Dumbbells

Sixteen dumbbell lines from $12 to $1449. Light pairs run 0.5 to 5 kg; singles go from rubber hex and cast iron to 25 kg, urethane rounds to 40 kg (88 lb) and heavy hex heads from 30 to 50 kg (110 lb). Dial-adjustable pairs reach 24 kg (53 lb) and 32 kg (71 lb), a twist-handle pair 40 kg, and two racked sets, rubber hex at $1299 and urethane at $1449, fill a studio corner.

Hex heads stay where you put them on the floor; rounds look tidier on a rack; adjustables save space but take a few seconds to change. Buy the weight you can press for eight clean reps and the next 2.5 kg step up, rather than one heavy pair to grow into.