NordicTrack Select-A-Weight 55 Review (2026)

Why you should trust this review

I bought the NordicTrack Select-A-Weight 55 at retail specifically to compare it against my long-term Bowflex 552 and PowerBlock Elite 50. NordicTrack did not provide a sample and had no input on this review. I am a USAW Level 1 and CSCS certified strength coach with 16 years of training and five years on the home-gym desk at Garage Gym Reviews, and I have tested nine adjustable dumbbell systems in the last three years. So when I rank these against the Bowflex and PowerBlock, it is from hundreds of sessions across all three.

I put the NordicTrack through 130 sessions on a normal mixed strength program, including pressing, rowing, lower-body accessory work and arm work. That is the only honest way to judge an adjustable: not how it feels on the showroom floor, but how the dial holds up, how the cradle survives repeated rack-downs, and whether the increments actually serve a real training plan over months.

How we evaluated

My adjustable-dumbbell protocol takes a minimum of 90 days. I ran 150 logged dial adjustments per dumbbell, checking plate retention on each engagement. I ran a controlled 24-inch drop onto rubber gym flooring three times per dumbbell to test durability. I timed adjustment speed across 30 trials, measured sound with a dB meter at one meter during normal rack-downs across 20 reps, and graded handle comfort across a 30-minute high-rep arm session for hot spots and slip across two hand sizes.

Across the full 130 sessions I photographed the plates and cradle monthly to track finish, cradle stress and dial wear. The numbers below come from that testing rather than the marketing card.

Dial system: intuitive but blunt

The twin-dial slide-and-lock system is the easiest to learn of any adjustable dumbbell I have used. The front dial sets the bottom weight, the rear dial sets the top, and the engaged plates lock to the handle when both align. The first session was genuinely no-instruction-needed, which is a real advantage if you are new to adjustables or share the gym with family members who will not read a manual.

The catch is granularity. You get 10 settings per dumbbell, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 and 55 lb, in 5 lb jumps. The Bowflex offers 15 settings in the same range with 2.5 lb increments below 25 lb, and that matters more than it sounds for fine progression on shoulder presses, lateral raises and curls. If you run a structured progressive-overload block, the gaps from 25 to 30 lb and 30 to 35 lb will feel large, and you will end up managing the jumps with rep-scheme manipulation. For general fitness it is fine; for a structured strength program it is a real limitation.

Build quality and durability: budget feel, normal performance

The cast iron plates are well finished and showed no chipping or rust after six months, and the dial mechanism feels positive with no slop. The polymer cradle is where the budget shows. The plastic is visibly thinner than the Bowflex or PowerBlock equivalents, and on hard rack-downs it flexes more than I would like. Through 130 sessions on rubber matting mine shows no cracking, but owner reviews past 18 months trend toward cradle complaints more often than on the premium competitors, so this is the longevity-limiting component and the part to treat gently.

The drop test, 24 inches onto rubber gym flooring three times per dumbbell, caused zero damage, so from normal training height onto a matted floor the system is reliable. The honest caveat is that from bench-press height onto concrete you should plan on a cradle replacement at some point. Set them down deliberately rather than dropping them, and the build holds up fine for normal home-gym use. This is the area where you feel the lower price, but it does not translate into a performance problem during actual lifting.

Adjustment speed, handle, and noise

In the 30-trial timed test the NordicTrack averaged 3.4 seconds per weight change, faster than the PowerBlock Elite 50’s 4.8 seconds and slightly slower than the Bowflex 552’s 2.9 seconds. For most rep schemes that difference is invisible; only on drop sets and timed circuits does the Bowflex’s speed edge show, so for typical training this is a non-issue. The handle was the real surprise: the 1.4-inch textured grip stayed comfortable across a 30-minute high-rep session for both hand sizes I tested, and the rounder cross-section feels more like a fixed dumbbell, which most users prefer.

Noise is a genuine, underrated strength. At 64 dB measured at one meter the NordicTrack rack-down is meaningfully quieter than the Bowflex at 68 dB and the PowerBlock at 66 dB, because the softer cradle plastic absorbs more impact. In an apartment gym that matters more than people expect, the gap between 64 and 68 dB is roughly the difference between a normal conversation and a loud one. The same soft plastic that quiets the rack-down is also the cradle that feels less premium, so there is a tradeoff baked in. The included one-year iFit family subscription is a real bonus if you also do guided cardio, and I found the programming legitimately good over six months of treadmill use, though it is not a reason on its own to buy these dumbbells.

Who should buy the NordicTrack 55?

Buy it if you want the most max-weight per dollar in the category, if you also do guided cardio at home where the iFit subscription is a meaningful add-on, if you program in 5 lb jumps and do not need micro-loading, and if you have at least 18 inches of shelf space. For a cost-conscious lifter who wants a high top weight and an easy-to-learn system, this is the value pick.

Skip it if your training plan calls for 2.5 lb increments below 25 lb, common in arm and shoulder work, where the Bowflex 552 is the right pick, if you drop dumbbells frequently, since the cradle is the longevity limit, or if you have a tiny home gym, where the more compact PowerBlock Elite 50 saves real square footage. Those are the cases where spending more buys you something you will actually use.

The verdict

After six months and 130 sessions, the NordicTrack Select-A-Weight 55 is the budget adjustable I keep recommending. The dial system is the easiest to learn in the category, the 55 lb top weight leads its tier, the rack-down is impressively quiet, and the iFit year sweetens the value. The 5 lb increments limit structured progression and the cradle feels less premium and is the part to baby. But if your budget is the deciding factor and you can live with those trades, this delivers more than its price suggests.