Home Gym Spending Soars: Coach Warns Against Dust-Covered Expensive Machines

Americans are pouring money into health and wellness, research confirms, and the price tag can skyrocket into the thousands for some home gym owners. A YouGov poll from September 2026 shows that 31% of Americans spent more on these habits than they did a year ago. Another 20% expect their spending to rise in the coming year. Meanwhile, Garage Gym Experiment, an online hub for fitness enthusiasts, found that 44% of its members planned to spend at least $1,000 on home gyms this year alone.

Building a solid home gym does not have to drain your wallet, says Jacob Zemer, a New York-based fitness coach. The real money sink might not be a specific machine but rather anything that eats up floor space and resists daily use. Zemer spoke with Fox News Digital about what buys results and what simply collects dust.

"A lot of people think building a home gym requires an elaborate setup, and it doesn't," Zemer said. If you are starting from scratch, he advises picking a few affordable pieces first and adding to the collection over time. "You can accomplish everything for every muscle group with just three items," he added.

The top three essentials start with bands. Exercise bands offer incredible value because they cost very little. They work wonders for beginners entering strength training too. You can do everything you need with them alone, and you can pack them in a suitcase or carry them to a hotel room on a plane, making them highly versatile.

Dumbbells come second, but space is the key factor here. If your home gym sits in a multi-purpose room, keep that footprint in mind. Adjustable dumbbells save floor space well enough, though they cost more and can be slightly fragile. Beginners should focus on mastering form and picking a weight that makes those final reps feel tough. Progress does not always mean buying heavier weights. "Pushing yourself doesn't mean adding 20 pounds, it could mean doing one more rep," Zemer said. You must keep getting stronger because your body will adapt to whatever stimulus you apply. Once high-rep sets become easy, then consider lifting heavier loads.

A bench rounds out the trio. Some exercises feel limited when you are lying on the floor or standing still. "You can get quite an affordable bench online," he said. Look for one that declines and inclines, perhaps even sitting completely upright to give you maximum flexibility.

The biggest waste happens with gear you never touch. Before buying anything, ask yourself how much room it needs, which exercises it supports, and whether you will use it consistently. Equipment that is bulky, hard to move, or takes too long to set up often becomes an expensive mistake. "The most important thing is that it's quick and easy to set up, easy to grab and therefore more likely to be used," he said. The more setup required, the less likely you will use it. Zemer learned this lesson after purchasing lever arms designed for power racks. These attachments move up and down for presses, rows, and squats, but they proved difficult to manage in his own space.

The gear was too heavy to haul around, so he ended up selling it on the secondhand market. Zemer warned that this specific marketplace is brutal because unused items lose almost all their value quickly. He advises buyers to focus on tools with multiple functions instead of machines built for just one muscle group. "I always look for equipment that can do multiple things," he said, noting that many folks mistakenly believe a home gym needs an elaborate setup when it really does not.

Do you actually need cardio gear? According to the trainer, it is not essential for everyone, especially those who are mobile enough to get moving elsewhere. Many people can spike their heart rate simply by walking or running, or even by pushing through strength-training sets at a faster pace. For those who still prefer a dedicated machine, Zemer suggests picking something versatile that won't aggravate the knees or back. A stationary bike or ski erg fits this description well because they simulate cross-country skiing motion without the joint strain.