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Some people might believe that home fitness equipment is too expensive and takes up to much space to be reasonable for their needs. Items such as exercise bikes, treadmills, and home gyms can certainly be expensive and take up a lot of space. But there are certain examples of equipment that are effective, cheaper, more convenient, and take up less space than you might think. The best pull-up bars provide all of these things!
Pull-up bars are a great addition to any exercise routine. They're simple to assemble, durable, and easily fit in most doorways without any nails or drilling required.
In this article, I've compiled a list of some of the best pull-up bars of all types and sizes. Most of these models do not require screw mounts to use. After revealing my top picks, I'll describe some of the considerations you should make when decided between them for your needs.
6 Best Pull-Up Bar REVIEWS
Sportsroyals Power Tower Dip Station Pull Up Bar for Home Gym Strength Training Workout Equipment
This pull-up bar was built to be a solution for people with doorways with no trim. No screws are required to put this equipment to use. All you need are the two anti-skid silicone pads to keep the bar stuck firmly in place.
The harder you pull, the more tightly it holds in place. Also included is a lock mechanism that will prevent the pull-up bar from loosening. When appropriately mounted, this bar is capable of supporting as much as 440 lbs.
Because you don’t have to go through the trouble of using screws to mount this bar, you can put it up for a workout and then remove it at any time. You can use the bar for a variety of exercises, including items such as chin-ups, hanging leg raises, crunches, sit-ups, and more.
Also, because this model is adjustable, you can use it any doorway in your garage, home, or office. Lastly, this model comes with thick, anti-slip, comfortable foam grips to provide you with the firmest grip possible.
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Pull Up Bar, Door Exercise Bar Without Screw Installation
This pull-up bar was built to be a solution for people with doorways with no trim. No screws are required to put this equipment to use. All you need are the two anti-skid silicone pads to keep the bar stuck firmly in place. The harder you pull, the more tightly it holds in place. Also included is a lock mechanism that will prevent the pull-up bar from loosening. When appropriately mounted, this bar is capable of supporting as much as 440 lbs.
Because you don’t have to go through the trouble of using screws to mount this bar, you can put it up for a workout and then remove it at any time. You can use the bar for a variety of exercises, including items such as chin-ups, hanging leg raises, crunches, sit-ups, and more. Also, because this model is adjustable, you can use it any doorway in your garage, home, or office.
Lastly, this model comes with thick, anti-slip, comfortable foam grips to provide you with the firmest grip possible.
Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout Bar
This is one of the best pull-up bars. This model a classic, one of the most recommended on this site, and one of the most popular on the market. It’s popular because the design works well, and it’s versatile enough to be used for more than one exercise. Fitting in any 35.4-inch door frame, with three different hand positions, wide, narrow, and neutral. Just like the bar listed above, it also requires no screws to mount in a door frame.
This pull-up bar can support up to 300 pounds for pull-ups, chin-ups, and abs work. You can also use this equipment to do dips and situps. One of the concerns with this kind of bar is what kind of damage it might do.
Click here to learn how to deal with doorway damage caused by this kind of pull-up bar.
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Click here for my full review of the Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout.
ONETWOFIT Multifunctional Wall Mounted Pull Up Bar/Chin Up Bar, Dip Station for Indoor Home Gym Workout
Unlike some of the other items included in this list, this bar will require to be mounted and not on drywall or plaster walls. Concrete or brick walls are the best choices for mounting this equipment. This pull-up bar has been forged from heavy-duty steel for increased stability and rigidity and supports a user weight of up to 440 pounds.
To provide extra comfort, these pull-up bars come well-padded with high-density cushions. Engage in exercises such as neutral grip pull-ups, regular pull-ups, and leg raises. Most people have positive feedback about the pull-up bar; however, some have reported challenges when it comes to setting it up. If you don’t have an excellent way to drill holes in a cement wall, you might want to evaluate other options.
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Greenke Pull Up Bar for Doorway, Doorframe Chin Up Bar
This is another example of a doorway pull-up bar like the Iron Gym. Just like the others, you can use it for push-ups, chin-ups, pull-ups, dips, and more. This bar fits in most standard-sized doorways, but one of this model’s advantages is the padding that protects the door from any damage. Build your arms, back, shoulders, and abs.
There are no-slip foam grips in each of the various hand positions on the bar, so you’ll never be uncomfortable. This bar is constructed out of heavy-duty steel, with a thicker, wider tube, providing stability and security.
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BZK Foldable Pull Up/Chin-up Bar for Doorway with Mount Hook No Screw
One of the differences between this bar and the other doorway pull-up bars above is the curved handles. These slight angles protect your wrists from injuries and the soft foam protects your hands while you pull. The robust, heavy-duty steel design prevents the bar from moving while you exercise, which in turn protects your door from damage.
Of course, like other doorway bars, no screws are required to mount this unit in your doorway. All you have to do to use it is still it through and get started. Use the bar for pull-ups, sit-ups, push-ups, and more. Another notable feature provided by this bar is that it folds for easy storage. Also included with this are two free auxiliary belts to help with additional exercises.
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Which Pull-up Bar is Best for You?
Here are some of the things you should think about when looking for the best pull-up bars: How big are you and how much do you weigh? How often do you intend on using the bar? Are you just looking for something to supplement your existing exercise regiment, or do you need a gym replacement with more features? Here are some of the different kinds of bars you can choose from:
Doorway: These are the models that extend the length of a door frame. They tend to be simple and inexpensive. If you spend a little more to get a higher quality model, you can find ones that mount over the sides of your door frame, providing more stability and versatility during pull-ups.
Portable: These are the kinds of bars that can be easily disassembled and taken with you while you travel. These are ideal for people who have to travel a lot for work.
Mounted: These are usually bolted into place, either into a wall or the ceiling. These are perhaps one of the best pull-up bars in terms of stability, but they vary widely in cost. There are some that cost less than fifty dollars, while others run for as much as a few hundred.
Tower: These are tall, heavy pieces of equipment with a large footprint. These are usually meant for people with garage gyms that have space to work out, with a pull-up bar up top and arm support for dips and leg raises.
Between all of these kinds of models, the price can vary. It is recommended that if you plan to buy a pull-up bar that you use daily, you should spend a little more money on getting one with quality seal and powder coating, plus rust protection. You're also going to want comfortable grips unless you want calloused hands.
Other Considerations When Buying a Pull-Up Bar
While doorway pull-up bars offer many advantages, there might still be reasons that you would prefer buying a mounted unit. It depends on how much you value versatility to a ceiling-mounted bar that is always ready for you to use at home.
When it comes to time to buy a pull-up bar, you should have some prior knowledge of the market. Buying before doing your due diligence could lead to a broken doorframe or a damaged wall. In the worst-case scenario, you could even injure yourself using a low-quality pull-up bar.
Best Design
The first thing you'll have to decide on is what kind of design will be ideal for your purposes. While some mounted bars utilize locking screws to stay secure, door-mounted units slip under the door frame without attachments.
Though both kinds have their own pros and cons, doorway bars are more common because they don't require a permanent setup and can be put away when not in use. Mounted pull-up bars are typically found in wider doorways without trim, where the bars wouldn't otherwise remain in place.
Another consideration is structure. The wider bars offer more grip positions, but they also add more weight and have a bigger footprint.
If you're trying to mount a bar in a tight space, it's probably better to choose a more basic design. There's nothing wrong with buying a more basic bar to keep your home less cluttered.
You also need to consider the clearance of the pull-up bar once mounted. Door frame bars could position you very close to the ceiling, which might pose a problem.
Certain pull-up bars are mounted higher than others, you're going to need a higher bar for a more natural range of motion if you're tall.
Best Grip Positions
When you're shopping for a doorway pull-up bar, you might examine what kind of grip you'd prefer. The most basic doorway pull-up bars offer only a single horizontal bar for your purposes, which might be enough for you. You can use a single bar for both wide and close-grip pull-ups and chin-ups.
Other models have perpendicular bars for hammer pull-up grips, better targeting your biceps. Advanced bars tend to feature more extensions and grips around the central frame.
Other models in the list above use something called U-rings, creating both wide and close grips for standard and hammer pull-ups. If you're looking to target as many muscles as possible, it's a good idea to switch your grip positions regularly.
When examining a bar's grip positions, you'll want to make sure that the foam passing is going to be enough for your purposes. Though you can still use the bar holding unpadded sections, it is certainly going to be less comfortable and might require building up callouses before it's tolerable.
Wall Padding
Padding for your wall is best practice if you plan to mount the bar in your doorway. Over time, as you perform pull-ups, you put greater stress on your doorframe.
If you neglect to use padding to protect your wall, the bar may dig in and leave ugly black markings behind. This is why you need to use some padding to prevent damage.
To protect your wall, some models will provide plastic or foam padding. Doorway pull-up bars almost always come packaged with a plastic pad that sits on the trim of your door. This helps support your weight as you pull yourself up.
Having padding at the edges of the bar is also important. Some models use foam while others come with soft plastic or hard rubber. It's always better to look for large pads that will help create a larger contact surface between the wall and your equipment and prevent slippage.
Just keep in mind that the more stable your pull-up equipment is, the less likely it is that you'll leave scuffs and or marks. Extra padding and stronger construction will prevent the worst of the damage.
Screws and Mounts
As previously mentioned the slip-in pull-up bar designs are the most common and provide easy installation and convenience.
The problem is that certain bars require heavy-duty screws to mount safely. So, before buying a doorway pull-up bar, decide whether you're ready to accept the possibility of punching holes in your wall.
If your home lacks traditional doorways (with a strong frame and raised trim), you may need to break out your drill and make some new holes. You can sometimes place bars outside of doorways if you're looking for a more secure mounting strategy.
In these situations, might also need to buy an extended bar, as normal bars may not cover the span of your hallway or your wider doorframe.
Other Features
Apart from the critical components mentioned above, pull-up bars also include notable secondary features. While these items might not be deal-breakers, they might be included in your considerations as you do your evaluations.
While padding for your hands may not be considered as much as well padding, it could still be just as important to protect your hands as you do pull-ups.
Doing pull-ups without the comfort of foam grips might promote damage to your hand and fingers and your more delicate knuckle joints. Depending on the angle of your exercise, it's also possible to hurt your wrists.
Not only does foam casing generally alleviate potential pain, but it also adds thickness to the bar and gives you something with greater girth to grab onto. In some cases, bars will come with plastic grips instead of foam. This can also provide some relief to your hands while exercising.
Most pieces of workout equipment will provide a maximum user weight in their marketing materials, but it isn't as much of a concern for pull-up bars. You might still want to check on it if you plan on adding weights to your pull-ups. Durable bars can support as much as 300lbs, while lighter units will only be able to support as much as 250lbs. For larger users, sturdier bars can provide improved resistance.
Is it worth buying a pull-up bar?
Pull-up bars are worth buying, particularly if you want to do pull-ups while you're at home. That said, pull-ups are a great upper body exercise, that will develop not only your biceps and back, but you'll also build your core and shoulders as well.
