The Best Smart Home Gyms Take the Dumb Out of Dumbbells

Having quality fitness equipment at home means you’re more likely to regularly use it, even when your calendar gets jam-packed. With smart programming, you don’t have to research or plan out your own workouts—they’re all laid out for you.

Smart workout equipment can keep you just challenged enough so that you continue to get stronger without getting hurt. You might get suggestions for classes that fit your fitness goals. Some cable machines will automatically adjust the resistance to account for how much you can currently lift, and some treadmills will customize the intensity of your speed and incline based on adjustments you’ve made in previous workouts.

If you’re not exactly sure about your form or technique, or just want someone with more expertise to coach you through an effective workout, having a smart touchscreen or app where you can follow along with workouts will ensure you’re getting the most out of your session.

Many smart home gyms keep track of your workouts and record stats about your progression over time, which can give you extra motivation to keep at it. “[Smart equipment is] data-driven, which is really great for you to build accountability,” Crouchelli says.

Different machines offer different features, so ask yourself which will motivate you most. Do you want trainer-led classes? Data insights? Smart resistance? “A lot of my friends want gamified fitness,” Crouchelli says. “They work stressful jobs, and want to be able to have fun and break a sweat at the same time.” You do you; just make sure your machine will support it.

The up-front cost of the main hardware isn’t the only number to consider when thinking about what you can afford. Most pieces of smart workout equipment require a monthly or yearly membership fee to access features like workout classes. You might also need additional accessories like specific cycling shoes or a wall mount to really get the most out of the workouts. Calculate the total in advance.

Ask yourself what you want to get out of your workouts. If you’re mainly looking to build functional strength, you’ll benefit from something like a cable machine, while your co-worker who keeps bragging about his marathons will likely prefer a treadmill. Or, if you just want to decompress a bit while sweating, consider a cardio machine that lets you stream apps like Netflix.

Smart home gyms are digitally-connected pieces of fitness equipment that use advanced technology like motion sensors and data insights to give you personalized workouts. Many include a touchscreen that streams interactive workouts.

Smart gyms are a particularly good choice for beginners since they can give you an AI-guided, low-pressure intro to fitness, often with trainer-led workouts and sometimes even feedback on form.

A smart home gym is definitely worth the money if you want premium features to guide you through your workouts. As Crouchelli puts it, when people buy a smart home gym, “they get accountability, they get form, they get a foundation.”

Most people can get a better workout with a smart home gym than they could if they were just trying to figure out what to do at the gym by themselves, according to Crouchelli. Features like instructor-led workouts, smart resistance, and real-time metrics set you up to exercise more effectively.

We found the Beyond Power Voltra I to be the best smart home gym machine thanks to its compact design, versatile exercise options, helpful data insights, and high-quality hardware.

Most smart gym equipment requires a monthly subscription fee to access premium features. However some, like the Speediance Gym Monster, come with lifetime access to workouts, no membership required.