How to Choose the Right Barbells for Your Body Type
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So, you need reliable barbells that won't break the bank?
It might seem straightforward, but the market is flooded with hundreds of budget-friendly bars, all claiming to be the best. It would take weeks to sort through all the options. And let's be honest, the last thing you want is a bar that falls apart on you within a couple of years.
Don't worry; we've done all the heavy lifting for you. We've combed through the vast sea of options, tested the contenders, and narrowed them down to the nine best-budget barbells.
Over the past eight years, I've used many barbells in different CrossFit gyms and my garage gym — putting them through high-rep workouts, heavy strength training, and everything in between. I've also been a fitness writer and editor for almost three years and have spent countless hours researching the best 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'll find one of these best budget barbells to be a winner for you.
How We Chose the Best Budget Barbells
Choosing the best budget barbells is no easy job, but we've gone to great lengths to ensure 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 have used barbells in home gyms and commercial 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 dozens of bars we tested, we chose the best 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 reputation, the packaging it arrived in, its overall versatility, and whether or not it was worth the cost.
Our Top Picks for the Best Budget Barbells
Best Budget Barbells Overall: REP Colorado Bar
Weight: 20 kilograms (44 pounds)
Weight capacity: 680.2 kilograms (1,500 pounds)
Tensile strength: 190 KSI
Loadable sleeve length: 16.1 inches
Highly versatile mixed-use bar
Chrome has a lower lifespan
The standout feature of the REP Colorado Bar is that it's mixed-use. Mixed-use means it's suitable for powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting—sports that typically use two separate barbells with different diameters, knurling, and whips (how much the barbell will flex before it becomes permanently bent). This is also why we consider it the best budget barbell overall and rate 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 best 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 double knurl rings make it easier to ensure your grip is even for various movements, such as the bench press or snatch.
The Colorado bar is also a huge asset for a home gym user like me since it allows you to engage in multiple training styles with a single tool. You'll save space and money because you only need to invest in one bar instead 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 feels like just the right 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 want to use it regularly for back squats because the bar will be less grippy. If you still decide to invest in this bar despite the lack of center knurl, consider chalking your back before each set or wear a sticky shirt that offers a similar level of grip to ensure you stay safe.
The Colorado bar comes in two finishes, one of which is chrome-plated. According to one of our product testers, there are better choices than the Chrome version if you intend to put this bar in a CrossFit gym. Chrome coatings can reduce the longevity of a barbell by up to 50 percent.
That said, the hardened chrome version will likely perform without issue in a home gym, where it should last about 30 years because it will get significantly less use than at a commercial facility.
The other finish is Cerakote, a severe plus on the Colorado Bar. Cerakote is a special coating popular in the firearm community as it helps avoid rust buildup. On the Colorado Bar, its thin application adds a touch of durability without affecting the feel of the knurling. We also love that it's available in five colors—red, green, black, blue, or white—so you can match the barbell to your other gym equipment, such as your favorite weight bench.
A close-up of the REP Colorado Barbell at the Breaking Muscle testing facility
Finally, this is one of our list's most expensive budget barbells. When writing, this bar retails for around $330, which might put it out of reach if your wallet runs extra-lean. We knocked a few points off for this reason and rated it 4 out of 5 stars for price. However, the Colorado Bar is worth it if you are willing to spend more and like to dabble in various lifting styles.
Best Budget CrossFit Barbell: Fringe Sport Wonder Bar
Material and finish: Alloy steel with black zinc
Weight: 20 kilograms (44.1 pounds)
Weight capacity: 1,600 pounds
Tensile strength: 205k PSI
Knurling: Volcano (medium)
Your choice of bearings or bushings
A black zinc finish can fade
Only one coating is offered
Sleeves show wear and tear
Like the REP Colorado Bar, the 20-kilogram (44-pound) Wonder Bar is a multi-purpose barbell. Many features make it the best choice for CrossFit, where you frequently 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 comfortable for almost all hand sizes. (If you're a female CrossFitter or have small hands, opt 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 need to swap out your barbell when you switch between either training style.
The Wonder Bar also has an impressive 205k pounds per square inch (PSI) tensile strength capacity, which means it can withstand the high volume of drops seen in a CrossFit box. I was pleasantly surprised to see they even show the yield strength (160k PSI), something few companies will ever disclose.
The 20kg Wonder Bar is unique because it offers two sleeve versions: bushings or bearings. Bushings are better for slower and heavier lifts like power lifts (squats, bench presses, and deadlifts). They're also more affordable, more durable, and easier to maintain.
On the other hand, bearings are better for the faster lifts and lighter loads seen in Olympic weightlifting. They're smoother and spin extra fast but require more care and upkeep. The type of bar you choose depends on your lifting style and preferences. The great thing is, regardless of the kind you choose, you'll still get an incredible 1,600-pound weight capacity.
One of the main drawbacks of the Wonder Bar is that its black zinc finish is the only option offered. Even though the jet-black color is dazzling, I'd appreciate more color options to inject some personality into your home gym. Different finishes also provide higher levels of protection to the bar, like stainless steel, which is more resistant to rust and abrasion. The Wonder Bar doesn't cater to these preferences, limiting its appeal and adaptability to various training environments.
More importantly, the black zinc finish can fade over time, especially with frequent use and if you store it in a non-climate-controlled location. I have a different barbell with a black zinc finish, and it looks pretty beat up because the coating has faded so much.
Similar to the fading of the shaft finish, the sleeves can also show some wear and tear over time. That same black zinc finish is applied to the sleeves, which will experience metal-on-metal contact as you slide your weight plates on and off.
A customer expressed this in their review: "The only complaint I have is that the sleeves have already shown some good cuts in 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 way to keep them looking beautiful after day one.
