We often wonder how we can upgrade our workouts to get an extra edge, a modification or out of the im-bored-out-of-my-mind rut.

Taking advantage of your body is the easiest and most time effective way to workout. 

No excuses.

But what if you want more? What if you want something different.

Utilizing free weights is the best way to upgrade your workout routine and the Bowflex adjustable dumbbell is a perfect tool.

No you don’t need a powercage (although I have one in my garage), heavy equipment or ridiculous isolated muscle machines.

The only adjustable dumbbell I use and recommend is the Bowflex SelectTech 1090 dumbbell.

But before you run out and buy them, lets look at the good, the bad, and the ugly.

The Good

The Bowflex SelectTech 1090 adjustable dumbbell goes from 10lbs - 90lbs in 5-pound increments.

It would take you 16 single dumbbells to get the same effect.

16 dumbbells, 850lbs worth, packed into one dumbbell.

Pretty cool, right?

Buying 16 new single dumbbells would run you close to $850. Not to mention taking up a hell of a lot of garage space. You would also need to buy 2 pairs unless you just wanted to workout one side of your body.

Not recommended.

From deadlifts and squats to stability ball chest presses and bicep curls the workouts are limitless.

A testosterone boosting edge.

With an easy twist of a knob you'll have a large amount of weight at your fingertips.

The Bad

These dumbbells are obviously bulky and difficult to move if you haven’t worked up the strength to lug around 90 pounds.

But once you have them in a room or garage where they’ll always be, you can always reduce the weight to your liking.

The Bowflex SelectTech 1090 dumbbell are high quality but they’re still fragile due to the weight changing mechanisms. You can’t drop them like a standard dumbbell. Use caution when setting them down.

You also won't be able to lug these to the office, on a flight or to the hotel. You can if you want, but good luck.

The Ugly

At a price of over $400+ for a pair, the ugliest part of these dumbbells is their initial investment.

When buying the best adjustable dumbbell, it won’t be cheap.

I'll debunk this in a minute when we get talking about ROI. 

My Bowflex SelectTech 1090 dumbbell Conclusion

These dumbbells are great. They add weight and variety to your workout and take up less than 2 feet of space.

The investment may seem steep but think of it this way.

If you spend $35 a month on a gym membership, cancel and buy these dumbbells, it will take you approximately 12 months to get a return on your investment.

You’ll also have an asset that you can always resell. They may depreciate initially but go on Craigslist and see what these are selling for...nuts.

I’ve had my dumbbells for over 24 months now. I was initially at a local gym that was charging me $45 a month. That would be a 24 month total of $1,080.00. The initial investment cost me about $556, saving me $524 over the course of the 24 months. I could also sell these today for $300, easily.

The no brainer part about these dumbbells is you can upgrade your workout at home. You don’t have to worry about going anywhere, just get dressed, get in the garage and get sweaty.

So not only will you save money, but you can also get fit from doing it. Sounds like a win/win to me.

The best adjustable dumbbells are the Bowflex Selecttech 1090 dumbbells.

This is where it’s at.

P.S. I also recommend getting the stand.