Lightweight dumbells like the Bpulse Adjustable Dumbbells are a great idea for beginners because they include small weight increases, which are vital for progression and isolation exercises. They’re also affordable, and they use the same twist-lock adjustment system as the high-end sets like the Core Fitness and Snode AD-50 dumbbells. Impressive stuff so far.
Solid Dumbbells Feel Great To Lift With.
Still, cheap sets like the Bpulse dumbbells always have a few drawbacks such as the long handles and plastic in the design. However, there is no weight plate movement with this set which is a surprise as usually, it’s the main issue with the more affordable dumbbell sets. Many users have praised how solid this dumbbell feels when lifting which is great news.
This 27.5lb dumbbell is receiving a lot of positive feedback right now, so I wanted to take a close look at everything it offers, including those minor drawbacks I just mentioned. At the end of the review, I’ll compare the Bpulse Dumbbells with the best seller in this price range, the Flybird 25lb Dumbbell, as it will be interesting to see how the Bpulse bells matche up.
Product Specifications
Product dimensions – Product dimensions – 15.7”Lx7.6’W’x6.7”H
Weight – 27.5lb per dumbbell
Adjustment system – twist lock
Weight increments – 5.5lb, 11lb, 16.5lb, 22lb, 27.5lb
Material – metal, plastic
Sold in singles
Why Do We Like The Bpulse Adjustable Dumbbell?
When you choose an adjustable dumbbell for home workouts, you want a dumbbell that can cope with any exercise, especially exercises requiring speedy weight changes like drop sets, etc. For that, you need an adjustable dumbbell with an easy-to-use fast adjustment system.
The Bpulse dumbbells boast the fastest adjustment system on the market. It’s called the twist-lock adjustment system. It’s fast enough for any advanced or basic bodybuilding techniques.
The twist-lock system takes just a second to adjust as all you need to do is twist your wrist to the desired weight you want to lift. It’s foolproof and fast. Still, it’s a good idea to make sure the dumbbell is pushed fully into the storage tray before adjusting; this will allow for smooth weight changes.
Small weight Increses Are Best For Progression.
Another feature I like about the Bpulse dumbbells are the weight increments of 5.5lb. They’re not too big a jump for beginners. Ideally, we’d like 2.5lb increments for dumbbells, but 5lb is okay, it’s a lot better than some of the other cheap dumbbells that adjust in increments of 8lb or even 10lb which is too big a jump even for seasoned lifters.
Small weight increases are one of the keys to progress no matter what exercises you are performing, so you should never choose a dumbbell with increments of more than 5lb; otherwise, it will slow your progress, and too big of a jump in weight can cause injuries.
15.6″ is Long For a 27.5lb Dumbbell
Long handles are one of the drawbacks of many of the selectable dumbbells, including the Bpulse dumbbells. The reason the handles are long is because they use a fixed-length handle.
The problem with fixed handles is that they stay the same length no matter how much weight you’re lifting. You can lift 5lb or 25lb, and the handle length stays the same. This is an issue even with popular sets like the Bowflex 552s, which also use fixed-length handles. Long handles like this are awkward to train with; they can clash above your head when pressing and hit your sides when curling.
However, you will get used to the handle length over time, you’ll adapt, and they will start to feel more natural to lift with after a few weeks,
Typically fixed-length handles are much shorter on the lightweight dumbbells because there’s less weight to lift. But the Bpulse dumbbells are one exception as they seem to have unusually long handles for a light dumbbell at nearly 16 inches. This is the same length as handles I’ve reviewed on 50lb dumbbells like the Bowflex 552s.
No Drops From Height!
You may have noticed there’s a lot of plastic in most adjustable dumbbell designs, including the Bpulse dumbbells. The Bpulse dumbbells have plastic in their adjustment system and handle. Plastic is something you’re always going to find with the fast-to-adjust selectable dumbbells. It’s almost unavoidable unless you want to spend $500+ on an all-metal pair.
All this means is you need to be careful when working out not to drop a dumbbell from height because it will break. The adjustment systems are fragile. And drops aren’t covered in the warranty.
One positive is that the weight plates aren’t covered in a plastic casing like many adjustable sets, so the Bpulse dumbbells do have less plastic than some, but even without the plastic casings, these things won’t survive drops from height. They’ll be okay with a 6″ or so drop, but don’t risk anything higher.
Should I buy a Single or a Pair?
If you haven’t got the budget right now to purchase a pair of dumbbells, one dumbbell is always better than none, as you can perform various isolation exercises.
Still, I’d always recommend you choose a pair of dumbbells as with a pair you can perform compound movements. Compound movements should be the backbone of any muscle-building schedule. Gains in muscle mass and strength come much faster with compound movements than any other type of exercise.
Anything Else Worth Mentioning?
It’s worth mentioning again to make sure to adjust the dumbbells in their storage tray. Otherwise, you will not achieve a smooth, fast weight change.
And lastly, one of the benefits of owning an adjustable dumbbell is its space-saving design. The Bpulse dumbbells save you a ton of space by replacing five sets of fixed weight dumbbells. You can store them under a bed in a cupboard or preferably on a small sturdy table so they are easy to reach when you workout.
The Good
No plate movement solid feeling dumbbells
Twist lock adjustment system – easy to use takes a second to adjust
small weight increases – great for progression
No plastic casing surrounding weight plates – less to break
Space-saving design – replaces 5 sets of fixed weight dumbbells
Good price for a solid twist lock dumbbell
The Bad
Long handles – can be awkward to lift with at first
Some plastic in the adjustment system and handles – means no drops from height
Lightweight dumbbells some users may outgrow the 27.5lb max quickly
Alternative
Flybird 25lb Adjustable Dumbbell
Flybird makes some impressive affordable gym gear. I’ve reviewed many of their products and have always been surprised at the quality on offer for the price point. Their 25lb adjustable dumbbells were released last year, and since then, they have become one of the most popular lightweight dumbbells on the market.
One of the reasons their 25lb dumbbell is so popular is because, just like the Bpulse dumbbell the Flybird dumbbell uses the twist-lock adjustment system, so it’s fast to adjust, taking just a second.
Also, the Flybird dumbbell adjusts in 5lb increments making it an excellent choice for beginners who don’t want to deal with large jumps in weight.
Still, like all the selectable dumbbells, the Flybird dumbbells have plastic in the handles and adjustment system, so it’s another dumbbell you’ll need to be careful not to drop.
Overall the Flybird dumbbells are very similar to the Bpulse dumbbells as both offer small weight increments, the twist-lock adjustment system, and both feel nice and solid when you’re lifting. But there is one noticeable difference, and that is the length of the handle. The FlyBird handle is 2 inches shorter which means it feels much more natural to lift with.
But the Flybird 25lb Dumbbells cost $30 more per dumbbell than the Bpulse dumbbells, and the only significant difference is the handle length. You’ll have to decide if paying that bit extra is worth it for a more compact dumbbell?
To Sum Up
I was impressed with the Bpulse Adjustable Dumbbells as you have a solid, super fast adjustable dumbbell for under $80 or a pair for $160. That’s a great price for two well-made twist-lock dumbbells.
The weight increments of the Bpulse dumbbells are okay for beginners; they are small enough not to slow your progress, so that’s another positive. It’s just the handle length that holds the Bpulse dumbbell back slightly. Still, the handle length shouldn’t be a deal stopper for most people because, as I mentioned, you can get used to long handles. And at $80 a dumbbell, even with the long handles, the Bpulses dumbbells are a steal.