5 Best Push up Boards At Home

Hi, I’m Steve Hoyles, and I’ve been a personal trainer and a gym owner for over two decades now.

(boy, I’m getting old..)

On behalf of our team, I’d like to welcome you to the StrongHomeGym’s guide on choosing the BEST push up board.

To be more precise – it’s a guide on not wasting money when buying one.

Because that can absolutely happen.

The next 10 minutes can be the difference between paying for a piece of worthless plastic or getting a board that will fire up those pecs like nobody’s business.

‘Cause that can happen, too.

We compared 44 best push up boards in all categories that matter – from materials and capacity to handle stability and number of positions.

We chose 5 to recommend – different types for different needs and budgets.

We’ll go high and look at some top-tier stainless steel boards.

We’ll also go low and look at some cheapo units to get you started.

Let’s do it!

Budget Option

AERLANG

Check the price here

Best Overall

Original Power Press

Check the price here

Premium Option

Chaozhi Stainless Steel board

Check the price here

5 best push up boards

1 – Best push up board overall – Power Press Original

Who it’s for: Anyone looking for a reliable, time-tested push-up board.

Pros:

• Wider than most boards.
• Heavy-duty handles.
• Versatile positions (30).
• Detailed workout plan and a solid Youtube channel.

Cons:

• Handles’ padding could be softer (might be a problem for heavier people).
• On-arrival issues (about 2% based on my evidence).
• Too big to carry without the bag (sold separately).

Summary

The Original Power Press is the best push up board for three main reasons:

• It’s bigger (wider) than any board I know.
• The handles have more heft than the competition.
• The board is covered by a 1-year warranty, which you rarely see in the space.

Those three points are factual.

The extra size and the guidance eliminate a lot of the guesswork that comes with your average board.

Some of the claims typically made by board makers are misleading and can be downright dangerous.

More on that in a sec...

The extra width (and, again, the guidance from their extensive Youtube library) allows you to actually do most of what the ads promise…not everything, but more than you would without it.

In plain language – it sucks much less than smaller boards.

The handles are not plastic-only.

They’re metal covered with plastic and high-density foam, and they feel much heftier in-hand compared to the competition.

That heft translates to stability and movement confidence.

Make no mistake, this is ABS plastic, and it’s not particularly strong.

Still, the strength of the ABS depends on how the three compounds (acrylonitrile, butadiene, and styrene) are mixed.

Simply put – anything other than a basic 30-day warranty is rare for a plastic board.

When it’s there, it’s an indicator of quality.

Only one other board in our top 5 matches the Power Press’ 1-year warranty.

Keep these three truths in mind:

1. A basic truth about push-up boards – if you don’t know what you’re doing, 80% of the positions on a push-up board will be useless.
2. Cautionary truth – if you don’t know what you’re doing, about 50% of the exercises will do the opposite of the promise – strain your wrists and shoulders more than a classic push-up.
3. The ugly truth – if you don’t know what you’re doing, about 20% of the board positions will be dangerous.

That shouldn’t scare you away – it should emphasize the importance of the detailed workouts that Power Press has on their Youtube channel.

It might be smart to give that a quick look before you buy a push-up board – you can see it here.

Specs

2 – Best push up board for chest development – Iron Chest Master

Who it’s for: Anyone who has a hard time targeting the pecs or needs to level up the chest workouts.

Pros:

• Precise targeting of the chest.
• Additional resistance – allows for progressive overload.
• Works the chest (more) in the stretched position, which is great for growth.

Cons:

• Using the bands has a learning curve.
• A few percent of units suffer from the “loose-screws” issue.

Summary

This board is all about the pecs – activating them more, overloading them through resistance, and working them in the stretched position.

It’s basically a hybrid between push-up and an incline dumbbell press.

The build is much better than your average board – metal rails with fiery red handles look badass.

I’m not sure where the specific muscle-activation numbers come from (58 and 46% more peak activation than bench presses and push-ups, respectively).

It’s the kind of thing you could find out in a lab, but I’m not sure how accurate the figures would be!

I can see it being true, but saying it out of context is kinda misleading.

Moreover…

Peak muscle activation is only one of the growth factors.

So, is this board a revolution?

No, not really.

Is it good?

Yes, it is – as a part of a chest routine.

Specs

3 – Best budget push up board – AERLANG

Who it’s for: Anyone looking for a cheap board for push-ups.

Pros:

• Cheap.
• Foldable and light.
• Lots of optional accessories.

Cons:

• Basic build.
• No padding on the handles.

Summary

Aerlang 10-in-1 is cheap but still ticks (most of) the essential boxes:

1. It’s made of ABS and not PVC.
2. The listed weight capacity is 300 lbs – the same as boards that cost 3 or 4 times more.
3. It features all positions that matter.

It’s smaller than top-tier boards like Power Press, which can be a plus or a minus.

It’s a plus if you need to pack and carry it.

It’s a minus in terms of stability and some functionality aspects.

Specs

4 – Money-no-object pick – Chaozhi Stainless Steel Push-Up Board

Who it’s for: Anyone looking for a push-up board made of premium material.

Pros:

• Unparalleled durability and longevity.
• Knurled handles – better grip.
• Handles screw in.
• Premium build, feel, and look.

Cons:

• Expensive.
• Knurling might be too aggressive for some.

Summary

Chaozhi is THE ONLY stainless steel push-up board I know.

It’s also a fairly new arrival to the market, and few people know it exists.

It’s better, much stronger, and costs way more (think 5-10 more than an average board).

If you already own a push-up board and know you’ll be using it frequently, it is worth it.

As your first push-up board, it’s overkill.

In other words – if you’ve never used a push-board, get something like the Power Press that costs much less but checks all the boxes.

With that said, it’s your money, and I won’t tell you how to spend it.

This thing is a stunner and will be the starter of many conversations.

5 – Best push up board with rotating handles – YIGM 360°

Who it’s for: Anyone looking to minimize wrist stress.

Pros:

• Rotating handles – less wrist tension.
• Folds down and locks in place.
• No chance of bad handle-board fit (common issue with sub-par classic boards).

Cons:

• No LCD screen (promised in the specs)
• No width adjustment

Summary

Rotating the west through the push-up emphasizes the one key benefit of bars and boards – lesser wrist extension.

Less extension means less pressure on the joint and ligaments.

Short term, it means less chance of developing wrist pain or injury from push-ups.

In the long term, it means a lowered arthritis risk, as per this 2018 study.

Specs

Buyer’s guide to choosing a push-up board

I’ve aimed to craft the buyer’s guide to be super practical.

My goal here is simple – allow you to look at a push-up board (on Amazon or in person) and quickly judge if it’s any good.

Better yet – judge if it’s worth the price.

I’m stressing the value because different logic applies to boards that cost a C-note or a Jackson.

We’ll chunk it down into factors to make it simpler.

10 primary factors to look for in a push–up board

1 – Build quality of a push-up board – materials and weight capacity

I have three rules to follow when looking at the materials:

1. Plastic is good enough.
2. It’s the type of plastic that matters – go with ABS and avoid PVC.
3. Don’t splurge on a metal board until you’re sure it’s a centerpiece for you.

Let’s break that down…

Materials and weight capacity of the boards

For most people, an ABS plastic push-up board with a listed weight capacity of around 300 lbs will be good enough.

Read that again; it’s probably the single most important sentence in this guide.

ABS is short for Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, and almost all good push-up handles and boards are made from it.

It’s a three-component polymer, and it’s more durable than PVC.

It’s used for a wide range of products – from push-up boards and car bumpers to Legos and keyboards.

Here’s the crux…

It’s more rigid, stronger, and has higher impact strength than PVC.

Still, it costs just a peg more, which makes it ideal for push-up handles and boards.

Bottom line – there’s no reason to get a PVC board post-2020.

It’s very likely that you’ve never seen a stainless steel push-up board, but they do exist.

We have one in our Top 5.

It’s expensive, though…it costs about 20 times as much as our top budget pick.

Is it worth it?

For most people, no.

For the few who find the board essential in their push-up routine, yes. Also, for those who are buying for a gym with heavier use. 

That’s especially true in the long run – going with metal will mean using one piece for decades instead of buying a new board every few years.

Weight capacity of push-up boards – beyond the numbers

Don’t look at the weight capacity and think, “Well, I weigh less than that, so that’s fine.”

It’s more of a build quality indicator than anything else.

Here are two simple rules of thumb:

1. Avoid boards with a weight capacity lower than 250 lbs.
2. Shoot for at least 50 pounds more than you weigh.

2 – Size and spacing of push-up boards

For an “average” guy or gal, even the cheapest boards will do.

For bigger guys, some boards will be too small.

In terms of side-to-side range, 25 inches is the sweet spot for 95% of people.

If you’re in 5% of extra big or extra small, measure instead of guessing:

1. Do a few variations and measure the distance that’s comfortable for your upper body.
2. Then measure the actual distance on the board you’re considering.
3. If you’re looking at a board online, use the specs as a reference and calculate the rest.

Below is the process explained in the example of the Power Press push-up board.

The bigger boards will be more versatile and allow you to hit the upper body muscles from more angles.

That especially goes for positions that “target” the back and shoulders.

Fully utilizing the push-up equipment requires upper body strength

You need shoulder strength and flexibility to use the extra spacing and angles safely.

A basic, smaller board will be good enough for most people in the beginner to lower-medium fitness range.

In other words – don’t pay extra for bigger boards if you’ll be doing basic push-ups.

3 – Push-up handles on the board – thickness, padding, and fits

The thickness of the handle is an overhyped factor. At My Gym, we only have two pairs of push up handles with padding, and even that’s only a thin foam layer!

Here’s why:

1. If they’re too thin for comfort, adding extra padding is easy.
2. They’re never too thick.

Let’s unpack that…

Nine out of ten people who complain about the handles complain about one of two things – the thickness/diameter or the padding not being soft enough.

Note: Thinking of getting yourself a pair of push up bars? No worries – we’ve got you covered with our in-depth best push up bars buying guide.

These things are cheap, and the makers use handles that will work for most people.

You’re an outlier if:

• You have extra big or small hands.
• You’re doing hundreds of push-ups in a set.
• You’re overweight or a beginner.

In all those scenarios, you can solve the problem by adding extra padding.

It can be as simple and cheap as getting two extra pieces of foam.

If you want a cleaner solution, get a pair of FatGripz and use that.

Personally, I’m a big fan of Fat Gripz for all kinds of training use, but that’s another matter…

Note: The only permanent solution for the 5% of people is to include an extra set of handles. I don’t know of any board that does it. I also don’t see it happening because it would cost too much.

You’ll see some wobble even with the best push up board.

That’s because quick changes between positions and push-up variations are one of the selling points.

That’s a biggie…

It allows you to get that extra burn through supersets of wide and narrow push-ups.

Not all boards are created equal in that aspect…

The best push up boards will have some wobble but never feel like the handle might pop out.

I know of a few boards that secure the handle into position.

Very few.

Only one board in our top 5 has the feature – the metal Chaozhi.

4 – Number of positions and angles

Most people “judge” the number of positions and what they mean incorrectly.

In theory, a board with 50+ positions would be superior.

In reality, you’ll be using no more than 5-10 positions – so cranking that number up is a gimmick. Does 3 degrees of extra rotation make that much difference? I doubt it. 

A better way to look at it – biomechanical accuracy for upper body strength

You want a board that allows you to choose at least one comfortable position for all push-up variations you do.

That sounds simple enough, right?

It is, and it isn’t.

I could lead you down a long (and boring) path of push-up distances. That’s beyond the scope of this guide.

I can confidently say this – our top picks tick this box for 90+ percent of people.

5 – Additional resistance (bands) for a more complete upper body workout

Additional resistance has three key advantages:

1. It allows for (more) muscle activation through the whole range of motion. In other words, you work the muscle when you otherwise wouldn’t.
2. It allows for progressive overload, which is one of the primary growth factors.
3. It gives the product a longer useful life. The ability to add resistance means the item will be useful for longer, meaning it’ll take longer for you to get ‘too strong’ to make the push up board useful

It doesn’t mean much if you’re a beginner or just want to supplement your chest routine with push-ups.

If you want to grow the chest with push-ups, it’s the most efficient way to do it.

So, imagine this…

You get a push-up board, and you use it smartly to go from 5 to 12 reps in a set.

• At 12 reps, the gains plateau.
• At 15, you’re already doing push-ups for endurance, and the growth is marginal.

You can pack weights on your back and do push-ups…or you can be smart.

I’m OK with doing push-ups with extra weights on your body…one time…if your crush happens to be in the gym.

It does look badass, but smart and sustainable it is not.

In the long run, it’s unpredictable and unsafe.

Only one boarding our top 5 features additional resistance in the form of bands that can add up to 180 lbs.

It’s the Iron Chest Master – click here to skip back to it.

6 – Portability of a push-up board – (dis)assembly, storage, and packing size

Are you looking for a push-up board to use in your home gym?

On your porch?

Or do you want one to throw in a backpack and take to the beach?

All push-up boards are portable up to a point.

But there are levels to this…

For example, you can easily move the Power Press, but it will be too bulky for a trip to the beach. Folded in half, it measures about 17 x 18 inches.

A standard backpack that qualifies for carry-on luggage is typically 14-15 inches wide.

For “true” portability, one of the numbers in the folded board dimensions needs to be under 12 inches.

A good example here is the LaLaHigh board – it’s small enough to fit into a carry-on backpack, weighs around 3 pounds, and comes with its own drawstring bag – that’s as portable as it gets.

7 – Prices of good push-up boards

A good push-up board will set you back anywhere from 20 to 400+ bucks (graph below).

You have the generic Chinese stuff in the lower part of that range.

In the upper range, you have a few premium boards.

What’s “premium?”

“Premium” means they either have unique features (like the resistance bands and arch of the Iron Chest Master) or are made from premium materials (ChaoZhi).

Here’s the important part – the best value is in the $50-100 range.

Boards in this range are typically made of ABS and have at least 300 lbs weight capacity.

Below is a graphic comparison of the 11 top-rated push-up boards.

Price history of the top-rated push-up boards

Post-Covid, I started looking into the pricing history because I hate money-grabs – especially in trying times.

On average, the prices of push-up boards increased by 30-40% since 2019. Those aren’t unusual numbers.

Below is the price history for our top two picks – the Power Press and Iron Chest Master.

8 – Warranty terms

There’s bad and good news regarding warranty coverage of push-up boards.

The bad news is that 95% of brands only offer basic warranties or none at all.

The good news is that our picks are all sold on Amazon, which means the standard 30-day return policy applies.

The #1 exception (and one of the main reasons for the title of “best push up board”) is the Power Press. You get a 1-year warranty when you register your board through their website.

That’s a big deal when buying a piece of plastic you intend to abuse.

The second exception is the Chest Master, which offers 60 days instead of the standard 30.

Finally, #3 is the ChaoZhi steel board which I believe should offer a lifetime warranty, but I don’t see it listed anywhere.

Whatever the warranty, you’re not breaking or bending this thing.

Again, the important part is the 30-day coverage against not liking the board.

9 – Packaging and delivery

This one is a biggie because most boards are plastic.

I’ve seen plenty of issues here.

I addressed it by keeping evidence of on-arrival issues and poor packaging and giving an edge to the makers who do a good job.

Even the best push up boards had a certain percentage of issues here.

On our end, it’s a numbers game that separates the good from the bad and the ugly.

In other words, it comes down to how often poor packaging results in damaged boards.

According to our evidence, poor packaging and on-arrival issues happened with about 2% of boards.

Anything less than 4% is good.

It means two things:

1. If you’re one of the 2-3%, return the thing. No matter how little it costs, it’s your money.
2. You should take the time to read the reviews and experiences of other people. This ties into #10.

10 – Brand awareness – popularity and user experiences

I rarely advise people to choose home-gym stuff based on brands, but push-up boards are one of those rare occasions.

Why?

Because it’s hard to separate them on paper.

About 95% of boards are ABS and have a listed capacity of 300+ lbs.

Here’s a simple rule of thumb – with all other things equal, choose a board with a high number of reviews and a rating of at least 4.2 stars.

That’s not always possible because some unique boards (like the YIGM or the ChaoZhi) are relatively new to the market.

In other words, there are exceptions to the rule.

Methodology – how we assess and rate boards for push-ups

Below is an outline of our process of choosing the best push up boards in a crowded market.

I include it with a singular goal…

Earn your trust by explaining that we’re not just randomly listing boards; there’s data behind the picks.

1. Creating the push-up board database.
   
   We created a database with 44 push-up boards – every single one that we feel was a contender for one of the top spots.
   
2. We created a rating system based on our in-house experience (team of personal trainers, gym owners, and fitness teachers).
   
   The goal of this is to compare the board across types.
   
   We did not include the scores because a nice “chunk” of it relies on personal expertise and years in the industry.
   
   In other words, it wouldn’t add value to you, the reader.
   

3. We gathered all the key pieces of data to complete the ratings The goal was to further separate the wheat from the chaff.
   
4. Based on the ratings, we consulted with industry experts on the number of picks to present.
   
   The goal was to cover all needs and budgets with the lowest number of boards. The simpler, the better.
   
5. We chose 7 push-up boards.
   
   The goal – a list that’s comprehensive but not overwhelming.
   
6. We update the push-up board ratings and picks regularly.
   
   That keeps this page relevant and fresh.

Bottom line – the boards you see on our list are actually the best push up boards at any given point in time.

Other push-up boards – close-but-no-cigar

Below is a short list of 5 push-up boards that deserve a mention.

The criteria for making this list are not as strict.

You’ll see some dirt-cheap boards that are still decent and others that are too unique to recommend universally.

Here’s the bottom line – some of these might be a better fit for you than our top picks.

• N/C Folded board – this is as cheap as a push-up board gets.
• HOTWAVE set (Board, ab roller, resistance bands with handle and a bar) – similar price range as the Power Press Push-up board.
• LALAHIGH Upgraded push-up board – silly name, good budget board….lost the “best budget” title to the NOAOVO because of the lower capacity and basic warranty.
• PACEARTH Push-Up Board with wooden handles – interesting concept…basically top-tier handles with a schematic mat for push-up variations. Goes out of stock way too often.
• Berleng 56-in-1 Push Up Board – the highest number of (theoretical) push-up positions I’ve seen in a board. Cheap, too.

Best push up board – resume and key takeaways

This one was a doozy because “quality” is difficult to quantify and compare.

I feel we did a solid job nonetheless.

The best overall and top value for most people is the Original Power Press board.

It costs more than the generic units that have flooded the market in recent years, but the extra dollars pay dividends in versatility.

If you’re looking for a top-tier board that primarily targets the pecs, there’s nothing better on the market than the Iron Chest Master.

Finally…

If you’re unsure if a board will do the job for you, it’s a good idea to get a cheap one that still ticks all the main boxes, like the Aerlang, or YIGM 360°…

Silly names but decent boards.

If you’re still weighing the options, I’d suggest you do one of the following two things:

#1 – bookmark this page and come back.

You can revisit the whole thing and keep us bookmarked as your go-to resource for choosing home gym equipment.

Why?

Because no other site in the space mixes data, expertise, and first-hand experiences.

So, there’s that…

#2 – click here to skip back to the top 7 push up boards table.