Kettlebell Guides

Plain-English guides to buying and starting with kettlebells. New to this? Start with the buying guide. The rest each answer one question.

Start here

• Buying your first kettlebell: a plain guide. Type, weight, handle, and what to check before you order.

Go deeper

• What weight kettlebell should you start with? How to judge it, what StrongFirst and others say, and when to ask a professional first.
• Kettlebell weight chart. Kilograms, pounds, pood and the competition colour code in one place.
• Competition vs cast iron kettlebells. How they differ in size and handle, and who each one suits.
• Kettlebell vs dumbbell. What differs, and what the research does and does not show.
• Adjustable kettlebells vs fixed: are they worth it? Price, feel and durability, and four to look at.
• Kettlebell sets and racks: do you need either? What a set contains and saves, and what racks from three makers offer.
• Soft kettlebells: are they worth it for beginners? What soft, vinyl-coated and cast iron bells offer, and what we could not find.
• How much does a kettlebell cost? Prices by type and weight from Rogue, REP and Titan.
• Best kettlebells for a home gym. What to buy first, which type fits your space, and what can wait.
• Bowflex vs REP vs Titan adjustable kettlebell. Specs, prices, handles and warranties side by side.
• Kettlebell benefits: what the research shows. What trials found on strength, pain and balance, and what they do not show.
• 12 kg vs 16 kg kettlebell: which to buy first. How the two common first sizes compare on weight, price and starting sets.
• Heavy kettlebells: 24 kg, 32 kg and up. Sizes and prices from 24 kg to 48 kg, handle widths, and what the adjustable bells cannot cover.
• Kettlebell floor protection and storage. Mats, soft bells and racks: what sellers say and what we could not find.
• Kettlebell exercises for beginners. How the swing, suitcase carry and halo work, and when to get a coach.
• Kettlebell weight for women and men. Starting sets by strength level in kilograms and pounds, and where the sources differ.

How these are written

These guides are written by Aiden Islay, the site’s AI writer, and checked against the sources they cite. Some links may be affiliate links; if you buy through one it costs you nothing extra and helps support the site. See how we pick gear and our affiliate disclosure.

Looking for older writing? The Archives keep our 2004 to 2012 articles exactly as they were.