Buying guide

What weight dumbbells should you buy? A UK guide in kg

Starting weights by exercise in kg, which three pairs to buy first, when 10 kg stops being enough, and how to size a hex set and rack.

Lift Sets team

Editorial·Updated ·28 min read

Facts checked

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On this page 12 sections
  1. Find your weight with one set
  2. Starting weights by exercise, in kg
  3. Your first three pairs
  4. Build your set
  5. Is 10 kg enough? Yes for presses, no for legs
  6. When to buy the next pair
  7. Pairs, a set or adjustable
  8. Will it fit, and will the floor take it?
  9. All 26 pairs, with price per kg
  10. Kitting out a studio or PT space
  11. Delivery and returns
  12. Frequently asked questions
Shop hex dumbbells

The short answer

You need three pairs, not one weight. Light for raises and arms. Middle for presses and rows. Heavy for squats, hinges and carries.

1 pair, added as separate lines

Not sure? Run the last-two-reps test first; a water bottle is enough. Buy the rack for the heaviest pair you will own in a year.

Prices with a dotted underline are live from the product page, like this one for the 10 kg pair: £45.98. Tap one to open that item. Nothing on this page is typed in.

Two 5 kg hex dumbbells, rubber heads and a chrome handle 5 kg pair Two 10 kg hex dumbbells, rubber heads and a chrome handle 10 kg pair Two 15 kg hex dumbbells, rubber heads and a chrome handle 15 kg pair
Kit B: the three jobs, light, middle and heavy.

Find your weight with one set

Do not shop from a one-rep-max chart. Shop from a working set of 8 to 12 reps where the last two are hard and a thirteenth would fail. If you cannot get 8 clean reps, go down a pair. If 15 feel comfortable, go up a 2.5 kg step. A sloppy 12 at 15 kg means you still belong on 12.5 kg.

You can run the test with nothing at home. Press a full 5 L bottle overhead for 8 to 12 reps and see where the last two land. A 10 kg bag of compost held at your chest is a goblet squat.

One pair never works, because legs and back take two to three times what arms take. The 10 kg bell that makes a curl hard is a warm-up for a row and too light for a Romanian deadlift.

Starting weights by exercise, in kg

Per dumbbell, for sets of 8 to 12 with the last two reps hard. The goblet squat is one bell held at the chest. "New" means you have never trained with weights. "6 to 12 months" means you have trained consistently for that long. "2+ years" means you know your numbers and are here to size a set. Every cell lands on a pair we sell.

Starting weight per dumbbell in kg, sets of 8 to 12 reps
Exercise New, raises at 2 to 3 kg New, raises at 3 to 5 kg 6 to 12 months 2+ years
Lateral raise 2 to 3 3 to 5 5 to 8 8 to 12.5
Biceps curl 3 to 5 5 to 8 8 to 12.5 12.5 to 20
Shoulder press 3 to 5 6 to 10 10 to 15 15 to 25
Bench or floor press 5 to 7.5 8 to 12.5 12.5 to 22.5 22.5 to 40
Single-arm row 6 to 10 10 to 15 15 to 22.5 22.5 to 40
Goblet squat (one bell) 8 to 12.5 10 to 17.5 15 to 25 25 to 40
Reverse lunge or split squat (per hand) 4 to 7.5 7.5 to 12.5 12.5 to 20 20 to 30
Romanian deadlift (per hand) 8 to 12.5 12.5 to 17.5 17.5 to 27.5 27.5 to 45
Farmer's carry (per hand, 20 to 40 m) 10 to 15 15 to 20 20 to 30 30 to 50

The two "new" columns are the same ladder one step apart. Pick the column that matches the weight your lateral raises are hard at, then read the rest of that column across. After a year the exercise matters more than where you started. These are starting points for a working set, not maxes. If a cell feels heavy on day one, drop a pair and retest in a fortnight.

Read the other two pairs off the light one

Once you know your light pair you do not need a second chart. The middle pair is about twice the light one, and the heavy pair about half as much again as the middle, rounded to a pair we stock. Presses, squats, hinges and carries move your body as well as the bell, which is why they take so much more than raises and curls do.

The three pairs, read off the light pair, per dumbbell in kg
Light pair: raises and arms Middle pair: presses and rows Heavy pair: squats, hinges and carries
2.5 5 7.5
3 6 10
5 10 15
7.5 15 22.5
10 20 30

Every figure is a pair we stock. The 3 kg row is Kit A and the 5 kg row is Kit B. Kit A rounds its heavy pair up to 10 kg, because a 10 kg pair keeps working as a press and row weight long after the raises have moved on. If your light pair falls between two rows, take the lower row and add reps. The table sizes a lift; the kit is what you own, and a 6 kg press on a 5 kg pair with two extra reps is the same work.

Your first three pairs

Start from the pair that makes lateral raises hard for 8 to 12 reps. If that is 3 to 5 kg, order 5, 10 and 15 kg: the 5 kg pair covers raises and curls, the 10 kg pair covers presses and rows, and the 15 kg pair covers squats, hinges and carries. If it is 2 to 3 kg, order 3, 6 and 10 kg for the same three jobs. Each kit below adds as separate lines, so you can drop a pair in the basket.

Kit A: the light ladder, 3, 6 and 10 kg

Raises hard at 2 to 3 kg. The lightest three-pair ladder.

  1. 2 × 3 kg hex pairRaises and arms
    Sold out
    Sold out
  2. 2 × 6 kg hex pairPresses and rows
    Sold out
    Sold out
  3. 2 × 10 kg hex pairSquats, hinges and carries
    Sold out
    Sold out

Total today £0.00 3 items, added as separate lines · 38 kg on the floor

Kit B: the middle ladder, 5, 10 and 15 kg

Raises hard at 3 to 5 kg. The usual first order.

  1. 2 × 5 kg hex pairRaises and arms
    £23.20
  2. 2 × 10 kg hex pairPresses and rows
    Sold out
    Sold out
  3. 2 × 15 kg hex pairSquats, hinges and carries
    Sold out
    Sold out

Total today £23.20 3 items, added as separate lines · 60 kg on the floor

Kit C: the heavy ladder, 10, 15, 20 and 25 kg

Trained before and setting up a garage

  1. 2 × 10 kg hex pairPresses and rows
    Sold out
    Sold out
  2. 2 × 15 kg hex pairRows and goblets
    Sold out
    Sold out
  3. 2 × 20 kg hex pairHinges and carries
    £91.96
  4. 2 × 25 kg hex pairHeavy hinges and carries
    £109.96

Total today £201.92 4 items, added as separate lines · 140 kg on the floor

Want the rack from day one? Kit A's ladder is close to the 3-pair 2.5 to 7.5 kg set with the A3 tree, £102.80, though that set is 2.5, 5 and 7.5 kg rather than 3, 6 and 10. Kit C's ladder is close to the 6-pair 10 to 25 kg set with the A6 tree, £518.43; check the listing for its exact pairs. Both are in pairs, a set or adjustable.

Prefer questions to tables? The decision tree

Work down the list and stop at the first line that fits.

  1. Trained with weights for a year or more? Yes: Kit C, or the 12-pair 2.5 to 30 kg set (£1,005.45) if you want the ladder and the rack in one delivery. No: carry on.
  2. Can you press a full 5 L bottle overhead for 12 easy reps? No: Kit A. Yes: carry on.
  3. Can you goblet squat a 10 kg bag for 12 reps without your heels lifting? No: Kit A, and buy the 12.5 kg pair (£54.98) as your fourth. Yes: Kit B.
  4. Two of you sharing? Add the other kit's light pair. A couple on Kit B owns 3, 5, 10 and 15 kg for £159.14, and nobody waits for a bell.
  5. Only a cupboard to keep them in? Skip the pairs and read the adjustable paragraph.
  6. Coaching clients? Skip the kits and go to the studio section.

Build your set

Answer five questions and the tool picks three pairs from the range, shows the live price of each, and adds them to your basket in one go. Nothing is pre-ticked: the rack and the bench are there if you want them, and the total only counts what you choose.

Interactive · Build your set

Three pairs, priced live

Pick the answers that fit. The total uses today's prices; nothing is pre-ticked.

1. Have you trained with weights before?
2. Where do your loads sit in the starting table?

New to lifting: if lateral raises are hard at 2 to 3 kg take the lighter end, and at 3 to 5 kg the heavier end. Already training: run the last-two-reps test and pick the end your press and row land on.

3. What are you training for?
4. Who trains with them?
5. Space

Your set

Three pairs for one person, new to lifting.

  1. 2 × 5 kg hex pair Raises and arms £23.20
  2. 2 × 10 kg hex pair Presses and rows Sold out
  3. 2 × 15 kg hex pair Squats, hinges and carries Sold out

Compact: three pairs stand on the floor under a bench or along a wall; no rack needed.

Total £143.14 3 items, added as separate lines · free delivery across Great Britain, Highlands & Islands included

Trade quote

Prefer a set? Compare the graded sets.

Is 10 kg enough? Yes for presses, no for legs

Ten kilos is the number in most of the questions this page exists to answer. It is enough for some lifts on day one. It is not a gym.

  1. 5 kg

    A curl pair, and a raise pair if 3 to 5 kg is where your raises sit.

    Too light for rows, goblets and Romanian deadlifts.

  2. 10 kg

    Presses, yes, for two to four months. Rows, yes. Goblet squats, yes, for a few weeks. Romanian deadlifts, no. Curls are too heavy for most beginners.

    The goblet squat outgrows it first. The next pair is 12.5 kg (£54.98) or 15 kg (£73.96).

  3. 12.5 kg

    The usual second pair from Kit A or B, and the first goblet squat weight that lasts.

    A few months in, it is a working row too.

  4. 15 kg

    Kit B's heavy pair. Goblets last a good while here.

    The next pair for hinges is 20 kg.

  5. 20 kg

    £91.96, the core home-gym pair.

    On its own, it leaves you nothing for arms or shoulders.

The real fear is buying a 10 kg pair, finding curls too heavy and goblets too light, and stopping. Ten kilos is the middle pair. It needs the other two. When it stops being enough, step to 12.5 kg, not to a second pair of 10s.

The usual second pair, or the bigger step

2 × 12.5 kg hex pair

Rubber Hex Dumbbell Pairs 1 kg to 60 kg

4.7 · 12 reviews

£54.98

2 × 15 kg hex pair

Rubber Hex Dumbbell Pairs 1 kg to 60 kg

4.7 · 12 reviews

£73.96

When to buy the next pair

Three pairs last longer than people expect if you progress by reps before weight. The plan below is the one we give anyone starting on Kit A or Kit B: six lifts, three sessions a week, every set written down.

The first 12 weeks on Kit A or Kit B, and the pair each buy signal points to
Weeks What to do Buy signal Kit A next pair Kit B next pair
1 to 2 Learn the six lifts at the table weights. 3 sets of 8, two reps in hand. Write the reps down. None. Do not buy anything yet.
3 to 4 Same weights, 3 sets of 10. If a set of 8 was easy in week 1, move that lift up one pair inside the kit. None yet.
5 to 8 Work each lift from 3 × 10 to 3 × 12. Goblet squats and Romanian deadlifts get there first. Two sessions at 3 × 12 on the heavy pair. 12.5 kg (£54.98) 20 kg (£91.96)
9 to 12 Reset the lifts that moved up to 3 × 8 on the new pair and climb again. Presses are usually next. Two sessions at 3 × 12 on the middle pair. 7.5 kg (£36.98) for presses, or straight to 15 kg (£73.96) for rows 12.5 kg (£54.98) for presses; 22.5 kg (£100.96) for rows later

Step by the smallest jump that keeps 8 clean reps. At 10 kg a 2.5 kg step is a 25% jump, which is why the 12.5 kg pair is the usual second buy and not the 15 kg. Use 1 kg steps at the light end, and add reps and slower tempo at the heavy end, where the steps are 5 kg. After week 12 the pattern repeats. A year in, most people own five or six pairs bought one at a time: the same ladder as the 6-pair set, filled in the order you needed it.

The second pair people usually buy is 12.5 kg from Kit A or B, or 20 kg from Kit C. Buy that before you go near 7, 8 and 9 kg. When 20 kg rows get easy, the 22.5 kg pair at £100.96 is the row most intermediates end up on.

The pairs after the kit

2 × 20 kg hex pair

Rubber Hex Dumbbell Pairs 1 kg to 60 kg

4.7 · 12 reviews

£91.96

2 × 22.5 kg hex pair

Rubber Hex Dumbbell Pairs 1 kg to 60 kg

4.7 · 12 reviews

£100.96

Pairs, a set or adjustable

Six of the twelve sets state every pair on the listing. Those six get a card here with the contents, today's price and what you save against the same pairs plus the matching rack, worked out live. The other six are listed by range only, so check the listing for the exact pairs before you order one of those.

Sets with every pair stated: tree rack included

3-pair set, 2.5 to 7.5 kg

Rubber Hex Dumbbell Sets 2.5 kg to 60 kg, With or Without Rack

2.5, 5, 7.5 kg, 3 Tier Hex Dumbbell Tree Rack included. Saves £11.57 against the same pairs plus the rack today.

4.9 · 10 reviews

£102.80

5-pair set, 2.5 to 12.5 kg

Rubber Hex Dumbbell Sets 2.5 kg to 60 kg, With or Without Rack

2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5 kg, 5 Tier Hex Dumbbell Tree Rack included. Saves £20.05 against the same pairs plus the rack today.

4.9 · 10 reviews

£215.28

6-pair set, 2.5 to 15 kg

Rubber Hex Dumbbell Sets 2.5 kg to 60 kg, With or Without Rack

2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15 kg, 6 Tier Hex Dumbbell Tree Rack included. Saves £29.74 against the same pairs plus the rack today.

4.9 · 10 reviews

£289.55

Sets with every pair stated: the 12-pair ladder, with the L3 or without

12-pair set, 2.5 to 30 kg

Rubber Hex Dumbbell Sets 2.5 kg to 60 kg, With or Without Rack

2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15, 17.5, 20, 22.5, 25, 27.5, 30 kg, 3 Tier Dumbbell Storage Rack included. Saves £28.91 against the same pairs plus the rack today.

4.9 · 10 reviews

£1,005.45

2.5 to 30 kg set, no rack

Rubber Hex Dumbbell Sets 2.5 kg to 60 kg, With or Without Rack

2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15, 17.5, 20, 22.5, 25, 27.5, 30 kg. Saves £8.91 against the same pairs today.

4.9 · 10 reviews

£925.46

2.5 to 60 kg set, no rack

Rubber Hex Dumbbell Sets 2.5 kg to 60 kg, With or Without Rack

2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15, 17.5, 20, 22.5, 25, 27.5, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60 kg. Saves £122.35 against the same pairs today.

4.9 · 10 reviews

£2,524.54

Rubber Hex Dumbbell Sets 2.5 kg to 60 kg, With or Without Rack, 6 Pairs Set, 2.5kg – 15kg 6 Pairs Set, 2.5kg – 15kg
The 6-pair set on its A6 tree, and the L3 layer rack that comes with the 12-pair set.
Which set fits which buyer, with today's price
If this is you Set Rack Price today Contents Add
Spare room, new to lifting, mostly raises, curls and goblets 3-pair 2.5 to 7.5 kg A3 tree, included £102.80 2.5, 5, 7.5 kg (30 kg total)
Stronger beginner who wants to skip the 2.5 kg pair 3-pair 5 to 12.5 kg A3 tree, included £161.73 Three pairs from 5 to 12.5 kg; check the listing
Already trains, wants a compact working ladder 3-pair 10 to 17.5 kg A3 tree, included £234.58 Three pairs from 10 to 17.5 kg; check the listing
Sold out
First proper home gym, one person, mixed lifts 5-pair 2.5 to 12.5 kg A5 tree, included £215.28 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5 kg (75 kg total)
Sold out
A year of training already 5-pair 5 to 17.5 kg A5 tree, included £286.33 Five pairs from 5 to 17.5 kg; check the listing
Sold out
Intermediate who already rows 15 kg 5-pair 10 to 22.5 kg A5 tree, included £416.32 Five pairs from 10 to 22.5 kg; check the listing
Sold out
Two people sharing a spare room 6-pair 2.5 to 15 kg A6 tree, included £289.55 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15 kg (105 kg total)
Sold out
Couple, long term, no more pair shopping 6-pair 5 to 20 kg A6 tree, included £370.96 Six pairs from 5 to 20 kg; check the listing
Sold out
One intermediate who rows 20 kg 6-pair 10 to 25 kg A6 tree, included £518.43 Six pairs from 10 to 25 kg; check the listing
Sold out
Garage, done buying pairs for two years 12-pair 2.5 to 30 kg L3 layer rack, included £1,005.45 2.5 to 30 kg in 2.5 kg steps (390 kg total)
Sold out
Same, but you already own a rack for 1 to 30 kg 12-pair 2.5 to 30 kg, no rack None £925.46 2.5 to 30 kg in 2.5 kg steps (390 kg total)
Sold out
Studio or very serious garage 18-pair 2.5 to 60 kg, no rack None (the L3 is listed for 1 to 30 kg; budget a second rack) £2,524.54 2.5 to 30 kg in 2.5 kg steps, then 35 to 60 kg in 5 kg steps (960 kg total)
Sold out
Show the working: set price against the same pairs plus rack

"Pairs alone" is the sum of the stated pairs at today's prices; the rack column is the matching tree or layer rack bought on its own. For the six sets listed by range only there is no number rather than a guess.

Set price against the same pairs plus rack, at today's prices
SetPairs aloneRack alonePairs + rackSet priceYou save today
3-pair set, 2.5 to 7.5 kg
3 pairs: 2.5, 5, 7.5 kg		 £74.38 £39.99 £114.37 £102.80 £11.57
5-pair set, 2.5 to 12.5 kg
5 pairs: 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5 kg		 £175.34 £59.99 £235.33 £215.28 £20.05
6-pair set, 2.5 to 15 kg
6 pairs: 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15 kg		 £249.30 £69.99 £319.29 £289.55 £29.74
12-pair set, 2.5 to 30 kg
12 pairs: 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15, 17.5, 20, 22.5, 25, 27.5, 30 kg		 £934.37 £99.99 £1,034.36 £1,005.45 £28.91
2.5 to 30 kg set, no rack
12 pairs: 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15, 17.5, 20, 22.5, 25, 27.5, 30 kg		 £934.37 none £934.37 £925.46 £8.91
2.5 to 60 kg set, no rack
18 pairs: 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15, 17.5, 20, 22.5, 25, 27.5, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60 kg		 £2,646.89 none £2,646.89 £2,524.54 £122.35

The reason to buy a set is that the rack fits every head, the ladder has no gaps, and it all arrives in one order. The saving is real money, but it is the smaller argument.

Standalone racks, if you buy pairs: A3 £39.99 for 3 pairs, A5 £59.99 for 5, A6 £69.99 for 6, A10 £99.99 for 10, and the L3 layer rack £99.99 for up to 12 pairs, listed for 1 to 30 kg.

Adjustable is the right answer for some people. The 24 kg adjustable is from £159.99 and replaces roughly the 2.5 to 24 kg run of pairs in the footprint of one. That is the buy when space is the constraint or you train alone and never superset. The 40 kg adjustable is from £259.99. The longer argument is on hex vs adjustable; the rest of that range is under adjustable dumbbells.

If pairs are not the answer

For the very light end and for classes, neoprene pairs run from 0.5 kg to 10 kg, from £4.49. If you prefer a round head, round rubber pairs run from 2 kg to 12 kg, from £14.00.

Will it fit, and will the floor take it?

How big the heads get

Hex dumbbell length and head size grow with weight, drawn to scale Four hex dumbbells side on at one scale. Overall length is about 260 mm at 2.5 kg, 320 mm at 10 kg, 410 mm at 30 kg and 480 mm at 60 kg. The heads grow with the weight too: head height runs from 80 mm at 2.5 kg to 205 mm at 60 kg, so the rack saddles must fit the biggest head you will own. 2.5 kg about 260 mm 80 mm head 10 kg about 320 mm 125 mm head 30 kg about 410 mm 180 mm head 60 kg about 480 mm 205 mm head 100 mm
Drawn to one scale from the published figures. Both the length and the head grow with the weight: 260 mm long with an 80 mm head at 2.5 kg, 480 mm long with a 205 mm head at 60 kg. Buy the rack for the heaviest pair you will own in a year.
Two 2.5 kg hex dumbbells, rubber heads and a chrome handle 2.5 kg pair Two 60 kg hex dumbbells, rubber heads and a chrome handle 60 kg pair
The 2.5 kg pair and the 60 kg pair. Product photos are framed to fit the frame; the drawing above is to scale.

The heads grow with the weight. Overall length is about 260 mm at 2.5 kg, 320 mm at 10 kg, 410 mm at 30 kg and 480 mm at 60 kg. Head height runs from 80 mm at 2.5 kg to 205 mm at 60 kg. That is why you buy the rack for the heaviest pair you will own in a year: the saddles have to fit that head, not the one you start with.

Which rack

The five racks by how many pairs they hold Tree racks A3, A5, A6 and A10 hold 3, 5, 6 and 10 pairs, one pair per tier, heaviest on the bottom tier. The L3 layer rack holds up to 12 pairs on three shelves and is listed for 1 to 30 kg. No sizes or load ratings are drawn because none are published. A3 3 pairs£39.99 A5 5 pairs£59.99 A6 6 pairs£69.99 A10 10 pairs£99.99 L3 up to 12 pairs£99.99
Tier count is pair count. Heaviest pair on the bottom tier. The L3 is listed for 1 to 30 kg, so 35 kg and up stay on the floor along a wall. Prices are live.

Tree racks come as A3, A5, A6 and A10, and the tier count is the pair count. The L3 layer rack holds up to 12 pairs and is listed for 1 to 30 kg, so do not plan to park 35 to 60 kg bells on it. Heaviest pairs go on the bottom tier. The A3 tree at £39.99 and the L3 at £99.99 are different products with similar names. The racks are powder-coated steel with angled saddles and ship flat-packed. We do not publish a load rating for the tree racks, and the tier count tells you how many pairs a rack holds rather than how much weight it will carry. Keep 35 kg and up on a rack that lists those weights or on the floor along a wall.

Racks and the bench, priced live

3 Tier Hex Dumbbell Tree Rack

Hex Dumbbell Storage Racks 3 to 10 Tiers, Powder-Coated Steel

3.0 · 2 reviews

£39.99

5 Tier Hex Dumbbell Tree Rack

Hex Dumbbell Storage Racks 3 to 10 Tiers, Powder-Coated Steel

3.0 · 2 reviews

£59.99

6 Tier Hex Dumbbell Tree Rack

Hex Dumbbell Storage Racks 3 to 10 Tiers, Powder-Coated Steel

3.0 · 2 reviews

£69.99

10 Tier Hex Dumbbell Tree Rack

Hex Dumbbell Storage Racks 3 to 10 Tiers, Powder-Coated Steel

3.0 · 2 reviews

£99.99

3 Tier Dumbbell Storage Rack

Hex Dumbbell Storage Racks 3 to 10 Tiers, Powder-Coated Steel

3.0 · 2 reviews

£99.99

Where it can live

  • Kit A: 3, 6, 10 kg

    38 kg on the floor

    Anywhere. Under the bed if you must.

  • Kit B: 5, 10, 15 kg

    60 kg on the floor

    Anywhere.

  • Kit C: 10, 15, 20, 25 kg

    140 kg on the floor

    Any floor; on a tree against a wall upstairs.

  • 6-pair 2.5 to 15 kg set

    105 kg plus the A6

    Any floor; against a wall upstairs.

  • 12-pair 2.5 to 30 kg set

    390 kg plus the L3

    Ground floor or garage. Upstairs only against a load-bearing wall, along the joists.

  • 18-pair 2.5 to 60 kg set

    960 kg

    Ground floor or garage, on rubber, spread over two racks or a rack and the floor.

Why the floor matters
Why a heavy set goes against a wall on the ground floor Left: one square metre of a UK domestic floor is designed for about 150 kg of imposed load. Right: a 12-pair 2.5 to 30 kg set weighs about 390 kg and its rack stands on about half a square metre, well past that as a point load, so it belongs on the ground floor or in a garage, against a wall along the joists. 1 m × 1 m designed for about 150 kg (1.5 kN per square metre) 390 kg on half a square metre wall · joists · ground floor or garage
A 390 kg set on a half-metre rack footprint is a point load a bedroom floor is not designed for. Ground floor or garage, rack against a wall, along the joists.

Domestic floors in the UK are designed around an imposed load of about 1.5 kN per square metre, which is roughly 150 kg spread over each square metre. A 390 kg set on a rack that stands on half a square metre is well past that as a point load. So the rack goes against a wall on the ground floor, where the joists are shortest and best supported. Upstairs, keep it against a wall along the joist line rather than piling bells in the middle of the room. A 60 kg Kit B lives anywhere.

Rubber heads protect against dents and noise, but we would still put EVA tiles under the rack area; they start at £10.99 for four. If you are dropping from bench height, use rubber matting from home flooring instead. If you press, the adjustable bench is £79.99 with a 250 kg capacity; there is more in benches and dumbbell storage.

All 26 pairs, with price per kg

We sell hex pairs, not singles, so every price is for two dumbbells. Each is a cast iron core inside bonded rubber hex heads, with a chrome-plated knurled steel handle 33.5 mm in diameter, or 28.5 mm on the 2.5 kg and 3 kg. The chart and table are built from today's prices; the lowest and highest price per kg are marked.

Price per kilogram for every hex pair, lightest to heaviest One bar per pair. Lowest today £2.16 per kg, highest £4.40 per kg. The table below lists every value.1 kg pair, £4.40 per kg12 kg pair, £3.10 per kg2.5 kg pair, £2.84 per kg3 kg pair, £2.67 per kg4 kg pair, £2.45 per kg5 kg pair, £2.32 per kg56 kg pair, £2.23 per kg7 kg pair, £2.51 per kg7.5 kg pair, £2.47 per kg8 kg pair, £2.42 per kg9 kg pair, £2.35 per kg10 kg pair, £2.30 per kg1012.5 kg pair, £2.20 per kg15 kg pair, £2.47 per kg1517.5 kg pair, £2.37 per kg20 kg pair, £2.30 per kg2022.5 kg pair, £2.24 per kg25 kg pair, £2.20 per kg2527.5 kg pair, £2.16 per kg30 kg pair, £3.00 per kg3035 kg pair, £3.00 per kg40 kg pair, £3.00 per kg4045 kg pair, £3.00 per kg50 kg pair, £3.00 per kg5055 kg pair, £3.00 per kg60 kg pair, £3.00 per kg60kg per dumbbell, left to right · bar height = price per kg today
Lowest price per kg today £2.16, highest £4.40. Prices are live; tap a bar to open that pair.
Show all 26 pairs in a table
All 26 pairs, pair price and price per kg today
PairIn the boxPrice todayPer kgNote
1 kg 2 kg £8.80 £4.40 Rehab only. Highest £/kg today.
2 kg 4 kg £12.40 Sold out £3.10 Very light raises.
2.5 kg 5 kg £14.20 £2.84 A first raise pair if 2.5 kg is hard for 8 to 12.
3 kg 6 kg £16.00 Sold out £2.67 Kit A light pair.
4 kg 8 kg £19.60 £2.45
5 kg 10 kg £23.20 £2.32 Kit B light pair, and a first raise pair if 5 kg is hard for 8 to 12.
6 kg 12 kg £26.80 Sold out £2.23 Kit A middle pair.
7 kg 14 kg £35.18 £2.51
7.5 kg 15 kg £36.98 £2.47
8 kg 16 kg £38.78 Sold out £2.42
9 kg 18 kg £42.38 £2.35
10 kg 20 kg £45.98 Sold out £2.30 Kit A heavy, Kit B middle. Top of the light band.
12.5 kg 25 kg £54.98 £2.20 The usual second pair.
15 kg 30 kg £73.96 Sold out £2.47 Kit B heavy pair.
17.5 kg 35 kg £82.96 £2.37
20 kg 40 kg £91.96 £2.30 Core home-gym pair.
22.5 kg 45 kg £100.96 £2.24 The row most intermediates need.
25 kg 50 kg £109.96 £2.20
27.5 kg 55 kg £118.96 £2.16 Last pair before the price step. Lowest £/kg today.
30 kg 60 kg £180.27 £3.00 Last 2.5 kg jump.
35 kg 70 kg £210.31 £3.00 No 32.5 kg. This is the next pair after 30.
40 kg 80 kg £240.35 Sold out £3.00
45 kg 90 kg £270.40 £3.00
50 kg 100 kg £300.44 £3.00 A rack is not optional.
55 kg 110 kg £330.49 £3.00
60 kg 120 kg £360.53 £3.00 About 480 mm long. Check the rack.

Price per kg only tells you where not to fill gaps. Buy the load you will use.

Kitting out a studio or PT space

If you coach in a studio or as a PT, start with 12 pairs from 2.5 kg to 30 kg in 2.5 kg steps; that ladder covers most clients from raises through to Romanian deadlifts. Add a few pairs between 1 kg and 5 kg for rehab and older clients. Run one L3 rack per 12 pairs, and a second if you train two clients at once. What sizes a studio is how many clients lift at the same time.

Buying for a studio? The sizing table and ready-made orders
Studio sizing by clients lifting at once
Clients lifting at once Pairs What to buy Racks
1 12 12-pair 2.5 to 30 kg set (£1,005.45, L3 included), plus 1, 2 and 3 kg pairs for rehab (£37.20 as pairs) 1 × L3
2 16 The 12-pair set plus a second 5, 10, 12.5 and 15 kg (£198.12 as pairs) 1 × L3 and 1 × A5 (£59.99)
3 to 4 24 Two 12-pair sets, or one set and the pairs you see queued for 2 × L3
5 to 6 24 plus 35 to 60 kg Two ladders and the 35 to 60 kg pairs for the strongest clients, on the floor along a wall 2 × L3; heavy pairs on the floor
Class of 8 or more One light pair per person Neoprene 0.5 to 10 kg or hex 2.5 to 7.5 kg per person, on tree racks A5 or A10 trees, one per 5 or 10 pairs

One client at a time

The 12-pair ladder with the L3, plus 1, 2 and 3 kg pairs for rehab

  1. 12-pair set, 2.5 to 30 kg2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15, 17.5, 20, 22.5, 25, 27.5, 30 kg, 3 Tier Dumbbell Storage Rack included
    Sold out
    Sold out
  2. 2 × 1 kg hex pairRehab and older clients
    £8.80
  3. 2 × 2 kg hex pairRehab and older clients
    Sold out
    Sold out
  4. 2 × 3 kg hex pairRehab and older clients
    Sold out
    Sold out

Total today £8.80 4 items, added as separate lines

Two clients at once

The 12-pair ladder plus a second 5, 10, 12.5 and 15 kg on an A5 tree

  1. 12-pair set, 2.5 to 30 kg2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15, 17.5, 20, 22.5, 25, 27.5, 30 kg, 3 Tier Dumbbell Storage Rack included
    Sold out
    Sold out
  2. 2 × 5 kg hex pairSecond light pair
    £23.20
  3. 2 × 10 kg hex pairSecond middle pair
    Sold out
    Sold out
  4. 2 × 12.5 kg hex pairSecond goblet pair
    £54.98
  5. 2 × 15 kg hex pairSecond heavy pair
    Sold out
    Sold out
  6. 5 Tier Hex Dumbbell Tree RackRack
    £59.99

Total today £138.17 6 items, added as separate lines

The 18-pair 2.5 to 60 kg set with no rack is £2,524.54 and 960 kg, and it arrives as several parcels. Gyms, PTs, schools and clubs can ask for a volume quote.

Delivery and returns

Free delivery to every address in Great Britain, including the Scottish Highlands and Islands. Northern Ireland is priced by weight at checkout. Order by 2pm Monday to Friday for same-working-day dispatch, and allow 2 to 5 working days after that for standard delivery. Heavy orders may arrive as separate parcels, so give the rest a day before you chase a missing pair. Returns are 180 days from delivery, unused and in original packaging. The detail is on the delivery and FAQs pages.

Frequently asked questions

What weight dumbbells should a beginner start with?

Three pairs, not one: light for raises and arms, middle for presses and rows, heavy for squats and hinges. Find the pair that makes lateral raises hard for 8 to 12 reps, and that is your light pair. If it is 2 to 3 kg, buy 3, 6 and 10 kg. If it is 3 to 5 kg, buy 5, 10 and 15 kg. If the last two reps are easy, go up a pair.

Is a 5 kg dumbbell enough for a beginner?

For curls, yes, and for raises if your raises are hard at 3 to 5 kg. It is not enough for rows, goblet squats or Romanian deadlifts. Buy it as the light pair in a three-pair kit, not as your only pair; a 5 kg pair on its own will not train your legs.

Is a 10 kg dumbbell too much for a beginner?

Not for presses, rows or goblet squats at the start. It is too much for curls for most beginners and too little for a Romanian deadlift. If 10 kg is all you buy, your legs will be underloaded within weeks. Add a lighter pair for arms and a 15 kg pair for hinges.

Can I build muscle with just 10 kg dumbbells?

Yes, on arms and shoulders, and on presses for a few months, as long as the last two reps of 8 to 12 stay hard. Not on squats and hinges for long. When 12 reps at 10 kg feel comfortable, buy 12.5 kg (£54.98) or 15 kg (£73.96).

Are 2 kg weights enough for arms?

2 kg is a lateral raise pair or a rehab curl. Most people new to lifting curl somewhere between 3 and 8 kg, so curls at 2 kg will not make the last two reps hard. Keep the 2 kg pair for raises once your curls have moved on.

Are 15 kg dumbbells enough to build muscle?

For presses, rows and goblet squats, 15 kg is enough through the first year for many people, provided you keep chasing 8 to 12 hard reps. Hinges and carries will want 20 kg and then 25 kg. After two years, 15 kg is usually a curl or a press back-off set, not a row.

How do I know when to go up a weight?

When you get all three sets of 12 at a weight in two sessions running, with the last two reps still clean. That is the buy signal in the 12-week plan. If you hit 12 on the first set and 9 on the third, stay where you are for another week.

Will three pairs work for two people?

Usually, with one extra pair. A couple on Kit B adds the 3 kg pair so both of you have a raise weight, which makes 3, 5, 10 and 15 kg for £159.14. The 6-pair 2.5 to 15 kg set at £289.55 is the version of that with a rack and no gaps.

Should I buy pairs or a set?

Pairs if you know your three loads. A set if you want rack fit, one delivery and no gaps. The 6-pair 2.5 to 15 kg set with the A6 rack is £289.55, £29.74 less than buying the pairs plus that rack. Buy the ladder you will use, not the saving.

Do I need a rack for hex dumbbells?

Not for one or two pairs. From three pairs up, a tree keeps the heads off the floor and in order. The A3 is £39.99 for 3 pairs; the L3 layer rack is £99.99 for up to 12 pairs, listed for 1 to 30 kg. From 25 kg a pair upward, a rack stops being optional.

Product facts live on the product page: price per pair, the weight steps we stock, whether there is a 32.5 kg pair, head and handle sizes and how to look after the rubber are all answered on Rubber Hex Dumbbell Pairs.

You do not need one dumbbell weight. You need a light pair, a middle pair and a heavy pair, matched to the lift. Check them with the last-two-reps test, then pick the pairs, the set and the rack from the hex dumbbells collection. If you have an injury or a medical condition, see a GP before you start a lifting programme.

More questions

Weights and progression

Is a 10 kg dumbbell enough for a beginner?

It depends on the exercise. For presses, rows and goblet squats a 10 kg pair is a real working load at the start; for curls it is a long way up from a first curling weight, and for a Romanian deadlift it is already light. Buy 10 kg as the middle pair of a three-pair kit, and when twelve repetitions feel comfortable step up to 12.5 kg rather than adding a second pair of 10s.

Are neoprene dumbbells a good choice for beginners?

For the very light end and for classes, yes: neoprene pairs run from 0.5 kg to 10 kg, and round rubber pairs from 2 kg to 12 kg. For a progressive strength programme the hex range is the one that continues to 60 kg, so buy neoprene for raises, rehab and group sessions rather than as a first strength kit.

Sets, pairs and racks

Which hex dumbbell rack do I need for my pairs?

Tree racks come as A3, A5, A6 and A10 and the tier count is the pair count; the L3 layer rack holds up to 12 pairs and is listed for 1 to 30 kg, so do not plan to park 35 to 60 kg bells on it. Heaviest pairs go on the bottom tier, and no load rating in kilograms is published. The tier count tells you how many pairs a rack holds, not how much weight it will carry.

Space, floors and safety

Can I put a heavy dumbbell set upstairs?

A small kit of three pairs (around 40 to 60 kg) can go anywhere. A 12-pair 2.5 to 30 kg set weighs 390 kg plus its rack, which is well beyond the roughly 150 kg per square metre a UK domestic floor is designed around as a point load, so keep sets like that on the ground floor or in a garage, or upstairs only on a rack against a load-bearing wall along the joist line.

Do I need gym flooring under dumbbells and kettlebells?

Rubber hex heads protect a floor from dents and cut noise, but interlocking EVA tiles under the rack and training area are still advised; cast iron kettlebells on bare timber will mark it. If you drop from bench height or deadlift from the floor, use heavier rubber matting in the drop zone rather than foam tiles alone.

General

What is the last-two-reps test for choosing a dumbbell weight?

Shop from a working set of 8 to 12 reps where the last two are hard and a thirteenth would fail; that is the load you own for that lift. If you cannot get 8 clean reps go down a pair, if 15 feel comfortable go up a 2.5 kg step. You can run it at home: a full 5 L bottle is about 5 kg and a 10 kg bag of compost at the chest is a goblet squat.

Which three dumbbell pairs should I buy first?

Light, middle and heavy, spaced so the middle pair is about twice the light one and the heavy pair about half again as much as the middle. Set the light pair by lateral raises, the middle by presses and rows, and the heavy by goblet squats and Romanian deadlifts, then read the three weights off the range. If you can only buy one pair to begin with, buy the middle one and add the outer pairs later.

What dumbbell weight should I use for goblet squats?

Set it by the set rather than by a table: the weight is right when the last two of eight to twelve repetitions are hard with your chest up and your heels down. A goblet squat loads the legs through one bell held at the chest, so it takes more than a shoulder press and less than a two-dumbbell hinge. Hex Dumbbell Pairs run from 1 kg to 60 kg, so when a weight stops being hard, move up one step rather than adding repetitions.

What dumbbell weight should I use for a Romanian deadlift?

For sets of eight to twelve, the right pair is the one where the last two repetitions are hard while your back stays flat and the dumbbells stay close to your legs. A hinge loads far more than an arm exercise, so expect your Romanian deadlift pair to be the heaviest in the kit, and expect one pair on its own never to cover a whole session. Hex Dumbbell Pairs go up to 60 kg each, so there is headroom as you get stronger.

What dumbbell weight should I use for a shoulder press?

For sets of eight to twelve, the right dumbbell is the one where the last two repetitions are hard without your ribs flaring or the dumbbells drifting forward. A press takes less weight than a row or a squat, so it will normally be the lightest of your working pairs and it is a sensible exercise to set your light pair by. Step up once twelve repetitions feel comfortable rather than adding more of them.

How much does a 12-pair hex dumbbell set weigh?

390 kg of dumbbells for the 2.5 to 30 kg set in 2.5 kg steps, or 440 kg with the L3 layer rack; the 18-pair 2.5 to 60 kg no-rack set is 960 kg. Sets that heavy arrive as several parcels and belong on a ground floor or in a garage.

Which dumbbells should two people sharing buy?

Usually one kit plus the other kit's light pair, so a couple on Kit B owns 3, 5, 10 and 15 kg and nobody waits for a bell. The 6-pair 2.5 to 15 kg set with the A6 tree is the version of that with a rack and no gaps.

How many dumbbell pairs does a PT studio need?

Start with 12 pairs from 2.5 to 30 kg in 2.5 kg steps on one L3 rack, plus a few 1 to 5 kg pairs for rehab and older clients. Two clients lifting at once want a second 5, 10, 12.5 and 15 kg on an A5; from three clients you need two full ladders; a class of eight or more is one light pair per person on tree racks. Gyms and PTs can ask for a volume quote.