At Home Gym experts we love a bargain. But we also HATE cheap, wobbly gym gear. Before thinking of heading to eBay, or hunting down some used gym equipment, you might want to take a look at some of the cheap multi-gyms you get new around the UK. This guide will take an in-depth look at some of the better low-cost all-in-one machines out there in the interwebs, weighing up their pros and cons.
In this guide, we’re also on the hunt for a multi-gym that will go easy on the wallet too. If you’re shopping for your new home gym on a shoe-string, this guide is for you.
Top Budget-Price Home Gym’s 2023
Top Multi-gym Sportstech |  | "Sportstech's home gym is compact and as tough as they come. It's one of the more sturdy gyms out there and has a ton of possible different exercises."
| Amazon UK |
Runner up Fit4home 7005 |  | "This compact multi-gym has tens of exercises you can do and is extremely well-made."
| Amazon UK |
Iron Man IM-409 |  |
| UK Sport Imports |
TecTake Fitness |  |
| Amazon UK |
DKN Studio 7400 |  |
| Amazon UK |
What do we mean by multi-gym?
For the purposes of this training gear round-up, we’ll be looking for some home gym equipment that fits the categories below:
- Has it’s own adjustable weight stack
- Does an all-over body workout
- Works both upper body and legs
- Uses pulleys rather than having to apply ‘plate’ style weights
- Preferably doesn’t hog loads of room
So let’s get started!
Sportstech has proved to be one of our favourite companies when it comes to making high-quality home gym gear without breaking your bank. The HGX100 is a cheap multi-gym for the home that highlights what they do best. You’re getting a really solid bit of kit here that provides a safe, easy way to get a full-body workout in. It’s also extremely compact.
We’re big fans of Sportstech gear. Everything they make is consistently near or at the top of the pack when it comes to performance, and this multigym is no exception.
Covers all the main stations a gym needs
The clear illustrations on the rear of this gym make it super-easy to see what you’re meant to be doing. And it’s something we wish more gyms included. As for the stations themselves, the major ones: pec deck, pull-downs, preacher curl and leg extensions are all implemented beautifully here.
Excellent quality throughout
Incredibly sturdy and well built, it’s a solid piece of kit that’s built around a 55kg weight stack, which is a decent mid-range figure. It’s not in the same league as our top pick, the York Perform, but it’s still more than enough.
Everything on the machine is high quality, with particular attention paid to the cables and pulleys. These are the parts that tend to give first, especially on cheaper systems, so the care and extra value spent here will pay itself back one hundred times.
In use, it’s very comfortable, with all working parts heavily padded using thick EVA foam, and the station variety is impressive, with over 30 different exercise variations, including the usual lat pulls, chest station, leg station, but also a whole bunch of different cable stations that you don’t see on cheaper multigyms.
Compact, narrow form
In terms of space, it’s very long, but also very narrow. This gives it a profile that’s surprisingly easy to fit into a home, as it can sit next to a wall without extending out into the room as far as other options might.
Finally, it’s simple to put together, and Sportstech offers a whole bunch of online videos and a training booklet to give you ideas about how to use your new piece of kit, so you’ll never get bored or run out of ideas.
Verdict: The quality of this home gym is up there with the best. Everything from the seat padding to the frame itself is rock-solid. A brilliant home gym.
- Very sturdy, suitable for family use
- Large variety of exercise options
- Compact and doesn’t take up much space
- Easy to build
- Very comfortable
- Weight stack could be heavier
#2 – Fit4home 7005 Professional Home Gym (Amazon UK)
One of the most important things to look for in a gym is that it’s not going to wobble all over the place when you’re using it. This low cost multi-gym has the quality the brand is known for. It’s a sound compact gym that will be right at home in a spare room or single garage, without taking up too much room.
The weight stack is 68kg which is ideal for anyone looking to build muscle at home. Having said that, if you’re a power lifter you might find the top weight available isn’t enough for your needs. For new to intermediate users looking to build strength, this cheap multi should be perfect.
Let’s talk about what this gym can do. All the major ones are covered here – pec-fly, bench press, leg extension, lat pull-downs and a decent preacher bench is built into the front. You’ve also got a curvy ab bench to work on your six pack. It’s good having separate stations to break things up and add some variation in.
You’ve also got a good quality (if high-up) dip station. It also does knee raises although you’ll not thank us when you’ve done a few inclined sit-ups. You’ll be feeling your abs for days.
One of the real ‘pros’ to this one is the built in boxing station. Fancy yourself as a bit of a Rocky? Or just want to get a sweat on fast? This multi-gym has you covered. In all seriousness, if you’ve not discovered the joys of hitting a big bag, then we can’t recommend it enough for fitness and self defense. Grab a pair of bag mitts though – skinned knuckles aren’t a great look.
Verdict: Fit4Home’s 7005 budget-priced entry into the home multi-gym market is well worth a look. Excellent quality and a range of great exercises should put it on your shortlist.
- Good choice of exercises
- Good choice for family use
- Great 20kg punch bag
- Dip, knee raise and abs station
- Good value for money
- Instructions could be more clear
- Preacher curls won’t fit every body shape – especially taller people
Related Guides
- Get More From Your Gear: How To Use Multi-Gym Equipment
- What is the Best Marcy Home Gym in 2023?
- The Definitive 2023 Multi-Gym Buyers Guide
- Top 5 Multi-Gyms To Get In Shape in 2023
- Multi Gym With A Punching Bag
#3 – Iron Man IM-409 3 Station Home Multi Gym (UK Sports Imports)
Coming in under £500, the IronMan IM-409 is one of the cheaper multi-gyms out today and offers several separate places to workout:
- Forward station (pec-dec, preacher curls, pull-downs etc…)
- Dip station (with knee raise)
- Curved ab board
- Press-up station
All the major exercises are included here including seated pec dec, lat pull-downs, preacher curls and bench press. It’s worth noting that the pec-flys and bench press use the same bar and require a bit of tweaking to change over. Not a great hassle and expected at this cheaper price point.
There’s leg extensions but the padding here could have been a little thicker, still they’re perfectly workable. And the 65kg weight stack will likely be more than enough for anyone looking to get in shape at home.
The IronMan has a wide base and is relatively stable to use. On the downside, this comes at a cost of floor space. And to use the push-up station opposite the ad bench, you’ll need extra room there too.
The ab board actually folds up, freeing up the space for other exercises, but there’s no reason not to leave it out. And the inclined (and curved) ab bench is way better than doing hours of the flat variety. You’ll see faster gains (and sore abs) faster using it.
Verdict: Considering the price, there’s a good selection of stuff you can use to build your body with the IronMan gym. The ab board makes for some intense ab workouts and having a proper dip station is fantastic.
- Three completely different stations
- All the important exercises covered
- Decent 65kg weight stack
- Good design
- Good budget price
- You’ll need plenty of room, especially for the press-up station
- It’s easier to do press-ups with dumbbells
- Included dumbbells are only 1.5kg
#4 – TecTake Fitness Power Station (Amazon UK)
Another cheap home multi-gym that’s worth your attention is the TecTake Fitness Power Station. With an 40kg stack, it’s ideal for beginners up to intermediate users. This is a compact gym with a footprint of around 160cm long by a metre wide. Pretty impressive.
You’ve got a good selection of exercise here including the lateral pull-down, a good pec dec and bench press, and leg and bicep too – although there’s sadly no preacher curl bar. The weight stack goes up in increments of 4.5 kg, which is a small enough increment to get used to upping your weight.
Verdict: While you might not be familiar with the brand name, don’t overlook this spiffy compact gym from TekTake. It’s got a compact size and enough space and enough weight for anyone looking to get in shape at home.
- Train your quadriceps, biceps, chest & shoulders
- Super-cheap
- Compact size
- Good quality parts and finish
- Two hour assembly
- Thin padding on leg extension
- Only 40kg stack
#5 – DKN Studio 7400 (Amazon UK)
Sticking out proudly at the budget end of our cheap multi-gym guide is the DKN Studio 7400. You can usually find this bit of kit at a good budget price and it has some pretty cool features for the cost.
Aside from being a decent looking home gym, especially with the mesh style stack cover at the rear, you can get a fairly sound range of exercises in your workout. You can perform Bench Press, Lat Pulldown (Front and Back), Pec Dec, Leg Extension, Back Leg Curls, Upright Rows.
The only downside is the leg extension shares the same mechanism as the rows, so you’ll have to swap this yourself.
The construction is the normal tubular steel affair we’ve come to expect from home gyms, but it’s solid enough and comes with a fixed 80kg weight stack. It’s worth noting that the stack goes up in increments of a full 5kg at a time, which is pretty hefty jumps and might be too much for some users.
Size-wise there’s both good and bad news here. This budget home gym is compact enough to fit into a small spare room or garage, with a footprint of 140cm x 95cm. However it’s not quite big enough for users pushing up to 6 foot and taller. It’s ideal for females though, or men under that height.
Verdict: This is a good quality home gym that offers a wide range of exercises and a true all-over-body workout.
- Good looking home gym
- Mesh cover makes it safer
- Compact size
- Decent range of exercises
- Around 6 hours assembly time
- Leg curling too short for taller people
Hunting The Perfect Cheap Multi-gym
Some handy stuff to know about owing a multigym for home
Measure up – There’s really no standard size when it comes to multi-gyms
Some tips on assembling your new gym
So, you’ve picked the perfect multi-gym and now it’s time to get this baby set up. Here are a few quick tips on assembling your equipment that might save you a bit of time and frustration.
Set aside enough time – you might need it – I’m not going to sugar coat it; multi-gyms are one of the more intricate bits of home gym gear you can put together yourself.
Depending on which all-in-one you go for, you can expect to spend from 3 hours to 6 hours putting your new gym together before you can hop on and do a few sets of any exercise.
Standard assembly SOP – lay everything out – It’s always tempting to get stuck in, especially with a job as daunting as knocking together a home gym. But it can really pay off to get everything out of the box and lay the bits out on the floor. The parts will normally be labelled A-to-F (or a similar system) and there will be a LOT of them. Multi-gyms have a lot of cables, pulleys, massive metal tubes and cushions. It’s easy to get them mixed up.
Open your screws and keep them safe – Another little sanity saver when it comes to assembling your new home gym is to
Bring along a friend – It can definitely help to have someone with you to help figure out how to put your new gym together. (Especially if they’re one of those people who love DIY and can save you some time).
Bribing a friend or family member to help assemble your gym with cups of tea and promises of a free workout once it’s built is a good way to save some time valuable time building it.
Look for an assembly video – Some multi-gyms have handy assembly videos on youtube (often available via a code you can scan on your phone). These step-by-step guides can make life a bit easier and show you what goes where, far easier than one of those diagrams, or a manual with a zillion steps in it.
Search Youtube for your gym’s model name, or drop a quick message to their support to see if they’ve got one.
Recommended exercise stations
The range of home gyms you can buy is pretty staggering. Everything from company all-in-ones to whopping multi-station gyms that would give any commercial gym a run for its money. Some have punch bags, come work your legs, others don’t. There’s really no standard set of equipment that each has.
Many home gyms can have many variations of exercises you can perform but here are our recommendations for the core ones you should aim for in your new gear. What are the main exercise stations you should look for? After all, the idea here is to own one bit of kit that works your entire body.
#1 – Biceps & Preacher curl
Your upper arm muscles don’t need anything fancy to do the job. It is after all a simple hinge joint that can be trained with one exercise station. In multi-gyms, biceps are usually taken care of with a sit-down preacher bar, where you lean over, grab a bar connected to the stack via a cable and perform curls. Most will have this but double-check as it’s a great way to work your ‘guns’.
#2 – Lateral pull down
This is another staple you’ll normally find in any multi-gym worth its salt. Look for a horizontal bar that you grab with both hands and pull down behind your back. This massive exercise works everything from your upper back to lower back, arm muscles, core and even abs. It’s a little like doing a pull-up but has the advantage that you can start light on your weight stack and build up. A fantastic exercise that will make a big difference to your body.
#3 – Chest – pec fly
This is another important exercise that you should be able to do on any budget multi-gym. It’s a seated exercise where you’ll grab two handles and curl the weight inwards so that your forearms come close to each other. It’s a chest (or pec) isolation exercise that’s hard to mimic if you don’t own a home gym. It will also work your core. You can often change direction on the seat and reverse the exercise so that it works your back muscles more too.
#4 – Leg extension
This exercise station isn’t present on every multi-gym, especially the smaller, company and cheaper ones but it’s good if you can find it, and they’ve implemented it well. It’s basically a seated exercise where you tuck your feet under a bar and extend your legs out. It works the backs and front of your legs and is really good at building up those quad muscles and giving some thickness to your upper legs.
#5 – Bench press
One of the main things a decent cheap multi-gym should have is a proper bench press. A lot of people think of the bench press as chest only, but you’ll be working out your core, all arm muscles, upper and lower back as well as your chest. It’s a seated exercise where you grab two handles and then extend your arms forwards. This is an incredible exercise that will increase your upper body strength and size gradually as you move up the weight stack.
If you’ve got any more questions, or there’s anything we can help on, please get in touch, or post in the comments.
