Fast-to-adjust dumbbells have been around a long time, with compies such as Bowflex and PowerBlock leading the way almost three decades ago. Since then, the market has become overcrowded, especially since the Pandemic. And while the choice may be much broader, the quality and designs of some of the new sets are questionable as most new companies, including Ayeku, have little experience in the home gym market.

However, the Ayeku Adjustable Dumbbells are one of the new sets I have been fairly impressed with. Why? The build quality is there; these things are tough. With minimal plastic in the design, the chance of breakage is much less than most selectable dumbbell sets.

Twist lock adjustment system, 1 second adjustment time.

Also, they have one of the fastest to adjust systems you’ll find, and they’re not overpriced. They’re a mid-range dumbbell with a set of two 55lb dumbbells costing just under $460.

Still, while I love the adjustable system and the build quality, this set of bells does have a few issues, which we’ll go into in the review.

First, let’s take a quick look at the Ayeku Adjustbaale Dumbbells product specs!

Product Specifications

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Product dimensions –  16″ in length with a height of 7.5″

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Weight –  either 25lb per dumbbell or 55lb per dumbbell

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Contoured soft grip handles
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Adjusts in 10lb weight increments (55lb dumbbells) 5lb increments for 25lb dumbbells

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Solid in singles not as a set

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Single hand twist-lock adjustment system

Why Do We Like The AyeKu Adjustable Dumbbells?

Saving space is paramount for any home gym, and an adjustable dumbbell like the AyeKu is one of the best ways to go out about it. One AyeKu dumbbell takes up just 1.04s.ft  of space, five times less than the equivalent in fixed weight dumbbells.

This set replaces five sets of fixed weight dumbbells 11lb, 22lb, 33lb, 44lb, 55lb.

Tough Silicon Steel Sheet Plates

But perhaps the most appealing feature of these dumbells is the weight plates themselves, as they don’t come with a plastic casing. This is great news as its the plastic coating that usually cracks first with most of the adjustable sets, which makes them unusable.

If you drop a Bowflex Dumbbell and the weight plate casing cracks, you’ll be in for one hefty repair bill because breaks from drops are not covered in the warranty of the Bowflex or any of the adjustable sets.

The Ayeku plates are made from silicon steel sheets with no outer plastic shell. Also, they have been powder coated, so there is no need to worry about rust problems.

That’s not to say this set of bells from AyeKu are unbreakable, this is an adjustable set, so there are a few small plastic parts in the adjustment system itself. It’s the one drawback of selectable systems. They are weak and can break when dropped. So be careful and try to avoid dropping the dumbbells from anything higher than 6 inches.

single ayeku adjustable dumbbell

Are The AyeKu Dumbbells Easy To Adjust?

Super easy to adjust because this dumbbell uses a twist-lock system, its very similar to the Core Fitness Dumbbell adjustment system, which is the fastest selectable weight dumbbell out there.

All you need to do is place the dumbbell in its cradle and twist the handle to the desired weight you wish to lift. The handle will lock into the weight plate you chose and leave the other plates behind. It’s that simple and takes just a second or two. And the best thing is you only need a single hand to adjust it.

The super fast adjustment system is another impressive feature of this dumbbell set, and because they can be adjusted in under 5 seconds, it will allow you to perform drop sets. Speedy adjustment times are also usefull for some types of CrossFit.

Long Handles – Take Time To Get Used To

We’ve mentioned all the good features of the AyeKu dumbbells, decent build quality, fast-to-adjust, steel plates, but these guys didn’t get everything right. One issue is the long handles. It doesn’t matter how much weight you’re lifting with the AyeKu’s; the length of the handle stays the same, which can be problematic.

Core Fitness, PowerBlock even NordicTrack are all compact dumbbells because the dumbbell handle only increases in length the more weight you add.

If you want to lift 10lb with a PowerBlock Dumbell, you’re looking at an 11″ handle if you’re going to lift 20lb with a Powerblock dumbbell, the handle increases slightly in length to 11’5″ as the weight increases. If you want to lift 10 or 20lb or any weight amount with the AyeKu dumbells, the handle will always be 15″ long because it is a fixed length; thus, it’s not a compact natural feel dumbbell. At first, it will feel awkward for many when lifting because of that length.

Long handles might not be a deal-killer, but they will take a few weeks to get used to, especially with curls, etc. Fixed handle length is a big drawback with Bowflex dumbells, too. It’s not just something AkeKu has got wrong.

AyeKu Adjustable dumbbell

Anything Else Worth Mentioning?

The weight increments of this set are worth a mention because they are too large. The 55lb set has 10lb weight increments which aren’t advisable even for seasoned bodybuilders, let alone beginners or intermediates.

If you can curl a 20lb dumbbell for ten reps and you want to continue adapting, curling a 30lb dumbbell represents a 50% increase in load; that’s a big jump.

Making small weight increases is one of the keys to progress, regardless of exercises or apparatus. For dumbbells, we really need the ability to increment the weight in 2.5lb jumps, 5lb at the most.

The large 10lb jumps in weight increments of the 55lb AyeKu Dumbbell really lets this otherwise impressive set of dumbbells down. AyeKu do make the 25lb set of the dumbbells, which boast 5lb increments, a much better choice for beginners, and thankfully the 25lb AkeKu dumbbell boasts the same excellent build quality and sheet steel weight plates.

The Good

Solid feel – well made

Less plastic in the build, makes this set a little tougher than most

Firm but comfortable contoured grip handle

Fast to adjust quick lock system – only one hand needed to adjust

Comes with its own cradle

Space-saving design – One dumbbell equal to 5 different weight dumbbells

The Bad

Fixed length handle – doesn’t matter how much weight you lift the handle length stays the same

Large 10lb weight increments

Sold in singles – can be confusing for the buyer

                                                                                         

Alternative

pair of corefitness adjustbale dumbbells

Core Fitness Adjustable Dumbbells 50lb per dumbbell – set of 2 for under $400

The Core Fitness Dumbbells have been around for a while. They’re a popular set of dumbbells and are one of my favorites. These are the guys who first used the twist-lock adjustment system, so just like the AyeKu dumbbells, the Core fitness dumbbell is just as fast and easy to adjust.

The good thing about the Core Fitness dumbbells is that they can be adjusted in 5lb increments, making them a much better choice for most lifters. It also means they replace ten sets of dumbbells rather than the five sets of the AyeKu’s, saving you a ton of money and space.

Still, what I like most about the Core Fitness dumbbells is how compact they are. There’s no fixed handle length. The handle of this dumbbell only gets longer with the more weight you add.

A compact adjustable dumbbell is what you should be looking for as it gives that natural feel you want from an adjustable dumbbell.

There is one drawback with this set, and that’s the plastic casing surrounding the weight plates, it’s not a deal killer, but as I mentioned about the Bowflex, its the plastic casing that can crack when a dumbbell is dropped, so you’ll have to be especially careful with this set of dumbells.

However, the compact size and 5lb increments easily make up for the plastic casing of the weight plates. If you want a dumbbell you can train with  properly? The Core Fitness dumbbells are an excellent choice for both beginners and intermediates.

                                                                                         

To Sum Up

I like the 55lb AyeKu Dumbbells; they’re well made. I was happy to see they don’t have that annoying plastic coating surrounding the weight plates. And I love how fast they adjust. But it’s the large jumps in weight that make these dumbbells hard to recommend to anyone. 10lb increments are just too much for a dumbbell.

25lb dumbbell is the best choice from AyeKu

Still, their 25lb dumbbell is an excellent choice for beginners, yes it’s not a heavy dumbbell, so it’s not suitable for all lifters, but we do have the proper weight increments, and we still get to benefit from the quality of these solid dumbbells. Plus, the handles are shorter with the 25lb set, making a huge difference when training.

There aren’t many decent 25lb adjustable dumbells on the market right now, so if you’re a beginner, the AyeKu 25lb Dumbbells would make a great first dumbbell set.