Dumbbell Sizes: Weight Increments, Dimensions and Handle Diameter
For anyone buying a set, planning rack space or converting a gym's kilogram dumbbells into pounds. The weights dumbbells come in, how big each one is, handle thickness and length, and how adjustable dumbbells compare.
Dumbbells in pounds usually come in 5 lb steps from 5 lb up to 100 lb or more (with 2.5, 3, 8 and 12 lb at the light end). Kilogram dumbbells go up in 1 kg steps to 10 kg, then 2 or 2.5 kg steps. A typical 10 kg (22 lb) hex dumbbell is about 26.5 cm (10.4 in) long, 14 cm (5.5 in) tall, with a 34 mm (1.3 in) handle.
- Pound increments
- 5 lb (2.27 kg)
- Kilo increments
- 2 or 2.5 kg
- Handle diameter
- 25-35 mm (1-1.4 in)
- Grip length
- About 5 in (130 mm)
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Dumbbell size chart: weights and dimensions
Dumbbell size means two things: the weight stamped on the head, and the physical size. The physical size depends on the material. Cast iron is denser than rubber-coated iron or urethane, so an iron dumbbell is shorter than a rubber hex of the same weight. The figures below are typical for rubber hex dumbbells, the most common home and gym design.
| Weight | In kg | Overall length | Head size | Handle diameter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 lb | 2.27 kg | About 9 in (23 cm) | About 3.5 in (9 cm) | 25-28 mm |
| 10 lb | 4.54 kg | 10.5 in (27 cm) | 4 in (10 cm) | 28 mm (1.1 in) |
| 22 lb (10 kg) | 10 kg | 10.4-12 in (26.5-31 cm) | About 5.5 in (14 cm) | 34-35 mm |
| 25 lb | 11.34 kg | 13 in (33 cm) | 5.4 in (14 cm) | 33-35 mm (1.3 in) |
| 50 lb | 22.68 kg | 14.6 in (37 cm) | 6.8 in (17 cm) | 33-35 mm (1.3 in) |
| 100 lb | 45.36 kg | About 16-19 in (41-48 cm) | About 8-9 in (20-23 cm) | 34-35 mm |
The 10, 25 and 50 lb rows are RitFit's published figures; the 10 kg row spans Decathlon's and Fitcom's listings; the 5 lb and 100 lb rows are typical ranges across brands. Head size is the largest published head measurement; on a hexagon, the distance across the corners is about 15% more than across the flats, so check which one a listing gives. Different brands of the same weight can differ by an inch or more in length, which matters if you are buying odd pairs to fill a rack.
Dumbbell weights in pounds and kilograms
Gyms in the US stock pounds; most of the rest of the world stocks kilograms. The two series do not line up: a 5 lb step is 2.27 kg, while kilo dumbbells climb in 2 kg or 2.5 kg steps.
| Pounds | = kg | Kilograms | = lb |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 lb | 2.27 kg | 2 kg | 4.41 lb |
| 10 lb | 4.54 kg | 4 kg | 8.82 lb |
| 15 lb | 6.80 kg | 6 kg | 13.23 lb |
| 20 lb | 9.07 kg | 8 kg | 17.64 lb |
| 25 lb | 11.34 kg | 10 kg | 22.05 lb |
| 30 lb | 13.61 kg | 12 kg | 26.46 lb |
| 35 lb | 15.88 kg | 15 kg | 33.07 lb |
| 40 lb | 18.14 kg | 17.5 kg | 38.58 lb |
| 45 lb | 20.41 kg | 20 kg | 44.09 lb |
| 50 lb | 22.68 kg | 22.5 kg | 49.60 lb |
| 60 lb | 27.22 kg | 25 kg | 55.12 lb |
| 75 lb | 34.02 kg | 30 kg | 66.14 lb |
| 100 lb | 45.36 kg | 40 kg | 88.18 lb |
A dumbbell marked "33" in a kilo gym's lb conversion is a 15 kg bell (33.07 lb). Labels always give the weight of one dumbbell; a "pair of 25s" is 50 lb in total.
Dumbbell handle dimensions
The handle decides how the dumbbell feels in your hand and whether it fits a rack, a pair of hooks or a loading pin.
- Diameter: light dumbbells use 25 to 28 mm (1 to 1.1 in) handles so small hands can close around them. From about 12.5 or 15 lb up, most brands use 33 to 35 mm (1.3 to 1.4 in): Lifeline lists 34 mm from 15 lb, and Rogue lists 35 mm from 12.5 lb.
- Grip length: the space between the heads is usually 125 to 135 mm (4.9 to 5.3 in). Lifeline and Yanre both list about 130 mm. Lifters with wide hands or wearing gloves may find 125 mm tight.
- Knurling: medium knurl on steel handles, smooth or lightly textured chrome on light dumbbells. Rubber-coated handles feel thicker by 1 to 2 mm.
If you mix brands, put the new dumbbell next to your old one. A 3 mm thicker handle feels noticeably different on long sets of rows or farmer's carries, and a shorter grip can pinch the edges of your hand.
Loadable (spinlock) and Olympic dumbbell handles
Plate-loaded dumbbells use a bare handle that takes loose plates, held on by spin-lock collars or clips.
| Handle type | Sleeve diameter | Overall length | Empty weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard spinlock | 25-30 mm (1-1.2 in) | 14-16 in (35-41 cm) | About 2-5 lb (1-2.3 kg) |
| Olympic dumbbell handle | 50 mm (2 in) | 14-20 in (36-51 cm) | About 5-12 lb (2.3-5.4 kg) |
Standard handles take plates with a 1 in hole (about 25 to 31 mm). Olympic handles take the same 50 mm-hole plates as an Olympic barbell, so they share a plate collection but get long fast because big plates are thick. Plate diameters and hole sizes are in the weight plate size guide.
Adjustable dumbbell dimensions
Dial and pin-selector dumbbells replace a full rack with one pair, but each dumbbell is long even at the lightest setting, because it has to hold the full stack of plates in its tray.
| Model | Weight range | L × W × H |
|---|---|---|
| Bowflex SelectTech 552 | 5-52.5 lb (2.3-23.8 kg) | 16.9 × 8.3 × 9 in (43 × 21 × 23 cm) |
| Bowflex SelectTech 1090 | 10-90 lb (4.5-40.8 kg) | 17.5 × 9.5 × 10 in (44 × 24 × 25 cm) |
A 17 in dumbbell is longer than a 50 lb hex (about 14.6 in), even when set to 10 lb. That makes adjustables awkward for movements where the dumbbell passes close to the body, such as curls with a supinated grip or dumbbell pullovers, and it means they hit each other at the top of a dumbbell press. The trade is floor space: a pair in their trays covers about 17 × 17 in, while a fixed set from 5 to 50 lb needs a rack about 4 to 5 ft wide.
Space and storage for a dumbbell set
- Count the pairs. A 5 to 50 lb set in 5 lb steps is 10 pairs, 550 lb (249 kg) in total. Add 55 to 100 lb and the set grows to 20 pairs and 2,100 lb (953 kg).
- Plan rack width. Allow roughly the dumbbell length plus 1 to 2 in per pair on a sloped two-tier rack. Ten light-to-medium pairs fit on a rack about 4 to 5 ft (1.2 to 1.5 m) wide and 2 ft deep. Heavy pairs above 60 lb need a sturdier commercial rack.
- Leave lifting room. Allow about 6 × 6 ft (1.8 × 1.8 m) of clear floor in front of the rack for standing and bench work, and use a weight bench no more than a few steps away.
- Protect the floor. Dumbbells dropped after a set are the main source of damage in home gyms. Put the rack and the lifting area on 3/4 in (19 mm) rubber mats.
If floor space is the limit, kettlebells cover many of the same exercises with fewer pieces. For barbell training, see barbell sizes, and for a whole room, the home gym size guide.
Frequently asked questions
How heavy are size 50 dumbbells?
A dumbbell marked 50 is 50 lb (22.68 kg) each in a pound gym, so a pair is 100 lb (45.36 kg). In a kilogram gym there is usually no 50; the nearest are 22.5 kg (49.6 lb) and 24 or 25 kg (52.9 or 55.1 lb). Weights are per dumbbell, never per pair.
What are the dimensions of a 10 kg dumbbell?
A 10 kg hex dumbbell is about 26 to 31 cm (10 to 12 in) long and 14 to 16 cm (5.5 to 6.3 in) across the heads, depending on the brand. Decathlon lists its 10 kg hex dumbbell at 26.5 cm long and 14 cm high with a 3.4 cm handle.
What size is a dumbbell handle?
Fixed dumbbells have handles about 25 to 35 mm (1 to 1.4 in) thick and 125 to 135 mm (4.9 to 5.3 in) long between the heads. Light dumbbells (up to about 10 lb) use the thinner end; most from 12.5 or 15 lb up are 33 to 35 mm. Spinlock handles for loose plates are usually 25 to 30 mm thick.
What hole size do dumbbell plates have?
Plates for spinlock dumbbell handles have a standard hole of about 1 in, typically 25 to 31 mm, to suit 25, 28 or 30 mm handles. Olympic dumbbell handles take the 50 mm (2 in) hole of Olympic plates. Match the plate hole to the handle; a 31 mm hole on a 25 mm handle rattles.
How much does a 100 lb dumbbell weigh in kg?
45.36 kg. Hex and round commercial 100 lb dumbbells are typically about 16 to 19 in (41 to 48 cm) long, with heads around 8 to 9 in (20 to 23 cm) across.
What weights do dumbbells come in?
Common pound weights are 2, 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, then every 5 lb to 100 lb; commercial gyms go to 120 or 150 lb. Common kilogram weights are 1 to 10 kg in 1 kg steps, then 12, 14, 16 and so on, or 12.5, 15, 17.5 and so on, up to 40 to 50 kg.