Why Are Kettlebells So Expensive?

So you want to do some curls and other free weight exercises in your home gym. One of the best weights for this is the kettlebell because they are versatile. You can do hundreds of exercises with them, and they don’t take up that much space.

However, kettlebells also cost an arm and a leg. The average price of a kettlebell is around $2 per pound. But the price difference is worth it. Kettlebells have an unbalanced center of gravity, which makes them similar to objects you pick up every day. This unusual shape allows your training to prepare you for the real world.

But the question remains, what makes them so expensive?

All Quality Weights Are Expensive

The base ingredient in most free weights is iron. Iron is a lot more expensive than some other metals on the market, but it is heavy and durable, making it ideal for weights.

The amount of iron in your kettlebell will often determine the price. The more iron it has, the more expensive it becomes. However, to get heavy kettlebells, you’ll need to have a lot of iron.

Kettlebells tend to be a lot heavier than traditional dumbbells on average, and so they require a lot more iron to be made. More iron means more money, so this cost is pretty much unavoidable when buying a kettlebell.

The Coating on a Kettlebell Is Key

Another thing that contributes to the cost of your kettlebell is the coating. If your weights are just bare iron, they’ll make a lot of noise when slamming down on the gym floor and can even rust over time. Suppliers avoid this by coating the weights in different materials.

The coating options for kettlebells are stainless steel, chrome, rubber, black oxide, powder-coated steel, or urethane. The steel options will be average priced but still, make a lot of noise and are susceptible to wear and tear.

Chrome can have a nice sleek appearance, but it also gets slippery when wet and can chip easily. Rubber gets smelly over time. Most people recommend urethane because it has less chance to tear and doesn’t make a lot of noise.

Rubber and steel coatings are the cheapest. Chrome and urethane will cost the most money, but they are worth it for the right kettlebell.

The Kettlebell Brand You Choose

There are several kettlebell brands on the market, and they vary significantly. This variation results from several key factors, including popularity, material, quality, and durability. The brand you choose should be in correlation with your workout frequency and your budget.

If you’re looking to start exercising with kettlebells and want something cheap and straightforward, you can grab an Amazon Basics Cast Iron Kettlebell at Amazon.com. This will get the job done for any beginner and is a lot less expensive than the average.

However, if you want a higher quality kettlebell that is popular with workout enthusiasts and made of the best materials, then you might want to splurge on an Onnit kettlebell. Their kettlebells look like animals to unleash the workout animal within. They range a bit higher than average but are vouched for by professionals. They also have great kettlebell exercises available on their site.

If you’re looking for a variety of kettlebell weights all in one, my personal favorite is the Bowflex SelectTech 840 Adjustable Kettlebell available on Amazon.com as well. You can see my full Bowflex SelectTech Adjustable Kettlebell review here.

Kettlebell Supply and Demand 

Kettlebells aren’t nearly as popular as other workout equipment. When you walk into a gym, you’ll see rows upon rows of dumbbells and different free weights, but you’ll always only find a couple of kettlebells. You’ll experience a similar phenomenon in home gyms.

Because of their relative rarity compared to other equipment, producers have raised the price to meet the demand. That’s why you see such a large difference in per pound costs of dumbbells and kettlebells.

With more and more people working out at home and creating their own home gyms, kettlebells have also been victim to these price spikes. Hopefully, as they gain popularity, kettlebell prices will drop and become more affordable.

Kettlebells Are Becoming More Popular

Because of their diversity and ability to hit multiple muscle groups, a kettlebell movement is gaining momentum. Gyms across the country and home workout enthusiasts purchase kettlebells because they can hit the lower back, legs, and arms with proper exercises.

Kettlebells end up being a lot cheaper for the consumer because back and leg exercise equipment can be a lot more expensive than a set of kettlebells. This equipment requires a lot more material, which leads to a higher price.

That extra material also means you’ll need extra space. When factoring in the cost of space, it’s clear that kettlebells are the cheaper option.

As suppliers notice this trend growing, you can expect the price of kettlebells to drop and meet the consumers’ overall demand. If you want to wait for a set of kettlebells on your wishlist to drop in price, it might just be a matter of time.

Is It Worth It to Buy Kettlebells?

It is worth it to buy kettlebells. If you follow all of these factors, you’ll find the one that is the correct price for you. Keep in mind that weights can be expensive. Different coatings can mean additional costs, brands vary significantly in price, price tags are set by popularity, and finally, the kettlebell movement is growing. You’ll be able to make the right purchase.

In terms of saving you space and offering a wide variety of exercises, you won’t find many free weights that can compare to the kettlebell. One Reddit feed explained that if you divide your kettlebell’s upfront cost by the number of workouts you’ll get from it, the number shrinks significantly. If you compare that number to something like a gym membership, the savings become even more apparent.

Don’t be afraid to invest in your gym or your body. The price is always worth it.