Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Smart Home

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

The best smart home gym equipment

By

Today’s home gyms are a whole lot more than a workout bench and some weights, or a treadmill in the garage. High-tech gym equipment can offer personalized workout advice, track real-time stats as you go, and help you feel connected to a wider community even if you aren’t visiting a gym. It’s also a great investment for beginners, since lessons can teach proper form and help explain a wide variety of workouts so you can find the regimen that’s right for you — while more advanced stat tracking is perfect for those training to meet specific goals. Let’s take a look at some of the smartest gym equipment around!

Note: Most smart home gym equipment requires a subscription to fully unlock all the features. You should keep this in mind when figuring out the true cost for most of these models. Wi-Fi connections are also required, so think about placement in your home carefully.

Best smart home gym equipment at a glance:

NordicTrack Commercial X22i Treadmill

NordicTrack Commercial X22i Treadmill.
NordicTrack

Treadmills can be excellent cardio tools, but many people find them boring to use. High-tech models work to fix that problem, and this NordicTrack is an excellent example. Through the iFIT program, the treadmill offers a variety of interactive experiences via the 22-inch touchscreen, courtesy of trainers from around the world. It offers both indoor and outdoor settings, workout leaderboards for competitions, and live sessions where you can text with your trainers.

The Commercial X22i Treadmill is also adept mechanically: It features speeds up to 12 mph, an impressive 40% incline limit, and even up to a 6% decline for accurately simulating real-world runs or walks. If it seems a little expensive, take a look at NordicTrack’s ProForm brand, which tends to be less pricey but with similar subscription benefits.

NordicTrack Commercial S221 Studio Cycle

NordicTrack Commercial S221 Studio Cycle.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Exercise bikes offer many of the same advantages as treadmills, except there’s a lot less impact, making it easier on the knees and ankles. If that interests you, this bike will have everything you need when combined with the iFIT subscription. Like the NordicTrack treadmill, the bike also includes a 22-inch touchscreen display with a variety of workout programs including many outdoor sessions to keep things interesting.

The Commercial S221 Studio Cycle also supports up to a 20% incline and a 10% decline to match real-world hills, along with a wide range of resistance choices. Whether or not you pick a live session, you can track things like distance, heart rate, calories burned, and a lot more — all updated in real time on your screen. You can even combine it with some lightweight training to even things out, thanks to the included barbell holder.

Tonal

Tonal Fitness Panel.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Tonal is a home gym mirror, a product that’s designed to be mounted on a wall and provide detailed information for your workout and to help maintain proper form, as well as walkthroughs for specific exercises. What makes Tonal unique is that it’s not just a mirror with bodyweight exercises: It’s a full resistance system that can be set up for all kinds of serious strength training to target specific muscle groups.

Tonal’s strength training videos are top-notch if you want to try a new exercise, and the system can intelligently increase resistance strength as you improve. You can also track all kinds of stats over time to measure your progress. There’s not much focus on live workouts, but if you want a home gym to make you stronger, there are few better picks.

Hydrow Essentials Package

Hydrow Essentials Package.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Rowing machines are famous for getting your heart rate up while giving you an intense workout: The Hydrow isn’t just a beautiful example, it’s also very smart. The Essentials package includes a fitness tracker wristband and other accessories so you can get detailed information on your heart rate and other stats. The 22-inch touchscreen program provides both workouts and data about your speed and calories burned. There are both guided and unguided rowing options, and with the included map you can switch to yoga afterward to cool down.

Bowflex Max Trainer M9

Bowflex Max Trainer M9.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Ellipticals are designed for whole-body cardio workouts, and can often save a bit of space compared to treadmills or similar options, making them popular home gym picks. This Bowflex model gets straight to business with an excellent design made to alternate intensity for HIIT-like workouts. You can pick from a variety of programs on the touchscreen, as well as specific world locations, or simply choose one of the recommended options. The screen can also stream classes, give awards for specific achievements like calories burned, and even streaming from popular apps like Netflix — but you’ll need a subscription to enable all of this.

FightCamp Personal

FightCamp Personal package.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Home boxing may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of high-tech workouts, but the FightCamp experience is on a whole other level. The smart gloves and smart punching bag combination can track punches, speed/rate, and overall output. You can choose from a variety of programs and styles based on what you want to practice while keeping an eye on both the timer and your goals with a nearby screen to show information from the app (you’ll probably want a TV nearby for this one).

Trainers are available for whatever style you prefer and your level of experience. We recommend the Personal package, which is geared toward a home gym setup, although you may want to add a couple more accessories depending on how you plan to use FightCamp.

CLIMBR

CLIMBR home gym equipment.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

CLIMBR doesn’t exactly simulate the climbing experience — it won’t feel like tackling the rock wall at the gym or bouldering courses. But it will train similar muscles in an elliptical-like workout that focuses more on strength training, and is an excellent option for building up a sweat. That makes an innovative option for preparing for climbing season, or simply for getting an intense workout while saving space (CLIMBR says it engages over 86% of the body’s muscles). There’s both a built-in screen for tracking tempo, reach, and power, as well as a companion app for tracking your workouts, plus a variety of workout options to pick from.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Tyler Lacoma
Tyler Lacoma
Former Digital Trends Contributor

If it can be streamed, voice-activated, made better with an app, or beaten by mashing buttons, Tyler's into it. When he's not making the Internet a better place with the latest tech news, Tyler is working in the eco and investment world, writing fiction, or waiting for hiking weather.

Best washer and dryer deals: bundles from LG, Samsung and more
A washer and dryer sit next to each other in a laundry room.

If it’s time to add a new washer and dryer to your smart home, we’ve got some good news, as there’s a lot of savings out there to pounce on. Even the best washing machines and best dryers will see a discount from time to time, and right now washer and dryer deals are popping up from several of the top appliance brands. Leading the charge are LG and Samsung, as they offer washers and dryers with impressive smart features at reasonable prices. But there are a lot of other washer and dryer deals going on, so read onward and check out all of the best washer and dryer deals to shop right now. You can often find some great washers and dryers bundled with appliance package deals as well, and if you’re looking to upgrade kitchen appliances you should check out the current refrigerator deals, dishwasher deals, and oven deals.
Best LG washer and dryer deals

LG makes some awesome appliances. We've picked some medium-sized options, including a fairly cheap package deal available at Best Buy.

Read more
Best air fryer deals: As cheap as $25
The Costway 16-in-1 15-quart air fryer oven on a table with plates of food spread out around it.

There are a lot of things that could potentially take the mantle for being the best smart kitchen appliances, but air fryers are so versatile that they are easily at the top of the list. Not only are they easier to use than a traditional fryer, where you have to deal with a bunch of oil, but they are also a lot healthier since you don't need a lot of it to fry your food. Even better, there's no need to grab one of the best air fryers on the market, with many budget-friendly options that have a lot of features. To that end, we've collected our favorite air fryer deals below, and if you're on the hunt to deck out your kitchen, then it's worth checking out these coffee maker deals, Keurig deals and Vitamix deals as well.
Bella Pro Series 4-quart digital air fryer — $45, was $70

The Bella Pro Series 4-quart digital air fryer is equipped with a 1,500-watt heating system with an adjustable cooking temperature of up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, which you can adjust through its digital touchscreen that also offers several preset cook modes. The air fryer offers enough capacity to cook meals for about four to six people, so it’s perfect for small families and intimate gatherings. The Bella Pro Series 4-quart digital air fryer also features a 60-minute automatic shut-off timer and a dishwasher-safe basket.

Read more
Best air conditioner deals: Portable and window units on sale
The GE 10,000 BTU portable air conditioner cools a living room while a woman reads.

Temperatures this year seem to be some of the highest in history, and it's no surprise that many folks are worried about what summer is going to look like this year. As such, it's important to keep yourself cool, and going for an air conditioner is probably going to be a big help; even something as simple as portable air conditioners will offer some help. That said, a proper air conditioner is better, which is why we've gone out and collected some of our favorite deals below, including from some of the best air conditioner brands out there.

Also, if you're struggling with things like seasonal allergies, check out some of these air purifier deals, and for those who have persistent dry coughs, these humidifiers deals should help a bit as well.
Evapolar evaCHILL — $70, was $99

Read more