Like many people looking to fill their home gym on a budget, I’ve found myself asking one question. Why are dumbbells so expensive? It doesn’t matter if it’s a dumbbell, kettlebell, or barbell weight. The cost just keeps going up. So why do they cost so much, let’s find out.
Why are dumbbells so expensive?
There are a lot of different materials you can use to make weights. Including copper, zinc, aluminum, lead, and concrete just to name a few. The thing is that it’s really hard to beat the cost of iron per pound.
The spot price of iron/steel is around $600 per ton. This comes to around $0.30 per pound. This is much cheaper than most other options including relatively cheap aluminum at $08 per pound. Now add in the cost to cast, paint, package and ship the weight. Depending on where this is done (USA vs China) this will generally cost between $0.60 – $0.70 per pound. This puts the overall cost for a completed dumbbell at between $0.90 and $1 per pound. This is before the product is even marked up for profit.
So, why are dumbbells so expensive? It’s because they currently cost around $1 per pound to produce.
The Cost Will Keep Going Up
While many products can cut costs by using cheaper materials, dumbbells use the cheapest material on the market. And that material cost will continue to go up. For reference, the spot price for steel was around $450/ton in 2015. In 2020 it was around $600/ton. This trend will continue. So don’t hesitate to pull the trigger on weights you plan on keeping for an extended period. As the material cost goes up, so will the value of steel/iron dumbbells and weights.
Amazon Dumbbells Sets
