Irommaster vs. Powerblock Dumbbells

Having recently purchased both the Ironmaster Quickchange dumbbells, and the Powerblocks dumbbells, I decided to sit down and summarize the strengths and weaknesses of both.

Both of these devices have the same purpose: to replace a large quantity of dumbbells with one variable weight device. Both do what they claim, and I feel both are reasonably high quality products, but they are different enough that I feel most people will prefer one over the other.

The Powerblocks have definitely penetrated the market more. In fact there are several fitness stores near where I live that carry them. This is nice because it enabled me to get some "hands on" time with them before purchasing. You'll also probably see them at most fitness expos. I won't waste too much time describing them since their web site does this quite well: http://www.powerblock.com/frame.html Basically, they are interconnected plates that fit inside each other, and by moving a selector pin up and down the stack, you get to select the amount of weight that stays connected to the handle when you pick them up.

I purchased the Sportblock set which is the small set going from 3 to 21lbs in 3lb increments. This set does just what it advertises, but I have run into a few issues. First, although I have not had a problem putting the pins in correctly, several of my people have managed to cross-insert the pins. This results in an extra set of plates being "almost" retained. If you are not a careful person, you might end up dropping a set of plates on your head. This isn't really Powerblocks fault, but it is still something to be concerned about.

Also, due to the complexity of the design, these are certainly nowhere near as robust as a normal set of dumbbells. Every time a client "clangs" them together at the top of a military press, I cringe wondering how long until one of the connecting bars bends, and they no longer fit together properly.

The handles are also not quite "conventional". They have a bar at each of the four corners, and some people have trouble on certain exercises with these bars contacting their wrists. You have to decide for yourself if this would be an issue for you.

Overall, I really like this set, and when I decided it was time to invest in the heavier set, I took a closer look at the Personal Plus set, and the Pro-Rexan set. The Personal Plus set adjusts from 20lbs to 60lbs in 5lb increments, and cannot be added on to. The Pro-Rexan set adjusts from 5 to 45lbs in 5lb increments. This set can be added on to for a maximum weight of 125lbs in each hand. Unfortunately the handle must be disassembled in the Pro-Rexan set in order to adjust them in 5lb increments, making them "not so quickchange" dumbbells.

Total cost was also a factor. The Personal Plus set would have cost me $470 per pair with stand and would have only allowed up to 60lbs per hand. The Pro-Rexan set would have cost me $450 for up to 45lbs and $670 to go to 85lbs per hand. I didn't like the lack of expandability of the Personal Plus set, the lack for adjustability of the Pro-Rexan set, and I hated the cost of either set.

That's when I decided to try the Ironmaster Quickchange dumbbells for the higher weight range. Their system seemed a little less "quickchange", but a little more robust, and much cheaper. Check them out at their web site: http://www.quickdumbells.com/

In use, these dumbbells behave more like ordinary dumbbells with a more solid feel, and no extra bars to hit the wrists. I do question the use of only four spot welds holding the handle to the end plate. This immediately made me question their long term durability, but maybe it would never be a problem. These units do not have near the visual appeal of the Powerblocks. In fact, the paint was already starting to chip off the weight plates when I received them. Both of these units are painted and not powder coated, meaning that since there is constant metal on metal contact, some TLC will be necessary to keep the weight plates from rusting.

The 80lb set I bought goes from 10 to 80lbs in 5lb increments. It cost $410 with stand and shipping. An add-on set can be purchased to take this set up to 120lbs, and 2.5lb plates can also be purchased for $18 for a set of 4, to give this set an incremental adjustment of 2.5lbs (a much appreciated feature that I use often). That's $250 less than the $85lb Powerblock Pro-Rexan set.

The problem with the Ironmaster Quickchange Dummbells is in the "Quickchange". Forget about using these units to superset between rows and curls. Adjusting between the higher and lower weight range takes several minutes. This is fine if you'll be working alone and will be finishing up one exercise before starting the next, but forget about working out with your spouse who works in a whole different weight range. Whether this is a factor is up to you, and the way you'll use them.

So, no, there's no perfect solution to not buying real dumbbells, but both of these units comes close, and given the above review, you should be able to decide which suits you best. My personal preference is definately the Powerblocks if you can afford them.