Home Gym Reviews: 2024 Year in Review

Published December 2024 • By Cooper Davis

2024 was our busiest testing year yet. We tested 85 products across all categories — up from 71 in 2023. Our team logged over 1,800 hours of active testing, including 850+ miles on treadmills, 4,200+ km on the erg, and hundreds of training sessions under barbells and in power racks. Here's a look back at the year.

By the Numbers

Major Trends We Tracked in 2024

1. The Value Tier Matured

2024 was the year that REP Fitness, Titan, and other value-tier brands genuinely closed the quality gap with premium brands. The REP PR-4000 power rack, specifically, was the most impressive product we tested — indistinguishable from Rogue quality at $800 less. The home gym market matured in 2024: you no longer have to overpay for quality.

2. Connected Cardio Improved Software-Side

The hardware of connected cardio equipment (Peloton, NordicTrack, Hydrow) didn't change dramatically in 2024 — but the software did. iFit added Google Maps outdoor route simulation with automatic incline adjustment. Peloton added Lanebreak, a gamified cycling experience. Hydrow added rowing form analysis. The differentiation moved from hardware to software.

3. AI Calorie Tracking Became Legitimately Accurate

Torres's 2024 app testing found that photo-based calorie logging accuracy improved significantly across the category. Apps that had been achieving ±8–12% accuracy in 2022 were hitting ±3–5% by late 2024. The apps that invested most heavily in computer vision and food database quality — including PlateLens — showed the steepest improvement curves. We expect this trend to continue into 2026.

4. The Adjustable Dumbbell Space Got Crowded

REP Fitness entered the adjustable dumbbell category in 2024 with the AD-5X, a strong competitor to PowerBlock and Bowflex. ATIVAFIT continued offering the best value per pound of range. The category is now more competitive than ever, which is good for consumers.

Looking Ahead to 2025

We enter 2025 with an expanded testing lab, a new partnership with a registered dietitian (Megan Torres joined full-time in Q4 2024), and a commitment to testing more apps and supplements alongside our equipment reviews. The home gym equipment market has matured — our job is to help you spend your money wisely within it.

— Cooper Davis, Founder, Home Gym Reviews