An innovative take on the kettlebell, I love that the flexible Kettle adds a little instability to make workouts more challenging.
Men’s Fitness verdict
The Kettle is a novel take on the kettlebell that can not only stand any impact but creates an unpredictable load to work your muscles in different ways. It takes some getting used to, though.- Shock and impact absorbing
- Good for outdoor use
- Comfortable against the skin
- Not the most comfortable grip
- Shifting weight takes some getting used to
If you’re looking for a stable, reliable workout from one of the best kettlebells, the Kettle fluid-filled kettlebell won’t be for you. This innovative take on the kettlebell is deliberately designed to make the load – and your exercises – more unpredictable. So your workouts are more challenging for mind and muscles.
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Reax Kettle features
This is the only kettlebell with a mix of fluid and steel balls inside that move with you during every drill. The constantly shifting weight of the water and those balls creates an unpredictable load that kept me on my toes, testing strength, balance and movement in ways other predictable kettlebells can’t.
It’s an easy way to enhance any strength workout and it certainly makes things more interesting. It’s particularly good if you want to incorporate throws and catches into your regime.
Reax Kettle weight range
The Reax Kettle range features nine weights from 2kg ($80.95) to 20kg ($400.95) in 2kg increments (though there’s no 18kg). They are also available in three kits (2-10kg, 8-16kg, 12-24kg). They have a soft, flexible outer that soaks up shocks and protects floors and limbs from any impact. I also found that the slightly squishy sensation meant they rested comfortably against my arms during drills.
Unlike regular kettlebells, the Reax Kettle can also be thrown, lifted and slammed to the ground – from as high as 10m – and it’s much more suitable for outdoor training. However, I did find that the slightly angular grip isn’t the comfiest and takes a bit of getting used to.
They’re also slightly bulkier than standard bells so you’ll need to take storage space into consideration. Fortunately, stubbing your toe on one of these is a much less painful experience than bashing it into a brutal cast-iron bell. However, I’d still try to avoid dropping the heavier Kettles on your toes, if you can possibly avoid it.
Reax Kettle specifications
| Weight range | 4.4lb to 44lb / 2kg to 20kg |
| Number of weights | 9 |
| Features | Soft Shock elastic exterior, steel ball and fluid interior |
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.
