Best pull-up bar: In-stock pull-up bars from £15
Bring the gym experience home with our picks of the best pull-up bars available right now
Thanks to a certain global pandemic, gyms and leisure centres across the country will be shutting down for the foreseeable future. While some may use this is an excuse to avoid exercise, if you can’t bear the thought of weeks without workout now is the perfect time to nab some home gym equipment and stay in shape even when self-isolating.
There is a huge variety of home gym equipment out there, but undoubtedly one of the wisest investments is a pull-bar. You might think even a single pull-up is well beyond your bodies capabilities, but with some perseverance and maybe a couple of protein shakes you’ll find yourself knocking out multiple sets in no time.
Not only is the humble pull-up one of the most effective upper-body exercises known to man, but pull-bars themselves are relatively cheap, come in a variety of options and don’t require huge amounts of space to use – making them the ideal piece of home exercise equipment.
If you’re something of a workout novice, or just looking for some recommendations of the best pull-up bars out there, we’ve put together a list of our favourites in this (crowded) market, as well as a guide to picking the right pull-up bar for you.
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Best pull-up bars: At a glance
How to buy the best pull-up bar for you?
What are the different types of pull-up bar?
Pull-up bars come in several different forms, with the most common being one that hooks onto your door frame. This type of bar has the benefit of not requiring any installation, and they can be easily removed for convenient storage, however, they do put significant pressure on your doorframe which can lead to household damage if your home’s construction isn’t sturdy enough.
If you’re worried about how a pull-up bar might affect your doorframe then a doorway bar is an option worth considering. These bars extend to either side of your doorway, which does mean they’re less secure, but they’re also easy to store and unlikely to damage your doorframe.
If you want something a little more permanent you can get pull-up bars that screw into the wall. The major drawback with these is that unless you have a dedicated space in your home for working out, you’re unlikely to want a pull-bar up mounted on your wall at all times. However, if you’re building a fully functional home gym, this is probably the option to go for.
If you’ve got the space for it a free-standing tower is another option. The benefits of these are numerous: not only are they typically able to hold more weight than a pull-bar fitted to a doorframe but they also often a greater variety of exercises that can be performed on them. The only issue, as mentioned, is that they do require significant space in your home, so not ideal for those without a spare room or large conservatory.
How much should I spend on a pull-up bar?
Pull-bar ups are a relatively inexpensive piece of home gym equipment, with options starting from as little as £10 for a doorway bar.
If you want a decent free-standing tower you’re probably going to need to spend comfortably north of £100, but if you’re happy with a bar that hooks to your doorframe than a decent model that will last thousands of sessions will set you back around £20.
Can a pull-up bar only be used for pull-ups?
When it comes to home gym equipment multifunctionality is always the keyword. This is understandable of course, most people don’t have masses of spare space in their house, so if you’re going to dedicate a portion of your home to exercise you want value from your selected equipment.
While a wall-mounted pull-up bar or a doorway bar can do little more than enable you to perform pull-ups, one that hooks to your doorframe is more versatile than you might think. Many hook-on models can be incorporated into a press-up routine, making each rep that little bit harder, and some can also be used to keep your feet planted to the ground while doing sit-ups.
Freestanding bars are a different beast, but most of them will come with additional functionality such as a set of dip bars or even a cable for pulldowns – which helps justify the additional expense and space requirements.
The best pull-up bars to buy
1. Opti Multi Pull Up Bar: Best budget pull-up bar
Price: £16 | Buy now from Argos
A hook-on bar is often the best option when it comes to doing pull ups at home. It’ll fit over most standard doorways, and a total of four foam grips across the bar means you can easily vary your workout – whether it be normal pull-ups, chin-ups or wide/narrow-grip pull ups.
It’s pretty versatile as well – doubling as a bar for sit-ups and push-ups – and many customers have been pleasantly surprised with its sturdy quality. The maximum weight allowance for this bar is 100kg, and it is suitable for a door frame ranging from 70cm to 80cm wide and 11cm to 16cm deep.
2. UMI. Essentials Bar: Best telescopic pull-up bar
Price: £42 | Buy now from Amazon
No screwing or drilling is required to fit this bar securely in place in your doorway, with its clever telescopic design spreading the weight placed on it evenly across its two grippy PVC ends. As a result, it can handle weights of up to 200kg without you needing to get out any tools, which is pretty remarkable.
The telescopic design also makes it easier to store compared with a hook-on pull-up bar, though obviously you lose the various handles that allow for different pull-up techniques. However, what you lose there, you gain in the fact you can set the bar at different heights in your doorway, meaning you can also do exercises such as inverted rows and dips.
3. DTX Fitness Commercial Style Wall Mounted Pull Up Bar: Best wall-mounted pull-up bar
Price: £50 | Buy now from Amazon
If home pull-ups are going to be a long-term commitment, you might consider investing in a wall-mounted pull up bar. Once drilled into the wall, this pull-up bar from DTX should be able to handle weights of up to 150kg. And a piece of equipment like this is built to last.
While the bar itself is sturdy and great to use, some Amazon customers have complained about the quality of the fixings that come with it. Though if you’re willing to buy your own fixings separately, this is a very good product.
4. Ultrasport Power Tower: Best free-standing tower
Price: £138 | Buy now from Amazon
If you’ve got the space for it, this free-standing tower gives you not only a pull-up bar but also a dip station, which will allow you to really work your core – you’ll have a six-pack in no time (probably). Yes this station will require which a large amount of room in your house, and it can be a tad fiddly to set up, but if your budget can stretch then you’ll get plenty for your money. Why not pick up a cheap set of resistance bands to loop around the tower, and really take your home workout to the next level.
5. Powerbar 2: Best foldable pull-up bar
Price: £29 | Buy now from Amazon
What makes this bar different is that it’s naturally mounted higher off the ground than a standard pull-up bar, making every rep than little bit more challenging. For those who are confident in their pull-up abilities, and want to really squeeze the most out of every set then this bar will make the difference. The Powerbar 2 can also be folded up and packed away flat, making it a great buy if you live in a flat or shared housed as well. As a hook-on bar, the ease of installation is another benefit to this pull-up device.
6. Beachbody Chin-Up Bar: Best hook-on bar
Price: £60 | Buy now from Beachbody
You can get great hook-on pull-up bars for under £20, but if you’re looking for a deluxe version then this bar from Beachbody is worth checking out. That’s mainly down to the wide range of grip options it offers, allowing you to tackle any pull-up variation you can think of. It’s great for keeping your workouts varied and interesting as well as targeting different muscles than you might normally work. The bar has a max user weight of 136kg, which is high for a hook-on bar, though of course you will need to find a door frame that’s just as sturdy to attach it to.
7. K-Sport Pull-up Bar: Best ceiling-mounted bar
Price: £66 | Buy now on Amazon
The success or failure of a ceiling-mounted bar largely depends on the height of your ceiling. Too low and that bar is going to be very annoying when you’re not actively doing pull-ups. Too high and you won’t be able to start a workout without getting the stepladder out. However, if your ceiling is in the goldilocks zone, a ceiling-mounted bar can be unobtrusive and gives more clearance than a wall-mounted bar.
K-Sport’s pull-up bar is great value and when installed correctly has a whopping maximum user weight of 250kg. That high load also means you also can hang heavy bits of kit like a punching bag off it without worrying about it crashing down on top of you. The bar can also be unscrewed while leaving the mount attached to your ceiling.
