Best Women’s Dumbbells: Top Weight Sets for Women 2022

Ladies, if you’re not strength training, it’s time to start! A perfect place to start is by investing in a set of dumbbells for women. In addition to investing in a fitness tracker for women, dumbbells are one of the most important tools you can have in your fitness library!

Not only will lifting weights increase your muscle mass and metabolism — which will aid weight loss — it will make you look smaller and leaner all over.

Not sure where to begin? Don’t worry, we got you covered. We’ve researched numerous sets of dumbbells and chosen the best to use for weight loss, gaining strength, and increasing your metabolism.

Quick Guide

Dumbbells for Women Top Picks

Just here for a quick recommendation? Here are our top picks for 2020 considering current availability:

Our Top Picks at Amazon

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	CAP Barbell 150-lb Hex Dumbbell Weight Set with...	Check Price on Amazon

Dumbbells for Women: Your Ultimate Guide

If you’re interested in lifting weights or adding dumbbells to your home gym, you’re probably wondering which set of dumbbells to choose.

As someone who has been lifting weights for over 10 years and consistently hitting the weights in my home gym 3 or 4 times per week, dumbbells are one of my favorite tools in my strength training routine and a must for any garage gym or basement gym.

Below are our top picks for dumbbells that will suit every skill level and price range.  The below options are the best dumbbells for women that we found in stock in 2020. Because a lot of home gym equipment has been selling out so quickly, our top picks may not exactly match our full reviews below for a short time.

BalanceFrom Rubber Encased Hex Dumbbells

Next up, we chose the BalanceFrom Rubber Encased Hex Dumbbells as the best set for adjustable dumbbells.

These dumbbells are high-quality and come with many features that you want to see in a dumbbell like hexagon-shaped ends and contoured grip. An added bonus is that they are currently in stock!

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Amazon Basics Neoprene Dumbbell Set

The Amazon Basics Neoprene Dumbell Set is a great set for beginners. These light weights allow you to ease into weight lifting to avoid injury. This set will also complement a yoga or aerobics strength-based workout.  This is the perfect addition if you love at-home workout DVDs.

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CAP Barbell 40-Pound Adjustable Dumbbells

We chose the CAP Barbell 40-Pound Adjustable Dumbbells as the best set for the value. If you’re looking for a space-saving option, but the Bowflex SelectTech dumbbells are out of your price range, this may be a good option.  This set hardly takes up any space but offers you a wide variety of dumbbell weights.  In addition, you can use the plates on their own for more versatility.

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Amazon Basics Rubber Encased Hex Dumbbell

The Amazon Basics Rubber Encased Hex Dumbbell is a superior dumbbell with the added bonus of having the unique color-coated end caps. This dumbbell includes all the features of a durable, safe and long-lasting dumbbell, with a great warranty, available in individual dumbbells or sets.

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Fitness Alley Neoprene Dumbbells Set

The Fitness Alley Neoprene Dumbbell Set is the best set of neoprene dumbbells with these weight levels that we found.

If you’re really interested in neoprene dumbbells, this would be an ideal set of neoprene dumbbells for women for your home gym.

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CAP 150 Pound Rubber Hex Dumbbell Set

*currently out of stock*

We chose the CAP 150 Pound Rubber Hex Dumbbell Set as the best overall set. If you are serious about lifting for a lifetime, this is the set to get! 

It checks off all the most important boxes — rubber-end caps, hex-shaped end caps, textured handle. 

The reviews on this product are extremely high, with customers giving high-praises to the CAP customer service team.  This set is extremely high-quality and will be a solid investment in your home gym.

If you want real weight-loss results and lifelong health that’s easy to maintain, I can’t recommend investing in a set similar to this enough.

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What are dumbbells?

Dumbbells are a tool that allows you to practice strength training.  They are usually sold in pairs because a majority of dumbbell exercises are completed with a pair of dumbbells.

Dumbbells are so popular because they allow you to perform the most basic and important compound strength training movements with ease. 

In addition, you can train one side of the body (one arm or leg) at a time, a benefit not provided by the use of most machines (source).

What should you look for in a Women’s Weight Set?

If you’re simply looking to strength train at home, nearly any weights set or dumbbells set will work great.  However, here are some things to look for in any set:

Different types of dumbbell material

There are 5 basic types of material that most dumbbells are made out of, described below.

Dumbbell Exercises for Women

This video demonstrates a great, effective, and quick (just 15 minutes!) workout with dumbbells.

In addition, we’ve written over 30 workouts you can perform with just dumbbells in our Strength Training for Women Guide.

Women can perform all of the major body part compound movements with the dumbbells listed in this review:

What weight of dumbbell should you purchase?

Depending on your skill level, you might be wondering what weight you should be using for each exercise.  If you have access to a commercial gym or hotel gym with a one-time pass or by visiting with a friend, use the below tests to determine the load that you’ll want to use when lifting weights.

Recommended Weight Chart

The below chart can provide an example of how much weight a female beginner should use when lifting weights.

Dumbbell weight chart | Credit: popsugar.com

Bottom line? Most women who are of beginner to average weight lifters can get away with the following pairs of dumbbells:

From there, I would strongly advise adding the below pairs to your home gym after a few months of lifting. Once you’re lifting the below weights, you will really be taking your physique to the next level:

Finally, if you’re really into Yoga or Pilates (or if you’re older or recovering from an injury), a set of 3-pound dumbbells might be beneficial for you, too.

Frequently Asked Questions About Dumbbells for Women

The below are frequently asked questions about dumbbells for ladies and strength training for women.

Why do women need dumbbells for strength training?

Women may prefer dumbbells because they are available in lighter weights which make them easier to handle for beginners.

Dumbbells are the best starting point to grow your home gym at home. They are extremely versatile and you can do virtually every strength training exercise with dumbbells.

In addition, dumbbells are great because you can add pairs of dumbbells at a time. Grow your strength training library of equipment slowly and at your own pace.

Dumbbells for women are the same as dumbbells for men. However, you can start with lighter weights — say a set of 10 and 12-pound dumbbells.

From there, you can add a pair of 15 and 20-pound dumbbells as you gain muscle and become more advanced.

Why should you add dumbbells to your home gym?

If you prefer to work at out at home rather than going to the gym, dumbbells are a great addition to a home gym for any skill level. 

If you are just starting a strength training program, dumbbells are a great first step in your equipment purchases.  You can perform nearly every exercise with dumbbells — they are extremely versatile.

Dumbbells will aid women in their weight loss journey because they allow you to build muscle and shed fat at the same time.  Contrary to cardio machines, dumbbells allow you to increase your muscle mass and improve your metabolism.

What kind of dumbbells are best for women?

Of course, men and women can use the same type of dumbbells. 

However, many women are beginners and need to start with a lighter weight before progressing to heavier weights.  Additionally, some women may prefer a softer grip dumbbell, like neoprene or vinyl.

Luckily, there is now a market for sets of lighter dumbbells for beginner lifters.  These sets are usually more affordable and take up less space than a traditional set of dumbbells.

Once a woman progresses to heavier weights after lifting for a while, additional dumbbell pairs can be added to your home gym.

Are dumbbells for women different than dumbbells for men?

Technically, no! Dumbbells are dumbbells.

However, we can’t ignore the fact that some people are biased in the way things look and feel. Women who are beginners may in fact be turned off of weight lifting by large, cast iron dumbbells.

If women feel more comfortable with neoprene or vinyl dumbbells when they start lifting weights, then that is better than not lifting weights at all. Plus, vinyl and neoprene weights (which just have a softer and more feminine look) are indeed ideal for Yoga and Pilates — both of which are healthy forms of fitness that I would encourage if you enjoy them!

Bottom line — all dumbbells work by strengthening your muscles. Whatever type of dumbbell you feel most comfortable using is your choice and your choice alone.

Are dumbbells different than hand weights?

Sometimes people will call dumbbells hand weights, but they are essentially the same thing. Technically speaking, hand weights are much smaller and slimmer across the length of the weight. They are usually sold in neoprene or nylon.

The below picture is what someone may be referring to when they refer to hand weights.

Hand weights are generally sold in lighter weights — 5 pounds or less.

Hand weights for women are no different than dumbbells. They accomplish the same thing — allowing a person to practice strength training and increase their muscle size and strength.

Can you really tone a body part with dumbbells?

While you can increase the mass of any muscle that you train, spot training or toning is technically a myth.

However, it’s important to maintain and increase muscle mass as you lose body fat.  This is called body recomposition.  You will struggle to maintain your fat loss if you have not maintained and increased your muscle mass since your body will burn fewer calories after a diet.

Lifting weights and increasing muscle mass also provides a toned and lean look when you remove the top layer of body fat, in addition to other numerous health benefits. Not only will you look better overall, but your clothes will fit so much better and you’ll feel so much better!

Wrapping Up our Guide to Women’s Weight Sets

Strength training is such an important addition to everyone’s fitness routine, especially for women as they age.

I have taught resistance training classes and lifting regularly for over a decade now and have seen firsthand that amazing health benefits from strength training.  It is one of the only habits that can truly keep you young!

The above dumbbells for women are all great investments in your home gym and will help you reach your fitness and weight loss goals.

The above dumbbells for women are all great investments in your home gym and will help you reach your fitness and weight loss goals.