Although the pandemic really ramped up the habit, many people have been working out from home for decades. We have all seen mansions with dedicated “spa” levels and micro apartments with a small chest containing weights and a bit of small equipment to make it easier, but in both cases the importance of having dedicated places and tools is very clear. Companies are not oblivious to this trend and have been creating different products that make it easier to work out at home and that are still safe to use in a domestic setting, but now, one of those products, quite popular at Costco is being recalled due to the risk of injury.
The product in question is the BowFlex adjustable dumbbells, particularly the BowFlex SelectTech 552 and 1090 models. These are a compact set of dumbbells that feature a few disks that you can adjust to ensure that the weight is tailored to your needs. They also come with a base that allows for easier adjustment to prevent any discs from being lost or damaged.
Many adjustable dumbbells have the same kind of setup, and it really works well as long as the product is not defective, which is what happened with the BowFlex models. Something must have gone wrong during the manufacturing phase and in many units the weight plates can detach from the handle during use. This is not a good or safe thing and it has a huge impact hazard to the user. The problem may lie with the adjustment dial, but until more investigations are done, a full recall of the nearly 4 million units sold that seem to have this defect is an imperative thing to do.
The BowFlex recall and the impact on Costco
The recall notice was issued by the company and by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) after nearly 350 reports of detached plates and 111 injuries reported, including concussions, abrasions, toe fractures, and bruises.
While this product was sold in many major retailers like Best Buy, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Amazon (website) and the own BowFlex website, most of the units were purchased at Costco stores, which has made many blame the warehouse retailer despite them having nothing to do with the manufacturing, quality control or recall.
The recall was issued voluntarily on Thursday, June 6 by Johnson Health Tech Trading, who is now consumer support for products purchased before May 2024 from BowFlex Inc. That is because BowFlex Inc. filed for bankruptcy in March 2024 and Johnson Health Tech Trading acquired the company.
Customers who bought BowFlex 552 dumbbells at Costco are advised to stop using it immediately and return it for a full refund, but purchases made through other retailers or online should be addressed directly with Johnson Health Tech Trading by calling 800-209-3539 (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m.–7 p.m. CST) or by emailing recall@bowflex.com. Buyers who ordered directly from BowFlex Inc, formerly Nautilus Inc, can opt for a partial refund via coupon, along with a complimentary one-year JRNY digital membership.
Although this is worrisome and you should stop using this model should you have it at home, instances of injury have been rare considering how many units were sold of this product. This is not a reason for you to stop working out at home should that be what you are comfortable with and this type of dumbbell remains safe to use as long as it has been manufactured correctly. These are the only models that have been sold by BowFlex that have had this problem, so do not feel unsafe using your set if it is a different type.