6 of the Best Pull-Up Bars for Your Home Gym in 2024 [CNET]

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Giselle Castro-Sloboda Fitness and Nutrition Writer

I’m a Fitness & Nutrition writer for CNET who enjoys reviewing the latest fitness gadgets, testing out activewear and sneakers, as well as debunking wellness myths. On my spare time I enjoy cooking new recipes, going for a scenic run, hitting the weight room, or binge-watching many TV shows at once. I am a former personal trainer and still enjoy learning and brushing up on my training knowledge from time to time. I’ve had my wellness and lifestyle content published in various online publications such as: Women’s Health, Shape, Healthline, Popsugar and more.

Expertise Fitness and Wellness

Determine whether you prefer an over the door, free standing or wall-installed pull-up bar for personal use.

Pull-up bars can come straight or with handles in different angles intended to target different upper body muscles.

Pull-up bars have different height and weight capacities. Make sure the one you pick can handle your weight and height.

$60 at Amazon

iron-age-pull-up-bar

Best doorway pull-up bar

Iron Age Pull-Up Bar

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$28 at Amazon

prosourcefit-multi-use-doorway-chin-up-pull-up-bar

Best pull-up bar with multiple grips

Pro-SourceFit multiuse doorway chin-up and pull-up bar

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$123 at Gronk Fitness

gronk-fitness-ceiling-mounted-multi-grip-chin-up-bar

Best ceiling-mounted pull up bar

Gronk Fitness ceiling-mounted multigrip pull-up bar

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Whether or not you have a lot of space in your home gym, a pull-up bar may be just the ticket to a high-powered workout. Pull-ups are an effective and efficient workout because they target your back, shoulders, arms and core using your body weight. Whether you’re working toward doing a pull-up for the first time or you’ve been doing them for years, an at-home pull-up bar is a great addition to your home gym. Invest in one of the best pull-up bars to improve your pull-up form from home.

Pull-up bars come in various styles, including doorway-, wall- and ceiling-mounted and freestanding bars. Each style has different benefits. A doorway pull-up bar is cheaper and ideal if you have a smaller living space. Mounted pull-up bars are drilled into the wall or ceiling and are more permanent. If you have more space and want a versatile option that can be used for other exercises like knee raises, push-ups or tricep dips, you can go for freestanding pull-up bars, also known as power towers.

Regardless of your budget and space, you can find a great pull-up bar for your home gym. I’ve put together this list of some of the best pull-up bars available for home use, based on hundreds of customer reviews, brand reputability and durability. 

Best pull-up bars for your home gym in 2024

iron-age-pull-up-bar

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We chose the best pull-up bars based on customer reviews and looking at reputable brands well known for their fitness equipment. We also looked at different designs and installation options.

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Installation: Some pull-up bars come included with bigger pieces of equipment, like a squat rack or a power rack, which is ideal if you already have the space. But there are plenty that can be placed over a door or installed into the wall, if you prefer.

Design: The design of a pull-up bar can vary, but it’ll look more or less the same. There are straight-bar pull-up bars and others that include handles with different grip positions, which target different parts of your muscles.

Weight: Since you’ll be pulling up your own body weight, it’s important to know that the pull-up bar can withstand your weight and even handle your height.

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What type of pull-up bar is best?

This depends on your space, goals and what muscles you’re looking to strengthen. There are pull-up bars with multiple angle options and spacing varieties, which are intended to target and strengthen different back muscles. Additionally, you’ll notice that pull-up bars installed to the wall tend to be sturdier than those hung over the doorway, but not everyone has that space.

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Is it OK to hang from a pull-up bar?

Hanging from a pull-up bar, otherwise known as “dead hangs,” are a great exercise to decompress the spine, and they help improve your grip strength. Other ways they’re helpful involve improving shoulder mobility and teaching you to properly engage your core from this position.

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