Spending a few hundred dollars on adjustable dumbbells isn’t an impulse purchase. You’re buying a piece of equipment you’ll use for years, so it needs to be durable, easy to adjust, and feel as close to traditional dumbbells as possible.
After comparing hundreds of verified customer reviews, watching long-term ownership videos, reading discussions across fitness forums, and evaluating how these dumbbells compare with competing adjustable sets, one thing became clear: the NordicTrack Select-a-Weight Adjustable Dumbbells consistently stand out for one reason—their compact, traditional dumbbell feel.
That doesn’t mean they’re perfect.
The packaging is notoriously rough, the adjustment system has a small learning curve, and customer support has earned its share of criticism from buyers who needed replacement parts.
Still, if your goal is to replace an entire rack of fixed dumbbells without sacrificing too much of the lifting experience, these deserve serious consideration.
Here’s the quick answer before we dive into the details.
The NordicTrack Select-a-Weight Adjustable Dumbbells are among the best adjustable dumbbells for home gyms. Their compact design at lighter weights, knurled metal handle, and 15 weight settings make them feel much closer to traditional dumbbells than many competing adjustable systems. While the adjustment mechanism takes a few workouts to get used to, and customer support isn’t the brand’s strongest point, the overall lifting experience makes these one of the better investments for most home gym owners.
Buy them if you:
- Want to replace multiple pairs of fixed dumbbells.
- Train between 10 and 55 pounds primarily.
- Prefer a traditional dumbbell feel.
- Have limited workout space.
Skip them if you:
- Need weights lighter than 10 pounds.
- Frequently drop your dumbbells.
- Want the fastest possible one-dial adjustment system.
Key Takeaways
- Adjustable from 10–55 lbs with 15 weight settings.
- Compact at lighter weights, making many exercises feel more natural.
- Metal knurled handle provides a secure, gym-style grip.
- Two dumbbells replace approximately 15 pairs of fixed dumbbells, saving both space and money.
- Excellent for traditional strength training but not designed for repeated drops.
- Customer support receives mixed feedback, although long-term durability is generally very good with proper care.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Compact design at lighter weights
- Feels closer to traditional dumbbells than many competitors
- Comfortable knurled metal handle
- Small weight increments help with progressive overload
- Excellent space-saving solution
- Stable, solid feel during most exercises
Cons
- Packaging often arrives damaged
- Fine-adjustment lever isn’t labeled
- Plastic adjustment components require careful handling
- Customer support can be inconsistent
- Minimum weight is 10 pounds
What’s in the Box?
One of the first things you’ll probably notice has nothing to do with the dumbbells themselves—it’s the condition of the box.
Because the package weighs around 110 pounds, it’s common for the outer cardboard to arrive scuffed, torn, or looking like it had a rough journey through the shipping network. If you browse buyer reviews, you’ll quickly see that this is one of the most frequently mentioned first impressions.
Fortunately, the packaging usually does its job.
Despite the battered exterior, most buyers report that the dumbbells themselves arrive in excellent condition. The protective foam absorbs the abuse, leaving the internal components untouched.
That said, don’t rush into your first workout.
Take five minutes to inspect every plate before throwing away the packaging. Pay particular attention to the smaller 2.5-pound adjustment plates, as these are the only plastic components in the system and are the most likely parts to be damaged during shipping. A few buyers have reported receiving cracked plates or what appeared to be previously returned units, so it’s worth checking everything while you’re still within the retailer’s return window.
Inside the box, you’ll find:
- Two NordicTrack Select-a-Weight adjustable dumbbells
- Two custom-molded storage trays
- Owner’s documentation
A storage stand isn’t included.
While that’s not unusual for adjustable dumbbells, several experienced owners recommend placing the trays on a platform or stand around bench height. It makes changing weights quicker and saves you from repeatedly bending over during longer workouts—something your lower back will appreciate once you’re working with heavier loads.
Bottom Line: Don’t judge these dumbbells by the condition of the shipping box. Inspect the components carefully, but if everything checks out, the rough packaging is usually just a cosmetic issue rather than a sign of damaged equipment.
Why First Impressions Matter
Adjustable dumbbells have more moving parts than traditional fixed weights, so it’s worth giving everything a thorough inspection before your first workout.
Check that:
- Every weight plate is seated correctly.
- The adjustment levers move smoothly.
- The trays aren’t cracked.
- The handles feel secure with no loose hardware.
- Both dumbbells adjust through every available weight without sticking.
Design: What Makes These Different from Most Adjustable Dumbbells?
If you’ve looked at adjustable dumbbells before, you’ve probably noticed that many of them prioritize convenience over feel. They save space, but they don’t always feel like real dumbbells once they’re in your hands.
That’s where the NordicTrack Select-a-Weight takes a different approach.
Instead of using one long handle that stays the same length regardless of the weight you select, these dumbbells actually become larger only as the weight increases.
That might sound like a small detail, but it’s one of the biggest reasons people prefer them over some competing designs.
At 10 pounds, you’re holding a compact dumbbell that’s roughly the size of a traditional fixed weight. As you increase the weight, additional plates are added, making the dumbbell longer only when necessary.
Compare that with many dial-style adjustable dumbbells, where you’re still holding the full-length frame even at the lightest setting. During exercises like lateral raises, curls, chest flyes, or shoulder presses, that extra length can feel awkward and limit your range of motion.
The NordicTrack design avoids that problem.
Instead of feeling like you’re lifting a mechanical device, it feels surprisingly close to using a normal gym dumbbell.
Why That Matters During Real Workouts
This becomes noticeable almost immediately.
During lateral raises, for example, a long adjustable dumbbell can bump into your thighs or change your movement pattern simply because of its size.
With the NordicTrack, the lighter settings stay compact, allowing your arms to move naturally without fighting the equipment.
The same applies to exercises such as:
- Chest flyes
- Concentration curls
- Arnold presses
- Overhead triceps extensions
- Goblet squats
The dumbbell stays proportional to the weight you’re actually lifting.
It’s one of those features that doesn’t sound exciting on paper but makes a real difference after a few weeks of training.
Another thoughtful touch is the flat ends.
If you’ve ever rested heavy dumbbells on your thighs before pressing them overhead or lying back for a bench press, you’ll appreciate this design. The flat ends sit comfortably against your legs instead of digging into them like rounded end caps often do.
Several long-term owners also mention that the plates stay tightly together during lifts, giving the dumbbell a solid, unified feel rather than the loose, “skeleton frame” sensation found on some adjustable systems.
Bottom Line: The compact design isn’t just a cosmetic feature. It makes many exercises feel more natural and brings the lifting experience much closer to traditional fixed dumbbells.
Weight Range and Available Increments
The NordicTrack Select-a-Weight Adjustable Dumbbells cover a range from 10 to 55 pounds per dumbbell, making them suitable for most home gym users.
Whether you’re doing curls, presses, rows, lunges, or shoulder work, the available weight range is enough for a wide variety of strength-training programs.
Each dumbbell offers 15 different weight settings:
- 10 lbs
- 12.5 lbs
- 15 lbs
- 20 lbs
- 22.5 lbs
- 25 lbs
- 30 lbs
- 32.5 lbs
- 35 lbs
- 40 lbs
- 42.5 lbs
- 45 lbs
- 50 lbs
- 52.5 lbs
- 55 lbs
That means two adjustable dumbbells effectively replace around 15 pairs of fixed dumbbells, saving a significant amount of floor space and money.
The 2.5-Pound Increments Are More Useful Than You Might Think
One feature I really like is the ability to make 2.5-pound adjustments.
For compound lifts, jumping five or ten pounds usually isn’t a big deal.
Isolation exercises are different.
Adding ten pounds to a lateral raise or triceps extension is often too much, especially if you’re trying to maintain strict form.
Those smaller jumps make progressive overload much easier without sacrificing technique.
One Small Limitation
There is one thing worth knowing before you buy.
The weight settings aren’t available in every possible 2.5-pound increment.
For example, you won’t find:
- 17.5 lbs
- 27.5 lbs
- 37.5 lbs
- 47.5 lbs
That’s because the fine-adjustment system only works within each 10-pound block.
In practice, this isn’t something most people notice during everyday training, but if you prefer making very gradual increases on every exercise, it’s worth keeping in mind.
Some owners mention setting each side of the dumbbell to a different weight to create intermediate totals.
Technically, it works.
Practically, I wouldn’t recommend it.
An unevenly loaded dumbbell changes the balance of the weight and can make certain exercises feel awkward or unstable. Unless you have a very specific reason, it’s better to stick with the intended weight settings.
Is 55 Pounds Enough?
For most people, yes.
If you’re training for general strength, muscle growth, or overall fitness, 55 pounds per dumbbell will cover nearly every upper-body exercise and a large portion of lower-body training.
Where you might outgrow them is with movements like:
- Heavy Romanian deadlifts
- Bulgarian split squats
- Dumbbell shrugs
- Heavy goblet squats
Advanced lifters may eventually need more than 55 pounds for those exercises.
For everyone else, this weight range is likely to last for years.
Bottom Line: The 10–55-pound range strikes an excellent balance between versatility and space savings. The only notable compromise is the lack of a few intermediate weight options.
Adjustment Mechanism: Fast Once You Learn It
Instead of using a rotating dial, NordicTrack uses a dual-slider adjustment system.
At first glance, it looks more complicated than some competing designs.
In reality, it only takes a workout or two before it becomes second nature.
The system uses:
- A primary slider to select the base weight.
- A secondary lever that adds either 2.5 or 5 pounds.
To change the weight, simply place the dumbbell back into its tray, move the sliders to your desired setting, and lift it back out.
Changing from 30 to 50 pounds takes roughly 10 seconds.
That’s slightly slower than a one-dial system, but not enough to interrupt most workouts.
After a few sessions, adjusting the weight becomes part of your normal training rhythm.
The Biggest Design Flaw
If there’s one thing almost every long-term owner mentions, it’s the fine-adjustment lever.
The lever itself works well.
The problem is that it isn’t labeled.
There’s nothing showing which direction selects 2.5 pounds and which selects 5 pounds.
For a premium product, that’s a surprising oversight.
Fortunately, it’s an easy fix.
Many owners solve the problem permanently with:
- A small paint marker
- A colored sticker
- Nail polish
- Permanent marker
It takes less than a minute and eliminates the confusion completely.
It Can Feel Stiff at First
Another complaint you’ll occasionally hear is that the adjustment lever sometimes feels stuck.
Most of the time, the mechanism isn’t actually broken.
The dumbbell simply isn’t sitting perfectly in its tray.
Each weight plate needs to align with the grooves in the storage base before the selector can move freely.
Once you learn to lower the dumbbell straight into the tray and give it a slight wiggle to confirm it’s seated correctly, this issue becomes much less common.
Always Double-Check Before Lifting
A small number of buyers reported that the lightweight adjustment plates weren’t fully engaged before lifting, allowing one of the smaller plates to separate during an exercise.
It isn’t a widespread issue, but it’s worth developing a simple habit:
Before every set, give the dumbbell a quick visual check and make sure the selected plates are fully locked into place.
It only takes a second and adds an extra layer of safety.
Bottom Line: The adjustment system has a short learning curve, but it’s reliable once you understand how it works. The unlabeled fine-adjustment lever remains its most obvious design weakness.
Build Quality: Solid Where It Matters Most
The first thing you’ll notice when you pick these up is that they don’t feel like a cheap piece of home gym equipment.
The knurled metal handle immediately stands out. It provides the same textured grip you’d expect from a commercial gym barbell—secure enough to inspire confidence without being so aggressive that it tears up your hands during higher-rep workouts.
If you’ve used adjustable dumbbells with rubber-coated or plastic handles before, you’ll appreciate the difference. The grip simply feels more natural, especially during heavier presses, rows, or Romanian deadlifts where grip security becomes increasingly important.
The larger weight plates are also made from steel, giving the dumbbells a reassuringly solid feel.
The only plastic components are the smaller 2.5-pound adjustment plates, and that’s where most durability concerns originate.
That doesn’t automatically make them fragile—but it does mean these aren’t dumbbells you should treat like commercial gym iron.
You’ll Notice a Little Movement
One question many buyers ask is whether the plates rattle.
The honest answer?
A little.
During slower movements like presses or curls, you’ll likely notice a slight amount of movement between the plates. It’s subtle and becomes easy to ignore after your first few workouts.
Compared to older spin-lock adjustable dumbbells, the movement is minimal.
Compared to fixed dumbbells, you’ll notice it—but it’s rarely distracting.
Where it becomes more noticeable is during fast or explosive movements.
Exercises like:
- Dumbbell snatches
- Push presses
- Explosive rows
Create more momentum, making any adjustable dumbbell feel slightly less stable than a traditional fixed weight.
Fortunately, these aren’t the movements most people buy adjustable dumbbells for.
For controlled strength training, the stability is more than good enough.
Bottom Line: Expect a small amount of plate movement. It’s normal for adjustable dumbbells and doesn’t affect performance during traditional strength training.
The Orange Version Is the One to Buy
If you’ve come across both the older blue model and the newer orange version, the newer model is the better choice.
NordicTrack made several worthwhile improvements.
The orange model includes
- A metal handle instead of plastic
- Steel main weight plates instead of plastic
- A sturdier overall construction
- A more premium feel during workouts
Those upgrades make a noticeable difference in both durability and the overall lifting experience.
If both versions are similarly priced, there’s very little reason to choose the older blue model.
Bottom Line: If you’re buying new, choose the orange version. The improvements are meaningful rather than cosmetic.
Long-Term Durability: How Well Do They Hold Up?
A product can make a great first impression and still disappoint six months later.
Fortunately, that’s not the pattern most long-term owners report.
Across numerous long-term reviews, many buyers describe using these dumbbells consistently for one to two years without major issues.
The adjustment mechanism generally continues to function smoothly, the steel plates hold up well, and the handle maintains its grip even after regular use.
That’s encouraging because adjustable dumbbells naturally have more moving parts than fixed weights, making long-term reliability one of the biggest concerns for potential buyers.
The Most Common Failure Points
No product is perfect, and the NordicTrack set has a few predictable weak spots.
The most common issues involve:
- The small plastic 2.5-pound adjustment components.
- Adjustment levers becoming damaged after accidental drops.
- Handle screws gradually loosening with extended use.
Fortunately, none of these problems appear common during normal home gym use.
Instead, they almost always involve rough handling or repeated impacts.
This reinforces an important point:
These are precision adjustable dumbbells, not commercial gym dumbbells designed to survive constant abuse.
Treat them accordingly.
A Few Habits Can Greatly Extend Their Lifespan
One thing I noticed while researching long-term owner experiences is that the people who had the fewest problems all shared similar habits.
They didn’t baby the dumbbells—but they also didn’t abuse them.
Simple habits like these can make a noticeable difference:
- Lower the dumbbells under control instead of dropping them after a heavy set.
- Make sure they’re fully seated in the trays before changing the weight.
- Occasionally check the handle screws to ensure they remain tight.
- Keep the adjustment mechanism free from dust and debris.
- Store them indoors in a dry environment to help prevent corrosion over time.
None of these steps take more than a few minutes, but together they help protect the moving parts that make adjustable dumbbells possible.
Bottom Line: These dumbbells are built for years of home gym use—not for being thrown around like commercial gym equipment.
Customer Support: The Weakest Part of the Ownership Experience
If there’s one area where NordicTrack consistently receives criticism, it’s customer support.
Most buyers never need assistance.
But for the small percentage who do, the experience can be frustrating.
Some owners describe long phone calls that resulted in little progress.
Others struggled to obtain replacement parts for relatively small components, even while the product remained available for sale.
That doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have a bad experience.
It simply means support appears less consistent than the product itself.
Because of that, many buyers recommend purchasing through a retailer with a strong return and exchange policy.
If your dumbbells arrive damaged or develop a problem early on, resolving it through the retailer is often simpler than working directly with the manufacturer.
Bottom Line: The dumbbells earn higher marks than the customer service. Buy from a retailer with a reliable return policy whenever possible.
Final Verdict
The build quality is exactly what I’d expect from a premium adjustable dumbbell set.
The steel construction, comfortable knurled handle, and compact design inspire confidence during workouts.
The few weaknesses—primarily the plastic adjustment components and inconsistent customer support—don’t outweigh the product’s strengths, but they’re worth knowing before you buy.
If you treat these like the precision fitness equipment they are rather than indestructible gym weights, there’s every reason to expect years of reliable performance.
Important purchasing note: If you decide to buy NordicTrack Select-a-Weight Adjustable Dumbbells, purchase exclusively through Amazon’s official listing. Amazon provides the most reliable purchase protection and return process for a product of this weight and price.
Looking to upgrade your home workouts? Check out the Best Dumbbells for Home Gym to find the perfect set based on your space, budget, and fitness goals.
