Bowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbells, Honest Review: Should You Buy Them? Worth the Money?

In this video I review the Bowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbells. I've actually had these for over 5 years now, but it's only been this year where I've been able to use them extensively because of quarantine. I didn't have a gym for over 6 months and had to rely on these dumbbells for my workouts.
0:00 Overview
0:29 The Pros
2:51 The Cons
6:10 Would I Recommend Them?
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You can also follow me on Instagram! @melvin.cayas

[@jennifercolbert6581]

First day impressions:It arrived in a waist high box. kzbin.infoUgkxP26Tir6n60vUkdtn4mbwhRO8cwuJQNy2 Each dumbbell was in its own foam box within the shipping box. Everything was secure and in good shape. No weird smells. The weight changing mechanism is really smooth and straight forward. Changing weight is really fast and easy. Though the handle is plastic, I don't think it will be breaking anytime soon. So far pretty impressed after my first session with them. I was afraid they were going to be too wide at first, but I didn't have any issues with them while doing upright rows.

[@adop01gamer]

Solid review man. Easily one of the best videos on adjustable dumbbells. Just subscribed well done

[@melvin-fitnessproductrevie7082]

I appreciate the support, thank you!

[@ernestsloan5071]

THIS IS WHAT A REVIEW SHOULD LOOK LIKE.. Kudos bro. You might have pushed me in this direction.

[@Kamdorian]

great review , covered all the questions I had about the dumbbells..keep up the good work!

[@melvin-fitnessproductrevie7082]

I appreciate that, thanks!

[@marvinmccray3585]

One of the best reviews I’ve ever seen! Keep up the great work!

[@haroldsogard9813]

Fantastic review - very thorough, very honest, and very efficient. Really useful - thanks for doing this!

[@zo4712]

I've had a pair of 552s for a few years now. Love 'em. I agree they are bulky and limiting. No issues with the grip as I wear gloves. As was mentioned, treat them gently as the mechanisms will fail if dropped or abused. They are not intended to support body weight. Still got an eye on the 1090s, but agree with your recommendation to consider adding resistance bands...I just can't justify the $700 tag...maybe I can find a pre-owned pair.

[@hcabilao]

Wow! One of the best reviews (not just in fitness) I've ever seen. Straight to the point but also engaging!

[@melvin-fitnessproductrevie7082]

I appreciate that, thanks!

[@DarkBlueNutrition]

Great review! Definitely considering adding these to my collection. I was worried about how difficult it would be to switch them out, but it doesn't look bad at all!

[@nautikient2151]

178 subs only? This content is a 500k - 1mil KZbinr sub material💪🏽

[@strobey]

Great review, very honest and non biased explaining both the pros and cons and very informative

[@5thman677]

Really good review, we got both sides of Melvin's like & dislikes, he is well spoken from a position of experience, along with some good workout suggestions. I'm gonna check out more of your videos.

[@GustavoGarcia1]

I just got these dumbbells and I love them - 52.5 lbs is just fine for me. I'm not very concerned about gaining muscles. I just want to do a little workout! That's all

[@AJ-sb8qk]

Great review extremely thorough you did a good job man

[@melvin-fitnessproductrevie7082]

Thanks bro!

[@Leviathan009]

It is good to invest in this equipment because you save money and space. If you buy a the bowflex 1090 there's the risk of dropping a 90 pound dumbbell and all we know that this kind of equipment cannot be dropped as a regular hex dumbbell. Buy the 552 and add some additional hex dumbells and still you're saving space.

[@melvin-fitnessproductrevie7082]

That’s a pretty good idea

[@dammitjim9131]

Am thinking about getting these. Great review! You covered pretty much all the points I needed to know. Thanks!!

[@melvin-fitnessproductrevie7082]

Glad I can help!

[@mdmohitulhaque8648]

@@melvin-fitnessproductrevie7082 total baichung

[@welovevr-vrgamereviewsgami360]

Awesome review melvin !

[@CarlyJae]

Just ordered these, thank you for the info!

[@adiramesh3408]

im planning on buying them and working out over the summer, thanks for the review :)

[@grahamfinlayson18]

What a lovely chap. Thanks Melvin. Great channel. It’s great what you can do with a pair of dbs and a bench at home.

[@Toogoodtobetrue458]

I’ve had the 552 for over 10 years used daily- best thing ever. Space saver just don’t drop them.

[@DigitalQuackVT]

Solid channel! thanks for the great review!

[@josephkendall9793]

One of best reviews I’ve seen

[@marne141]

Great review . Thanks 💪🏼

[@TheLillianYoung]

I got a used pair with a stand for $150. They’re very worn but for that price, it’s fine. I’m also a woman with a pinched nerve so I like the smaller increments. I actually saw the 1090s for sale for about $170 and passed them up because they didn’t have the smaller increments.

[@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC]

Heya Melvin, some friendly unsolicited advice: don't use them for bodyweight exercises as you can be seen doing at 2:00 in the video. You'll cause premature failure of the weight plate tabs and/or retainer discs. Neither of those are made to support the forces of bodyweight.

[@melvin-fitnessproductrevie7082]

Thanks for the tip, that’s something to keep in mind. Thankfully they haven’t broken

[@rfrancoi]

Great honest review. Thank you Sir.

[@andywhittaker8229]

Thanks for your wonderful review. I miss the gym but I'm seriously considering their equipment for a basement home gym. Cheers!

[@natas-6747]

Frickin' great review man!

[@melaniep9143]

Thank you for the honest reviews. Helpful to me.

[@nosvibes9786]

This is high quality content, hope you get all the subscribers you deserve

[@hunterslaptop6483]

Just got them for Christmas. Great review!

[@dboyd4317]

Great review; I have been debating on whether to get these or the Nordic Track ones; you have helped me decide on the Bowflex. Thanks!

[@melvin-fitnessproductrevie7082]

Glad it helped!

[@percy9228]

how have they been?

[@frederikmare9002]

Great review thanks! You won yourself a new subscriber! I am most definitely going to invest in a set, but I am going for the 90 pound set! Even though they are larger than conventional dumbbells, the size will not really bother me!... Even when doing dumbbell curls, since I rotate the dumbbells while performing the exercise (I do that even with conventional dumbbells) 👍👍👍

[@melvin-fitnessproductrevie7082]

Awesome, the 90 pound set will do you well

[@FluteHypnosia]

Thanks for the honest review. 🙏🏽

[@melvin-fitnessproductrevie7082]

Thanks for watching!

[@spryngdigital]

Thanks man. I haven’t checked but you must have a home workout video with these dumbbells. Great job

[@elizabethsia3367]

Great video! Been thinking about getting these or not

[@steveburdex6104]

Good video bro! I love my bowflex selecttech dumbbells.

[@melvin-fitnessproductrevie7082]

I appreciate that, bro! Cheers!

[@Niko-nf6yt]

Thanks for the review man! :)

[@jamestonbellajo]

Great review. Been debating between these and the PowerBlock. This was very helpful. Also, you remind me of Mookie Betts on the Dodgers/Red Sox.

[@melvin-fitnessproductrevie7082]

Thanks! Haha, I’ve gotten that comparison quite a bunch of times

[@percy9228]

what did you end up getting?

[@milesdavvis4498]

Great review man!

[@colinspeake..8889]

Thank you for the vlog MUCH APPRECIATED 👍

[@MYFAtal13]

Great review bro. Just ordered the pair.

[@zachhooker]

Hey mate, great review. Getting a second hand pair tomorrow. Just wondering what gloves you're wearing?

[@wongpantai9710]

Like you said, once you lift heavier and surpass the bowflex capacity, you have to buy a whole new product. In the other hand, if you buy traditional dumbell plate, you could custom them to your desired weight, and use them with barbell stick for alot more various type of workouts and they cost way cheaper.

[@vincerodriguez7762]

Thanks bro. Just ordered the 552's, Bench and stand...Nice review...

[@Sharpshooter99100]

Good review man, thanks for this. I purchased a pair after seeing your vid. The product is absolutely great! :) Mine are'nt Bowflex but an identical product.

[@dexedr1ne]

Hey, good video, thanks! Looking good, quarantine has had some benefits for people who have actually used it to work out like yourself

[@himanshuvarmandle7827]

Your opinion is so much valuable Thanks

[@MetalArcade]

I’ve had mine since 2013 and they still work great. Can’t live without em

[@melvin-fitnessproductrevie7082]

They’ve definitely stood the test of time

[@heathryan100]

Loved the review. Question: ever use them to do a sort of cardio/HIIT routine with the dumbbells?

[@melvin-fitnessproductrevie7082]

I don’t do much cardio/HIIT type of workouts, but I think they’d be great for it with the changing of weights

[@hoonyeershe]

Excellent review subscribed

[@dentist1812]

Can we use two different weight on one rod ? For eg. two kg plate and three kg plate on both ends of one rod

[@poordecisionmaker3587]

great review man

[@ellabakfitness2347]

Thanks for this video! i am planning to get them

[@sagebeckett994]

Great video. Very helpful.

[@MrBankFu]

Thanks for the info

[@melvin-fitnessproductrevie7082]

I'm glad it helped!

[@astwas]

There appear to be many adjustable dumbbells that look exactly like bowflex but under different brand, I'm assuming they really are exactly the same including quality too. Because I was worried about doing dips/pullups with the weight attached to the belt because I thought that it might damage them

[@YoutubeShortsIsACesspool]

100% love the review.

[@zeperoth07]

Great review!

[@jrm8970]

Good review - thanks

[@rommelcano9367]

Thanks bro great review

[@johannareichel2022]

Great video. I just bought the bowflex DB since the gym is closed again.. I compete in powerlifting so i will try to do the best I can with 52lb but with some resistance band is a good idea.. thanks!!!

[@galaxytraveler5779]

The handle and size is a deal breaker for me.. just going to have to make space for hex dumbbells. Thanks for the review!

[@heymanhaha]

You got potential to be a great youtuber!

[@melvin-fitnessproductrevie7082]

I appreciate the support, thanks a bunch!

[@PoisNpiLLz]

fact

[@alexanderlensby3874]

He allready is a great youtuber! He just doesent have as many followers as he deserves. Keep on Upload videos of this quality, and you will get what you deserve!🙏🏼

[@ernestsloan5071]

Yeah, I second that. Direct and to the point and quite informative. 8:40 well spent.

[@mrpoopybutthole8203]

Thank you

[@colleenk7046]

Thank you for this review!!!! What type of bench do you have ?

[@melvin-fitnessproductrevie7082]

I have a CAP Strength Bench that I got on Amazon. There’s a review for it on my channel. In short, if you’re working out at home long term I’d invest in a higher quality bench

[@kristiemiller3379]

Thank you for this video!

[@shiwakuseven5859]

I bought standard weight plates and adjustable dumbbell handles and used the money I save on other exercise equipment. Wal-Mart sells standard weight plates at a dollar a pound.

[@melvin-fitnessproductrevie7082]

That's a good alternative. How have you liked the adjustable dumbbell handles?

[@heatherblankenship2218]

Hello- could you comment on their stability in terms of rolling if you’re using them for push ups etc? For example, if I want to do a press, go down to do a burpee & come back up like a thruster- are they easy to position quickly so you can do the burpee? The hex heads are obviously great for that

[@melvin-fitnessproductrevie7082]

Yes, they're pretty easy to position quickly. In terms of rolling, if you have a gym mat you should be fine. I've done push ups with them on hardwood and they can slightly slide around.

[@kdanx5823]

Nice review bro, I have a question, can you mix up the plate? I mean can you put the heaviest plate on one dumbell only?

[@melvin-fitnessproductrevie7082]

Unfortunately not, they're fixed

[@xxxjeremy1979xxx]

Great review. Can I ask what resistance bands are you using. I don't want to order the wrong ones

[@melvin-fitnessproductrevie7082]

Thanks! I'm using the 4evershape resistance bands. You can get them on Amazon

[@adrianmayoral8281]

Are the dumbbells the only thing you use to workout. I work out of town alot and I want to workout in my room. It’d be nice to have just these for a full workout. Thanks

[@terrancekayton007]

Great video. Gonna show us how to construct a nice home gym soon?

[@drm9979]

the size of them, even for small weights, is what persuaded me to choose Nuobell version. I have not received them yet so time will tell is I made the right decision, but it appears to me they have engineered a solution that uses appropriate size for each weight. anyway, very helpful review.

[@percy9228]

how are the Nuobell ?

[@drm9979]

@@percy9228 they are a great product, very well engineered, I am glad I bought them. just one thing, they must be placed on the floor rather gently, else the adjustment mechanism will bend, which causes the adjustments to turn very hard. I was hoping the internals would be so strong dropping them would not matter, but really that is too much to ask when dealing with weights in certain ranges.

[@GlockJ]

Thanks for the vid helped a lot

[@BaliBrit]

Thanks for the great review, Ive ordered a set and I doubt they will be to light for me buddy:-)

[@mund1photo]

Great Video, Thank You for this... Question, I am finding the rubber insert on the handle rotating at first, to now moving/slipping along the handle.. any suggestions on fixing this?

[@adamdanmusic]

Hey man! Thanks for the video. One question if you don’t mind and sorry if I missed this, what’s the max weight each dumbbell goes up to? If you adjust each side to 52, does that equal 104? Or is the max per dumbbell only 52? Thanks man

[@melvin-fitnessproductrevie7082]

Max is up to 52.5 lbs per dumbbell

[@777triathlete]

Mine go up to 90 pounds each.

[@dragosalincseplo1713]

Man you have talent, I think you will make a lot of money from videos. Thank you !

[@oliverallen5324]

You can actually mix and match the weights at the head for more increases. 20-20 is obviously 40. 20-17.5 is 37.5, so you can take smaller jumps if you need to.

[@straitmungry]

Having an uneven dumbbell would not be the smartest.

[@FrankZen]

Their size looks comparable to the Olympic weight dumbbells. I'm still interested for the saved space aspect. I wonder if they can be taped for the grip.

[@melvin-fitnessproductrevie7082]

For me, I'd say the saved space aspect is the biggest draw. Good for those who love in a small space

[@lancejervis]

Thank you for the review. Im planning to buy and Im considering your review that it is wide..

[@rimshot8544]

Very Good, helps a lot!

[@bakheetalmenhali8009]

I have these dumbbells, the main issues of these is frequently get stuck.

[@Jeff-wj4wy]

Pretty cool. I already have 10-40 rubber dumbbells pairs on a small rack at home. 2 50s are gg to cost me 100-200 so pbly will get those but if I had to do it over again I wud consider those. Btw watch ur shoulder press w no back support- bad for ur back and unnecessary to risk w an adjustable bench. Esp if gg heavier.

[@darrenlukas]

Heyy!! I’m wondering how do you feel using the dumbbells without the stand/rack? Do you think it’s a hassle picking them up from the floor?

[@melvin-fitnessproductrevie7082]

I haven’t had a problem with it on the floor. If you have space for the rack I’d say it can’t hurt but it’s not necessary at all

[@charleslai3312]

Thank you for your advice. Is it really safe to hold the dumbbells up side down and vertical for workouts?

[@melvin-fitnessproductrevie7082]

I haven't had any issues with it

[@charleslai3312]

Thank you for your reply.

[@jeffries1232]

Love the Stong shirt brother .

[@justicejustice4851]

Thank you Melvin! Can you also give us the review for your bench? Did you get the bench from the same company?

[@melvin-fitnessproductrevie7082]

Will do! I'll get started on that. And nope, my bench is from CAP Barbell

[@bobhope1084]

I bought the imitation Pair there awesome I think the handles are better on the fakes I literally wake up can’t wait to use them.

[@sirowl7491]

great review.btw will it be imbalance if one side weight is different than the other side

[@melvin-fitnessproductrevie7082]

Yes, it will become imbalanced

[@sirowl7491]

@@melvin-fitnessproductrevie7082 ah i see ty

[@travisdouglas5510]

Thanks for the info

[@carlosleon8026]

Do you know if they offer world white shipping?

[@xxjaminabizzlexx7840]

Freaking good content man

[@JamesStratton47]

I think they are more expensive now then the 300 you paid but they look great! May get these along with a bench!👍💪

[@LuchoVena]

I would had thought doing push ups in these was a bad idea, due to the teeth mechanics, and so weighted push ups would probably be out of the question, given that lifting these at full weight at that position I probably cant do to put/guide them into place when returning to plank as well. Was perhaps also thinking use the base for it to be safer?

[@melvin-fitnessproductrevie7082]

Using the base as support is a pretty good idea

[@feisalabbasi9265]

Are these safe to use like when raising them the plates don't fall out?

[@melvin-fitnessproductrevie7082]

Yes, the plates are locked in place and I haven't had any issue with that nor am I worried about it happening

[@JerreMuesli]

I have these dumbbells for a week now and the grip is great. I don't know why, perhaps it's because I have bigger hands (?)

[@BrooklynMilleon]

Nice video. Great outro. What song is that?

[@melvin-fitnessproductrevie7082]

It's "Let Em Know" by Nbhd Nick

[@James-yl5xg]

But I do have a problem, it look kinda bulky, can you actually do shoulder press with it? Becz I want that squeeze feel at the top and if the dumbbell is too long it limit my range of motion

[@melvin-fitnessproductrevie7082]

I haven't had any issues with shoulder press, but they are bulky. I wouldn't be surprised if some people hit the weights at the top depending on their anatomy