Experts Say These Are The 36 Most Effective Home Fitness Products On Amazon Under $40

This highly rated yoga mat has over 1,000 fans on Amazon, and Andrea Rogers, founder of international brand Xtend Barre, agrees: "This is such a great mat for your at-home practice. It's just thick enough to give support but thin enough to allow for stability in standing moves," says Rogers. "It cleans up nicely and also has two sides, which allows for two color options to suit your style or mood!" Choose from gray, ocean, purple, and red.

Rogers also recommends this portable foot roller to soothe tired, achy feet. "This little tool is a part of my daily repertoire! I use this to roll out my arches and soothe out any tightness in my feet," she says. "I highly recommend this to give your feet a little TLC!"

To save space in your home gym, Rogers likes this adjustable dumbbell set. "I love this concept — instead of buying multiple sets of weights, you can have one set that you can customize to increase or decrease the weight from 2.2 pounds to 4.4 pounds." Rogers is also a fan of the design and pastel colors — you can choose from green and blue.

This acupressure mat and pillow set, also recommended by Rogers, has more than 26,000 reviews on Amazon. "I use this mat weekly to decrease tension in the body and focus on body alignment. It's a wonderful simple tool to help relax muscles, stimulate nerves and improve blood circulation," she says. It's available in 14 colors, including purple, black, and pink.

Dasha Einhorn, a yoga and Pilates instructor, favors this nonslip exercise ball because it comes in different sizes based on height. Another plus: The ball comes with a pump, so it's easy to inflate and deflate as needed for convenient storage. Choose from six colors and five sizes, ranging from small to XX-large.

Einhorn also recommends this mini exercise ball for Pilates and barre classes, noting that "core workouts will never be the same." The affordable mini exercise ball is available in three colors — purple, pink, and blue — and comes with a portable pump, so it's easy to inflate and deflate as needed.

According to Einhorn, these exercise sliders and jump rope are a "great option to add stability and balance exercises to your routine." The two-sided sliders work on wood floors and carpets, and the set is easy to stash in your bag when traveling, so you can keep up with your workouts, no matter where you are.

Maddy Ciccone, a master SoulCycle instructor, loves the compact, grippy design of these Egg Weights that "pack a punch." She notes that the smaller size makes them easier to hold than regular weights, and recommends using them on walks, jogs, or while doing boxing workouts. Exercise aficionados agree; the weights have earned an impressive 4.8-star overall rating after more than 1,600 reviews.

Keegan Draper is a fitness specialist for the wellness app Mindbody, where you can book virtual and in-person fitness and beauty services, and she calls the cast iron kettlebell an "all-time favorite piece of equipment." The kettlebell is available in 10 weights, ranging from 10 to 60 pounds, and Draper says, "Many things you can do with dumbbells you can actually do with kettlebells and then more. These are great for swings, HIIT workouts, and really focusing on form."

For another versatile piece of equipment, Draper also recommends this slam ball. "You can do almost everything you would with a normal medicine ball, but then you can do all your throws, slams. and more explosive movements that a medicine ball may be too bouncy for," says Draper. Choose from 6, 15, 20, and 35 pounds.

Paul Johnson, founder of the triathlon blog Complete Tri, calls resistance bands "one of the most versatile, yet underrated, pieces of gear out there." Johnson loves that resistance bands take up little space and are easy to use anywhere, including in hotel rooms while you're traveling, and recommends buying a set with multiple resistance levels "so you can adjust accordingly, just like you would with weight training." This stackable set includes five color-coded resistance levels, ranging from 10 to 50 pounds.

The Cuff ankle and wrist weight is highly rated by Amazon reviewers, and Katelyn DiGiorgio, vice president of training and technique at Pure Barre, recommends incorporating it into low-impact and strength-training workouts: "They are really durable and made of an easy-to-clean vinyl material, unlike old school sandbag ankle weights that end up holding sweat." Choose from 20 color-coded weights, ranging from 0.25 to 25 pounds.

DiGiorgio also favors a set of hand weights that can be added into many strength-training workouts, and this set comes in 13 color-coded options, ranging from 1 to 20 pounds. "At Pure Barre we love to pair 2-pound or 3-pound weights with high repetition arm exercises to strengthen and tone the upper body," says DiGiorgio.

According to Leada Malek, a board-certified sports physical therapist, yoga blocks might be the some of the most underrated pieces of home exercise equipment. Malek says you can use the durable and supportive Gaiam yoga block set to "help modify yoga poses or use them for mobility work." Lightweight and versatile, they're available in four colors: deep purple, black, gray, and vivid blue.

As an alternative to traditional foam rolling, Malek suggests using the TheraBand roller massager on muscles to "help reduce feelings of tightness, improve mobility, and improve recovery." The 21-inch massage stick has a ridged exterior and works like a rolling pin to knead away tension and soreness.

When it comes to pull-up bars, Jeff Parke, owner of Top Fitness Magazine, opts for this versatile one from Perfect Fitness: "The grips extend to the outsides of your doorframe, not inside it like most others." He also notes that this versatile product can be used on the floor for sit-ups, push-ups, and dips. Choose from sport, pro, and elite styles.

To build core strength, Nofisat Almaroof, M.D., a board-certified family physician and holistic fitness coach, recommends an ab roller: "It’s one of the few, if not only, home exercise tools that will completely work your entire abdominal area. The slow and concentrated movement also helps you build core stability, repair weak abdominal muscles, and exercise your abs with both concentric and eccentric technique."

Want to add an element of surprise to your workouts? Chris Higgins, a certified trainer and founder of calisthenics-gear.com, suggests using this set of workout dice: "The concept is to let fate decide which routines you'll do and for how long." Several of the dice have exercises like jumping jacks, crunches, or lunges, while another die offers various instructions, like "10 reps" or "30 seconds." "It's literally like surprising yourself each time you decide to work out," says Higgins.

For at-home Pilates, this highly rated resistance ring is recommended by Joy Puleo, a certified Pilates instructor and the education program manager with Balanced Body. For upper body strengthening, the flexible ring can be placed between your hands and gently squeezed while incorporating small movements, but you can also position it between the legs while performing curls for "inner thigh benefits" and to "maximize core training." Choose from 12- and 15-inch sizes.

Another pick from Puleo: the Balanced Body precision rotator disc, which improves core strength, balance, and alignment when you're performing squats and lunges. You'll be challenged to keep the disc from rotating, which, in Puleo's words, "lights up the inner thighs and the core." The durable disc comes in 9- and 12-inch sizes, and you can choose from zero, light, or heavy resistance.

Niki Campbell, a health and wellness consultant who founded The Flourish Group, is a fan of this weighted workout vest: "It’s easy to wear and provides challenging resistance for walking workouts without being overwhelming," says Campbell. The breathable vest has comfy padded shoulders and a mesh storage pocket, and it comes in seven weights, ranging from 4 to 30 pounds.

These dual-sided glider discs come recommended by John Fawkes, a certified personal trainer and editor at The Unwinder: "It's especially great for core workouts as well as staples like lunge and pushup variations. Dedicated gliders like these ensure you aren't battling choppy friction while doing core and strength work." The sliders are textured on one side to keep your feet or hands in place, and smooth on the other, so they slide easily on floors without friction.

A set of color-coded resistance bands can be great for anything from squats, to kickbacks, to chest press. This set of 11 come in five different resistance levels, and come with ankle straps, handles, a door anchor, and a travel case, so you can take them with you anywhere you go.

To strengthen your legs and core and improve posture, Jonathan Frey, CMO of Urban Bikes Direct, suggests using a portable pedal exerciser. Frey points out that this exerciser is a great space-saving alternative to a stationary bike, and it makes it easy to squeeze in a workout: "It can be tough to find time for a ride around the neighborhood when you work long hours from home, but there's no reason you can't bike indoors while you answer emails."

Robert Lemus, a certified trainer, bodybuilder, and editor of Simple Fitness Hub, is a fan of these dumbbell exercise cards that add a "fun twist to working out." You can select specific cards to target certain muscle groups you're working, or choose one at random for something unexpected. The deck comes with 50 cards, and you can choose from three volumes to spice up your routine.

For another fun way to work out, Lemus suggests this colorful weighted fitness hoop: "In the time it takes for your morning coffee to brew, you can get your daily workout in by using a weighted fitness hoop that targets your core ... in just 5 minutes per day," Lemus says.

Alex Davis, co-creator of Ryan + Alex Duo Life, recommends building upper body strength with this pull-up assistance system. "This adjustable band allows you to reduce the weight you are lifting during a pull-up to get more out of your workouts," Davis says. "Once you’re able to do a half dozen easily, you adjust the band to add more weight for your upper body to lift."

According to Liam Coultman, a sprint coach and certified athletic performance specialist, these parallettes are an excellent way to add fun new moves to your workout. They simulate gymnastic-style parallel bars, and you can use them to "develop upper body and core strength, whilst also easing the pressure placed on the wrists when performing exercises such as push-ups and dips," says Coultman. The set comes in two sizes and four colors — pink, black, violet, and yellow.

Heather Jeffcoat, physical therapist and owner of Fusion Wellness & Physical Therapy, is a fan of this yoga stretching strap — and thousands of Amazon reviewers agree, having awarded it a 4.7-star overall rating. The durable strap helps you stretch and warm up before workouts, and it provides stability during yoga poses. There are six colors to choose from, including green, black, and purple, and a storage bag is included for easy portability.

Jeffcoat also recommends these wobble cushions for strength and stability training. The two-pack of discs come pre-inflated — and a pump is included for adjustments — and you can use them while standing or sitting to engage the core and improve balance and posture. Choose from four colors: red, purple, blue, and black.

This high-density foam roller is a bestseller on Amazon, and Jeffcoat favors it, too: "These are great for doing basic postural exercises, upper and lower body stretches and advanced core stabilization techniques." The lightweight roller comes in 12-, 18-, 24-, and 36-inch sizes, as well as seven colors and styles.

This aerial yoga hammock, another recommendation from Jeffcoat, allows you to practice inversions and other postures while putting less strain on your joints and spine. The hammock is made from durable parachute fabric and comes with foam handles and carabiners, but you'll need to purchase mounting hardware separately. Choose from purple, blue, and black.

For another way to practice strength and stability training, Jeffcoat suggests this foam balance pad. The lightweight pad has a durable, nonslip surface, and the soft foam creates instability during exercises to help improve your balance, strength, and coordination. The pad comes in two sizes and five colors, including purple, red, and black.

James de Lacey, a strength and conditioning coach for elite and international athletes, says these expand-your-hand bands "should be a staple in everyone's home fitness products." The color-coded bands offer five levels of resistance to reduce and prevent wrist and elbow pain, which, as de Lacey notes, is especially common for those who work at a desk all day. "These bands train the opposite movement and provide balance in the forearm muscles which often relieves any wrist and elbow pain."

Michael Slowak, a certified trainer and co-founder of a boxing training website, says these reflex balls provide a unique challenge that's "fun and addictive," which means you're more likely to use them consistently. The set includes two adjustable headbands and color-coded reflex balls that engage your timing and hand-eye coordination skills, and you can compete with someone to see who can land more consecutive punches.

This adjustable laptop stand makes it easy to work on your feet, and it's recommended by Shana Schneider, creator of Fitstyle Your Life, who uses it at home: "This allows us to be active even while we work in the kitchen, bedroom, or other room of the house." The lightweight aluminum stand is height- and angle-adjustable, and there's a built-in mouse pad, plus cooling fans. Even better, the stand collapses for compact storage and portability.