Best Buy PRODUCTs Reviews

Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells

I’m currently in Phase 3 of my P90X workouts and the only regret I have is not having purchased these sooner! They are FUN to use! Everything from switching the weight dials, pulling them out of the base, the feel of the grip and sliding them back into the base is enjoyable. Even the rattle of the weights works with your momentum when lifting. (that is not to say the weights are loud in any way)

A few things I noticed.

BowFlex did a great job selecting which weight plates are added and removed for every setting! In other words, the dumbbells look great with any weight setting because they are distributed and spread out accordingly. I think they look pretty cool even with no added weight plates (5 pound setting)kinda like futuristic hex dumbbells.

The hand grips are hands down the best I’ve ever felt on any dumbbell period. In fact, they feel better than majority of other handles on unrelated devices, like bicycle handles and hammers.

Although I worried initially from some of the other reviews about the size, mainly the width of these dumbbells, they have not presented any issues whatsoever. Even when I read that you’d have to make slight adjustments to certain movements, I was worried… but now I understand what those adjustments are and they truly are so minor that it doesn’t even take conscious thought past the initial perception of it.

The design/colors are truly a thing of beauty. They don’t feel like a dirty, rusty, smelly pair of dumbbells like my old hexagon dumbbells. They feel like a sleek, expensive, hi-tech gadget, which for me, really adds that extra motivation while working out. It’s a good feeling knowing you have the best gear to support your fitness goals.

As for durability and construction, once again… feels solid. Of course these are not your regular pair of steel/metal dumbbells that you can drop and throw around with little concern. The SelectTechs have intricate moving parts and many different materials beyond just steel, but with proper use and care, I can see them lasting indefinitely. (life-time)

Conclusion:

Visual Design – 5 stars

Functional Design – 5 stars

Durability (w/proper use) – 5 stars

Ease of Use – 5 stars

Satisfaction – 5 stars

If you’re looking for a pair of dumbbells that look great, work great, costs less than buying individually, takes up minimal space and inspires you to push your workouts to the next level… get these immediately. You won’t regret it!

Reviewed by : David Kim “DeyBwah”,   Jan 12, 2010

Ab Circle Pro

I purchased the Ab Circle Pro yesterday and just put it together now. It was a pretty simple task and did not take long to assemble.

I have been extremely skeptical about this product because of the horrible reviews. However, as a result of the commercials, I had a strong feeling that it would be a beneficial workout despite the quality of its parts. Therefore, I purchased it at Sports Authority because a 2-year warranty is available for $32.99, so if the product breaks in any way, the Ab Circle Pro may be returned for full refund or replacement. I have always been and always will be an AVID FAN of Amazon.com because I am delighted with the prices, free/speedy delivery and service. But, the warranty is not available here for this particular product, so that is the only reason I went elsewhere.

After trying the Ab Circle Pro, I must say I am definitely pleasantly surprised. I agree with others who posted that the parts could have been thought out a little better in order to ensure its stability and quality. However, I can undoubtedly feel the workout. I am 5′8″ and 143 pounds and am generally fit. I purchased this product so I can re-reveal my six-pack for spring break and this summer, and I believe that this will be the key to success. I am the type of person who is not necessarily motivated to go to the gym or stick to a specific ab routine of my own, so a product like this is perfect for me. It is definitely difficult, especially on the hardest setting with the handle bars as low as they can go. This product works the triceps, shoulders, chest, forearms, lower back, abs and inner/outer thighs (once the bar is removed). The extra sets of knee pads are definitely an added bonus (I’m assuming they were added to the newer models because of the painful reviews), and are necessary for a comfortable kneeling position. However, they proved dangerous to me because the added knee pads slid out of the knee bowl causing me to fall over and bang my knee on the bar. This was quite painful. Therefore, I would recommend duct-taping these pads to the knee bowls if you plan on keeping the Ab Circle Pro. Another complaint is that the feet sometimes lift off the ground with the momentum of your body, and could possibly be dangerous for tipping off the machine for people on the heavier side.

Overall, I am pleased with this product, but I do believe that some tweaks should and will eventually be made to the Ab Circle Pro. I would not advise this product for people who are not already fit and who are heavy and/or uncoordinated. I feel that this product is best for people who are young, don’t have achey joints (because of the kneeling position), and have the agility and coordination to keep up with this routine. I understand that the entire point of a workout machine is (generally) for people to lose weight, but I feel that the Ab Circle Pro would be best for the goal of toning, adding some muscle mass, and cardio. I’m glad that I purchased this product, because it is easy and fun enough to keep up with, and if it will ultimately make me more confident and fit, it is worth the $199 (+ price of one or two year warranty which I recommend). Try it out!

Reviewed by : Deal Finder,   Jan 21, 2010