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So, you would like a reliable barbell that won’t break the bank? 

It might sound straightforward, however the market is flooded with a whole lot of budget-friendly bars, all claiming to be the perfect. It might take weeks to sort through all the choices. And let’s be honest, the very last thing you would like is a bar that falls apart on you inside a few years.

Don’t worry; we’ve done all of the heavy lifting for you. We’ve combed through the vast sea of options, tested the contenders, and narrowed them right down to the nine best budget barbells.

Over the past eight years, I’ve used many barbells in several CrossFit gyms and my garage gym — putting them through high-rep workouts, heavy strength training, and every part in between. I’ve also been a fitness author and editor for nearly three years and have spent countless hours researching the perfect barbells for various uses, including powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting, and more.

With my first-hand experience and the rigorous product testing at our physical testing facility (more on that below), I’m confident that you just’ll find one among these best budget barbells to be a winner for you.

How We Selected the Best Budget Barbells

Selecting the perfect budget barbells isn’t any easy job, but we’ve gone to great lengths to be certain that our recommendations are top-notch. 

Our dedicated team of product testers includes CrossFitters, strength and conditioning coaches, certified personal trainers, and fitness enthusiasts who’ve used barbells in home gyms and business facilities. Breaking Muscle also has a testing warehouse in Springfield, MO, where we conduct rigorous testing processes on barbells from reputable brands like REP Fitness, Rogue, Titan, and more.

Out of the handfuls of bars we tested, we selected the perfect nine barbells based on their overall construction, tensile strength (how much weight a barbell can hold before it breaks), knurling type, sleeve spin, and coating durability. But we didn’t stop there. We also considered the brand’s fame, the packaging it arrived in, its overall versatility, and whether or not we expect it’s value the associated fee.

Our Top Picks for the Best Budget Barbells

Best Budget Barbell Overall: REP Colorado Bar

REP Fitness Colorado Bar

4.5

• Material: Steel
• Weight: 20 kilograms (44 kilos)
• Weight capability: 680.2 kilograms (1,500 kilos)
• Tensile strength: 190 KSI
• Loadable sleeve length: 16.1 inches
• Knurling: Moderate
• Warranty: Lifetime

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Pros

• Highly versatile mixed-use bar
• High weight capability
• Cerakote coating option
• Many color combos
• Well packaged 

Cons

• No center knurl
• Chrome has a lower lifespan
• Costlier

The standout feature of the REP Colorado Bar is that it’s mixed-use. Being mixed-use means it’s suitable for powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting — sports that typically use two separate barbells with different diameters, knurling, and whip (how much the barbell will flex before it becomes permanently bent). This can also be the rationale we consider it the perfect budget barbell overall and why we rated it 4.5 stars out of 5 after testing it.

A Breaking Muscle staff member lifting with the REP Colorado Bar at our testing facility in Springfield, MO

A mixed-use barbell combines the perfect features of a powerlifting and weightlifting bar: a Goldilocks 28.5-millimeter diameter shaft, composite bushings for a smooth spin, and dual knurl markings. The twin knurl rings make it easier so that you can ensure your grip is even for various movements, akin to the bench press or snatch.

The Colorado bar can also be an enormous asset for those who’re a house gym user like me because it permits you to engage in multiple training styles with a single tool. You’ll save space and money since you only need to take a position in a single bar as an alternative of two.

The staff at Breaking Muscle noticed that this bar has a finely done volcano knurling, which offers more surface area contact between your hands and the bar for improved grip, and rated it 4.5 stars out of 5. They mentioned that the knurling stops before it gets to the bushing and seems like just the best amount of aggressiveness for a secure grip without chewing your hands up during high-rep workouts. 

This bar has no center knurling, which is a drawback if you should use it often for back squats since the bar might be less grippy. Should you still determine to take a position on this bar despite the shortage of center knurl, consider chalking your back before each set or wear a sticky shirt that provides an analogous level of grip to make sure you stay protected.

The Colorado bar is available in two finishes, one among which is chrome plated. In accordance with one among our product testers, the chrome version shouldn’t be the perfect selection for those who intend to place this bar in a CrossFit gym. Chrome coatings can reduce the longevity of a barbell by as much as 50 percent.

That said, the hardened chrome version will likely perform without issue in a house gym, where it should last about 30 years because it can get significantly less use than at a business facility.

The opposite finish is Cerakote, which we expect is a serious plus on the Colorado Bar. Cerakote is a special coating popular within the firearm community because it helps avoid rust build-up. On the Colorado Bar, its thin application adds a touch of durability without affecting the texture of the knurling. We also love that it’s available in five colours — red, green, black, blue, or white — so you may match the barbell to your other gym equipment, akin to your favorite weight bench.

An in depth-up of the REP Colorado Barbell on the Breaking Muscle testing facility

Finally, that is one among our list’s costliest budget barbells. On the time of writing, this bar retails for around $330, which could put it out of reach in case your wallet is running extra-lean. We knocked a couple of points off for that reason and rated it 4 out of 5 stars for price. Nevertheless, for those who are willing to spend a bit more and prefer to dabble in various types of lifting, we expect the Colorado Bar is value it.

Best Budget CrossFit Barbell: Fringe Sport Wonder Bar

Fringe Sport Wonder Bar

4.4

• Material and finish: Alloy steel with black zinc
• Weight: 20 kilograms (44.1 kilos)
• Weight capability: 1,600 kilos
• Tensile strength: 205k PSI
• Knurling: Volcano (medium)
• Warranty: Lifetime

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Pros

• Multi-purpose use
• Your selection of bearings or bushings
• 1,600-pound capability
• Great price-to-value

Cons

• Black zinc finish can fade
• Just one coating offered
• Sleeves show wear & tear

Just like the REP Colorado Bar, the 20-kilogram (44-pound) Wonder Bar is a multi-purpose barbell. Many features make it the perfect selection for CrossFit, where you ceaselessly alternate between powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting, and specialized movements like thrusters.

First, the Wonder Bar has a 28-millimeter shaft diameter, ideal for using the hook grip in Olympic weightlifting and comfy for just about all hand sizes. (Should you’re a female CrossFitter or have small hands, you may as well go for the 15-kilogram Wonder Bar with a 25-millimeter diameter.) The shaft has dual markings for powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting, meaning you don’t have to swap out your barbell if you switch between either training style.

The Wonder Bar also has a formidable 205k kilos per square in (PSI) tensile strength capability, which suggests it could possibly withstand the high volume of drops seen in a CrossFit box. I used to be pleasantly surprised to see they even show the yield strength (160k PSI), something few firms will ever disclose.

The 20kg Wonder Bar is exclusive since it offers two sleeve versions: bushings or bearings. Bushings are higher for slower and heavier lifts like power lifts (squats, bench presses, and deadlifts). They’re also cheaper, more durable, and easier to take care of.

Then again, bearings are higher for the faster lifts and lighter loads seen in Olympic weightlifting. They’re smoother and spin extra fast but require more care and maintenance. The variety of bar you select is dependent upon your lifting style and preference. The great point is, whatever the kind you select, you’ll still get an incredible 1,600-pound weight capability.

One among the principal drawbacks of the Wonder Bar is that its black zinc finish is the one option offered. Although the jet-black color is dazzling, I’d appreciate more color options to inject some personality into your private home gym. Different finishes also provide higher levels of protection to the bar, like chrome steel, which is more immune to rust and abrasion. The Wonder Bar doesn’t cater to those preferences, limiting its appeal and adaptableness to numerous training environments.

More importantly, the black zinc finish can fade over time, especially with frequent use and for those who store it in a non-climate-controlled location. I even have a special barbell with a black zinc finish, and it looks pretty beat up since the coating has faded a lot.

Just like the fading of the shaft finish, the sleeves may show some wear and tear over time. That very same black zinc finish is applied to the sleeves, which can experience metal-on-metal contact as you slide your weight plates on and off.

A customer expressed this of their review by saying, “…the one criticism I even have is that the sleeves have already shown some good cuts within the metal from dropping the bumpers.” I’ve seen this same effect with barbells with Cerakote coatings applied to their sleeves — there’s simply no option to keep them looking beautiful after day one.

Best Budget Olympic Barbell: Living.Fit Cerakote Barbell

Living.Fit Cerakote Barbell

4.0

• Material and finish: Alloy steel with black Cerakote
• Weight: 20 kilograms (44.1lbs)
• Weight capability: 1,500 kilos
• Tensile strength: 200k PSI
• Knurling: Volcano (medium)
• Warranty: Lifetime

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Pros

• Durable Cerakote coating
• Well-designed for Olympic lifting
• Within your means

Cons

• Cerakote will scratch off sleeves
• No center knurling

The Living.Fit Cerakoe Barbell is the perfect budget Olympic bar since it’s made explicitly for Olympic weightlifting. Its 28-millimeter shaft diameter and Olympic lifting knurl marks match International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) standards, making it ideal for gripping the bar comfortably and precisely. Our testing team tried this barbell for several weeks and rated it 4 out 5 stars overall.

Besides a few bushings, most of this bar’s components are high-quality needle bearings. Needle bearings are essential for an Olympic bar because they permit it to spin quickly and easily. This reduces the torque in your wrists, elbows, and shoulders during snatches and clean and jerks and helps you avoid injury.

Nevertheless, we only gave the rotation system 3 out of 5 stars since the sleeves don’t spin quite as fast as other barbells we’ve tried, especially those from premium brands like Eleiko. (To be fair, though, we do think the sleeve spin is decent for a barbell at this price point.)

The Cerakote coating protects the bar against corrosion, scratches, and general wear. At a thickness of just 0.03 to 0.04 millimeters, the great thing about Cerakote — besides its gorgeous color — is that it only must be applied as a skinny layer, so it doesn’t affect the knurling. After we tested the Living.Fit Cerakote Barbell, we gave the knurling 4 out of 5 stars. We were capable of get a wonderful grip without having our hands chewed up, though there wasn’t anything special in regards to the knurling that stood out to us.

Nevertheless, the primary time our product testers used the barbell, they noticed some scratching on the sleeves from where the plates rubbed. It was purely aesthetic and nothing that may compromise the structural integrity of the barbell. Nevertheless, it’s a bit disappointing to have minor scratches and know that they’ll proceed to worsen with time on an otherwise beautiful barbell.

Just like other options in this text, the Living.Fit Cerakote Barbell lacks a middle knurling. That is superb for those who plan only to make use of it for Olympic lifting exercises, nevertheless it isn’t the best if you’ve gotten a special love for back squats. The dearth of a middle knurl implies that the bar might be more prone to slip around in your back during high-bar squats. It’s going to also make low-bar squats difficult because they depend on the bar gripping your shirt to remain in place.

RELATED: Low-Bar Versus High-Bar Squats: What’s the Best Lower-Body Builder for You?

As a high-quality barbell, the Living.Fit Cerakote Barbell is well priced at around $225. We rated its overall value 4.5 out of 5 stars due to its high tensile strength of 200k PSI and lifelong warranty (covering the bar against any material, functionality, or workmanship defects throughout its lifespan). 

Best Budget Powerlifting Barbell: Titan Performance Series Power Barbell

Pros

• Center knurling
• 29mm diameter shaft
• Aggressive knurling for a greater grip
• Serious 1,500-pound capability

Cons

• Single knurl marks only
• Aggressive knurling can hurt

High-quality powerlifting barbells can cost several hundred dollars, however the Titan Fitness Performance Series Power Barbell is an inexpensive option at around $150.

It contains a 29-millimeter shaft diameter, which could seem unimportant, but for those who’re a powerlifter (even an aspiring one), it’s best to train such as you compete. The International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) uses 29-millimeter diameters as the usual of their competitions for male competitors. By utilizing the identical diameter in your training as your competitors, you’ll gain an edge over the opposite lifters. On the very least, your grip will improve when lifting on a 29-millimeter bar versus a 28-millimeter barbell.

The middle knurling of the Performance Series Power Barbell gives you a greater grip on squats, especially for those who’re a low-bar squatter, since it leads to more contact area between the bar and your shirt (or back for those who’re hooked on pain). It also turns out to be useful for sumo deadlifts, as you’ll have a knurled area to grip, unlike lots of the non-center-knurled alternatives I’ve mentioned.

This power bar also flexes among the coarsest knurling out of all of the bars featured in this text. It has medium mountain knurling, which is noticeably more aggressive than volcano knurling. The sharp suggestions of the previous type are still present and can dig deeper into your hands. For a powerlifting bar, aggressive knurling is sweet — the very last thing you would like on a one-rep max attempt is to find yourself dropping the bar since the knurling was too passive.

A drawback to this bar is that, being an influence bar, it only has powerlifting knurl marks and isn’t suitable for other sports like Olympic weightlifting or CrossFit. I’ve tried Olympic lifts with a powerlifting bar before, and it was not a snug experience. The knurling is just too sharp, the bar is just too thick, and there’s just not enough whip, so that you won’t wish to Oly lift with this bar. In this manner, it’s the other of the Rogue Echo Bar (reviewed below), which features Olympic lifting marks only.

Similarly, the aggressive knurling may not appeal to those with sensitive hands. Mountain knurling could be uncomfortable to carry and downright painful in your back when performing squats. Although your skin will develop callouses to guard itself from the coarseness, some people might find lifting with this bar an unpleasant experience.

RELATED: Best Squat Racks for Small Spaces, Beginners, and More

Best Budget Women’s Barbell: PRx Women’s Olympic Prime Bar

PRx Women’s Olympic Prime Bar

4.4

• Material and finish: Alloy steel with black zinc
• Weight: 15 kilograms (33 kilos)
• Weight capability: 1,000 kilos
• Tensile strength: 190k PSI
• Knurling: Volcano (medium)
• Warranty: Manufacturer defects only

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Pros

• Made for smaller hands
• Lighter 15-kilogram starting weight
• Medium knurling is good
• Dual knurl marks
• Made within the USA

Cons

• No center knurl
• Black zinc can fade

The PRx Women’s Olympic Prime Bar is the perfect barbell for girls for several reasons. First, it has a 25-millimeter shaft diameter. Not only does this match the IWF sizing for girls’s barbells, nevertheless it’s also ideal for women because women have smaller hands than men on average, making a typical 28- to 29-millimeter barbell difficult to carry. A smaller diameter on a barbell also means less stress in your wrists, elbows, and shoulders, which is sweet for reducing injury risk.

This barbell also has a lighter 15-kilogram starting weight, the official starting weight for a barbell utilized in any IWF competition. This weight is an acceptable warm-up or starting weight for girls of all strength levels for exercises just like the bench press and back squat. Nevertheless, it also makes for a more reasonable load on exercises that recruit less muscle mass, just like the overhead press and barbell rows, where technique might suffer if a 45-pound barbell is used as your first set.

Finally, the bar also has a medium knurling. Medium volcano knurling is a wonderful balance between grip and luxury. It’s not too shallow or aggressive, giving simply enough grip without turning your hands right into a calloused glove. It’s also more tolerable for the snatch and clean and jerk since it won’t tear your skin because the barbell rotates in your hands.

Unlike many all-purpose or powerlifting barbells, the PRx Olympic Prime Bar doesn’t have a middle knurling. This is superb for Olympic lifting exercises since it could possibly save the skin in your throat and collarbones, nevertheless it’s not ideal for those who prefer to back squat heavy often. With out a center knurl, the bar can slide around in your back, especially on low-bar squats because they require assistance from the bar’s knurling to remain in place.

The black zinc coating can lose its color over time, mainly for those who use it often and keep it in a spot that isn’t temperature-controlled. At lots of the CrossFit gyms I’ve trained at, black zinc barbells were quite common, and just about all had the coating rubbed off near the center of the bar from extensive use. Because of this, I’d not suggest black zinc coatings for those who are concerned about how your bar looks and expect it to look brand recent for years to return.

Best Budget Barbell From Rogue: Rogue Echo Bar

Rogue Echo Bar

4.0

• Material and finish: Alloy steel with brilliant zinc
• Weight: 20 kilograms (44.1 kilos)
• Weight capability: 800 kilos
• Tensile strength: 190k PSI
• Knurling: Volcano (medium)
• Warranty: One 12 months

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Pros

• Within your means Rogue option
• Excellent for Oly lifting
• Made within the USA

Cons

• Single knurl marks only
• Brilliant zinc finish can fade

Rogue Fitness is thought for its top-tier quality (and better prices), however the Echo Bar is a within your means barbell that ought to meet your high expectations when buying a Rogue product. At around $266, this bar is significantly lower than other Rogue barbells, which may range as high as $700 or more. Due to the economical pricing, you may get a high-quality barbell from a good brand without breaking the bank.

The Rogue Echo Bar is a wonderful barbell for Olympic lifting. It has all of the essential features you’d expect from a weightlifting-specific bar. It has no center knurl to save lots of the skin around your shins, hips, and neck. The one knurl marks are for straightforward and repeatable hand placement on the shaft, ideal for those who’re just moving into Olympic lifting and don’t know the difference between powerlifting and weightlifting knurl marks. It also has an F8-R rating on Rogue’s F-Scale, putting it across the middle of the pack for durability — pretty solid considering its budget-friendly price.

Rogue’s Echo Bar is USA-made, a defining feature that distinguishes it from the opposite options in this text. Budget barbells are reasonably priced because they’re imported from overseas, where employees don’t get compensated as well and manufacturing standards are lower. Nevertheless, you’re supporting local employees and usually receive higher-quality items if you buy USA-made products, something to think about for those who can spare the additional money.

Like black zinc coatings, brilliant zinc finishes can fade over time. Whether from wear and tear, humidity, or large temperature swings, these could cause the finish to wear off prior to expected. While this won’t affect the sturdiness of the bar, it can look less appealing and require more maintenance since the bare steel might be exposed and subject to faster rust build-up.

Lastly, this barbell doesn’t feature dual knurl markings. In my view, I’d like to see a set of powerlifting hash marks, as I feel it could increase the bar’s versatility for a wider audience. That said, it’s made explicitly for Olympic lifting, so for those who’d prefer a bar with dual markings, consider the REP Colorado Bar as an alternative.

RELATED: Best Weightlifting Belts

Best Budget Barbell on Amazon: CAP Barbell The Beast

Cap Barbell THE BEAST Olympic Bar

4.5

• Material: Alloy steel
• Weight: 20 kilograms (44 kilos)
• Weight capability: 544 kilograms (1,200 kilos)
• Tensile strength: 110,000 PSI
• Loadable sleeve length: 15 inches
• Knurling: Diamond (no center knurl)
• Warranty: 30 days

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Pros

• Very reasonably priced at around $100
• Respectable 1,200-pound capability
• Highly rated (4.7 out of 5 stars) by greater than 4,330 customers

Cons

• Low 110k PSI capability
• Black phosphate finish can fade

CAP Barbell’s The Beast, which you could find on Amazon, is hands-down probably the most reasonably priced budget barbell on our list. At around $100, its price tag is significantly lower than almost another Olympic barbell in the marketplace, which tends to cost $200 to $300, if no more. With The Beast, you get a good barbell from a reliable seller without spending much money.

The Beast barbell has a maximum weight capability of 1,200 kilos, which is impressive for any budget barbell but especially for one priced so economically. And let’s be honest, most of us (myself included) aren’t going to be lifting anywhere near its maximum weight capability. So, the undeniable fact that it has a capability of over 1,000 kilos while staying budget-friendly is a win-win.

Although its product page on Amazon appears to host not less than five different bars offered by CAP Barbell (including The Beast), I used to be shocked to see the high rankings. Typically, you’d expect 3 out 5 stars for a barbell on this price range, but CAP Barbell has over 4,300 reviews with a mean rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars. Buyers speak highly of the knurling, which they are saying is grippy without being too aggressive, and smooth sleeve rotation. With the positive feedback and praise this barbell received within the review section, you likely won’t regret your investment.

The principal drawback I see with The Beast is its lower tensile strength of 110k PSI. This is unquestionably lower than all the opposite barbells in this text, meaning it could be the primary to bend if our product testers were to place it through a maximum loading test. That said, you’re unlikely to come across bending or breaking issues unless you’re a world-record powerlifter or weightlifter. For general-purpose strength training, this bar will still serve you well.

Like black zinc, this bar’s black phosphate finish can fade. This protective layer wears off due to friction, moisture, or temperature fluctuations. This won’t affect the steel’s quality or the bar’s maximum capability but will make it look less attractive. Wiping the bar down with a towel and keeping it dry after each use will help delay its coating.

Best Budget Curl Bar: Titan Olympic EZ Curl Bar

Titan Olympic EZ Curl Barbell

4.2

• Material and finish: Alloy steel with chrome
• Weight: 7.7 kilograms (17 kilos)
• Weight capability: 200 kilos
• Tensile strength: 165k PSI
• Knurling: Volcano (light)
• Warranty: One 12 months

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Pros

• Allows for specialty exercises
• Affordably priced at $84.97
• Well designed for the worth

Cons

• Lower 200-pound capability
• Can’t be racked in an influence rack

Probably the most significant good thing about Titan’s EZ Curl Bar is that it permits you to perform specialty exercises that are inclined to be uncomfortable on a straight Olympic bar. For instance, EZ bar curls, skull crushers, preacher curls, laying tricep extensions, and more will let you goal your biceps, triceps, forearms, and shoulders without the same old joint strain that you just’d experience when using a straight bar. Due to its versatility, an EZ Curl bar is usually the primary specialty barbell I like to recommend for home gym owners.

The Titan Olympic EZ Curl Barbell only costs around $85 on the time of publishing, which is far lower than other curl bars — you’d be a minimum of $100 for any alternative that provides the identical design. As probably the most reasonably priced bar in this text, it’s great to know that you could get a solid curl bar from a good brand at this price.

Low cost EZ curl bars prefer to cut corners on their knurling and sleeve mechanisms, but Titan rises above all these shortcomings. Their EZ curl bar has a medium knurling that’s good for accessory exercises. The angles on the shaft are well-designed to make sure it’s intuitive to make use of and, when combined with the sleek bronze bushings, may be very comfortable in your wrists and elbows when performing exercises like curls and skull crushers. Its compact size of 47 inches in length and 17 kilos in weight makes it easy to store and portable when moving around your private home gym.

This specialty bar from Titan has a lower weight capability of just 200 kilos, lower than among the dearer curl bars that feature 300+ pound capacities. Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean that the bar is weak or unsafe. The accessory exercises you’ll most definitely perform using this bar won’t put you anywhere near its 200-pound capability.

As a result of its 47-inch length, the Olympic EZ Curl Bar shouldn’t be rackable in an influence rack. Since you may’t place it across the J-hooks of an influence rack since it’s too short, you’ll must load it while it’s lying on the ground. Nevertheless, this isn’t a giant deal, so long as you don’t suffer from chronic back pain. Its shorter size also means you’ll must lift it into position manually. As an illustration, you’ll must place the bar in your lap and hoist it into position for skull crushers as an alternative of simply lifting it out of the J-hooks like you’ll during a bench press.

RELATED: Best Adjustable Dumbells

Best Budget Trap Bar: Bells of Steel Open Trap Bar

Bells of Steel Open Trap Bar

4.1

• Material and finish: Alloy steel with black oxide
• Weight: 21 kilograms (47 kilos)
• Weight capability: 700 kilos
• Tensile strength: 165k PSI
• Knurling: Volcano (light)
• Warranty: Lifetime

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Pros

• Open design permits you to perform more exercises
• Built-in deadlift jack
• Compact frame

Cons

• Shorter sleeves
• Inside is a bit cramped

We have now the Bells of Steel Open Trap Bar in our testing facility and put it through several weeks’ value of workouts. We gave it 4.1 out of 5 stars overall and particularly like its durability, construction quality, and the undeniable fact that it comes with a lifetime warranty.

The open design allows for more exercises than a close-frame trap bar permits. Besides the standard exercises, variations like single-leg deadlifts, walking lunges, split squats, farmer walks, and bent-over rows could be performed using this specialty bar. The open frame also enables you to easily step out and in of the bar, making it safer for accident-prone people.

Having lifted with various trap bars before and experiencing the frustration of attempting to load and unload weight plates from them, I consider the Bells of Steel Open Trap Bar’s built-in deadlift jack a serious blessing. The rubber feet on the underside of the bar allow it to be stood up vertically, allowing you to simply swap your weight plates without holding the bar off the bottom. For such an easy design hack, it saves time and energy that you could as an alternative dedicate to your lifting.

Whether you’ve gotten a space-constrained home gym otherwise you simply wish to perform your deadlifts within the corner of a crowded business facility, the trap bar’s compact frame takes up less space and makes it easier to maneuver around. With a complete length of just 59 inches, it matches nicely on some home gym flooring pieces like a single horse stall mat even when loaded to the tip of each sleeves.

The sleeves are only 9.7 inches long, which is noticeably shorter than a mean trap bar’s 16-inch sleeves. Shorter sleeves mean that you just won’t have the ability to load as many weight plates on the bar. This isn’t much of an issue with iron plates, nevertheless it becomes apparent if you use thick bumper plates. Once we tested this trap bar, we could only fit three 45-pound bumper plates on each sleeve, which limits its max loading capability to around 315 kilos (the bar weighs around 47 kilos).

Nevertheless, I’ve found that a very good workaround is to make use of one 45-pound bumper plate on the within after which use iron plates for the remaining weight.

One thing we expect might be improved is the knurling. We found it to be pretty passive, which could increase the possibilities of your hands slipping for those who load it with iron plates to the high end of its 700-pound weight capability. We only rated the knurling 2 out of 5 stars for that reason.

Lastly, the inside the bar is a bit cramped. With 23.6 inches between the handles, it’s clear that you just might feel restricted together with your feet for those who are inclined to deadlift with a large stance or for those who’re a bigger lifter. I deadlift with a stance that’s about hip-width apart, and I find that my toes bump into the rubber feet because they’re the narrowest point of the bar. We docked a couple of points off our rating for that reason, giving it 4 out of 5 stars for ease of use.

Advantages of Buying a Budget Barbell for Your Home Gym

Saves Money

Buying a budget barbell can prevent a whole lot of dollars. Budget bars are less expensive than high-end barbells but still offer comparable features and performance. You’ll be able to buy a budget barbell for $100 to $350 that may last you a long time, while a high-end bar can easily cost $300 to $600 or more. Plus, the cash you save could be used to purchase more pieces of quality home gym equipment.

Saves Space

Many budget barbells are designed to be mixed-use or multi-purpose. This is finished by combining the perfect features of powerlifting bars and weightlifting bars right into a single barbell. Consequently, you may perform heavier exercises like deadlifts and faster exercises like snatches with the identical bar — as an alternative of two separate bars — which suggests you simply need a single barbell. One less barbell in your private home gym is one less piece of kit piece to purchase, maintain, and store.

What To Consider When Buying a Budget Barbell

Price

When buying a budget barbell, price is undoubtedly a very powerful consideration. In spite of everything, the term “budget“ itself implies that it’s reasonably priced. That said, the worth tag often directly reflects the barbell’s quality, durability, and overall performance.

On the time of this writing, the Titan Olympic EZ Curl Bar ss on sale at a modest $84.97. Meanwhile, the REP Colorado Bar retails for $329.99. Clearly, there’s a broad range of costs even throughout the “budget” category.

Remember, you might want to strike a balance, and also you don’t must break the bank simply to get a very good barbell. Whatever the bar you select, this figure should offer you a very good benchmark to work with and show you how to determine whether you’re getting good value to your money.

Training Style

Training style typically refers as to whether you like to do powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting, or each — and even one other sport like CrossFit. Since these sports have widely different lifts, they profit from having specific barbells which can be made to enhance your experience and performance. 

For instance, powerlifting barbells just like the Titan Performance Series Barbell are stiffer, have a bigger diameter, and are inclined to have coarser knurling, a middle knurl, and smooth bushings. On the flip side, an Oly lifting barbell just like the Rogue Echo Bar has more whip, contains a smaller diameter, may have a passive knurling, no center knurl, and fast needle bearings. 

Finally, a mixed-use bar just like the Fringe Sport Wonder Bar combines the perfect features of each right into a single bar for those days if you just can’t determine.

Bushings vs. Bearings

The selection between bushings and bearings (which check with the sleeve rotation mechanism) is dependent upon your training style and private preference. 

Snatches and clean and jerks will feel higher in your joints with bearings since the sleeves will spin faster. Power lifts like squats, bench presses, and deadlifts will feel smooth with bushings since the exercises have a fairly straight bar path. In contrast, bearings would force your body to readjust to each technical deviation. A mix of bearings and bushings such as you’d find within the REP Colorado Bar is good for many who wish to dabble in each.

That said, I’ve heard that some elite weightlifters only lift with needle-bearing bars, even when performing heavy squats and deadlifts. The concept is to make use of the identical implement of their training as their competition, whatever the exercise. That is the exception greater than the rule, though.

Knurling

Knurling depends mainly on the variety of barbell you employ and private preference. Specialty bars just like the Titan Olympic EZ Curl Bar have a more passive knurling, which is sufficient because you usually don’t move super heavy weights for exercises like EZ bar curls. In contrast, powerlifting bars just like the Titan Performance Series Barbell have more aggressive knurling to lower the chance of the bar slipping out of your hands or off your back during a max lift.

Beyond this general distinction, knurling becomes very personal. Some like extremely aggressive knurling; others prefer a smooth, almost non-existent hill knurl. There’s no measurement standard for knurling like there may be for sandpaper, so if this consideration is a deal-breaker, attempt to test the barbell before you purchase it.

Finish

Stainless-steel is the king of finishes due to its resistance to rust and abrasion. Unfortunately, this also makes it the most costly, so it isn’t on any of our budget barbells.

Bare steel is a classic, where no finish is applied to the bar in any respect — it’s literally the raw steel that you just’re feeling. This makes it great for grip, but there’s no protection from rust, so bare steel barbells often develop a everlasting patina look unless you’re a stickler for maintenance.

Black zinc/phosphate is probably going probably the most common. When manufacturers use this coating, they don’t fill within the gaps within the knurling like Cerakote, so that you’ll still feel the actual steel. Sadly, these finishes wear off over time.

Cerakote is becoming increasingly popular as a consequence of its durability and customizability. It’s been utilized in the firearm industry for a long time and could be painted on in various colours and patterns for some seriously cool designs. Cerakote does fill in among the knurling, so expect to lose a little bit of grip from the unique bare steel feeling.

Chrome is less common nowadays, and for good reason. Well-made chrome coatings are durable, but they make the bar more brittle and increase its risk of breaking, especially in high-use gyms. For this reason, passing on chrome is the intelligent long-term selection.

Electronic-coating (e-coats) are rare for a budget barbell, but for those who find one on sale that meets your other criteria, jump on it. They’re longer-lasting than black zinc/phosphate without filling within the knurling like Cerakote.

Yield and Tensile Strength

Yield strength is the utmost stress a bar can withstand before permanently deforming (bending). Tensile strength is the utmost stress that a barbell can handle before it breaks or fractures. Each of those affect a barbell’s performance and sturdiness.

Should you’ve ever seen a “beater bar” in a gym, it’s a barbell utilized in an influence rack for rack pulls since it was pushed past its yield strength — causing it to bend permanently. Nevertheless, it’s still technically useable since it didn’t break, meaning it hasn’t exceeded its tensile strength (yet).

Warranty 

Budget barbells sometimes get a nasty fame for being low cost on all accounts, but that doesn’t mean they’ll’t have a rock-solid warranty behind them. Any budget barbell value buying must have a bare minimum guarantee of 1 12 months. Excellent warranties are typically within the length of a lifetime.

Since firms can’t control the way you treat your bar when you receive it, they’ll rarely send you a recent one if it bends as a consequence of neglect or your insane strength. Should you come across an organization with a “Any Reason Lifetime Warranty” then let me know — a guaranty like that may be a primary.

Capability 

Maximum weight capacities can vary widely, but any budget barbell value its salt must have a minimum of a 1,000-pound capability. Bars have develop into less expensive to fabricate over the past decade, so a thousand kilos isn’t ridiculous to expect. Plus, this is usually the static weight limit. The dynamic weight limit of the bar is probably going a whole lot of kilos less as it can bend while in use, testing its durability.

Specialty bars just like the Bells of Steel Open Trap Bar, which regularly have a much lower capability, are the exception here.

Final Thoughts

Buying a high-quality budget barbell for your private home gym doesn’t must break the bank. You’ll be able to buy a wonderful bar for $85 to $350, depending in your needs and preferences. Different bars have different features, affecting how the bar feels and performs for various lifts. 

Before buying, it’s best to consider your goals, experience level, and frequency of use. Then, research and compare different options to search out the choice that’s best for you.

Best Budget Barbells: Side-by-Side Comparison

Best Budget Barbell Overall

Description:

• Material: Steel
• Weight: 20 kilograms (44 kilos)
• Weight capability: 680.2 kilograms (1,500 kilos)
• Tensile strength: 190 KSI
• Loadable sleeve length: 16.1 inches
• Knurling: Moderate
• Warranty: Lifetime

Best Budget CrossFit Barbell

Description:

• Material and finish: Alloy steel with black zinc
• Weight: 20 kilograms (44.1 kilos)
• Weight capability: 1,600 kilos
• Tensile strength: 205k PSI
• Knurling: Volcano (medium)
• Warranty: Lifetime

Best Budget Olympic Barbell

Description:

• Material and finish: Alloy steel with black Cerakote
• Weight: 20 kilograms (44.1lbs)
• Weight capability: 1,500 kilos
• Tensile strength: 200k PSI
• Knurling: Volcano (medium)
• Warranty: Lifetime

Best Budget Powerlifting Barbell

Description:

• Material and finish: Alloy steel with chrome
• Weight: 20 kilograms (44.1 kilos)
• Weight capability: 1,500 kilos
• Tensile strength: 165k PSI
• Knurling: Mountain (medium)
• Warranty: One 12 months

Best Budget Women’s Barbell

Description:

• Material and finish: Alloy steel with black zinc
• Weight: 15 kilograms (33 kilos)
• Weight capability: 1,000 kilos
• Tensile strength: 190k PSI
• Knurling: Volcano (medium)
• Warranty: Manufacturer defects only

Best Budget Barbell From Rogue

Description:

• Material and finish: Alloy steel with brilliant zinc
• Weight: 20 kilograms (44.1 kilos)
• Weight capability: 800 kilos
• Tensile strength: 190k PSI
• Knurling: Volcano (medium)
• Warranty: One 12 months

Best Budget Barbell on Amazon

Description:

• Material: Alloy steel
• Weight: 20 kilograms (44 kilos)
• Weight capability: 544 kilograms (1,200 kilos)
• Tensile strength: 110,000 PSI
• Loadable sleeve length: 15 inches
• Knurling: Diamond (no center knurl)
• Warranty: 30 days

Best Budget
Curl Bar

Description:

• Material and finish: Alloy steel with chrome
• Weight: 7.7 kilograms (17 kilos)
• Weight capability: 200 kilos
• Tensile strength: 165k PSI
• Knurling: Volcano (light)
• Warranty: One 12 months

Best Budget
Trap Bar

Description:

• Material and finish: Alloy steel with black oxide
• Weight: 21 kilograms (47 kilos)
• Weight capability: 700 kilos
• Tensile strength: 165k PSI
• Knurling: Volcano (light)
• Warranty: Lifetime

FAQs

What are the perfect budget barbells for squatting?

The most effective budget barbell for squatting is the Titan Fitness Performance Series Power Barbell due to its stiff 29-millimeter shaft with center knurl, aggressive mountain-style knurling, and extreme 1,500-pound weight capability.

What’s a very good price for a barbell?

An excellent price for a barbell ranges from $85 to $350, depending on the variety of barbell, your needs, and your preferences. The next price doesn’t all the time mean a greater barbell, but the worth tag often directly reflects the barbell’s quality, durability, and overall performance.

What’s the perfect barbell for a house gym?

The most effective barbell for a house gym is dependent upon your goals, space, and budget. Nevertheless, mixed-use barbells just like the REP Colorado Bar are excellent options due to their versatility, durability, and warranty.

Is it value buying a barbell for home?

Buying a barbell for home could be value it for those who’re serious about strength training and have enough space and money to take a position in a single. Do not forget that you’ll also need space and money for the burden plates and an influence rack to perform barbell exercises safely.

How much is an affordable barbell?

An affordable barbell costs lower than $200. The Beast by CAP Barbell is around $100 on Amazon and is a solid barbell. Whatever the barbell you select, consider your goals, experience level, and the way often you’ll use it.