We used 944 data points to compare 59 budget barbells (23 multipurpose/CrossFit, 24 Olympic, and 12 power bars).
The factors are weighed to rate all crucial aspects – from steel type and manufacturing to knurling, whip, and spin.
We chose 7 winners to cover ALL needs, tastes, and budgets.
In a word, we considered everything and everyone…all while focusing on value for the buck spent.
If the money is tight, you might also be interested in our guide on best budget squat racks or a more general guide on building a home gym on any budget.
Editor’s note: This guide was last updated on June 05, 2024. We replaced the Xmark BlackHawk (discontinued) with the E.T. Energic, which is even cheaper. We also tweaked the rating formula – 3.5% in favor of value.
Compare budget barbells
Best for | Overall | Premium | Cerakote | Amazon | Olympic WL | Powerlifting |
Rating (*) | ||||||
Quality | 88% | 94% | 88% | 72% | 86% | 95% |
Versatility | 93% | 94% | 93% | 88% | 88% | 86% |
Brand & reputation | 88% | 92% | 87% | 80% | 82% | 92% |
Value for money | 91% | 66% | 88% | 97% | 88% | 62% |
Bar Type | Multipurpose | Multipurpose | Multipurpose | Multipurpose | Olympic Weightlifting | Powerlifting |
Bushings/Bearings | Hybrid (Steel Bushings; 5 needles per bearing) | Bushing | Brass Bushings | Hybrid (4 needles per bearing) | Hybrid (2 bushings and 2 bearings) | Bronze Bushing |
Bar diameter (mm) | 28 | 28.5 | 28.5 | 28 | 28 (Men); 25 (Women) | 29 |
Length (") | 86.6 | 86.75 | 86.6 | 86.61 | 86 (Men); 80 (Women) | 86.52 |
Loadable sleeve length (") | 16 | 16.4 | 17.5 | 16.4 | 16 (Men): 12.5 (Women) | 16.25 |
Knurl | Standard | Multi | Medium | Medium | Medium | Aggressive |
Knurl Marks | Dual | Dual | Dual | Dual | Dual | Powerlifting |
Center knurl | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes |
Shaft coating | Black Zinc | Black E-Coat | Black Zinc/Cerakote (multiple colors) | Black Hard Chrome | Black Zinc | E-Coat |
Sleeve coating | Black Zinc | Bright Zinc | Bright Zinc | Stainless Steel | Hard Chrome | Bright Zinc |
Tensile strength (k PSI) | 235 | 190 | 190 | 200 | 216 | 205 |
Warranty | Lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime | 5-year | Lifetime | Lifetime |
Bar weight (lbs) | 45 | 45 | 45 | 44 | 45 | 45 |
Sleeve diameter (") | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 2 |
Price | $$$ | $$$$ | $$ | $ | $$ | $$$$ |
Our testing and selection process
We always use a 5 step process in our reviews:
- We start as the buyer – most of our team have bought at least a dozen barbells before. As mentioned earlier, I own an 8,000 sq ft gym with hundreds of barbells.
- We do a ton of research – we collect information on as many budget barbells as possible and insert it into a spreadsheet.
- We rate each budget bar using our exclusive ‘weighted’ rating system. You can learn more about this in the section below.
- We use data to decide our top picks rather than personal biases toward brands.
- We get our hands on as many of the top picks as possible. Our community is great at helping with this.
You can read more about this process in our review guidelines.
Below listed are the top-level steps we took to find the winners for this guide.
It’s grossly simplified, but there’s no point in boring you with the details.
Here’s a rundown:
- We defined what qualifies as a “budget” or “cheap” barbell.
- We created a database with all the bars that meet that criteria – 59 in total (23 multipurpose/CrossFit, 24 Olympic, and 12 power bars).
- We identified the data points (rating factors) that allow us to compare the bars fairly. We ended up with 16 factors, which means a total of 944 data points.
- We weighed the factors and created a rating formula.
- We consulted some top industry minds and went through multiple iterations of the formula.
- We looked at what people need and put together a list of winners – one that covers 99% of the market but doesn’t get crazily complicated.
All the rating factors from #3 can be crudely lumped into 4 groups – quality, versatility, brand reputation/reviews, and price/value.
- Yield and tensile strength of the steel (10%) – tensile strength is a number that tells you how much force a bar can take before breaking. Yield strength is similar, but it’s rarely in the specs – it tells you the pressure a bar can handle before permanently bending.
Both are measured in PSI (Pound per Square Inch)., and the best bars live in the 165-220 K PSI range.
The bars with tensile strength under 165 might bend under the extreme weight that we, the Strong Home Gym tribe, lift.
Go over 220 K PSI, and the steel becomes brittle.
- Additional treatment of the steel (hardening, heat-treatment), 1.5% – to improve durability, longevity, and flexibility, the top brands will go with steel treated in manufacturing.
The perfect example is “Rogue Work Hardening™” used on the Ohio bar.
What it means for our picks
If you have plans of dropping the bar and lifting extreme weights, go with the Rogue Ohio…it will handle the abuse better.
Also…
If the bar is untreated and you’re lifting heavy, narrow down the strength range to 180-210K PSI. That way, you avoid soft and brittle bars and still save money.
- Weight capacity (2%) – directly relates to the steel quality and treatment/manufacturing.
It’s more about the quality of the steel than an actual limit. A bar listed at 1,500 is probably made of superior steel and more likely hardened or heat-treated (compared to one listed at 1,000 lbs).
The image below shows a capacity comparison for the 10 top-rated bars.
*The capacity of the Ohio bar is estimated for comparison purposes. Rogue doesn’t list it.
- Coating/finishes (6%) – – the finish OR coating of your barbell will determine how resistant to mechanical and chemical “abuse.”
Also, it affects how the knurling feels…how much it’s dulled by the coating.
Most of the barbells in our database are coated in either Zinc or Chrome, with a few outliers using superior Cerakote or inferior Oxide.
Last but not least…
Rogue’s e-coat is between Zinc and hard chrome on the resistance scale (below).
- Sleeve texture (3.5%) – we give a slight edge to smooth sleeves….for two reasons – they’re less likely to cause vibrations and they make loading easier.
- Loadable sleeve length (3%) – the range of sleeve length in our database is 15.25 to 17.4”.
For most people, the optimal range is 16-16.4”.
- Attention to detail (6%) – rates the build precision (tolerances), welds, knurling uniformity, and termination.
It separates “cheap” and “value” barbells.
- Type of barbell – hybrid/multi-use, Olympic, or Powerlifting – your main barbell should be a multipurpose or a power bar.
Power bars are stiffer, and have thicker shafts and an aggressive knurl.
Olympic bars, on the other hand, are too spinny.
If the type is unclear, just look at the markings – if there are two pairs, you’re looking at a multi-use bar.
Most of the budget barbells in our database are multi-use.
In other words – the manufacturers understood the market and adjusted these bars to cast a wider net.
I’ll put it like this…
A professional lifter preparing for an Olympic weightlifting event is not their demographic – it’s the roofer next door and the dental hygienist across the street who leads a keep-fit (or keep-buff) lifestyle… guys like you and me.
The image below outlines the main differences between the 3 bar types.
- Knurling of the budget barbells (aggressiveness, precision, longevity), 5% – you want a medium-to-aggressive knurl. It should also be “clean” (free of imperfections) and not dull down over time.
There are very few budget barbells that get this trifecta just right – the Gunner is one of them. - Markings (single or dual), 1.5% – markings help with hand placement. If you’re only buying one bar, go with dual markings…for power and Olympic lifts.
- Sleeve spin (8%) – rates 3 things: smoothness of the spin, changes over time, and maintenance.
You typically get bushings in a budget barbell because they’re cheaper. Bearings spin more freely and you usually see them on Olympic bars.
That’s not the whole story…
If you’ve been really good this year, you might get both, like with the top-rated Gunner or the GetRXd Rocket barbells.
A bushing-bearing combo is ideal for multipurpose bars, as long as they’re high quality (high quality means maintaining smoothness over time). - Shaft diameter (3.5%) – we give a slight edge to specific diameters when choosing category winners – 28 mm for Olympic, 29 for power, and 28.5 for multi-se bars.
This rating tells the brand’s story.
We award excellence (not much of that in the “budget” range) and take points away for delays, sub-par warranties, and generally poor customer service.
Specifically, we look into:
- Reviews and ratings of the specific barbell (5%) – the more diverse we can make the sources here, the more they tell us.
- Guarantees and warranties (2%) – the terms, the clarity (no fine print), and the efficiency of dealing with the claims.
- Brand’s track record of resolving issues when they arise (1.8%) – we extract data about returns and refunds.
- Historical track record of the brand’s customer service (1.2%) – we pull this data from our database and experience. The focus is on pre-purchase questions and communication.
We’re always value-oriented, but that goes double for this guide…for obvious reasons.
We rate the price because it’s a number, but we look for value.
In other words, we weigh things to find cheap barbells that aren’t bad.
Find the perfect budget barbell for you
Overall | Premium | Cerakote | Amazon | Olympic Weightlifting | Powerlifting
1. Force USA Gunner bar
The Gunner is an outlier in the barbell market – outstanding strength at a non-outstanding price.
Quality (32%)
Versatility (18%)
Reputation & reviews (10%)
Value for money (40%)
Main praises – what I like
- It has a decent whip considering the tensile strength. It doesn’t feel rigid, even at higher weights, which is ideal for a multipurpose bar (a bone to pick – they describe the whip as “great”…I don’t know what that means, to be honest).
- The spin is well-balanced – the bar feels calm and “smooth.”
Main grievances – what could be better
- I’d like to see a stainless-steel version…at whatever price.
Pros
- Highest tensile strength on the list – you can confidently pack on weight (bar listed at 1,500 lbs) without worrying that your bar might bend
- High-value barbell – you’ll spend about 15-20% less than you would on most bars on the list
- Good spin – balanced by both bushings and bearings, the spin will slightly help with some lifts and protect your wrists
Cons
- Coated in zinc – it won’t be as resistant as hard chrome or Cerakote
Force USA nailed the value proposition with the Gunner – a conservative price point for the highest tensile strength among multipurpose bars.
The key point here is that the Gunner doesn’t feel too stiff and still has a decent whip, considering the high PSI.
My initial reaction to 235K PSI of tensile strength was skepticism because I know what happens when steel gets into the 220K+ range.
Now, there are a few high-end brands like Kabuki that use proprietary (I hate that word so much) tech to allow for their steel to go that high without becoming brittle.
Long story short – I looked into the Gunner for a few guides and I am yet to see proof that it’s brittle. Of course, none of these bars will break because of brittleness because no one is pushing them to capacity.
You might see some damage to the knurling at the higher-tension moments, like returning the bar to the rack or dropping it.
I asked Force USA about it
I haven’t seen any of that with the Gunner, which is why I wrote to Force USA asking them what they’re doing exactly to offset the potential issue that comes with high tensile strength.
I’m still waiting for that response.
The bottom line – When all is said and done – getting a bar with this kind of tensile strength in this low price range is nothing short of impressive. All the other aspects are on par with the competition, but the strength stands out.
2. Rogue Ohio E-Coat bar
The e-coat version of the Rogue Ohio is a solid budget alternative to stainless steel, which costs almost 200 bucks more.
Quality (32%)
Versatility (18%)
Reputation & reviews (10%)
Value for money (40%)
Main praises – what I like
- I love how quiet the Ohio is. Everything else about it (durability, spin, whip, hardening) has been mulled over and praised to a pulp…so I won’t do that here.
Main grievances – what could be better
- My favorite color combo on the Ohio was always matte black with red or gold, and you can’t get that with an e-coat… It’s nitpicking, but there it is.
Pros
- It comes from a high-end brand – high-precision manufacturing and an added coolness factor that comes with the Rogue logo.
- Treated with Rogue Work Hardening – if you’re in the habit of dropping your barbell, Ohio will handle it better than any barbell in the price range.
- Bare steel offers a more natural grip – no coating means a better grip because there’s nothing between the steel and your hands.
- Environment-friendly – both bare steel and e-coat are stable and have no volatile compounds that might end up in the air.
Cons
- Cost more than the competing barbells – you’d need to spend 10-30% more than you would on most barbells on the list.
- Bare steel is not resistant to corrosion – your bar will rust much faster than the coated ones, especially if you live in a humid area. You’ll REALLY have to stay on top of barbell maintenance if you have a bare steel bar.
In terms of durability and resistance, e-coat is only second to Cerakote and stainless steel.
And it’s cheaper.
That makes it the perfect compromise between getting a premium barbell and not wrecking the budget.
For reference…
- Other versions of the Ohio cost 30-50% more.
- If you wanted to get a “better” barbell, you’d have to splurge on something like Eleiko, which costs 2-3 times as much.
I decided to be flexible about what I call a “budget barbell” when choosing the candidates for this guide, and I allowed for a 5-10% leeway over the $300 bracket.
This minor adjustment means I can include the two cheapest versions of the Ohio bar – e-coat and bare steel.
If I didn’t do that, I’d have to settle for the ECHO to represent Rogue, and I was never a fan. The 1-year warranty raises too many questions…especially for a bar from a brand that brags about warranty policies oh-so-proudly.
3. Utility multipurpose bar by Bells of Steel
You can’t spend less and still get a good Cerakote bar – that’s the value proposition of the BOS Utility…and it’s a good one, too.
Quality (32%)
Versatility (18%)
Reputation & reviews (10%)
Value for money (40%)
I still haven’t had the chance to use the BOS Utility bar. I’m looking forward to testing it.
Pros
- Cerakote coating is significantly more resistant than the coatings typically used in this price range – this means your bar will last longer, change less with time, and require less maintenance.
- Available color choices for the shaft – you can add a pop of color to your gym (currently available in orange and blue). Not a performance ‘pro’, but some people like pretty things!
- Excellent packing and on-time shipping – no chance of your bar getting dinged or damaged in shipping (might seem like a given while it’s anything but in this price range).
Cons
- At 1000 lbs, the weight capacity is lower than the competitors – if you’re a beastly creature that lifts half a ton, you’re probably better off with the Rogue Ohio.
- Ceramic coating dulls the knurling a peg more than Zinc or Chrome – if you’re used to bare or stainless steel bars, Cerakote might feel passive.
- Cerakote sleeves are sensitive to metal-on-metal contact – you’ll need to invest extra care (and money) into getting good collars. Read all about collars in our best barbell collars buying guide.
The BOS Utility bar is unique because it’s the only (good) Cerakote bar you can get for under $300. If it wasn’t for the lifetime warranty, I’d be a skeptic and probably avoid it.
To paint a picture, even Titan’s Cerakote Series is well over 300 bucks now, and you only get a 1-year warranty.
Finally, Rogue Ohio in Cerakote is about $100 more than BOS Utility.
That’s a lot of whey…
Unlike the Wonder bar, there is a clear-cut reason why the Utility is the second-best budget barbell.
It’s the only legit Cerakote-coated multipurpose bar in the price range.
Let’s break that sentence down…
I’m stressing the ‘legit multipurpose’ part because there is a similar bar from Synergee that poses as a multipurpose, but it’s really not.
Synergee Games is too ‘spinny’ for your average home lifter and features sub-par phosphate sleeves (remember that I promised to point out a few buried bodies).
Anyway…
The Utility bar further proves that most of the industry is sleeping on two value brands that keep popping up in my research time and again – Bells of Steel and Force USA.
A note about the popularity of the two best budget barbells
As the data sample grows, I expect to see this bar at the very top.
Not to bore you with back-end stuff, but our ratings partly rely on the bar’s popularity among lifters. It’s not ideal, I know, but it’s the closest we can get to rating these fairly.
The collective brain of the community is powerful, and we can’t ignore that entirely.
Now, this barbell is not as popular as the Ohio, but Bells of Steel is not as popular as Rogue.
The bottom line – If I excluded popularity as a factor, the Utility bar would pop right above the W2 and into the top spot with a nice margin of 0.2 points.
4. E.T. Energic – best Amazon barbell under $200
This is one of the few barbells I’d consider in this price range, and it’s the best among them.
Quality (32%)
Versatility (18%)
Reputation & reviews (10%)
Value for money (40%)
Main praises – what I like
The heat-treating of steel is generally problematic for cheap barbells, but they seem to have gotten it right here.
They don’t explicitly say what they did (quenching, tempering, annealing, or normalizing).
My best guess is tempering to increase elasticity and wear resistance. It only makes sense for a barbell with over 200K PSI tensile strength.
I’m guessing that because I haven’t seen signs of brittleness or knurl-dulling.
Paired with hard chrome steel, this means you get a barbell with the same physical properties as bars that cost double.
Main grievances – what could be better
The sleeves could be better. I’m not sure if it’s the ribbing or a problem with the spin (bushings and bearings), but there’s an occasional vibration.
It’s not all the time, but the plates jitter as they settle down on unracking…happens like, once a week.
Also, I like my knurl a peg sharper than this.
Pros
- Cheap – you pay almost half of what you would for the barbells in the top spots.
- Massive value for the money – high tensile strength (200 K PSI) and hard chrome sleeves amount to great bang for your buck.
- Well-balanced 1.2 mm knurl – you’ll get a better grip on the E.T. than you would on most bars in its price range.
- Features both bushings and bearing in the sleeves – you’ll get a nice spin without the bar feeling “bouncy.”
- Rugged construction – friction welding of the sleeves is not common in this price bracket. The construction and solid welds inspire confidence, which is not something you can say for many barbells in the price bracket.
Cons
- Black chrome is not resistant to scratches – you’re likely to see some wear and tear on the shaft…and fast.
- Manufacturing standards are not as high and tolerances are not as strict as with high-end brands like Rogue – you’ll see imperfections, and not everything will always line up.
- Sub-par packaging – your bar is more likely to arrive dinged or scratched.
If I had to buy new in this price range, there are only a handful of barbells I’d consider.
Besides this one, I’d look at WOD 5.0 from GetRXD, and the Synergee Games.
Still…
Out of those 3, I choose the E.T. Energic every day of the week.
Here’s why…
The WOD 5 is coated in zinc, which is inferior to hard steel.
The Synergee Games now costs 20% more. If I was spending that kind of money, I’d rather get the GetRXD Rocket (next on this list).
I want to make this clear…I wouldn’t go below $200 when shopping for my main barbell.
And if I did, I’d buy used.
I know the cost of everything that goes into making a good barbell, and corners have to be cut to make one that ticks the basic boxes and still costs under 200 bucks.
If I had to buy new in this price range, there are only a handful of barbells I’d consider.
I’d look at E.T., the WOD 5.0 from GetRXD, and maybe the Synergree Games.
Once you go below $200, things change and get more complicated for the reviewer and, in turn, the potential buyer. That’s especially true if you don’t have the bar in front of you, which I don’t in the case of E.T.
You can’t take the specs at face value and have to question everything.
I questioned (almost) everything, and this bar came on top of the sub-200 bunch.
Check the E.T. Energetic Olympic bar price and overview here.
5. Get RXD Rocket
The Rocket delivers on all fronts, from tensile strength to spin, from knurling to lifetime warranty.
Quality (32%)
Versatility (18%)
Reputation & reviews (10%)
Value for money (40%)
Main praises – what I like
- I love the balanced spin – the bar feels calm and easy on the wrists.
- I’m impressed by the coating (so far) – with zinc coating, I always fear it might become slippery as the patina sets in (usually 6 months to a year). I haven’t seen any of that with the Rocket.
Main grievances – what could be better
- I prefer a more aggressive initial knurl on Zinc shafts. I’d be OK with a bit more bite because I know it would add years to the optimal use.
Pros
- Cheaper than bars of similar quality – you’ll pay about 20% less.
- The spin is just as smooth as in a bearing-only Olympic barbell – protects your wrists in cleans and jerks, feels good in hand, and it’s a solid choice for Crossfit workouts.
- Oil-impregnated bushings mean less maintenance – less external lubrication, less hassle for you.
- Precise, medium-depth knurl – you’ll get a good grip without the bar cutting into your hands.
Cons
- Knurling termination (parts where the knurl starts and stops) could be more precise – it might bother you if you’re a craftsmanship prude…the Ron Swanson type.
- Too much high spin – this might be too much for people who don’t incorporate much (if any) Olympic weightlifting movement in their training. If you’re powerlifting or bodybuilding, you won’t need the additional spin’.
Rocket bars deliver the goods for less money than its main competitors.
It’s about 20% cheaper than the top-rated Gunner.
It’s better finished and feels “calmer” than cheaper bars, like the E.T. Energic.
In an age of labels, it’s pretty early to buy me with a bit of machined-in grove. The machined white-on-yellow logo on the first thing you notice on the Rocket barbell.
And it does the trick – it makes the bar look much more expensive than it is.
But I’m straying from the important points, so let’s get back on track…
What makes the Rocket Olympic barbell the best? Is it much better than the competition?
Well, no… it’s just as good but delivers the goods at a 20-30% lower price. This is massive – why pay more?
That’s especially true for the closest competitors in the price range – the Stealth bar and the Wonder bar V2 (which we already discussed as the all-around category winner).
One thing we weren’t sure about is how different “oil-impregnated” bushings are. It turns out – very, primarily in terms of maintenance/oiling. We reached out to GetRXD and asked. You can see what they said about it below…
A few things about the Rocket bar stand out:
- The combo of oversized bearings and bronze bushings delivers a well-balanced spin.
- The sleeves lean towards spinny without actually overdoing it.
- The hard chrome finish is a rarity in this price range.
- The other bars that feature hard chrome all fall into two groups – those that combine hard chrome sleeves with phosphate shaft and those that cost more than the Rocket.
Tip: Check out this useful video on how to deal with “the bump” when doing weightlifting movements:
6. Rogue Ohio Power bar (in e-coat)
The e-coat version of the Ohio is a unique chance to get a high-end Rogue barbell without breaking the $300 mark.
Quality (32%)
Versatility (18%)
Reputation & reviews (10%)
Value for money (40%)
Main praises – what I like
- I haven’t had the chance to use the Ohio with an e-coat shaft, but I’ve always been a fan of Rogue’s knurling. People tend to overlook how much engineering goes into a well-balanced knurl.
I see you, unnamed Rogue engineer.
Main grievances – what could be better
- I’m not a fan of zinc sleeves because they will chip over time.
But to be real, it’s the “cheaper” finishes that make Ohio an option for people on a budget.
Pros
- A power bar from a high-end brand – high manufacturing and customer service standards mean you get what you pay for.
- Treated with RWH (Rogue Work hardening) – Rogue claims RWH makes the bar more resistant to dropping.
- US-made – not a PRO per se, but there’s still added confidence compared to imported bars.
Cons
- It costs more than some good power bars – you’ll pay 30-50% more than you would for bars like the Bells of Steel Barenaked 2.0 or the Titan Midway.
- E-coat is less corrosion-resistant than hard chrome – it will require more maintenance, and you’re still likely to see more rust than you would with hard chrome (used on some of the competitors like the Texas bar).
This version of the Ohio Power is a smart way to get a premium barbell for less money…if you’re OK with a stiffer bar and a 29mm shaft, that is.
Here’s what I mean…
The same bar with a stainless steel or cerakote finish costs 40% and 20% more, respectively.
On the Rogue’s durability and longevity scale, it’s the same as Cerakote and a level under stainless steel (F8-R and F10-R).
If you can get any Rogue Ohio bar for a price similar to ANY competitor, 8 times out of 10, it will be a good idea to go with Rogue.
The Ohio power bar with an e-coat is just as good as the famous Texas bar but costs slightly less.
On the other hand, the few good cheap power bars from lesser brands can’t compete in manufacturing practices and the details like knurling termination and tolerances.
These are the 4 criteria we used for our research and selection process:
- Quality (32%)
- Versatility (18%)
- Reputation & reviews of the barbell brand (10%)
- Value for money (40%)
Whatever the case, this section is the meat of the guide.
We aimed to be detailed and helpful without watering down the key points.
This section will cover a few low-cost-high-value barbells that deserve a mention but didn’t get into our top picks.
Multipurpose category
- W2 Wonder bar by Fringe – a unique bar that allows you to choose between bushings and bearings. Ultimately, it costs almost as much as Rogue Ohio and can’t really compete with it, primarily because of the Zinc shaft.
Olympic barbell category
- XMark BLACKHAWK – a good bar that’s no longer in production. I wasn’t sure about this so I contacted XMark. They told me it’s been replaced by the Catahoula, which is better but costs too much to be a contender here.
Power bars
- Barenaked 2.0 by Bells of Steel – a solid value bar that we can’t put above the E.T. Energic because of the bare-steel finish. If you don’t live in a humid climate, add 80-ish bucks and get the bare Ohio Power or the multipurpose in Black Oxide.
Are cheap barbells good?
Cheap barbells can be very good for a home gym especially if you do not plan on lifting more than 400lbs with them.
There are more and more good companies producing Olympic barbells now that you can buy a very high-quality barbell for under $200.
Any cheap barbells that cost under $100 can’t typically take much weight over 300 lbs and will often have a finish that rusts over time.
How much should a barbell cost?
A good quality Olympic barbell costs $200-$350. You can buy a great barbell for $250 that will last a lifetime.
There are cheaper bars that cost under $150, but they usually do not have as strong tensile strength and can be warped or rust over time.
What is a good cheap barbell?
The Force USA Gunner Barbell is a great cheap barbell for multi-purpose use.
It has 235k PSI tensile strength and uses a zinc finish, which is very resistant to rust and scratches.
After comparing over 100 barbells this is the best quality cheap barbell available currently.
What barbell is most adequate for beginners?
If price is a huge factor, the E.T. Energetic Olympic Bar is probably the best option for a beginner that wants to start trying out and incorporating barbell exercises into his/her workout regimen.
If price is not hugely important, I’d recommend the Force USA Gunner barbell, our overall winner for best budget barbell.
Budget barbells – resume and key takeaways
After around 50 hours of research for the budget barbell guide, a few clear winners emerged in the three categories.
To most people looking to add a good budget barbell to their home gym, I’d recommend the Gunner Barbell from Force USA.
It’s as well-rounded as any bar here and the most versatile because you can choose between the bearing and the bushing version.
If you really want to go cheap, the E.T. ENERGIC will be a real find.
Its price will leave you wondering what’s wrong with it. You’ll likely get a few answers within the first year of use. Still, it’s the best of the cheap ones.
Among the Olympic bars, I’d go with the Rocket bar from GetRXD. It’s the top budget pick and one of the cheapest we looked at, which rarely happens. Getting a bearing-bushing combo and a hard chrome coating would sound like a scam if you didn’t get a lifetime warranty. Good job with this one, GetRXD.
Finally, I’d go for the Rogue Ohio Power bar among the budget power bars. The cheaper bars are not nearly as good, and the ones that are as good cost more, and that says it all.
Click here if you want to skip back to the top picks table.
To skip back to the best Olympic bars – click here. For the best power bars – follow this link.
