PowerBlock Elite 90 Adjustable 5 to 90-Pounds per Dumbbell Set
PowerBlock Elite 90 Adjustable 5 to 90-Pounds per Dumbbell Set
- Pair of adjustable dumbbell weights for efficient, cost-effective strength training
- Adjusts from 5 to 90 pounds in 5-pound increments
- Selector pin lets you change weights easily, just like with weight stack at the gym
- More compact and balanced than traditional dumbbells
- Offers maximum weight of 90 pounds per hand; limited 10-year warranty
The Elite 90 Set equals/replaces 28 pair of dumbbells or 2565 lbs of free weights in the space of one pair.The only dumbbell system that can expand to meet your strength needs, PowerBlock dumbbells are the most versatile and effective exercise tool ever developed for strength training. PowerBlocks work intuitively. Rather than requiring you to buy a room full of dumbbells, PowerBlocks act just like a weight stack at the gym, with a handle that fits inside the first weight, which fits inside the
Rating: 
(out of 11 reviews)
List Price: $ 687.00
Price: $ 590.51
PowerBlock Personal Trainer Adjustable 2.5 to 50-Pounds per Dumbbell Set
- Pair of adjustable dumbbell weights for efficient, cost-effective strength training
- Adjusts from 2.5 to 50 pounds in 2.5-pound increments for maximum versatility
- Selector pin lets you change weights easily, just like with weight stack at the gym
- More compact and balanced than traditional dumbbells; padded handle for wrist protection
- Offers maximum weight of 50 pounds per hand; limited 10-year warranty
The Personal Trainer Set
A hybrid set utilizing the weight stack from the Personal Set and the handles of the Elite Set.
The Personal Trainer Set allows the user to achieve every 2.5 lb. jump within the weight range of 2.5-50 lbs. per dumbbell.
*The Personal Trainer Set cannot be increased in weight. The Personal Plus Handle and Add On Kits are incompatible.The only dumbbell system that can expand to meet your strength needs, PowerBlock dumbbells are the most versatile and effective exercise
Rating: 
(out of 14 reviews)
List Price: $ 418.00
Price: $ 321.00
Find More PowerBlock Elite Products
Review by BlackSCRunner for PowerBlock Elite 90 Adjustable 5 to 90-Pounds per Dumbbell Set
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After years of collecting the old standard hex dumbells, and trying to maintain a home gym in the city in various apartments (usually in the common basement) I found the PowerBlock dumbells. For someone without a dedicated room (with lots of space) for their workout equipment, these are fantastic dumbells. They go up to 85 or 90lbs without the add-on kit, and they are super fast and easy to change the weight. They are pricey, but considering the amount of dumbells they replace, well worth it, for the right user.
After using the PowerBlock setup for a couple years I came across IronMaster, another brand with adjustable dumbells. They go to 75lbs without the add-on kit, and cost a little less than the PowerBlock dumbells. I have BOTH in my home gym now, and I will go over the pros and cons of each for those of you trying to decide on a set up like this.
PowerBlocks:
Pros: Well made, comfortable grip, fast and easy to change the weight in 10lb increments, nice stand included, made in USA, ability to go up to 85-90lbs as is, and 120lbs with add-on. Excellent for exercises where you change weight quickly or frequently. Square dumbells don’t roll.
Cons: Funky design with 4 pillars around your hand/wrist. It works, but it makes me nervous at higher weights that if I were to drop them I could somehow catch my wrist in there and hurt myself. Difficult to quickly switch weights in increments smaller than 10lbs. This is a problem for many exercises. Although they are sturdy, and have never given out on me, they rattle and the plates move a little when you use them. Again, they seem sturdy but when doing shoulder or bench press it’s a little disconcerting. You need to make sure the magnetic pins are fully inserted and in the right spot or disaster could ensue. The dumbells get long when using a lot of weight which can be somewhat awkward for certain exercises.
Overall: These dumbells are best for exercises where you change the weight frequently, or quickly, and work best for non-press exercises in my experience. The add-on kit is a nice option, but the dumbells are already pretty long at 85-90lbs, so it may be impractical for a lot of exercises. They were the first of their kind, they are still a serious contender in this ring.
IronMaster:
Pros: Well Made. More traditional looking & feeling dumbells. Up to 75lbs as is, and 125lbs with kit. Not as long as PowerBlocks, no awkward pillars to stick your hand in between. Nice stand included. Great bench and other accessories available (better than PowerBlock bench after using both). No rattling or moving of plates when in use. Sturdy and well balanced and made in USA. Excellent for press exercises. Just as quick to change the weight in 2.5lb or 5lb increments as it is by 10lbs or more.
Cons: Takes significantly longer to change the weight than PowerBlocks. For press exercises I find this to be less of an issue, but for curls and other quick change exercises it’s a bit of a pain. No locking mechanism for the screw in pins. This has never been an issue, or caused a dumbell to fall apart during use, but there’s no locking mechanism (or magnet such as PowerBlocks) just friction preventing the pin from unscrewing. I’m not too worried about it, but it has crossed my mind.
Overall: These dumbells are best for users who use higher weights for press exercises and want the traditional look and feel of a dumbell you might find in the gym. They don’t rattle or move, and are very solid. They also go higher in weight than the PowerBlocks with the add-on kit, and cost less. Not as good for users using ligher weight and requiring quick changes.
Conclusion: For me, having both pairs is a pretty good set up, but If I were to choose just one, I would stick with the IronMaster. I like them for their sturdiness and lack of rattling especially when using heavy weight. In addition to the IronMaster, I would buy a cheaper set of adjustable dumbells with a lower maximum weight (50lbs maybe) that could be easily adjusted in 5lb (or smaller) increments to use for curls and kickbacks etc…and stick with the IronMaster for the heavier weights, where I really don’t mind the extra minute of rest to change the weight! In fact, I think I will sell my PowerBlocks and get a set up like this, and have some money left over for Muscle Milk!
P.S. the IronMaster adjustable bench is the BEST I have used!
Review by Truth Teller for PowerBlock Elite 90 Adjustable 5 to 90-Pounds per Dumbbell Set
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Since my www “weight” gym went down I’ve been nowhere and didn’t even know about this option. Just picked these up, the feeling of being back in “the game” is simply awesome. Combined with Ironmaster’s Superbench, crunch/decline and dip attachment you are ready to go in a space less than 4′ x 6′. (I had tested the pullup attachment rated to 300 pounds and was surprised at the stability: I’m 200.)
For my condo, a small side room with a closet was just begging for this solution. Not cheap, but for any reasonable athlete who mixes weight and cardio training (I’m a swimmer) it doesn’t get any better than this. Some people can get the lower priced 45 pound set but most guys are going to want to have more weight to grow into and at 90 pounds this will be the sweet spot for the majority of guys. You can get the expansion kit beyond it and that’s the only downside it the upgrade is somewhat pricey but it’s still worth it IMHO should that day come.
One point to consider is the comfort of using the product as you can also get rid of your weight gloves with these. They are so comfortable gloves aren’t necessary. Was considering the Ironmaster adjustable dumbells too. They are more standard in the geometry but the feel does require gloves or you must have some serious hands. Also the design is so well done around the hand on the Powerblock that the balance is definitely a nice improvement over the standard dumbell.
With these and a great bench, no more waiting to get to weights in the gym, no more trying to squeeze in work while waiting for a place. And no more see sawing on your gains because you can’t get to the gym. These are just awesome for space, convenience, effectiveness and there’s no beating the speed of changing the weight.
Also, Powerblock is made in the good ole USA.
Review by Eagle Vision for PowerBlock Elite 90 Adjustable 5 to 90-Pounds per Dumbbell Set
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I have owned this set of dumbells since 1998. Changing the resistance from one level to the next is as easy as removing the pins and setting the pins on the next level (by 10 lb increments). If you do workouts requiring finer adjustments, 2.5 or 5 lbs, then the handle has to be separated.
As you do a chest press with 75 lbs, it gets challenging, since the set gets wider. However, aside from that, bent rows, curls, shoulder presses, squats, triceps extensions are easy. Wrist curls are a little cumbersome but manageable.
The finish is relatively durable but over a period of 5 years, the enamel does chip off. However, it is not rusting, even after 10 years.
The handles are padded and comfortable.
These are not resistant to damage when dropped so you need complete control with these weights.
Given the modular design, it fits in a space of 2 shoeboxes.
I highly recommend this set. It WILL be the last set of dumbells you EVER buy again.
Review by Eagle Vision for PowerBlock Elite 90 Adjustable 5 to 90-Pounds per Dumbbell Set
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I have owned this set of dumbells since 1998. Changing the resistance from one level to the next is as easy as removing the pins and setting the pins on the next level (by 10 lb increments). If you do workouts requiring finer adjustments, 2.5 or 5 lbs, then the handle has to be separated.
As you do a chest press with 75 lbs, it gets challenging, since the set gets wider. However, aside from that, bent rows, curls, shoulder presses, squats, triceps extensions are easy. Wrist curls are a little cumbersome but manageable.
The finish is relatively durable but over a period of 5 years, the enamel does chip off. However, it is not rusting, even after 10 years.
The handles are padded and comfortable.
These are not resistant to damage when dropped so you need complete control with these weights.
Given the modular design, it fits in a space of 2 shoeboxes.
I highly recommend this set. It WILL be the last set of dumbells you EVER buy again.
Review by Eagle Vision for PowerBlock Elite 90 Adjustable 5 to 90-Pounds per Dumbbell Set
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I have owned this set of dumbells since 1998. Changing the resistance from one level to the next is as easy as removing the pins and setting the pins on the next level (by 10 lb increments). If you do workouts requiring finer adjustments, 2.5 or 5 lbs, then the handle has to be separated.
As you do a chest press with 75 lbs, it gets challenging, since the set gets wider. However, aside from that, bent rows, curls, shoulder presses, squats, triceps extensions are easy. Wrist curls are a little cumbersome but manageable.
The finish is relatively durable but over a period of 5 years, the enamel does chip off. However, it is not rusting, even after 10 years.
The handles are padded and comfortable.
These are not resistant to damage when dropped so you need complete control with these weights.
Given the modular design, it fits in a space of 2 shoeboxes.
I highly recommend this set. It WILL be the last set of dumbells you EVER buy again.
Review by Patrick D. Goonan for PowerBlock Personal Trainer Adjustable 2.5 to 50-Pounds per Dumbbell Set
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I agree that these are the best adjustable dumbbells on the market. However, I would add a few caveats. For starters, it is important to have the PowerBlocks on a level surface and make sure you insert the pin straight across rather than at an angle. If you don’t, it is possible that a plate could fall and hit you even with the elastic backup mechanism. It is also very important to put the pin assembly together right side up. If you don’t, the magnets that hold this assembly in place don’t engage.
On exercises like OVERHEAD triceps extensions, the points above are particularly important. While I think this product is great, it does limit range of motion in some exercises such as upright rows. The dumbbell is rather long and this could be a problem depending upon your frame. However, I wouldn’t worry about the square design. I find using these dumbbells to be quite comfortable and the padded grips certainly help.
While this product is quite expensive, it’s also the best out there that I know of and I shopped around carefully. It also seems to be the safest and is certainly more convenient, takes up less room and even costs less than a set of full dumbbells that can cover the same weight ranges.
If money is an issue for you, you may want to consider getting the model of dumbbells one tier down from these that adjust in 5 lb. increments and then purchasing adjustable wrist weights in 0.5 increments. This will give you about the same effect for less cost.
Review by D. Miller for PowerBlock Personal Trainer Adjustable 2.5 to 50-Pounds per Dumbbell Set
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I bought the elite version (5 lbs empty handle up to 90 lbs) for about $600 from a www fitness store to avoid shipping and handling. Initially I thought the handle might restrict wrist movement but it hasn’t been a problem. The trickiest part to using them is inserting the selector pins correctly and this is no biggie – just do it right so you don’t dent the floor or your head. Selecting the weight in increments of 10 lbs is very quick. To make smaller adjustments requires removing the handle from the weight set, removing a cylinder or two and then reinserting the handle – not terribly time consuming but I find myself trying to avoid it during a workout. I use them for every exercise I would use a regular set of dumbbells except for pullovers. You can’t drop these like regular dumbbells and I try not to bang them together. I have had them for about a year and use them at least twice a week. They look brand new. I would give them five stars if I wasn’t taking into account the price.
Review by G. Mannino for PowerBlock Personal Trainer Adjustable 2.5 to 50-Pounds per Dumbbell Set
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I first started looking at the adjustable dumbell sets when I saw the set Bowflex has/had (SelecTech 552). I stopped looking at them when I found out that the adjustable weights on the Selectech and its imitations have fallen of while in use. After doing a lot of research I found a ton of others. None of them looked reliable. Came across these and it turns out that this simple design is the safest and most sturdy of all, and if I’m not mistaken, also the original adjustable dumbell set, patented sometime in the 90s.
Hands down, get these if you’re in the market for a set; they’re also hundreds of dollars cheaper than barbells and take up about one square foot of space for the two of them. That’s nothing for a weight set.
And the other biggy: They’re MADE IN THE U.S.A. !!!
Review by Eric Prescott for PowerBlock Personal Trainer Adjustable 2.5 to 50-Pounds per Dumbbell Set
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I’m enjoying the ability to work out in my apartment without needing an entire rack of dumbbells. I do wish these were less clunky and balanced better (and, of course, less expensive), but the handle grip is relatively comfortable and the weight changing pin makes workouts quick and easy. Unfortunately, it’s easy to max out on this set if you’re a guy in relatively good shape. Dumbbell rows are too easy, and the next set of weights up was just too expensive for me to move up in class. I guess I’ll have to settle on 50 pounds per side until I can figure something else out to keep my lats building up. Not like I’m a bodybuilder or anything. In fact, this set may be more ideal for people just looking to stay tone and incorporate weight-bearing exercise into their lives, not serious athletes.
Review by Booboo Tutball for PowerBlock Personal Trainer Adjustable 2.5 to 50-Pounds per Dumbbell Set
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This review is for the 2009 PowerBlock Sport 9.0.
I have been looking for an adjustable dumbbell for a while. I looked at the Bowflex, and some cheaper adjustable weight at the store, but end up with the PowerBlock.
Reason is its simplicity, there is no intricate mechanism to break. More importantly is its size, the size goes down as the weight goes down (unlike the Bowflex which stays constant at 16″ for the 552, and 18″ for the 1090, the PowerBlock is 12″ at 50lb, 11″ at 40lb), which allows a much better range of motion. For weight increment, the 2.5lb increment is also available at any weight level (which the Bowflex only offers at under 25lb for the 552, and does not offer for the 1090 at all). Lastly is its expandability, which allows me to go up to 120lb without buying a brand new dumbbell set.
With my set (new stock from an authorized dealer in 3/09), I don’t have problem with plates sticking together.
I was initially skeptical about the pin falling out, but I experimented at the store, the pins are locked in by friction unless the dumbbell is on the ground laying right side up. In that case, the pin still cannot completely disengage by itself because of the safely elastic band and the magnet. When the dumbbell is in your hand, the friction is so tight that I couldn’t pull it out even if I tried.
The shape is odd, but so far it has never limited the range of motion of my exercise. Frankly, it is perhaps a matter of personal taste, so you would want to try it out at the store for yourself.