Paired with its companion app, JaxJox’s smart kettlebell offered me coaching smarts as well as interchangeable weights.
Men’s Fitness verdict
With on-demand content, coaching and smart tracking, JaxJox is revolutionising kettlebell workouts. These smarts have also come down in price too.- Decent top weight
- Counts reps, sets and weight
- Current prices are much more reasonable
- Bulky with a big footprint
Another space-saving selectable kettlebell that’s great if you’re tight on room, the JaxJox KettlebellConnect 2.0 works much the same as the Bowflex Selecttech 840, with a hard plastic shell that houses a set of interchangeable weight plates. But unlike most of the best kettlebells, this one also has a brain that brings your swing training to life. So it’s a kettlebell and a coach. And I need all the help I can get.
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We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Our team of reviewers includes experienced product testers, PTs, nutritionists and fitness writers – as well as the core MF team – who know exactly what sets the best products apart from the rest. These kettlebells were reviewed and rated by expert product tester Kieran Alger. Find out more about how we test.
JaxJox KettlebellConnect 2.0 features
The JaxJox KettlebellConnect 2.0 packs motion sensors inside that not only track reps, sets and power, but let you follow complete drill-by-drill workouts on your smartphone, or join on-demand coach-led classes, tracking stats as you go. You’ll have to pay a Peloton-style premium to access all of them, though. Currently that’s $24.99 per month.
It will also spit out a FitnessIQ score, which is essentially just a number that goes up the more you train. However, it’s a good way to benchmark your weekly progress and incentivize your kettlebell home workouts.
The weight options are slightly heavier than the Bowflex across the range. They shift up initially in 3kg and then 2.5kg increments and include six weights: 5.5, 8.5, 11, 13.5, 16.5 and 19kg. The automatic switching at the press of a button is a shade easier than the Bowflex, too.
JaxJox KettlebellConnect 2.0 design
Like the Bowflex, the JaxJox KettlebellConnect 2.0 is notably bulky. As a result, I felt that sometimes it was more awkward to use and doesn’t feel as natural as your regular kettlebell alternatives. That may be a trade-off worth making for the connected smarts and space-saving gains, but if you’re a beginner the heft and shape might work against you. On the plus side, the handle is wide enough for double-handed drills and offers a good non-slip grip.
The other thing to note is that the JaxJox needs power for the selection and smart training features, so you need to stow it near a plug. You will get around 14 hours of training time on a single charge, though.
| Weight range | 5.5kg-19kg (12lbs-42lbs) |
| Number of weights | 6 |
| Features | Automatic weight switching; Coaching app (subscription-based) |
How we test the best kettlebells
Our testers Kieran Alger and Leon Poultney are experienced product reviewers of all manner of fitness kit. They tested these kettlebells at various weights and through a range of exercises at high rep ranges to see how they handle. They marked each one for grip, comfort (and weight range for the adjustable options) and gave an overall score that takes build quality, performance and price into consideration.
