Olympic dumbbell handles are versatile, ready for lots of weight, and extremely durable. Here’s a breakdown of the best Olympic dumbbell handles on the market.
Dumbbells are one of the most versatile pieces of workout gear you will ever own.
If there is a muscle group you want to strengthen, there is a dumbbell exercise with your name on it. Lunges, presses, squats, flys—dumbbells can do it all.
While there are plenty of options out there when it comes to choosing the best dumbbells for your home or garage gym, one of the best of the best is loadable Olympic dumbbell handles.
Olympic dumbbell handles are great, as they:
? Can handle a ton of weight. Olympic dumbbell handles are built to last and they are built to handle a lot of weight. Even the cheaper ones can handle up to 150lbs of weight.
? Have rotating sleeves. The sleeves where you load the weight plates spin on a bushing or needle bearing system. Makes them ideal for dynamic lifts like cleans and snatches and reduces strain on the wrist and elbow. These sleeves are what make Olympic dumbbell handles more expensive than a basic dumbbell handle.
? Prep you for Olympic barbells. Because they are basically a “shorty” version of an Olympic barbell, beginners get used to the knurling, feel, and thickness of an Olympic bar.
? Means you can use your Olympic weight plates! Dumbbells can quickly get expensive. If you’ve already invested in weight plates, whether cast-iron weight plates or some high-quality bumper plates, you can use these plates for dumbbell exercises.
So, there’s lots to love with this kind of loadable dumbbell.
But they aren’t all built the same.
Below is a detailed look at the best Olympic dumbbell handles on the market.
We will look at key features, price points, and help guide you step-by-step to finding the right Olympic dumbbell handle for you and your workouts.
Let’s get right into it.
Rogue DB-15 Loadable Olympic Dumbbell Handle
While Rogue might be better known for their line of awesome squat and power racks or their deep roster of barbells, Rogue also makes some of the top dumbbells on the planet.
The Rogue DB-15’s are their top-of-the-line loadable Olympic dumbbell handles. The shaft is coated with stainless steel, the sleeve length is an industry-leading 6.75”, and the bushing system and the bar diameter (28.5mm) are mirrored from Rogue’s line of top-selling Olympic barbells.
While not cheap—Rogue’s stuff isn’t always the low-cost option—the DB-15’s are hands-down the best quality Olympic dumbbell handles on the market. Made with American steel in the USA, the bars come with an option of finish (black zinc or stainless steel) and with optional barbell collars.
The DB-15s start at $135 (check Rogue’s website for current pricing and availability) and are the best loadable Olympic dumbbells in terms of build quality.
Sunny Health and Fitness Olympic Dumbbell Handlebar
Sunny Health and Fitness is a popular maker of strength training equipment for the home and garage workout nerd. They make excellent half squat racks, all-in-one home gyms, and yes, this Olympic dumbbell holder that is affordable and exceptionally strong.
Sold in singles, the Sunny Health and Fitness Olympic Dumbbell Handlebar incorporates spinning loadable sleeves that increase your grip on the handle while also reducing undue stress on the wrist and elbow.
Two locking ring collars keep the weights in place, medium diamond-knurling keeps your palms from slipping (without tearing up your hands), and the handlebar can be loaded up with 150lb of weight.
Affordable (at $40 per handle—check Amazon for current pricing and availability), sturdy as hell, and ready for all of your Olympic weight plates, you can’t go wrong with this Olympic dumbbell handle for your home workouts.
CAP Barbell Olympic Dumbbell Handle
CAP Barbell is another leading name when it comes to making top-tier workout equipment for the home gym enthusiast.
They make high-quality stuff that is also very reasonably priced, whether it is standard barbells for home gyms, Olympic barbells for women, budget Olympic barbells, and yup… Olympic dumbbell handles!
CAP’s dumbbell handles look certified badass, with a black zinc powder-coated finish.
The shaft of the bar is made with solid steel, the handles are diamond-knurled for an extra-secure grip when lifting, and CAP Barbell ships these with two collars that can be tightened quickly to lock your Olympic weight plates into place.
Weight capacity is right up there with the best of them (150lbs per handle), the total length of the handle is 20” (plenty long for most of us!), and you can pick one up starting at $39 (check Amazon for current pricing and availability).
Marcy Olympic Dumbbell Handle and Curl Bar Set
Looking for more than just a dumbbell handle? The Marcy Olympic Dumbbell Handle and Curl Bar Set includes a pair of handles as well as an Olympic E-Z curl bar to help you get started on your path towards Gainzville.
Marcy is a reputable brand that also makes excellent compact home gyms and flat weight benches for home gym users, and I’ve consistently been impressed with the build quality of their stuff.
Constructed with high-grade steel and coated with chrome, the handles and bar are built to last years of your hardest workouts.
Each set includes a 47” curl bar, two Olympic dumbbell handles, and six spring-loaded weight clips for keeping your plates secure and in place on the bar.
Marcy’s stuff is low-cost without being “cheap,” and the price of this set reflects that with the curl bar and two handles costing less than $90 (check Amazon for current pricing and availability).
Recommended Resources
Looking for more buyer’s guides and information on choosing the right dumbbells for your home gym? We got you covered.
6 Best Dumbbell Sets for Every Kind of Home Workout. Looking for an awesome set of dumbbells for your home gym? Read on for a detailed review of the best dumbbell sets for working out at home.
5 Best Cast-Iron Dumbbells for At-Home Workouts. Dumbbells are essential when building a home gym. Here is a breakdown of the best cast-iron dumbbells for at-home workouts.
6 Best Adjustable Dumbbells for Your Home Gym. Looking for the best adjustable dumbbells for taking your home workouts to the next level? Read on, because you’ve come to the right place.
5 Best Rubber Hex Dumbbells for Your Home Gym. Rubber hex dumbbells are the best DBs for your home or garage gym. Here is a full breakdown of the top DBs for working out at home.
