Giselle Castro-Sloboda Giselle Castro-SlobodaFitness and Nutrition Writer
I’m a Fitness & Nutrition writer for CNET who enjoys reviewing the latest fitness gadgets, testing out activewear and sneakers, as well as debunking wellness myths. On my spare time I enjoy cooking new recipes, going for a scenic run, hitting the weight room, or binge-watching many TV shows at once. I am a former personal trainer and still enjoy learning and brushing up on my training knowledge from time to time. I’ve had my wellness and lifestyle content published in various online publications such as: Women’s Health, Shape, Healthline, Popsugar and more.
ExpertiseFitness and Wellness
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When it comes to picking the best pull-up bar for your home, there are a ton of options to choose from. The different styles include doorway, wall or ceiling-mounted and freestanding bars, and each style has different benefits. For example, a doorway pull-up bar is cheaper, and makes more sense if you live in a small apartment and are on a budget. Mounted pull-up bars are a bit more permanent, since they typically need to be drilled into the wall or ceiling for a more secure feeling. Freestanding pull-up bars (also known as power towers) take up more space. They’re best for those who have the room and want a versatile option that can also be used for other exercises such as knee raises, push ups or tricep dips.
Regardless of your budget or space, there’s a pull-up bar that will make a positive addition to your home gym. I rounded up some of the best pull-up bars available for home use, based on hundreds of customer reviews, brand reputability and durability.
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The Iron Age pull-up bar instantly attaches to your door frame and provides two different bar heights. This makes it easier for taller people to do pull-ups without bending their knees. This bar has protective pads to prevent scratching or damaging your doorframe. It can hold up to 400 pounds and can fit in doorways up to 36.22 inches wide.
Customers say installing the bar is easy — it takes as little as 15 seconds to prop up and is easy to store. Reviewers agree that this bar is sturdy enough to hold a lot of weight and designed to make pull-ups more comfortable. If you’re looking for a doorway pull-up bar as a space-saving or starter piece of gear, then this is a great option to start out with.
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Iron Age Pull Up Bar Doorway
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The Iron Age pull-up bar instantly attaches to your door frame and provides two different bar heights. This makes it easier for taller people to do pull-ups without bending their knees. This bar has protective pads to prevent scratching or damaging your doorframe. It can hold up to 400 pounds and can fit in doorways up to 36.22 inches wide.
Customers say installing the bar is easy — it takes as little as 15 seconds to prop up and is easy to store. Reviewers agree that this bar is sturdy enough to hold a lot of weight and designed to make pull-ups more comfortable. If you’re looking for a doorway pull-up bar as a space-saving or starter piece of gear, then this is a great option to start out with.
Having multiple grips on your pull-up bar is a game changer if you’re looking to target different muscles. The Pro-SourceFit bar can help you achieve just that thanks to its many grip options. The steel bar fits a standard door frame (36 inches wide) and can support up to 300 pounds.
Its grips allow you to do close grip, wide grip or neutral grip pull ups, as well as chin ups, sit ups and push ups. If you’d like extra security, the bar packaging includes optional wall mount brackets and foam covers for outer handles to protect door frames.
People who bought this pull-up bar like that it’s inexpensive, sturdy and serves its purpose, allowing for a variety of pull ups and other exercises. Although some complained that this bar can scratch and damage their doorways, they remedied the issue by adding the included protective foam covers or towels on the outer handles.
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Pro-SourceFit Multi-Use Doorway Chin-Up/Pull-Up Bar
For extra security when doing pull-ups, a wall-mounted bar is your best bet. One thing to keep in mind is that you’ll want to choose a wall or ceiling area that can fit a 53.5 inch bar and can also support the 34-inch bracket depth. This bar from Titan can support up to 500 pounds, making it an ideal option if you’re using it for kipping pull-ups or want to add gymnastics rings and resistance bands.
This bar is well-rated on Amazon and is a favorite even among commercial gym owners. One reviewer who owns a CrossFit gym said this is a better deal compared to what competitor manufacturers have to offer. He wrote, “I just purchased eight sets and will be purchasing five more and highly recommend it for anyone looking to add stations at an unbelievably low price.” He adds that it also saves up floor space instead of buying another rig that serves the same purpose.
If you have the space and high ceilings, a ceiling-mounted pull-up bar is a good option to add to your home gym. This Gronk Fitness ceiling-mounted bar is 48 inches wide, sturdy enough to hold up to 800 pounds and looks sleek in any home gym or fitness facility. Once installed, it can easily hold a suspension trainer, gymnastics rings or resistance bands.
One satisfied customer said he turned his Gronk pull-up bar into his own dual bar. He did this by buying a second one and drilling it into the original to create the option of a high and low bar. One drawback to this bar is that people with smaller hands might find its diameter too big. Therefore, it’s better suited for people with larger hands. Installation can also be tough if you do it on your own because of the weight and size of the bar — call a friend for help when you set it up.
Compared to the rest of the pull-up bars on this list, this is the most expensive and takes up the most space. Power towers are freestanding pull-up bars that are versatile enough to do vertical knee raises, push-ups, tricep dips and pull-ups. If you have the room and budget for one, this adjustable power tower from Sportsroyals is worth the price. It can stand up to 7 feet tall and can support up to 400 pounds.
Customer reviews show that this power tower is heavy duty, easy to adjust to your height and easy to assemble. Note that only standard pull ups are recommended on this tower. So if you’re a Crossfitter looking to practice kipping pull ups, you’d fare better with a mounted wall or ceiling pull-up bar.
Giselle Castro-Sloboda Fitness and Nutrition Writer
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