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BowFlex Results Series 552 vs PowerBlock Elite EXP Stage 1: Which Fits Your Load Plan?

Match the exact per-hand schedule to the weights you plan to use, then consider the adjustment steps. The BowFlex Results Series 552 includes settings through 52.5 lb per dumbbell; PowerBlock Elite EXP Stage 1 includes settings through 50 lb and has separate expansion kits described for higher stages. BowFlex uses selection dials, while PowerBlock's guide describes a selector pin and removable micro-weights. These are feature-fit differences, not evidence that either set lifts, adjusts, or lasts better.

Published by Pickoryx · Published 2026-10-16

Source checked 2026-10-16 20:07 UTC

Products compared

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The buying question

Do the included weight schedules and adjustment routines of these exact pairs fit the loads and changes you expect to make?

The BowFlex pair reaches 52.5 lb per dumbbell with its published dial schedule; the PowerBlock Stage 1 pair reaches 50 lb and has separately purchased expansion stages documented for the Elite EXP family. Their weight-selection routines also differ.

Quick verdict

Choose BowFlex Results Series 552 SelectTech Dumbbells (Pair) if

  • The Results Series 552's published settings match your planned loads, including its 52.5 lb top setting.
  • You prefer selecting a load with the BowFlex dials rather than changing PowerBlock micro-weights and inserting its selector pin.
View BowFlex Results Series 552 SelectTech Dumbbells (Pair) on AmazonPaid link
When to skip: Your planned loads or preferred increments do not appear on the exact model's chart; check each published schedule before choosing either pair.
When the recommendation changes
  • Your target loads fall between the two listed schedules or exceed the Stage 1 range.
  • You prefer one documented weight-selection routine over the other after checking the steps against how you train.

The differences that matter

Load Range Increment And Expansion

BowFlex Results Series 552 SelectTech Dumbbells (Pair)

Results Series 552 pair: 5–52.5 lb per dumbbell; 15 listed per-dumbbell settings.[1]

PowerBlock Elite EXP Stage 1 Adjustable Dumbbells (Pair)

Elite EXP Stage 1 pair: 5–50 lb per hand with 15 listed settings (5, 7.5, 10, 15, 17.5, 20, 25, 27.5, 30, 35, 37.5, 40, 45, 47.5, and 50 lb). PowerBlock’s chart labels separate Stage 2 and Stage 3 kits for settings through 70 and 90 lb, respectively.[2, 3]

What this changes: Use the exact schedules to check whether both the base pair and any intended expansion cover the planned loads. No exercise outcome or quality advantage follows from the listed ranges.[1, 2, 3]

The better fit depends on your priorities

Weight Selection Routine

BowFlex Results Series 552 SelectTech Dumbbells (Pair)

Manufacturer describes selecting settings with adjustment dials.[1]

PowerBlock Elite EXP Stage 1 Adjustable Dumbbells (Pair)

Official instructions describe a selector pin and removable micro-weights; changing micro-weights involves opening the handle's Auto Lock, moving weights, closing it, and returning the handle to the stack.[3]

What this changes: The systems ask the user to follow different documented steps when setting a load; the sources do not compare adjustment speed or ease.[1, 3]

The better fit depends on your priorities

Best for your routine

A buyer whose planned per-hand loads fit the Results Series 552 chart and who prefers choosing a setting with dials.

Best fit: BowFlex Results Series 552 SelectTech Dumbbells (Pair)

Based on listed features, not comparative testing.

Its published schedule reaches 52.5 lb per dumbbell and the manufacturer describes dial-based weight selection.

View BowFlex Results Series 552 SelectTech Dumbbells (Pair) on AmazonPaid link

A buyer whose current loads fit Elite EXP Stage 1 and who values PowerBlock's separately purchased expansion stages.

Best fit: PowerBlock Elite EXP Stage 1 Adjustable Dumbbells (Pair)

Based on listed features, not comparative testing.

The Stage 1 schedule reaches 50 lb per hand, and PowerBlock documents separate Stage 2 and Stage 3 kits for higher ranges.

View PowerBlock Elite EXP Stage 1 Adjustable Dumbbells (Pair) on AmazonPaid link

Value and trade-offs

One or both observed offers have eligibility conditions, so no unrestricted price difference is shown.

No premium interpretation is made because current offers and price history were not assessed.

Current offers and price history were not assessed; no purchase-timing guidance is provided.

Limitations

  • This comparison uses published weight schedules and manufacturer-described selection steps. It does not establish which pair adjusts faster, feels more comfortable, performs better in exercise, or lasts longer.
  • The stage expansion amounts are separate PowerBlock kits; the assigned Elite EXP Stage 1 pair does not include Stages 2 or 3.
  • Check that a listing is for the current Results Series 552 pair or the Elite EXP Stage 1 pair before purchase. Older SelectTech 552 references do not establish facts about this Results Series model.

Questions shoppers ask

Does the PowerBlock Elite EXP Stage 1 pair include the 70 lb or 90 lb stages?

No. PowerBlock's range guide marks Stage 2 as required for settings through 70 lb and Stage 3 as required for settings through 90 lb. The Stage 1 pair is the base set, so those expansion kits are separate.

Which pair has the higher listed base-set maximum?

BowFlex lists the Results Series 552 at 52.5 lb per dumbbell; PowerBlock lists Elite EXP Stage 1 through 50 lb per hand. Compare the exact settings you need rather than treating the 2.5 lb difference as a performance advantage.

Methodology and sources

Compared the two named pair configurations using their published per-hand weight schedules, stated expansion-stage requirements, and described weight-selection steps. Older SelectTech 552 manuals and recall records were not used as evidence about the Results Series model.

AI-assisted research and writing; no hands-on or controlled side-by-side test was conducted.

View 3 sources
  1. 1.BowFlex Results Series 552 SelectTech DumbbellsBowFlex · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-16 20:07 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Product overview and Specs: weight range, pair packaging, dial-selection description and 15-setting chart.: The current Results Series 552 page states that the pair is sold as a pair, adjusts from 5 to 52.5 lb per dumbbell, uses selection dials, and lists 15 settings per dumbbell.
  2. 2.Elite EXP Adjustable DumbbellsPowerBlock · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-16 20:07 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Elite EXP Stage 1 variant with SKU 501-00096-01; description, Choose Your Weight, and included Stage 1 components.: The manufacturer identifies the 22.7 kg Elite EXP variant as SKU 501-00096-01, labels it Stage 1, and lists the included pair, plates, four micro-weights, and two selector pins.
  3. 3.Elite EXP Weight Range GuidePowerBlock · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-16 20:07 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • How to Adjust Your Micro Weights; lbs conversion chart; Color Bands at each weight.: The official Elite EXP guide gives the Stage 1 weight progression through 50 lb, describes micro-weight selection and selector-pin steps, and labels the 70 and 90 lb rails as requiring Stage 2 and Stage 3 expansion kits.

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