When I started at T3 over six years ago, I clearly remember the first brand I was told to keep an eye out for was Bowflex. In pre-pandemic times, the brand was the go-to home gym equipment brand, best known for its adjustable dumbbells, which used a clever rotating dial system to switch weights between sets and drastically cut down on space.
Sadly, like many other companies, Nautilus Inc., owner of Bowflex, went under due to various reasons. Thankfully, Johnson Health Tech (JHT) decided not just to keep the brand alive, but to help re-establish Bowflex as a reliable option for anyone wanting to work out at home.
And, very rightly so, JHT started with revamping the legendary Bowflex adjustable weight line, which includes the Bowflex 552i, admittedly one of the best dumbbells of its time. The 552i has a weight range of 5 lb (~2kg)up to 52.5 lb (~24 kg), and offers the same easy-to-understand weight-changing mechanism as the original.
A legend reborn
What’s changed are the materials and the build quality, making the dumbbells a lot more reliable than they used to be. The Bowflex 552i is still made of a combination of steel, nylon, ABS and thermoplastic rubber, but is less prone to dropping plates than before. Of course, as with all adjustable dumbbells, I’d advise against throwing them around.
Changing weights is as easy as rotating the caps at the end to the desired setting. A quirky feature of Bowflex dumbbells is that they come with two dials on each end. Although it’s possible to leave them on different settings, the company says you should set both to the same weight setting.
This slows down the changeover slightly, but not to a level where it would be cumbersome to swap settings mid-workout. The dials move freely, and thanks to the many intermediate settings, the Bowflex 552i effectively replaces several individual dumbbells, which is amazing for those who, like me, have limited space at home for their workouts.
It must be said that, unlike adjustable dumbbells such as the Core Fitness Adjustable Dumbbell, the Bowflex 552i is quite large even when there aren't any plates attached to the handle, which makes it somewhat awkward to handle, especially for people with shorter arms and smaller hands.
Even for me, and I’m 6’1”, the dumbbells felt slightly in the way during certain exercises, such as overhead press and skullcrushers.
Handle with care
The cradle/ storage tray the dumbbells sit in is also too plasticy for my taste, although I have had no issues with it breaking so far. It holds the plates a bit loose, though, which makes it tricky sometimes to lower the dumbbell into position.
Again, I had no issues with plates breaking the cradle yet, but it must be said that I generally look after my weights – a more ham-fisted approach might result in problems sooner. And without the cradle, you can’t change the weights, as far as I’m concerned.
The Bowflex 552i’s workout performance is excellent. I never felt in danger of plates falling on me during bench presses. You need to be able to trust your adjustable dumbbells to have an efficient workout experience. If you’re constantly worried about plates dislodging themselves, it will hinder your progress.
Worth the weight
I fully trust the Bowflex 552i, as it’s yet to give me any reason not to do so. The handle feels good in the hand, and despite its bulk, it feels nimble for most types of workouts. I wish you could switch the weights on both sides with just one dial, but what can you do? Maybe the Bowflex 552i v2 will offer this functionality.
As for price, the Bowflex 552i offers solid value at $429/£399 for the pair, especially considering it replaces 15 individual dumbbells. Just like in the case of any adjustable dumbbells, it’s a higher upfront payment, but splashing the cash at the beginning of your fitness journey will prevent you from having to spend a lot more later on.
Is the Bowflex 552i an essential home gym buy? It’s an excellent option for those who are short on space, need a pair of reliable dumbbells and have longer arms/ larger hands. I’d like to see Johnson Health Tech invest in R&D, so the next iteration of the dumbbells can shine as bright as the original did when it came out, though.
