

Best Weight Bench

The Best Weight Bench for Home Use

For strength training at home, your weight bench will be right at the core of your equipment. This page will compares the best weight bench options, and help you to choose the best one based on your personal needs.

Weight benches vary in type and complexity. I like to divide them into the following broad categories.

#1 Simple Weight Benches: Flat or incline benches with padding.

#2: Benches with Leg Presses: Usually straightforward incline benches, with added leg presses. There are also benches with leg holds for crunches.

#3: Weight Benches with Racks: While many people buy racks separately (see pros and cons below), you can get some quality benches with these included.

#4: Multi-Gyms: Once you start adding pull-downs, a pec dec and more, you move from simple bench into home gym territory.

Best Selling Examples of my 4 Weight Bench Categories for 2023

york weight bench

Basic Weight Bench - York Fitness

One of the best sellers, this York Fitness weight bench is sturdy, versatile and comfortable - very good feedback from current owners too.

Check Price!Read Review
dtx adjustable weight bench

Leg Extensions + More - DTX Adjustable

No more excuses to miss leg-day, this bench not only has extensions, it has a rack and 'preacher curl' option too.

Check Price!Read Review
Gorilla Sports Bench Rack

Bench / Rack Combo - Gorilla Sports

A solid bench, which folds almost flat for storage. Strong adjustable rack included, plus you get a choice of colours!

Check Price!Read Review
Best Budget Multi-Gym

Multi-Gym - VFit Herculean

The next step up from a bench with extras, the vFit Herculean is a multi-purpose gym at a reasonable price point.

Check Price!Read Review

 

Pros and Cons of the Different Types of Weight Bench

Simple Weight Benches

Simple Weight BenchAs long as you avoid the cheapest imported ‘copy’ benches, you should be able to find a solid, versatile and comfortable basic weight bench for between £40 and £70. You’ll pay a little more for the big brand names – though these are also the ones with the best feedback.

The main benefit is that if your bench wears out (should take a few years!) or you decide it is not the right one for you, then you can replace it without having to switch your entire setup. Many basic benches also fold, which becomes more difficult as you add extras.

A hidden benefit is that you can be flexible with your rack setup. If you do choose one with a built in rack, and later want to up your weight or add some extra exercises that need a different setup – then you have a lot more to replace. If you are happy with your bench, then you only need to switch the rack part.

Drawbacks include having to buy everything else separately. Depending on your needs, this might be the more expensive option.

One thing I do recommend is to buy your bench, weights and rack together – you’ll save on delivery charges (and can get someone else to wheel them right to your door!).

The best-selling basic bench is the York Fitness Weight Bench – based on the user feedback this will form a solid centre for anyone’s home gym. Check out the gallery on the dedicated amazon.co.uk product page.

Weight Benches with Leg Press Options

When you add in a leg press, quality starts to matter even more – as does how adjustable your seat is. This type of bench is not much more expensive than a basic model, and adds in some exercises you’ll normally only find in the gym. You can also find weight benches with pulley systems. These cross over with the basic multi-gyms, though this section is really to cover basic benches with one or two added extras (usually that leg press).

The benefits are that you don’t need to go to the gym on leg-day! Many people like to have this option as it is all too easy to skip on these exercises… and having them on your bench is a useful reminder. Another plus is that you only need to add £10 to £20 more on top of the price of a basic bench to get this extra functionality.

As for drawbacks – you do need to be careful to get a quality bench with this added extra. Plates are generally not included, so check out the max load and type before you buy. There is a minor factor of the leg extension parts being in the way too.

The DTX Adjustable is a best-selling item here, this includes a leg press, barbell rack and ‘preacher curls’ – as versatile as a bench can be before you start getting into the multi-gym category. Check out the dedicated product page over at amazon.co.uk now!

 

Weight Benches with Racks

Weight Bench with RackThis is the ideal mix for home strength training, a solid and comfortable bench with a built in rack for presses. This is also the most popular purchase. Some models, even have built in ‘spotting’ bars. These add a level of safety, though do mean your bench will be more difficult to fold away between uses. You can get weight benches with racks with leg presses included. These items often come with extras and features, which means the category blurs into the last one below – home multi-gyms.

Benefits are that you have an instant setup – no need to buy the items individually (you’ll still need your barbell and weights of course). Having the bench and rack together also gives you a solid base, no risk of slippage or movement between the rack and bench.

Drawbacks are that you’ll need to spend some more, especially if you step outside of the basic flat bench with a rack design. Overall the value is there, since you will not need to get the rack separately.

There are some good choices in this area – the best seller at the moment is the TecTake Weight Bench, which has the added plus of folding up neatly. Check out the impressive gallery on the dedicated amazon.co.uk product page.

Multi-Gym Weight Benches

I have covered the best home multi-gyms in a lot of detail on the linked page. These vary from impressive frames with dual positions and just about every exercise you could imagine – to what I’d refer to as ‘embellished benches’.

A popular extra is a pull-down attachment – depending on the design and pulley system you can use this in several different ways. You will find benches that have racks for presses while flat, and arm extensions when you use them in the seating position. You can get this type of item for £125+, feedback is usually ‘mixed’ at the cheaper end of the market – though for around £200 you can get a quality home gym. Make sure you check whether weight plates are included, as this makes a difference to the overall cost.

Benefits of a multi-bench are that you get a lot of potential for different workouts. Lats, legs and more can be included, depending on the specific item. This can often be a nice compromise if you do not want to go for a bigger framed multi-gym setup.

Drawbacks include the space needed, and the variable quality at the cheaper end.

One of the best-selling lower-priced models in the multi-bench category recently also comes from one of the producers respected for their quality – check out the gallery for the versatile VFit Herculean on this dedicated amazon.co.uk product page.

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Best Home Weight Bench – More Detailed Summaries of the Top Items

 

Basic Weight Bench Recommendation – The York Fitness Bench

York Incline Weight BenchIt is rare to see any strength training equipment with feedback as strong as for the York Fitness bench. This forms the centrepiece of thousands of home gyms. It is a no-nonsense bench with 5 positions (flat to sat upright), a sturdy frame, comfortable and durable padded surface and solid good looks. You’ll see how well this goes with a separate rack (the Hardcastle Rack with multi-position spotter is a common addition) from the info on the amazon.co.uk page.

There are some extras worth noting, including dumbbell storage and wheels to move it into position. The feedback that comes through loud and clear from the comments from buyers is that this bench is built to last.

Check out the impressive gallery, feedback and latest amazon.co.uk discount on the dedicated product page here.

 

Weight Bench + Leg Extensions Recommendation – The DTX Adjustable

DTX Adjustable Weight Training BenchThis bench also has a rack, it is a popular budget option which has an integrated leg press and preacher curl attachments too (pecs, only you’ll be laying flat). This is a nice solution for those who do not want to go with the full home multi-gym setup, though want to avoid any excuses for missing leg day!

Many buyers take this bench with barbell and dumbbell sets – a complete solution (delivered!) for under £150 *at the time of writing.

Feedback is a solid if unspectacular 4-stars, previous buyers of this bench generally found it quick to set up, and solid enough for regular use.

Check out the gallery covering the different exercises and the feedback from buyers on the dedicated amazon.co.uk product page here.

 

Weight Bench with Integrated Rack – The Gorilla Sports Weight Bench

Best Home Weight BenchWhat comes through again and again in the comments for the Gorilla Sports weight bench is ‘good value for money’. The quality is high, and the integrated rack is adjustable. What I liked best about this item is that it folds away – one buyer even left a picture showing it flat against the wall of his spare room. The maximum load of 200kg should be more than enough for home use.

Unusually, this model comes in a choice of colors, with black and white offered at the time of writing. You’ll get free UK delivery (always a good chance to pick up some weights when you order and have them both delivered together).

This is a solid folding weights bench with a fully-adjustable rack. Check out the gallery and read the experiences of buyers for yourself over on the dedicated amazon.co.uk product page.

 

Multi-Gyms – Taking Your Weight Bench to the Next Level

For many users, a bench – however well embellished – does not cover all of the requirements. The next step up is to consider a multi-gym. This can be a Smith Machine (with integrated safety / spotting features), or a multi-station gym with every bell and whistle you can imagine.

I have a page dedicated to comparing the different types of home multi-gym available. Below is the table from that page, which covers the main categories. You can click to see the individual reviews of each type.

Home Gym Reviews - VFit Herculean

Budget Multi-Gym Rec - vFit Herculean CUG2

Compact home gym setup with all the key options. Ideal starter gym which comes at a bargain price.

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Marcy HG5000 Multi-Gym

Mid Range Multi Gym Rec - Marcy HG5000

Not just amazing looks and Marcy quality, this unit has free floating arm levers (unique tech). A top-rated gym for your money.

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Multi station home gym

SportsTech 50 in 1 Gym

Multi-station gym created by the popular German brand SportsTech - this setup has everything you need without needing to buy separately.

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Summing Up – Which is the Overall Best Weight Bench for Home Use?

If you have got this far, then it will be clear that the answer to which is the best home weight bench depends on what type you are after.

For most users, an integrated rack (and maybe leg press), along with some flexibility in the settings fits the bill perfectly. I’ll repeat the table for the 4 main categories one more time, if you still can’t decide then I recommend you check out the list of best sellers (many of which have discounts) on this page at amazon.co.uk

york weight bench

Basic Weight Bench - York Fitness

One of the best sellers, this York Fitness weight bench is sturdy, versatile and comfortable - very good feedback from current owners too.

Check Price!Read Review
dtx adjustable weight bench

Leg Extensions + More - DTX Adjustable

No more excuses to miss leg-day, this bench not only has extensions, it has a rack and 'preacher curl' option too.

Check Price!Read Review
Gorilla Sports Bench Rack

Bench / Rack Combo - Gorilla Sports

A solid bench, which folds almost flat for storage. Strong adjustable rack included, plus you get a choice of colours!

Check Price!Read Review
Best Budget Multi-Gym

Multi-Gym - VFit Herculean

The next step up from a bench with extras, the vFit Herculean is a multi-purpose gym at a reasonable price point.

Check Price!Read Review

 

More Popular Comparison Pages: