Bowflex SelectTech 552 Review: Fast Dial, Fragile Reputation
By The Ironnook Test Desk ·
6.8
bowflex.com
The verdict
The 552 is still the quickest dial dumbbell to use and the cheapest way to replace 15 pairs, but it asks for trust the brand has not fully earned. The recalled models dropped plates on people, the redesigned Results Series adds metal locking tabs, and the dial housing is still plastic. Buy it on sale, treat it kindly, and never drop it. If you lift heavy or rough, buy a PowerBlock or Nuobell instead.
Best for: Light to moderate training in a small room, bought on sale
What we liked
Dial changes weight in a few seconds, faster than any pin system
15 settings from 5 to 52.5 lb replace a rack of dumbbells
Compact 16.9 by 8.3 by 9 inch body with a handle close to fixed dumbbell length
Usually $399 to $429, below most selectorized rivals
Quiet in use, with no metal clanking between plates
The S 5100 is the adjustable dumbbell for lifters who miss the feel of a real one. Twist the handle and both ends change in a second, the shape stays compact enough for flyes, and 100 lb a hand covers serious pressing. It costs $999 a pair, the dumbbells are not meant to be dropped and the stand is fussy. Buy it if you lift heavy and have money. Otherwise PowerBlock or Bowflex do the job for less.
These are the adjustable dumbbells for people who outgrew Bowflex. The all-steel build, the 34 mm knurled handle and the 125 lb ceiling feel like fixed dumbbells, and the lifetime warranty backs that up. They cost $899.99 for the 65 lb pair and $1,499.99 for the full 125 lb set, and the pop-pin changeover is slower than a dial. Heavy lifters should buy them. Anyone who stops at 50 lb should save about $700.
8.4$899.99 to $1,499.99 a pair
Plastic dial housing and inner connectors are the long-term weak point
Earlier 552 and 1090 units were recalled after 111 reported injuries
Jumps of 5 lb above 25 lb are coarse for accessory work
52.5 lb ceiling is too low for heavy lower-body work
Only a 2-year warranty, against 5 years on PowerBlock
The Bowflex 552 swaps weights in seconds and costs less than most rivals, but a 2025 recall and a lot of plastic make it a harder sell. Here is where it still fits.
Start with the uncomfortable part. In June 2025 the US Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a recall of roughly 3.7 million Bowflex 552 and 1090 adjustable dumbbells. The reason was plain: weight plates could drop off the handle mid-set. Any honest review of the 552 has to begin there, because the dumbbell we are judging is the redesigned one that came after.
The CPSC notice lists 337 reports of plates dislodging, 111 with injuries including concussions and broken toes.
What the recall actually covered
According to the CPSC, the recalled units were sold from as early as 2004 through May 2025. The agency counted 337 reports of plates coming loose and 111 injuries, among them concussions, abrasions and broken toes. Remedies were a refund or replacement, depending on who sold the unit. The serial sticker sits on the bottom of the plastic tray.
If you own an older 552, check that sticker first. If you are shopping, the thing to look for is the Results Series name. It keeps the same 5 to 52.5 lb range and the same body, but adds metal locking tabs that give the plates a second mechanical hold beyond the dial itself. We think that is a sensible fix. Whether it holds up over five years of real use is something nobody can honestly say yet.
The dial is still the best part
Turn the dial on each end to a number, lift the handle out of the tray, and the weight you picked comes with it. Reviewers time the change at somewhere between three and seven seconds, which in practice is about as long as walking to a different rack. Compare that with pin-and-selector systems, where you stoop to move a pin, and the dial is quicker.
The selector dial: 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5 and 15 lb are visible here, with the settings continuing round to 52.5 lb.
There are 15 settings. Steps are 2.5 lb up to 25 lb, then 5 lb jumps through 30, 35, 40, 45 and 50, ending at 52.5. Those 5 lb jumps are fine for goblet squats and rows. They are coarse for lateral raises or curls once you are past 25 lb.
Size, grip and the feel of a heavy set
Each dumbbell measures 16.9 by 8.3 by 9 inches and does not change size as you add weight, which makes the 552 easy to store under a bench or in a corner. The handle is around five inches, close to a fixed dumbbell, so it does not feel like holding a bar. Plates are quiet when you set them down on the tray.
A walking-lunge style hold: the dial ends clear the thighs, but the long body is more obvious at light weights.
The bulk is the trade-off. At light weights you are holding a long, wide body with a tiny load in the middle, so movements such as renegade rows and floor presses feel clumsy. Reviewers also report that the rubber grip can work loose and spin on the handle.
Plastic, and what lasts
The maker's own page says "premium metal components", and the plates are indeed metal. But the dial housing and the inner connector pieces are plastic. Independent reviewers call the plastic housing the known long-term failure point across every Bowflex generation. Garage Gym Reviews scored it 3.9 out of 5. Dropping them voids the warranty, which is two years (3 or 5 year extensions are sold).
The maker's own graphic: it promises premium metal components and a tray that replaces 15 individual dumbbells.
PowerBlock's metal pin system tolerates rough handling better, and carries a five-year warranty. Nuobell uses steel plates and goes up to 80 lb. Neither changes weight as quickly. Both are a better buy for a heavy lifter who racks the weights with a clank.
Price and the app question
The list price is $479, and the maker's page was showing $399 when we looked. Other retailers have sold it for about $429. The JRNY app is optional at $11.99 a month or $99 a year, with a two-month free trial. You do not need it to use the dumbbells.
At $399 the value is real. At $479 it is not, given that you can find sturdier options in that range.
Who should buy it
Buy the Results Series 552 if you train with light to moderate loads, you share a small space, and you will set the weights down rather than drop them. Wait for a sale, check the model name, and register the warranty.
Skip it if you press more than about 50 lb a hand, if your sessions end with the dumbbells hitting the floor, or if the recall has soured you on the brand. In those cases spend a little more on a PowerBlock Elite or Nuobell. We rate the 552 at 6.8: very good at being quick and compact, only decent at being trusted.
The 840 is a convenient bell for beginners and small flats: six weights from 8 to 40 lb in one dial, with a smooth shell and a comfortable handle. It is not a replacement for cast iron. The plates rattle on swings, the body is bulky, 40 lb is a low ceiling, and $149 buys more iron elsewhere.
