Bowflex vs PowerBlock Dumbbells: Which to Buy?
Bowflex SelectTech vs PowerBlock adjustable dumbbells: speed, durability, weight range, recall history, warranty and what owners who've had both say.
The short answer
Buy PowerBlock if you want adjustable dumbbells that last for decades and expand to 90 lb; owners who've had both overwhelmingly prefer them. Buy Bowflex if you want the most dumbbell-like shape and the fastest dial changes, and you'll always set them down gently.
BowflexBowflex SelectTech 552 (Results Series)
About $480 list, often on sale
Check priceRead the full review
PowerBlockPowerBlock Elite USA
$469 (50 lb) · $668 (70 lb) · $867 (90 lb)
Check priceRead the full reviewBowflex vs PowerBlock at a glance
| Durability | PowerBlock Steel plates, no plastic dials; owners report 6 to 20 years of use. Bowflex 552s were recalled in 2025. |
|---|---|
| Speed of changes | Bowflex Turn two dials and lift. PowerBlock's pin is nearly as quick. |
| Weight range | PowerBlock Elite USA expands to 90 lb per hand; the Bowflex 552 stops at 52.5 lb (the 1090 goes to 90 lb). |
| Feel | Bowflex Shaped like a regular dumbbell. PowerBlocks are boxy, and expansion weights feel unbalanced on curls. |
| Warranty | Tie Bowflex gives 2 years of parts coverage on the 552 (3 on the 1090); check PowerBlock's terms for your model. |
Specs side by side
| Bowflex SelectTech 552 (Results Series) | PowerBlock Elite USA | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Dial adjustable dumbbells | Adjustable dumbbells, 5–50 lb (expands to 90) |
| Size | 16.9″ × 8.3″ × 9″ each | One small stand |
| Warranty | 2 years parts | See PowerBlock (home use only) |
| Price | About $480 list, often on sale | $469 (50 lb) · $668 (70 lb) · $867 (90 lb) |
| Best for | Fast, compact adjustable dumbbells to 52.5 lb | Heavy adjustable dumbbells that last |
Specs from manufacturer pages; prices checked October 2026.
Durability: PowerBlock wins clearly
This is the deciding factor for most people. On r/BuyItForLife, an owner who had Bowflex first sold them for PowerBlocks and says they’d recommend PowerBlock “10/10 times”. Another got two full sets used for $350 and still uses them six years later, and a 67-year-old owner says their 20-year-old PowerBlocks are as good as new. PowerBlock’s selector is a simple pin with no moving dial mechanism.
Bowflex’s dial design has more plastic and moving parts. In June 2025, about 3.8 million older 552 and 1090 sets were recalled because plates could come off the handle. The redesigned Results Series 552 uses metal parts, and owners say it fixes the problem, but neither style survives being dropped.
Speed and feel: Bowflex wins
Bowflex’s dials are the fastest change in home gym equipment, and the long, tapered shape feels like a regular dumbbell. PowerBlocks change almost as fast with a pin, but the box shape takes getting used to. Owners say the expansion weights on PowerBlock’s EXP sets feel unbalanced on curls, though they’re fine for pressing and rowing.
Weight range
The PowerBlock Elite USA starts at 50 lb per hand and expands to 70 and 90 lb with add-on kits, so you buy once and grow. The Bowflex 552 tops out at 52.5 lb; you’d need the separate 1090 (about $800) for 90 lb.
Which should you buy?
Buy PowerBlock if you lift heavy, train hard, or want them to last. Buy Bowflex if you want the most familiar feel, train moderately and treat your weights carefully. For other options, see our best adjustable dumbbells and our full Bowflex dumbbells review.
FAQ
Is PowerBlock better than Bowflex?
For most people, yes. PowerBlocks use steel plates with no dials to break, expand to 90 lb, and owners report using them for 6 to 20 years. Bowflex dumbbells are quicker to adjust and feel more like regular dumbbells, but they're more fragile and the older 552s were recalled in 2025.
Are the new Bowflex 552s safe?
The current Results Series 552 uses metal components to hold the plates, and owners who had both versions say it fixes the plates-falling-out problem behind the 2025 recall. Check the serial number on any used set against Bowflex's recall page.
Why are PowerBlocks shaped like boxes?
The weight plates nest around the handle inside a steel frame, which keeps them compact: a 90 lb PowerBlock is much shorter than a 90 lb dial dumbbell. The trade-off is a less natural feel on curls and flyes.