Fitness has seen a massive boom in popularity in recent years. With this has derived the immense popularity of home fitness machines. Of the home fitness machines, there are few that can match the convenience and versatility of the famous power tower.
Power towers possess the capability to work the entire body, they can perform an eclectic range of bodyweight exercises that are great for strengthening and building muscles. The power tower can easily become the best piece of equipment in your home gym.
If you are looking to burn extra calories, lose some weight, or increase that coveted muscle mass, the power tower is one of the greatest investments you can make in yourself and your fitness.
Some people do not feel comfortable going to a gym and that is why owning a power tower in your home is a great place to start your fitness journey and build up the confidence to debut your physique at the local gym.
Some of the most popular exercises that are alleviated with the help of a power tower include: pull-ups, knee drives, leg raises, dips, and push up bars are growing into the design of many power towers.
There are many other exercises that can be performed with a quality power tower, a great benefit of this machine is that it allows you to use your creativity to exercise and find a workout customized to your strengths and weaknesses.
There are many different variables to expect with these power towers. Some of the most important factors to research into when choosing the right power tower for you are sturdiness, durability, easiness to assemble, the height of the pull-up bar, and many others.
Many power towers have a weight limit, and it is very important that you make sure you fall in the right weight range for these machines. One of the most popular complaints about many of these towers is that they shake heavily during dip exercises.
This guide will help you sort through the mess and find the power tower best adapted to your needs in the pursuit of a better and healthier you!
Here are some things to consider when looking at power towers before making a decision:
Power Tower Overview / Guide
Sturdiness
When doing dips or pull-ups on a power tower, it is likely to be very stressful for the tower. Many of these towers have some shake on these exercises and it is important to find out how much they will shake during these exercises.
Weight Capacity
It is important to find out the weight capacity of the tower to make sure that you will fit it, this could be dangerous and cause serious damage to yourself and the power tower.
If you are buying a power tower for the purposes of teaching a child or adolescent how to exercise, weight capacity may not be as big of a concern, but if you are an adult it is likely very important to check the weight capacity and make sure that you will not risk injury using the model you decide on.
Assembly
These power towers are not always that easy to assemble. Some of them come with the materials you need such as wrenches and bolts, however, some can be damaged in shipping or do not come with the right bolts and screws.
It is also worth looking into the compatibility of the parts of pieces included. It is always recommended during assembly of a power tower, (as with any large home appliance sort of thing), to bolt it down after you have put all the parts together.
It is also recommended to invest in your own 18mm wrench for assembly purposes.
Footprint/Weight
Look at the size of the tower to make sure that it can fit in your living space, it is also important to learn about the weight of the tower and how difficult it may be to move and store elsewhere.
Additional Features
Many of these towers come with a unique feature in an attempt to stand out from the crowd. Read about the features of the towers to find out what each tower brings to the table.
Some people may just want a power tower that supports pull-ups, dips, and knee/leg raises.
It is important to review the additional features because they can offer a unique dynamic to the power station model and allow for a different kind of workout.
These features may help you reach new fitness goals or keep your workout more interesting, however you may decide it isn’t worth the price or other qualities or more important.
Style
Nobody wants an ugly fitness machine to ruin the aesthetic of their home gym. Make sure you are a fan of the look and design of the tower before purchasing.
Having a nice style and design in your power tower will enhance the feel of your living space and give it a nice fitness aesthetic.
Affordability
Get the best value for your money. Make sure the tower is not only fitted for your exercise purposes, but for your budget as well.
Most of these towers are priced between $100-400, extra weight capacity, quality of materials, and functionality of the power towers usually are the factors that will drive the price up and down, as well as the obvious price drivers of brand name products.
Best Power Tower Reviews
1. Stamina 1690 Power Tower
The Stamina 1690 Power Tower stands out because of it’s impressive pricing. This is one of the ideal power towers for people who are looking to get into it, but do not necessarily want to break the bank their first time.
Outside of its affordability, the Stamina 1690 also has many distinct and highlighted features that make it stand out as a quality power tower. This power tower has a 250-pound weight limit which is about average compared to most power tower models. T
he Stamina 1690 has the typical power tower setup with a pull-up and dip station. It has one of the smallest footprints of all power towers, taking up a small space and making the Stamina 1690 optimal for smaller rooms. It has comfortable, secure, foam hand grips.
It is amongst the easiest power towers in terms of assembly.
A great thing about the Stamina 1690 is that it is an immensely popular machine for home use. Amongst reviewers, they offer many helpful pieces of advice to aid in assembly, maintenance, and overall further inform you on the product.
To install it, you need 8’ of additional space between the tower and the ceiling as the tower is 7 feet tall. You may need additional clearance when pulling yourself up. For assembly purposes, you will need a wrench to tighten everything up.
The Stamina 1690 will provide you with a wrench, but this wrench is not of high quality and it is recommended that you find a better wrench.
To help with the shaking of the tower during intense exercises such as full bodyweight dips, it is recommended to bolster the machine down with weights on the bottom crossbar, this will reduce the sway while doing dips.
Some of the complaints customers have with this power tower lie in the space provided for pull-ups. Taller and heavier users often have problems with the size and the wobbling of the tower.
The main vertical bars are also angled slightly inward which can really crowd the allotted space between the pull-up bars. Basic pullups can feel cramped, this tower is better designed for wide grip pull-ups.
2. Weider 200 Power Tower
This tower is a beast that comes with an immense number of customizable and unique features. The Weider 200 comes with impressive Olympic Width. It has adjustable bars for both racking the weight and additional safety “catch” bars.
You can also easily store weight plates on it. The Weider 200 is a great piece of equipment to have for any variety of squats and leg exercises in your squat workout.
The bench that comes with the tower can be used independently and it is very well made with a very sturdy metal frame. The Weider 200 hasn’t exactly been described as easy installation but it does have a relatively easy installation.
It has taken many people only a couple of hours to set it up.
Some problems people have with assembly is that they have black hands after putting it together from dealing with the powder coating. It is recommended that you do not tighten the bolts until the very end of the assembly process.
Give the tower a shake to settle everything in, then proceed to crank everything down into place. Use a socket set during assembly and pay close attention to the headspace.
The Weider 200 has a comfortable and durable cushion and it is a great price for such a high-quality power tower. It comes with an exercise chart that should help you guide yourself towards your fitness goals.
The black powder coat gives it a very professional aesthetic and stylish look. This is very important when you consider how the tower may look in the space you have envisioned for it. It also comes with a bar that will let you spot yourself on pull-ups with your legs.
The pull-up bar stands at about 6 foot 11 inches, and the overall tower is about 7 foot 6 inches tall. The weight limit is on the lower scale at 225 pounds.
Some of the popular complaints about this power tower is that it is sometimes too big and missing parts. It can be slightly wobbly for doing dips and you might need to bolt it down in order to do dips.
The box is very heavy when you first order it and some of the screws for the base do not fit in the holes properly making it impossible, (and sometimes incredibly frustrating) to tighten the nuts on the screws, sometimes the pull-up bar has holes drilled too far apart.
The factory defects cause the assembly to be very difficult sometimes.
All in all this machine may have a somewhat difficult assembly, but is very comfortable for a power tower and has a great price for its value. The height of the tower is very good although the weight limit may be alarming for many customers.
3. Ironman triathlon X Class Multi-Function Power Tower
Apart from its intense and very appealing name, the Ironman triathlon x class multi-function power tower comes with many great features that make it stand up in the upper echelon of power tower products on the market right now.
It has excellent design and construction. The X Class has been raved about for its extreme heaviness and sturdiness once assembled. The tower stands at 83” tall and can handle an amazing 400 lbs of user weight.
This tower is a little pricey but it is an absolute beast of a power tower! It has an adjustable height roller handlebar system with 5 different angles and mounting positions. This allows for many unique exercises that are not offered by other towers.
Especially unique to this power tower is its ability to do rows for your back muscles. It has adjustable levers that can help you increase the intensity and build-up to the most difficult intensity.
This tower really separates itself with its myriad of adjustable levers. It comes with adjustable height pushups allowing for exercises that would be even difficult to find and perform at blue-chip gyms such as LA Fitness or Gold’s Gym!
Decline pushups and many other variations of pull-ups, dips, rows, etc. can be performed and developed with this beautiful, robust power tower. It has a 3” thick curved backrest and comfortable grip that is spaced 22” apart to give you plenty of room.
It has multi-grip pull-up bars as well that allow you to perform many pull-ups apart from the simple pull-ups. There are four available bolt outlets if you would like to bolt the power tower to the ground in exchange for amazing stability.
Some of the cons to this machine is that it is very expensive, this is the most expensive power tower on the market. It also has a relatively large footprint and can be somewhat difficult to move around.
For assembly purposes it is recommended to use an 18mm wrench to build it, the finished product is large and there is no movement from the different positions, dips, or leg lifts.
If you are reading this guide for the purposes of building a gym yourself, this power tower would make a great addition to your gym. It is very durable and strong so you won’t have to worry as much about people potentially hurting themselves with it.
Although it is a little more pricey than some power tower models, it’s strength and support makes it worth the price and not only a great investment for fitness, but security from injury as well.
4. MaxKare Power Tower Pull Up Dip Station
This power tower is one of the best in terms of affordability. It’s specifically made for at least 6 separate exercises including lateral pull-ups, chin-ups, knee raises, leg raises, dips, push-ups, tricep dips with heels on the floor (easier than regular dips) and sit-ups.
This MaxKare has many great features as well. The handles are coated with a grippy rubber material and it has both a narrow and wide pull-up bar component.
The cushion is resistant to rips and tears and is very durable even under heavy use. This tower is also adjusted for its in-home ecosystem with protection from the tower damaging your floor or garage.
The MaxKare is very sturdy in the ground and will have no wobbling or movement even if it is set up on a thick home carpeted floor. Some might say a little “too sturdy” since it’s a tad bit wider than other units and can potentially cause problems with the location of use given its width.
The Dip bars are set to an ideal width and the structure is made from industry-leading materials. Featuring a 2″x 2″ steel mainframe and 2.4″x 2.4″ base, it’s a tough unit compared to most.
It is bolted together as opposed to welded and has a very easy assembly with easy-to-understand instructions. Some people report having done the assembly in as few as 30 to 45 minutes.
The weight limit is 330 lbs which is quite generous and a 2-year warranty on the frame is standard along with a lifetime warranty on all other parts!
5. Bowflex BodyTower
We like the Bowflex BodyTower because of the great brand that BowFlex has proven to be over the years. That’s just for starters. Bowflex offers a wide variety of fitness equipment, and I personally own a set of their adjustable dumbells.
They have been the workhorse of my home gym for about 15 years and they do NOT break! The BodyTower offers you tons of versatility by way of over TWENTY different exercises. There are 7 levels of adjustment to suit any body size and style.
The adjustable horizontal bars offer more flexibility and variety in your workouts than any permanently welded machine whose components are not adjustable.
The tower comes with sling straps for ab workouts and a complete guide to exercises comes with the unit. It can hold users up to 300 lbs easily and while it can’t give you every exercise in the world, it comes with 18 different exercises in the guide, which is way more than most other power dip stations.
The tower comes with a standard 5-year frame warranty and a 1-year wear parts warranty.
6. Body Champ Fitness Multifunction Power Tower
The Body Champ PT 600 Multifunction Power Tower is a very popular power tower that is recommended all around the internet. The Body Vision PT 600 has many features similar to other power towers such as multiple grip positions and padded back and arm cushions.
This power tower comes with slip-resistant foot grips that can also double as push up bars. Another great quality about the foot grips is that they are height adjustable which allows for a wide range of movement and potential exercises.
This power tower has a very nice and simple design that has been raved about for its aesthetic quality.
Some people have complaints that the dip armbars are too far apart and you may hit your head on the chin-up bar doing dips.
The dimensions of the power tower make doing leg raises very difficult and the sturdiness of the power tower has been brought into question as many people complain about the wobbling of the armrest during exercise.
The assembly does not take too long as people only report about an hour and a half of assembly time on average, however, the Body Vision PT 600 does not come packaged with any tools to aid in assembly.
7. Lx Free Power Tower
This power tower has many similarities with other models. The LX Free Power Tower has a reinforced steel frame like many other models, and it offers a decent level of stability.
Offering a workout for your entire body (at least the big muscle groups) gives this machine excellent versatility with no moving parts. Do dips (2 kinds), push-ups, knee raises, and of course, pull-ups (3 different styles).
You can challenge yourself with at least 6 major exercises. This station is among the most affordable power towers on Amazon and it is very sturdy, as well as tall.
It is built with high-quality materials and is one of the best combinations of affordability and robust build of the power tower models in this guide.
It can be adjusted in height from 6.23ft to 7.38ft
It can hold 330 lbs and the unit itself weighs less than 50lbs.
8. Stamina | X Fortress Power Tower
Some of our recommended power towers are more versatile than others, but this one is arguably the king of versatility and variety!
The Fortress is the only power tower to include a Pull-up bar, dip bar, adjustable Plyo Box, Stronghold grips, Ab straps, and Boulder Fit rock climbing handholds. The pull-up bar and dip bar give you multiple workout stations for push-ups, pull-ups, and triceps dips.
The integrated Plyo Box adjusts from 16″ to 24″ in 2-inch increments and the rock climbing handholds (those red balls) are an accessory we haven’t seen in any other power tower.
This is truly a full-body workout in one machine with no moving parts and no weights! Kinda like a little miracle, I’d say!!
It can hold well over 250 pounds and is very solid with its steel frame construction. The dip bars are around 24 inches apart.
It’s helpful to have someone help you assemble this little beast, but we think it’s well worth it! Several verified buyers on Amazon have testified that this machine is as good or in some cases better than a pro dip station they’ve used in a commercial gym!
That says a lot!
Finally, this power tower boasts a relatively small footprint since the stabilizer bars on the base do not protrude too obviously outward for extra stability. This Fortress is sturdy enough as is!
9. Innova ITP1000 12-in-1 Inversion Table with Power Tower Workout Station
Complete your home gym with this innovative, space-saving machine! This machine is truly unique and is undoubtedly the most creative offering on our list.
The Innova 12 in 1 Inversion Table Power Tower combines twelve functions in one convenient unit. Use your body weight to work your core, pull-ups, chin up, dips, leg lifts, and pushups. Use gravity to help improve posture and flexibility.
Folks at every fitness level from beginner to advanced will stay within budget (and space) constraints. This machine has an inversion table, chin-up bar, push-up station, squat station, dip bars, and leg raise station.
It really saves space and holds nothing back when giving you as many exercises as can fit into a unit of this kind.
If you’re over 6’3″, you may find your head extending past the head-rest on the inversion table, but I have such a unit (where my head is off the pad) and it’s of little consequence.
It only holds you if you weigh less than 225 lbs, but that should include MOST users. Powder-coated steel and washable arm pads round out this enviable system that would complement anyone’s home.
In case you’re not sure of why you might want an inversion table, let me give you a very brief primer: It relaxes your back muscles, reduces nerve pressure (big reason!), helps stimulate blood circulation and can even aid in developing and toning core muscles.
Conclusion and Recommendation
In Conclusion, there are many different power towers to choose from. Each power tower has a unique combination of features that may be best suited for your needs.
Power towers can be one of the best investments in your fitness that you can make, not only for you but for your family as well. Having a power tower at home allows the convenient use of a versatile exercise machine.
Power towers are also a great alternative for people who don’t quite trust a doorway-mounted pull-up bar to come pummeling down and drop them on the floor.
Power towers also have a built-in dip station to allow you to perform dips in the comfort of your own home.
There are many exercises that can be performed with a power tower and doing a youtube search about power tower exercises will yield hundreds of videos showing how to improve your fitness by properly using a power tower.
When buying a power tower, it is important to make sure the weight limit fits your needs.
Make a list of features that are the most important to you, whether it is durability, the height of the pull-up bar, the shakiness of the tower while performing dips, additional features, padded cushioning, style, footprint, affordability, etc.
Good luck making your decision about which power tower to purchase and thank you for reading this guide!
