Best Kettlebells for 2024 [CNET]

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Mercey Livingston CNET Contributor

Mercey Livingston is a health and wellness writer and certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. She’s written about fitness and wellness for Well+Good, Women’s Health, Business Insider, and Prevention.com among others. When not writing, she enjoys reading and trying out workout classes all over New York City.

Kettlebell workouts include a lot of different movements besides just lifting them. Just because you can lift 15 to 20 pounds doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be able to easily swing that around in your workout space. In general, when you’re weight training, you’ll use a lighter weight for lifting the bell above your head and a heavier weight for other exercise moves. Here are some things to consider when purchasing kettlebells:

Beginners

If you’ve never worked with kettlebells before, you’ll want to ease your way into it until you’ve learned the technique to the movements. Below are the recommended kettlebell weights if you’re new to this piece of equipment.

• 8 to 10 kilograms (about 17 to 22 pounds) for workouts that involve any overhead movements.
• 10 to 14 kilograms (22 to 30 pounds) if you want to learn how to do a kettlebell swing.

Intermediate and advanced

If you’ve dabbled in kettlebell training before and feel comfortable with them, then you’re considered more advanced. Below are the kettlebell weights to consider if you are intermediate or advanced.

• 12 to 24 kilograms (26 to 52 pounds) for any workout that involves lifting it overhead.
• 24 to 32 kilograms (52 to 70 pounds) for kettlebell swings.

Other things to consider include the material the kettlebell is made of. Kettlebells can be made of cast iron or steel. Some come with a rubber or vinyl coating.

This list was curated based on the different types of kettlebells that are on the market, their materials and if they’re appropriate for beginners or more advanced users.