Best Pull Up Bar Review. We cover Ceiling, Doorway, Free Standing, Portable & Wall Mounted Pull Up Bars, to bring you the Top Rated Pull Up Bar for home. All of the bars in our review are designed to be used as indoor pull-up bars.
You’re probably looking to buy a pull-up bar to pack lean muscle mass on your arms and upper body. First, you need to make sure you’re getting the essential Muscle Building Supplements which I cover here in my article. Next, there are some guidelines you need to follow if you want to build muscle the right way. I have a Free Report Here that explains what you need to do to avoid the biggest muscle building mistakes and covers what you should consider when trying to build muscle.
Finding the Best Pull-Up Bar can’t be that tough right? That’s what I thought until a few weeks ago when I decided I was ready to buy a Pull-Up Bar; I quickly found out how wrong I was.
I didn’t realize that there are literally hundreds of different pull-up bars available on the market today.
- Ceiling Mounted or Joist Mounted Bar
- Doorway Leverage Bar – Uses leverage to hold you for pull ups
- Door Frame Bar – Expands to fit different door sizes
- Free Standing or Floor Standing Bar – Offers more than pull ups
- Portable Bar – Easy to switch your pull up location
- Telescopic Bar – Great as a travel bar for pull ups on the go
- Wall Mounted Bar – Bolts direcly to wall studs
In addition, there are several different options that you need to consider in order to select the perfect pull-up bar. A few of these options included:
- Price
- Bar Type
- Number Grip Positions
- Bar Features
- Door Opening Width
- Supported User Weight
Like I said I didn’t think it would be so tough! But, I began investigating the various types of bars available and the first discovery I made was the wide range of prices for these pull-up bars. In fact, prices ranged anywhere from around $15 to over a $1000. Since I wasn’t really sure what type of pull-up I really wanted I investigated all types.
What I found was that price alone can not be the determining factor for the pull-up bar you purchase. You need to determine what your requirements are first then select a quality, well built, affordable bar that meets your requirements.
Pull Up Bar Comparison
When I decided to buy a pull-up bar I really didn’t know what was available or what type of bar I wanted so I researched all types. I then narrowed my selection down to the top 2 or 3 for each type. My choices are based on a combination of several factors and not any one single factor. Some of the factors I based my decisions on include:
- Price
- Durability
- Quality
- Features
- Popularity
- Customer Satisfaction
- Ratings
I never choose a product simply because the manufacture claims it’s the best or because it has a well known celebrity endorsing it. Instead, I weigh the various factors and determine what will give me the most Bang For My Buck. I hope you find my research valuable in choosing the best pull up bar available.
As you look through the comparison table below you will notice the table can be sorted. Simply click on the arrows to the right of the column description to sort that column. Also, I have indicated which pull-up bar was the best for each bar type by noting it under the type.
| Rank | Pull Up Bar | Description | Type | Price /Rating | Weight Limit / Door Width | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Click for Pricing & Product Info | Doorway Telescopic Best Doorway Telescopic Bar | $ - Rating 4.2 | 300 pounds. Door Width - Adjustable to fit up to 36-inch extensive doorways. | Heavy-duty chrome plated steel bar. Cozy foam hand grips. |
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| 2 |  Click for Pricing & Product Info | Ceiling Joist Mount Chin Up Rafter Mounted Pull Up for P90x w/ extra Handles | Ceiling Mount | $$ - Rating 4.8 | 300 pounds. Door Width - NA | Heavy Duty One Piece Welded Steel Construction. Extra Front Handles a comfortable 25" apart. Chin bar is 48" Long with 1 1/4" Grip, Hangs Down 12" from Ceiling. Perfect to do P90x exercises. |
| 4 |  Click for Pricing & Product Info | Creative Fitness Door Gym | Doorway Leverage | $$ - Rating 4.3 | 250 pounds. Door Width - 24 to 32-inch doorways (extensions available). Requires trim up to 3.5 inches wide around door. | Perfect for pull-ups / push-ups / chin-ups and crunches. You can use Door Gym on the ground as a push-up bar and a sit-up spotter. |
| 2 |  Click for Pricing & Product Info | Iron Gym (Total Upper Body) Workout Bar - Extreme Edition | Doorway Leverage | $$ - Rating 3.9 | 300 pounds. Door Width - 24" - 32" wide with doorway trim or molding up to 3 ½ inches wide. | Padded. 5 grip positions. Can also be used for pushups, dips, and sit-ups. |
| 1 |  Click for Pricing & Product Info | Iron Gym's (Total Upper Body) Workout Bar | Doorway Leverage Best Doorway Leverage Bar | $ - Rating 4.1 | 300 pounds. Door Width - 24" - 32" wide with doorway trim or molding up to 3 ½ inches wide. | Padded. 3 grip positions (narrow, wide, neutral). Can also be used for pushups, dips, and sit-ups. |
| 2 |  Click for Pricing & Product Info | JFit Deluxe Doorway Pull-Up Bar | Doorway Telescopic | $ - Rating 4.1 | 250 pounds. Door Width - 26 to 40 Inchs. | Longest bar on the market. |
| 3 |  Click for Pricing & Product Info | ProSource Heavy-Duty Easy Gym Doorway Chin-Up/ Pull-Up Bar | Doorway Leverage | $ - Rating 3.9 | 300 pounds. Door Width - 24"- 32". | Constructed of high-grade steel. ProSource Comfort Grip technology. |
| 1 |  Click for Pricing & Product Info | Stud Bar - Ceiling Mounted Pull-Up Bar | Ceiling Mount Best Ceiling Mounted Bar | $$$ - Rating 4.6 | 600 pounds. Door Width - NA | Gym quality made using 14 gauge steel. The bar is 1 1/4" diameter for a comfortable grip. Hammer tone powder coated finish. Wood mounting hardware included. Lifetime warranty |
| 2 |  Click for Pricing & Product Info | Stamina 1690 Power Tower | Free Standing | $$$ - Rating 4.5 | 250 pounds. Door Width - NA | Small Footprint. Tough steel frame for solid support; no-slip end caps. Great for chin-ups and pull-ups (with it's mulitple grip positions). Can also use for VNR (vertical knee raises) / tricep dips and even sit-ups. |
| 3 |  Click for Pricing & Product Info | Sunny Health & Fitness | Doorway Telescopic | $ - Rating 3.9 | 220 pounds. Door Width - 24.5 to 36 inches. | Non-slip, soft padded hand grips. Ideal for pull-ups, chin-ups, leg lifts. |
| 1 |  Click for Pricing & Product Info | Bowflex Body Tower | Free Standing Best Free Standing Unit | $$$$ - Rating 4.4 | 300 pounds. Door Width - NA | Covered by a 5 year frame - 1 year parts warranty. It is one of the top complete body exercisers. Offers more than 20 exercises such as: push-ups, sit-ups, squats, planks, pull-ups, knee and leg raises, dips, and more. Stable, heavy duty commercial-grade frame; includes handgrips, sling straps and cushioned back pad. |
| 1 |  Click for Pricing & Product Info | Wall Mount Chin-up and Pull-up Bar | Wall Mounted Best Wall Mounted Bar | $$ - Rating 4.7 | 250 pounds. Door Width - NA | This is a great bar for not only pull-ups & chin ups, but is also ideal for P90 X workouts / parallel grips / crossfit and rings. Heavy-duty steel construction. Padded foam grips. This is a quality pull up bar that is designed for home use installation into wall studs. |
Our review covers the Best Pull Up Bars available however, we think you may be interested to see what’s popular with others. These are the Top Selling Pull-Up Bars on Amazon right now!
Pull Up Bar Basics
In order to help you make an informed decision I am providing some insight on the various types of pull-up available. This way you know exactly want you want or need from a bar and it will make your decision a lot easier.
You’ll often see these bars refered to as either pull-up or chin-up simply because one bar serves the purpose for both exercises. When an individual performs either a pull-up or chin-up they are utilizing their own body weight to build and tone muscles. The main difference between the two exercises is the way your palms face the bar and the muscles exercised.
To perform a pull-up, begin by grabbing the bar keeping your palms facing away from you and you slowly pull yourself up until your head is above the bar and then slowly lower yourself back down. Pull ups work the latissimus dorsi (the broadest muscle in your back), your biceps and your forearms. Pull ups can be hard to do and some people starting out can’t even do one proper pull up. Keep working at it and it will get better. You should aim for 5 full pull ups and if you can get to 20 or 25 than would be excellent. Just to give you some motivation the world’s record was set by a 70 year old Korean man, he did 612 consecutive pull ups in 2 hours 40 minutes.
To perform a chin up, begin by grabbing the bar keeping your palms facing towards you and you slowly pull yourself up until your head is above the bar and then slowly lower yourself back down. Chin ups are very similar to pull ups since they also work the latissimus dorsi (the broadest muscle in your back), your biceps and your forearms. However, the chin up really targets your biceps which is the main difference between the two. Chin ups like pull ups can be very difficult when you’re first starting out but practice make perfect. In June of 2013 an individual in England set a new worlds record for the most chin ups completed in a 30 minute time interval with 559 chin ups.
Pull Up Bar Types
There are 5 different types or styles of pull-up bars you’ll need to consider:
- Doorway Frame Leverage – These bars are positioned in your doorway and leverage themselves against the wood moldings around the door and do not require the installation of mounting brackets. These bars are ideal for someone that lives in an apartment or rents or just wants a bar that’s portable. Some people claim that extended use of these bars can make small indentations in the wood moldings on some types of wood.
- Doorway Frame Telescopic – These are the simplest type of bar. They are a single bar that fits in your doorway between the door jambs. These bars require the installation of brackets into the door jambs; the bars then twist or expand into the mounting brackets. Some manufactures claim that the use of mounting brackets is optional but I don’t recommend it. I’ve heard too many stories where someone was seriously hurt when the bar was used without brackets and it slipped and they fell. If you choose this type of bar; plan to use it with the mounting brackets.
- Wall Mounted – These bars are considered permanent and are bolted directly into the wall studs to provide support. These types of bars generally support the most weight.
- Ceiling Mounted – These bars are similar to the wall mounted bars. They are consider permanent and are bolted directly into the ceiling joists for support. Like the wall mounted, they generally support the most weight.
- Free Standing – These are not a single bar, instead they are a free standing unit. They are normally heavy enough and wide enough to support the user’s weight without being attached to anything. These units also offer additional exercises besides a pull up or chin up. If you are interested in a free standing tower also called a power tower, see our review on the Best Power Towers.
Pull Up Bar Features
There are a number of features available on many of these bars, and quite a few may be optional as far as you’re concerned. However, if there is a feature you feel you can’t live without make sure that it is part of your buying requirements. Here is a sample of the features available:
- The Number of Grip Positions (1, 3, 5)
- Wide Grip Support
- Padded Foam Grips
- Portability
Bar Door Opening Width
This is only a concern for individuals seeking a doorway style bar. The biggest problem individuals run into when purchasing this type of bar is making sure it will work with their door frame. Doorways come in a variety of sizes and so do the doorway style bars. To save yourself a lot of hassle, make sure and measure the width of your doorway and select a bar that will accommodate that size.
Pull Up Bar Weight Limits
Different types of bars will support different maximum weight limits. These limits will vary from 220 pounds (100 kg) to as much as 600 pounds (272kg). Basically the telescopic doorway bars support the lowest user weight followed by the door way leverage and the wall and ceiling mounted bars typically can support the most weight.
Pull Up Bar Pricing
As I mentioned earlier, these bars have a wide range when it comes to price. But, by setting your requirements first you will have a good idea just how much you’ll need to spend to find the perfect bar. Here’s a guideline to give you an idea of price:
Door Frame Bars (leverage or telescopic) will be your least expensive models
Ceiling and Wall Mounted Bars will fall in the middle
Free Standing Towers are normally your most expensive option. The main reason for the higher price is their function. Free Standing Towers are designed as an exercise station offering the individual several workout options in one unit. Instead of a single function pull up or chin up bar these units can provide a:
- Dip Station
- Vertical Knee Raise (VKR) Station
- Leg Raise Station
- Push Up Bars and other functionality
If you’re considering buying one of these other units in addition to a pull-up bar then, it may be more economical to purchase a Free Standing Tower, but if you’re only looking for a pull-up bar a Free Standing Tower could be overkill.
Pull Up Bar Summary
Creating this comparison of the best pull-up bars proved to be a rather difficult task. With so many products and options it seemed like I would never be able to find the right bar. Many of the bars I looked at were so close in comparison as far as design and features that it presented a real challenge. However, after reviewing customer satisfaction, customer service and quality control the decision became fairly simple. I hope my review will help you select the perfect bar for your needs.
Once You’ve ordered your Pull-Up Bar you’ll want to check out my 8 Favorite Pull-Up Bar Exercises.
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