10 Best Functional Trainers For Home Gyms – Garage Gym Pro

1. REP FITNESS FT-3000 - Our Top Pick!

Key Features

Our Review

REP FITNESS is one of the top fitness brands for a reason. They produce excellent quality equipment while giving you fantastic value for money.

REP's FT-3000 is a compact, functional trainer that will fit in the corner of most garage or home gyms. This functional trainer machine is ideal if you have a small apartment home gym with minimal space. 

Its compact design has a small footprint of around 4.5' x 3', giving you plenty of room for other gym equipment (if needed).

The FT-3000 functional trainer only comes with a set of stirrup handles. Others, such as V handle, rope, ankle cuff, etc., can be added but aren’t included.

The stirrup handles are of excellent quality and comfortable to use. And to make up for the lack of attachments, you also get a brilliant chin-up bar included.

The pull-up bar is comfortable to hold and is the perfect thickness (not too thick or thin), and I found performing wide-grip pull-ups a joy…well, until my lats started burning.

As this fitness functional trainer comes with dual weight stacks, you have access to 180 lbs of resistance, which should be more than enough for most gym goers.

If you want more weight, check out the FT-5000 (mentioned in a moment).

I found the cable pulley system to be smooth, and the 2:1 ratio makes it suitable for all ability levels, even beginners. However, I would prefer a 1:1 cable pulley ratio.

I was impressed by how easy the assembly was.

The instructions were straightforward, but I would recommend having a friend or family member available to help you construct the FT-3000 functional trainer.

It took me around 2 hours to fully assemble this functional trainer.

REP FITNESS has used 11-gauge steel for the FT-3000, making it incredibly sturdy. The functional trainer didn’t wobble side to side and felt stable throughout my workout, even during pull-ups.

And this compact, functional trainer comes with a lifetime frame warranty and 1 year on parts, which gives you peace of mind.

Yet, if you want a heavier-duty version of the FT-3000, you can! REP FITNESS has the FT-5000 functional trainer.

Both machines are within similar price ranges:

The heavier-duty FT-5000 functional trainer has more weight totaling 440lbs, a multi-grip pull-up bar, and extra cable positions. However, it does have a larger footprint.

If you’re more advanced and need to lift heavier weights, the FT-5000 might be the machine for you.

Overall, the FT-3000 functional trainer should be suitable for most gym-goers looking to add a functional trainer to their home gym.

The FT-3000 is the best functional trainer I’ve tested on this list and will be an excellent addition to most home gyms.

2. Titan Fitness Functional Trainer - Runner Up!

Key Features

Our Review

Even though the REP FITNESS FT-3000 was our "best functional trainer," the Titan Fitness functional trainer was pretty close.

Titan Fitness has produced an excellent quality functional trainer cable machine that has 200lb dual weight stacks and comes with seven attachments.

The attachments included are a short bar, long bar, ankle cuff, dual stirrup handles, rope handle, and single and double D handles.

The wide selection of attachments makes the Titan Fitness a versatile, functional trainer suitable for most home gyms.

As the Titan Fitness functional trainer utilizes a dual-weight stack system, there is no need for weight plates. This will save you money, as you won’t need to buy any additional weight plates.

As this functional trainer costs around $2500, it’s an excellent mid-range machine for your home gym.

You’ll have everything you need to perform a full-body workout without taking up much space.

When I assembled the machine, I found the instructions easy to follow and shouldn’t be an issue for anyone (even if you’re new to building fitness equipment).

I loved the assembly video included on the Titan Fitness website [1]; it really helped me visualize what I was doing.

Note: Be sure to keep a couple of hours free to assemble this functional trainer and have help from a friend or family member, as the machine is rather heavy. 

This high-quality functional trainer is made using excellent materials and is built to last. You can tell this when you begin using the pulley system, which is reinforced using fiberglass.

The Titan Fitness functional trainer doesn't rattle excessively and doesn't have the jerky movements or sticking points that other compact functional trainers do.

The pulley system uses a 2:1 ratio which I’m not always a fan of, as I like to know if I set 100lbs, I’m lifting 100lbs.

However, it did impress me, and it was a pleasure to use while performing a variety of exercises.

As with other functional trainer machines, you can perform a range of exercises such as squats, deadlifts, tricep pushdowns, lat pulldowns, chest flys, bicep curls, and more.

Titan Fitness claims there are over 1000 variations you can perform on this functional trainer, which should please most home gym owners.

One area where this exercise equipment lets itself down is the warranty. The warranty lasts 1 year, which is low for a good functional trainer.

Overall, the Titan Fitness functional trainer will provide you with an excellent piece of home gym equipment that you can perform a full-body workout.

It's one of the best functional trainers on this list and is only let down by a short warranty.

3. X-Mark XM-7626

Key Features

Our Review

XMark is well known for its excellent quality strength training equipment.

And the XM-7626 is no exception; it's a premium functional trainer that'll enable you to perform a full-body fitness routine in your home gym without needing a ton of equipment.

The XMark functional trainer has a brilliant 200lb dual weight stack that places 100 lbs into each hand (once you take the 2:1 pulley ratio into consideration); this is more than enough for most gym goers.

One aspect I love about the Xmark functional trainer is how far the cables can extend from the machine (up to 7ft), which is plenty of room for even the tallest of users to work out.

Exercises like overhead tricep extension can be performed without worrying about maxing out the cables' length.

I was impressed by the number of attachments included with the Xmark functional trainer, which included:

As you can see, the number of attachments makes this a versatile functional trainer capable of working different muscle groups effectively.

A great addition to this traditional functional trainer is the wall poster that comes with the machine.

It shows you 36 exercises you can perform, so if you're new to working out, you've got a place to begin.

When it comes to the machine’s assembly, it’s tough to do by yourself, and I recommend that you have 1-2 people help you.

This is mainly because the machine is extremely heavy, and moving the pieces into the correct position and fiddling with the nuts and bolts can be challenging.

While I found this functional trainer easy to assemble, other users have complained that the instructions are rather basic and could use a revision.

The hardest part of the assembly is positioning the cables correctly; this is usually the part that most people stumble on.

However, XMark has excellent customer service; they're usually quick to respond if you get stuck.

The typical functional trainer takes between a few hours to a day to assemble. But for the XMark, I’d set aside a day.

The warranty is brilliant; you get a lifetime frame warranty and 1 year on all moving parts and hardware.

The only thing I’d change would be to extend the moving parts warranty to 2 years, but that’s me being pedantic.

Overall, for the $3000 price tag, it’s an excellent functional trainer cable machine that’ll be perfect for almost any home gym, especially if you don’t have a lot of room for free weight equipment.

Still can't decide? Check out my full review of the XMark Functional Trainer here!

4. Inspire Fitness FT1

Key Features

Our Review

If you’re looking for the best compact, functional trainer, the Inspire Fitness FT1 could be what you need.

This is the perfect functional trainer for anyone whose home gym lacks space. It has a small footprint of 54” x 46”, making it one of the smallest strength training machines around.

As with most functional trainers on this list, it comes with a dual weight stack system which totals 330lbs. While this should be enough for most gym-goers, but can be a little light.

If you require additional weight, you'll be pleased to know you can purchase add-ons totaling 50lb per side (for an additional cost).

While using the pulley system, I found the 30 different heights perfect for hitting my muscles from multiple angles, particularly when I was performing chest fly variations.

The weight stack moves relatively quietly and doesn’t rattle too much; this is always nice to see.

I was impressed with the multi-grip pull-up handles, they allowed me to perform a variety of pull-up and chin-up variations with ease, and the handles are comfortable to hold.

One of the most impressive features is the number of accessories included with this functional trainer.

You get 1x tricep rope, 2x rubber D handles, a straight bar, an EZ curl bar, an ankle strap, a multi-function belt, an exercise booklet, and 2 x 5lb add-on weights… talk about adding versatility to your exercise routine.

When it comes to the assembly of the FT1 functional trainer, I found it to be one of the easiest functional trainers to assemble.

This is mainly because the towers come pre-assembled, so you only need to attach them to the framework.

During the assembly, I recommend having a partner help you. The assembly should take around 2-3 hours in total.

Inspire Fitness offers one of the best compact functional trainer warranties around, with a lifetime warranty on residential use of the machine.

However, if you intend on placing the functional trainer in a commercial gym, you’ll get a 10-year warranty which is still impressive.

Compared to other functional trainers by Inspire Fitness, the FT1 costs around $3000, which is slightly more expensive than the FTX, but $2000 cheaper than the FT2.

Overall, the FT1 is the best functional trainer if your workout area has limited floor space. You won’t need much else with this functional trainer in your arsenal.

See Related - Complete Inspire Fitness FT1 Review

5. BodyCraft HFT

Key Features

Our Review

The BodyCraft HFT is one of the best functional trainers around and is pretty similar to the Inspire Fitness FT1 (mentioned above).

As with most functional trainers, the BodyCraft HFT uses a dual-weight stack of 150 lbs per side.

While this might seem pretty light for more advanced gym goers, it'll be more than enough for most people.

However, I was impressed that you can upgrade the weight stack to a heavier 200lb system (for an additional fee). This will suit more advanced users looking to lift heavy.

As with the alternative functional trainers mentioned on this list, the commercial-grade cable pulley system can be used independently from each other.

Each of the adjustable pulleys has 31 height positions available.

The pulley ratio is 2:1, and as I’ve said previously, it’s not my favorite ratio, but it does give the pulley a smooth action, even when you’re using the lowest weight settings.

Included with the BodyCraft HFT are 7 handles and a mounted exercise booklet giving you plenty of workout options straight off the bat.

You can easily perform a full-body workout on this machine.

Another great feature is the multi-grip pull-up bar with knurling. It’s brilliant for performing various exercises and is an excellent addition to this strength training machine.

When it comes to the assembly, I found it relatively straightforward, and it’s much easier than you’d expect.

But, with that said, I still recommend you have somebody to help you throughout the assembly process.

The instruction manual provided by BodyCraft is easy to follow and has excellent instructions alongside detailed drawings.

I expect you’ll need around 2-4 hours to completely assemble your BodyCraft HFT functional trainer (depending on your skill level and experience).

I highly recommend using a socket wrench, Allen key, and adjustable wrench.

While the BodyCraft HFT is like similar quality functional trainers (like the FT1), I found the warranty really sets it apart.

You get:

But you also get a commercial-grade warranty for use within a commercial fitness facility.

This covers you for 10 years (frame) and 2 years (parts), which is amazing if you ask me and is often an area where functional trainers fall.

Overall, you can’t go wrong with the BodyCraft HFT unless it’s outside your budget. It costs around $3000 as standard.

6. REP Fitness FT-5000

Key Features

Our Review

Yeah, that's right, another REP FITNESS functional trainer makes it on the list, and for good reason.

Like the FT-3000 (best functional trainer on our list), the FT-5000 carries many of the qualities we loved from its predecessor.

The dual 220lb weight stack with a 2:1 ratio means you'll have 110 lbs per side available to you, which is more than enough for most gym-goers.

And it comes with a multi-grip pull-up bar to work your body without needing to use the cable machine weight stack.

My only peeve with the weight stack is the starting weight. It starts at 12.5 lbs, which can be too heavy for some isolation exercises, such as lateral raises.

When it comes to the assembly of this product, I found it was simple enough, so long as you’ve got a partner to lend you a helping hand.

The machine’s weight stacks are heavy and will be a challenge if you’re building this on your own.

One of my favorite exercises on the FT-5000 is single-arm tricep pushdowns.

The movement action is completely smooth, and I can feel my triceps working equally throughout the entire movement. There's no jerkiness or sticking on this strength training machine.

However, as with the FT-3000, the machine comes with limited handles/attachments, which is a shame as the REP FITNESS have included a brilliant storage system for any handle attachments you may have.

The instructions are easy to follow, and like the FT-3000, the machine’s assembly took me around 2-3 hours to complete.

However, I would recommend setting aside a little longer if you’re not experienced with building fitness equipment.

The REP FITNESS FT-5000 warranty is excellent, you get a lifetime warranty on the frame, and I doubt you’ll ever need to use it as the frame is super sturdy and is constructed from 11-gauge steel.

Compared to the FT-3000, the FT-5000 is slightly larger, taking up more floor space, and costs a few hundred dollars more.

However, if you can stretch your budget and have room in your home workout space, it could be a functional trainer worth investing in.

7. Inspire Fitness FTX

Key Features

Our Review

Inspire Fitness makes the list yet again, but this time with the FTX functional trainer.

The FTX is one of the best budget functional trainer machines you can get. At only around $2200, it gives you the most bang for your buck.

Not only is it just a functional trainer, but it comes with a built-in pull-up bar with comfortable knurling to prevent your hands from slipping while you’re working out.

Like any cable functional trainer, the FTX allows you to isolate specific muscles, giving you everything you need to work your entire body.

The dual weight stacks (165lbs each) might not be the heaviest on this list, but for beginner and intermediate users, this should be adequate weight for most functional exercises.

If you require additional weight, check out the REP FITNESS FT-5000 (mentioned above).

However, you can purchase additional weight attachments to increase the available weight if you prefer the FTX design.

I was impressed with the smooth cable action (which is the same as the other models in the FT series).

I particularly enjoyed performing single-arm bicep curls on this machine, it gave my arms an excellent pump, and I found the cable movement to be smooth throughout the whole range of motion.

You can feel the heavy-duty frame keeping the cable machine steady as you work out, filling you with confidence. Even during pull-ups, the FTX remained steady.

The FTX might not be the most versatile functional trainer on this list, but it easily holds its own and will make an excellent addition to most home gym setups.

The assembly is straightforward, and the instructions are clear and concise. However, as with all functional trainers, I recommend having a friend available to help you assemble it.

If you want a compact, functional trainer on a budget, the FTX could be what you’re looking for.

Also Check Out - Inspire Fitness FTX Tested & Reviewed

8. Inspire Fitness FT2

Key Features

Our Review

Looking for a heavy-duty functional trainer for your home gym? - The Inspire Fitness FT2 is the perfect option for you.

The FT2 is a functional trainer with a difference; it comes with a built-in Smith machine.

At first glance, the FT2 is impressive; it's got a solid heavy-duty frame (like the others in the FT series and has two weight stacks (165 lbs each).

I would have liked to see an upgrade to the standard weight stacks on offer, perhaps to a 200lb dual system, but that’s not the case.

This isn’t a significant issue, but it would have been a welcomed upgrade from the lower-budget strength training machines in the series.

However, you can purchase an additional 50 lb upgrade for both sides, which I highly recommend if you want to add more resistance to the machine.

As with the FT1 and FTX, I can't fault the pulley system.

It's smooth throughout all range of motion and doesn't create much movement or noise, making it ideal for use at home… nobody wants the neighbors complaining.

One of the most standout features of the FT2 (apart from the smith machine, which I’ll cover in a moment) is the 8 different pulley starting positions.

Yeah, I said 8!

Most functional training machines have 2 adjustable pulleys, but the FT2 has 8, making it one of the best complete home gym systems around.

As a result, you'll be able to perform almost any exercise with ease, such as bicep curls, glute kickbacks, tricep extensions, chest flys, lateral raises, seated row, deadlift, and more.

There are also 7 different handles included, along with a workout booklet and tablet holder so you can follow an online workout if you wish.

When using the smith machine, a force multiplier helps increase the load on the smith bar. This works incredibly well for squats, deadlifts, and bench presses.

The Smith machine also uses the dual weight stack, so there's no need for Olympic weight plates.

I loved using the Smith machine for the bench press as it allowed me to exhaust my chest using a compound movement before I moved on to my isolation exercises.

This is brilliant if you enjoy bodybuilding training, as the FT2 allows you to train every muscle to its fullest.

What’s more, you can purchase additional add-ons such as a bench press, preacher curl pad, and leg extension.

While the assembly of the machine wasn't overly difficult, if you're new to building gym equipment, you might find it challenging.

I recommend having two people help you and setting aside a minimum of 4 hours to assemble the machine.

Overall, if you’re looking for the best commercial functional trainer, the FT2 is up there with the best.

Still not sure if this is the right functional trainer for you? Check out my full review of the Inspire FT2 functional trainer!

9. Life Fitness Signature Series – Top Of The Range

Key Features

Our Review

Life Fitness is one of the most recognizable brands in the fitness industry. If you walk into most commercial gyms, you'll likely see their equipment everywhere.

If you’re looking for the best premium functional trainer, the Life Fitness Signature Series is the best pick for you.

It’s probably the best functional trainer on the market, but it comes with a hefty price tag.

To buy this machine, it’ll cost around $8000 (gulp).

Still. Don't let the price tag put you off. If you own a commercial fitness center or small personal training studio, this machine will look impressive in your facility.

I wouldn’t usually recommend this functional trainer for home gyms, but if it’s within your budget, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t consider investing in this top-of-the-range machine; it’ll surely impress.

At first glance, Life Fitness Signature Series looks incredible. It’s a robust machine that doesn’t take up an excessive amount of space and would look brilliant in your gym space.

While it’s compact, it’s not as small as the FTX or other compact models on this list.

With this functional trainer, you get several handles included, such as 2x long handles, 2x short handles, 1x long bar, 1x sports handle, 1 x foot strap, 1x ankle strap, and 1 x tricep rope.

When using the 4:1 pulley system, it was completely smooth and provided me with endless options that allowed me to adjust the handles to how I wanted to move.

It gave me the quality I’d expect from a high-end machine.

Stepping away from the cable system, one of my favorite features is the 6 pull-up handles available.

Each grip has been specially designed to allow you to work your muscles through complete ranges of motion.

The grips on the pull-up bars are thicker than I’d usually like, but give you adequate grip thanks to the rubber coating. If you’ve got smaller hands, you might find the grip uncomfortable.

If you’d like to see the machine in use and some of the exercise options you can perform on this machine, you can watch this demonstration video on Life Fitness’s YouTube page. [2]

The assembly of this machine is a lot of work; I'm not going to lie, it'll take some time, and you'll need several people to help you.

Weighing in at 1301 lbs, it's impossible to move by yourself. However, the instructions provided are brilliant.

If you're installing this in a commercial environment, I highly recommend their "White Glove Install" service.

Life Fitness sends an experienced professional to deliver and install your equipment while cleaning up any mess. It's like they weren't even there.

The warranty included with the Life Fitness Signature Series functional trainer is one of the best around. You get a lifetime warranty on all frames, welds, pulleys, and parts.

And a 3-year warranty on upholstery pads and cables.

Looking for a heavy-duty functional trainer for your gym? The Life Fitness Signature Series could be for you.

10. Body-Solid Powerline PFT100 - Best Budget Functional Trainer

Key Features

Our Review

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly functional trainer, the Body-Solid PFT100 could be the perfect functional trainer for you.

Sure, it might be lacking some features other more expensive brands have, but it makes up for it with its price, which is around $1500.

At that price, it's about $1000+ cheaper than most of the machines on this list.

At first glance, the Body-Solid PFT100 isn’t much to look at. The frame is pretty bare, but this is mainly because it lacks an exercise chart like many of the other functional trainers on this list have.

Still, if you look beyond its basic aesthetics, you'll see the machine does precisely what it's meant to do; working your entire body.

Upon using the PFT100, I was surprised by how smooth the cable pulley felt. The handles are comfortable to hold and feel pretty strong.

Although I would have liked to have seen additional attachments, I can't complain as the price is low.

The dual-weight stacks each weigh 160 lbs, which can be upgraded to 210 lbs for an additional cost.

There's a straight chin-up bar that runs along the top of the machine. It doesn't have multi-grip options but does have a comfortable knurling that prevents your hands from slipping.

When it came to assembling the machine, it was relatively simple and didn’t take too long. However, I do recommend having a partner with you to lend a hand.

The PFT100's width is 63", which is much wider than some other offerings on the market. While it's not overly big, you should consider this before you buy.

The warranty on the Body-Solid PFT100 isn't the best, but you still get 10 years' frame warranty and 1-year parts, which is alright considering the price of the machine.

While the machine isn’t in the same league as the FT2, FT1, or FTX (earlier on this list), its price makes it hard to beat.