A pair of 15-in-1, 24kg adjustable dumbbells for less than £200? These Braingain bells delivered much more than I expected.
I’ve been looking for a pair of the best adjustable dumbbells to replace my tired set of 4kg, 8kg, 12kg, 16kg and 20kg bells for some time. I’ve tested a number of sets which have varied considerably in price and quality. Doing so has really underlined the maxim that holds true for so much fitness kit: you get what you pay for.
So when I had the opportunity to test a sub-£200 pair of adjustable dumbbells from relatively little known fitness company Braingain, my expectations were tempered, to say the least. But opening the promptly delivered, well packaged boxes raised an eyebrow. And by the time I’d scanned the instruction manual QR code and claimed my 30-day free trail to fitness app FIIT, I was well and truly reappraising my early judgement.
Men’s Fitness verdict
If you’re happy with the 24kg top end, you’ll love these great value, easy-to-use dumbbells.- Extremely good value
- Quick and easy weight selection
- Comfortable knurled handles
- A little rattly
- 24kg top end may be too light for some
All that was before I’d even taken them in my hands. Initially I instinctively reached for both bells simultaneously. (You can tell I tend to use fixed dumbbells.) I stopped myself, thinking I’d need my left hand to adjust the weight in my right. But with a light twist of my right – then left – wrist, both selecting mechanisms turned single-handedly. The smooth operation is a pleasure to use. With a flick of the wrist you can go from the lightest weight – 2.5kg (just the bell with no plates) – to the full 24kg in 14 clockwise rotations. You can also go counterclockwise, going from minimum to maximum in one quick flick of the wrist, though I’m not sure how useful that will be.
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So each dumbbell has a handle unit that weights 2.5kg, with five weight plates on each end that can be picked up depending on the weight you select. There’s a 1.25kg plate on each end, a 2.5kg and 5kg plate and two 7.5kg plates. Removing the bells from the included tray and returning them is easy – they simply slot back in. Some adjustable dumbbells I’ve tried you spend half your workout trying to align the plates with the slots they’ve left behind. Not so with the Braingain 24kg adjustable dumbbells.
Braingain 24kg adjustable dumbbells in use
Now aesthetic design is one thing – and these Braingain bells certainly pass the eye test. But using them in anger can sometimes be a different thing altogether. Often weight imbalance across the unit can make them cumbersome to wield, and again Braingain gets this spot on.
Going through a range of exercises – I put them to proper use during my full-body dumbbell workout and targeted specific muscle groups with a dumbbell shoulder workout, dumbbell leg workout or dumbbell chest and core workout – I realised three things. Firstly, 24kg isn’t quite enough to satisfy some of my leg-based workout requirements. Secondly, it’s so easy to change weights on these dumbbells without interrupting the flow of your workout. And thirdly – and this is an important one – a decent grip is worth its weight in gold, and Braingain scores another win here too.
Braingain 24kg adjustable dumbbell verdict
And that is the key thing for me. Yes, there is a bit of rattling between the plates, and yes, sometimes that extra length over a regular dumbbell will cause unwanted contact (particularly the pecs). But performing drop sets with these dumbbells is a breeze (well, as much as drop sets ever can be).
Overall quality is pretty good (though I would probably try not to drop them too heavily onto hard floors. There’s a handy two-year warranty, lots of workout inspiration on the FIIT app and at 39 x 20 x 23cm they are one of the most compact adjustable dumbbell options around.
| Specifications | Braingain 24kg adjustable dumbbells |
|---|---|
| Weight range | 2.5kg to 24kg |
| Increments | 15 |
| Dimensions | 39 x 20 x 23cm |
How I tested the best adjustable dumbbells
I put each of these adjustable dumbbells – including the Primal Strength Personal Series 34kg dumbbells – to the test over at least a month, incorporating a pair of each dumbbell into my fitness routine to find out if they live up to the brand’s claims. I assessed their performance, features and design, testing it throughout its weight range and through a range of dumbbell exercises at high rep ranges to see how it handles. I also assessed them in terms of grip, comfort and weight range. I then provided an overall score, taking build quality, performance and price into consideration.
