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Is that number for one dumbbell or two?
Updated
There are two traps. Some listings add both dumbbells together, so 110 lb means two 55s. Others give the true weight per dumbbell but sell only one, so a pair means buying twice. Look for three things: the words pair, set of 2 or single in the title, the item weight in the spec table, and the range printed in the bullets.
The title number vs one dumbbell
Biggest number in the titleTop weight per dumbbell
- BowFlex Results Series 552none stated52.5 lb
- PowerBlock Elite EXP 5-5050 lb50 lb
- NordicTrack 55 lb Select-a-Weight55 lb55 lb
- Core Fitness 5-50 Twistnone stated50 lb
- Ativafit 66 lb Dial88 lb66 lb
- FLYBIRD 55 lb 5-in-1110 lb55 lb
- BowFlex Results Series 109090 lb90 lb
The FLYBIRD title says 110LB. Its bullets list five settings that stop at 55 lb. The 110 is the pair. The Ativafit title says 5 to 88 lb because one page covers several sizes. The option we checked, the 66 lb pair, runs from 11 to 66 lb per dumbbell by its own bullets. Rows with no first bar have no weight number in the title.
What each listing sells
| Set | Top weight per dumbbell | Sold as | How we could tell |
|---|---|---|---|
| BowFlex Results Series 552 | 52.5 lb | Pair | Set name says pair. Item weight is 110.6 lb. A single 552 is a separate option on the same page |
| PowerBlock Elite EXP 5-50 | 50 lb | Pair | Title says sold in pairs. The 50.6 lb item weight in the spec table looks like one dumbbell, so trust the title |
| NordicTrack 55 lb Select-a-Weight | 55 lb | Pair | Style name says dumbbell pair. The maker's site says 15 weight adjustments per dumbbell |
| Core Fitness 5-50 Twist | 50 lb | Pair | Bullets say pair. The maker's site says the pair weighs 100 lb in total |
| Ativafit 66 lb Dial | 66 lb | Pair, single also offered | Option name says 66LBS pair. A single is on the same page, so check which one is selected |
| FLYBIRD 55 lb 5-in-1 | 55 lb | Pair | Title says set of 2. Item weight is 110 lb |
| BowFlex Results Series 1090 | 90 lb | Single | Title says single dumbbell. Item weight is 96.1 lb, about one 90 lb dumbbell and its tray. The same listing also says number of items 2, so it disagrees with itself |
The BowFlex 1090 case
BowFlex's own product page for the Results Series 1090 says "Sold as a pair". The Amazon listing we link says single dumbbell in its title. Both can be true, since they are different sellers' offers, but it means you cannot assume. If you want two 1090s from that listing, plan on the title being right and check the box contents before you order.
A quick way to check any listing
- Find the top weight per dumbbell in the bullets, not the title.
- Find the item weight in the spec table. A pair of 50s should weigh about 100 lb plus trays. If the item weight is close to the top weight of one dumbbell, you are probably looking at a single.
- Look at the options near the top of the page. Single and pair often share one page, and the wrong one may be selected.
Check your own lifts with the range and jump checker, or compare all seven picks on the roundup page.