PowerBlock Pro 50 Adjustable Dumbbells

As someone who is a beginner in weights, I chose to purchase the Pro 50 as it has a minor advantage over the Pro 50 EXP or the Sport/USA models. The Pro 50 goes from 5LB to 50LB in 2.5LB increments allowing for a very steady increase in weights. This is because each additional plate adds 5LB. On the other hand, the EXP model needs to save space in order to accommodate the extra 40LBs of expansion plates. This means that each plate is a 10LB increase. Because of the adder weights and the weight of the handle itself, this is not a large issue but it means you be unable to exercise with 12.5/22.5/32.5/42.5 weights and instead jump directly to 15/25/35/45. Additionally, the Pro models have plates that are coated. This results in less noise when the product is in use and also helps to protect surfaces where you may place the dumbbells on. Even with the coating, there is still an audible noise when you use the dumbbells. The adder weights do rattle a fair amount and the weights do make a slight bumping sound against the handle. Despite that, it's still quiet enough for me to use in the dead-end of night without waking up the other inhabitants of the house. One extremely minor downside to the PowerBlock over other dumbbells from competitors like Bowflex is the increased space required to operate. With Bowflex or other dumbbell adjustment systems, you can twist/spin a part of the product to change the weights. PowerBlock requires a specific amount of clearing on the sides of both dumbbells so you can use the selector pin. While this is more compact than having an entire set of actual dumbbells, this means that you can't have it flush against the wall on one side.