The best pull up bar overall
The Garren Fitness Maximiza Pull Up Bar is made of chrome steel and comes with three sets of mounting hardware. Two of the sets can support up to 300 pounds of weight. The medium-duty door mount can support 150 pounds and is not recommended for use above waist height.
You can also use the bar without door mounts for sit-up foot support and other light exercises. The bar is adjustable and fits doorways between 26 and 36 inches wide, and it can be installed so that you can still close the door.
The bar features non-slip, extra-long foam grips. Garren Fitness cautions against using the Maximiza for gymnastics, and they suggest applying your weight cautiously during the first few exercises to ensure the bar is safely installed (a smart practice with any pull up bar.) Garren Fitness provides a “100% Satisfaction Guarantee” so you can get a no-questions-asked full refund if you are not satisfied.
We Weight took the Garren Fitness Maximiza Pull Up Bar for a test drive and appreciated how unobtrusive it is, that it’s sturdy and strong, the grips are non-slip, and you can easily readjust the bar. Healthier Land included this model on its list of the top pull-up bars because it’s heavy duty, affordable, and can hold up to 300 pounds. However, the reviewer didn’t like that there was drilling involved for installation.
Around 90% of the people who reviewed the Garren Fitness pull-up bar on Amazon gave it a four- or five-star rating. We encourage you to read the customer reviews on Amazon because some of them are fairly entertaining. Buyers like how easy it is to install, though it may take a little work to get it to the right length. There are several buyers who use it on a daily basis and have not had any problems with it, though there are some reports of the foam grips wearing thin over time.
Pros: Comfortable foam grips, unobtrusive, solidly built
Cons: Installation requires drilling into door jamb, foam grips may wear from heavy-duty use
Buy the Garren Fitness Maximiza Pull Up Bar on Amazon for $36.98 (originally $55)The best ceiling-mounted pull up bar
The Ceiling Mounted Pull Up Bar from Ultimate Body Press has three high-density foam grip positions for standard, wide-grip, and 20-inch parallel-grip pull-ups or chin-ups. This model has a powder-coat finish for added durability. The 14-inch reversible risers are designed to fit either 16- or 24-inch joists.
The mounting kit comes with instructions, a template, and mounting hardware. You will need a drill, tape or pencil, and a step ladder. Ultimate Body Press offers a fairly nebulous 100% satisfaction guarantee with this product.
Dark Iron Fitness featured this Ultimate Body Press model on its list of the best ceiling mounted pull-up bars because of its solid construction and multiple grip handles. However, it lost points because the bars are not welded to the mounting brackets, which could affect long-term durability.
On the other hand, Top Fitness Magazine found this bar to be quite durable and also liked the many grip options. Lastly, Garage Gym Builder ranked this as the “Best Wall/Ceiling Mounted Pull Up Bar Regardless of Cost.” Again, the reviewers were fans of the three padded gripping positions.
Around 77% of the Amazon reviews of the Ultimate Body Press pull-up bar give it five stars. There are several buyer comments about how easy the assembly was to install with the guide for drilling into studs. One buyer said it took longer to get the right tools than the actual installation took. There are a few complaints about inconsistencies in the product. Some verified purchasers report that their bar came with damaged grips.
Pros: Three padded gripping positions, easy installation, sturdy construction
Cons: Some complaints of manufacturer defects
Buy the Ultimate Body Press Ceiling Mounted Pull Up Bar on Amazon for $79.95The best free-standing pull up bar
The Stamina 1690 Power Tower is a free-standing full-body workout unit made of durable steel and fitted with padded foam in five sets of grip locations. The overall size of the assembled tower is 49 inches long by 42.5 inches wide by 81 inches high. The base of the tower features no-slip endcaps.
Stamina states that the capacity is 250 pounds, but as noted below, it’s closer to 200 pounds in practice. In addition to pull-ups and chin-ups, this model is designed for tricep dips, sit-ups, push-ups, and leg raises, though there is no backrest to assist with the leg raises.
USA Home Gym had several glowing comments to make about the Stamina Power Tower, including that the handles have comfortable padding, the footprint is relatively compact, and that everything you need for assembly comes in the box. Weight Racks and More found that for its price, the 1690 is a better option than pull-up door attachments.
The Stamina 1690 Power Tower has more than 830 five-star reviews on Amazon. The biggest complaint about this pull-up system is that it can wobble a little bit, especially if you weigh 200+ pounds and your muscles are starting to tire. To counteract the wobble, consider using a socket wrench to really tighten the nuts.
Other than that, buyers report that they have had success using the tower to build up their muscles to the point where they can easily perform pull-ups and chin-ups.
Pros: Wide range of exercises, easy to assemble – no drilling or door frame needed
Cons: Issues with wobbling, expensive compared to traditional bars, takes up a lot of space
Buy the Stamina 1690 Power Tower on Amazon for $122.59The best door frame pull up bar
The Perfect Fitness Multi-Gym Doorway Pull Up Bar has three padded grip positions for hammer grip, close grip, and normal grip pull-ups. The 300-pound weight capacity makes it so you can use this model with a weight vest. There is some assembly required, and all of the tools needed are included with the bar.
The Multi-Gym Pro adjusts for height and works with door frames that are up to 6 inches deep and 33 inches wide. The bar can be placed on the floor to assist with push-ups and sit-ups. And, Perfect Fitness stands behind the quality of this model with a one-year warranty.
Wirecutter chose the Perfect Fitness Multi-Gym as the best pull-up bar on the market because it’s unlikely to damage woodwork, fits a broad array of doorways, and has three grip locations. Yet, the reviewers found that the wide grips were a bit too wide for people with narrow shoulders. Top Fitness Magazine also recommended this model highly because of its adjustability and affordability. And, Garage Gym Builder appreciated that the grips go beyond the width of the door frame to help you work your back a variety of ways.
Around 79% of the reviews of the Perfect Fitness Multi-Gym on Amazon are positive. Buyers like that it is easy to assemble without the need for extra tools, has flat supports on the ends of the bar to keep it from marking your door frame, and the foam grips help you avoid callouses.
However, there are several complaints. First, many recent commenters found the bolts that the bar came with were defective. Also, a few buyers found that the Multi-Gym didn’t work with their doorframe. Make sure to measure your preferred installation location before you buy this product.
Pros: Three grip locations, 300-pound capacity, unlikely to damage your doorframe
Cons: Wide grip may be too wide for some, recent quality concerns, doesn’t fit all door frames
Buy the Perfect Fitness Multi-Gym Doorway Pull Up Bar on Amazon for $39.99 and upThe best pull up bar on a budget
The Iron Gym Pull Up Bar works much like the Perfect Fitness Multi-Gym. It hangs on your door frame and stays in place through leverage. You can also remove the pull up bar to perform sit-ups, push-ups, and dips.
The bar is made of a combination of plastic and steel, and it comes with everything you need to assemble the unit, including a hex open wrench. There are foam grips for standard and wide pull-ups. However, the parallel grip handles are fairly small and awkwardly positioned. Lastly, this model comes with a comprehensive workout and nutrition guide.
LiveStrong provided a pretty even-handed review of the Iron Gym Pull Up Bar. The reviewer liked the price, the push-up handles, and the simple leverage mount but was not impressed with the limited range of motion when doing dips and the potential for marking up your door frame. Top Fitness Magazine called this model “one of the least expensive, deceptively simple, yet highly powerful pieces of exercise equipment you can buy.”
The Iron Gym Pull Up Bar has more than 3,000 four- or five-star reviews on Amazon. Buyers like how it takes about five minutes to put together and another few seconds to install or remove. There are no complaints of damage to door frames or walls.
One buyer found that their door was too narrow to support the pull-up bar so he added toilet paper rolls to the ends to make it more secure. The biggest complaint is that there are several plastic elements that have snapped after heavy use.
Pros: Inexpensive, versatile, easy to mount and remove, 300-pound capacity
Cons: Contains plastic parts
Buy the Iron Gym Pull Up Bar on Amazon for $24.24 (originally $79.99)