Which type suits you?
Kettlebells do not differ in quality but in a single property: whether the bell keeps the same dimensions across all weights or grows with the weight. Everything else hangs on that — the price, the handle, and whether your technique stays the same when you change weight.
For swings and squats it hardly matters. As soon as you work single-arm overhead, it becomes the deciding point.
The types compared
| Type | Dimensions | Strength | Weights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Competition | 21 cm bell, 3.5 cm handle — identical at every weight | snatch, clean, get up, everything single-arm | 8–32 kg |
| Hollow competition | same dimensions as competition, cast hollow | the same handling, but further up the range | 8–48 kg |
| ECO hollow competition | same dimensions as competition, cast hollow | competition handling at a smaller price | 8–48 kg |
| Cast iron, powder coated | grows with the weight, slightly rough surface | swings, squats, deadlifts — cheapest way in | 4–32 kg |
| Adjustable | 20 settings in one bell, 1 kg steps | little space, one bell instead of six | 12–32 kg |
| Monster | a markedly larger bell | when 32 kg has become too light | 36–92 kg |
Competition: the same dimensions at every weight
A competition kettlebell measures 21 cm across and has a 3.5 cm handle — at 8 kg just as at 32 kg. Only the filling changes, not the shape. Going from 16 to 20 kg changes the load, not your grip and not the position against your forearm.
For everything that goes overhead single-arm — snatch, clean, Turkish get up — that is the difference between practising and relearning every time. Which is why it is the standard in boxes, even though it costs more.
Hollow and ECO hollow: same dimensions, more weight
The hollow versions are competition kettlebells too: 21 cm bell, 3.5 cm handle, identical at every weight. The difference is in the manufacturing — they are cast hollow instead of filled solid. For you, one consequence matters most: they go up to 48 kg, while the classic competition bell ends at 32 kg.
If you work single-arm overhead and move beyond 32 kg, this is the only range that keeps the handling instead of forcing you onto a larger bell.
The ECO version offers the same handling at a smaller price. How else the two differ is something we are currently clarifying with the manufacturer — as soon as it is solid, it will be here.
Cast iron: grows with the weight
The powder coated cast iron kettlebell gets bigger with every kilo: the 32 is noticeably bulkier than the 8, and the handle gets thicker. In the swing you hardly notice; pressing overhead you do — the thick handle sits differently in the hand.
The slightly rough surface takes chalk well, which helps through long sets. For swings, squats and deadlifts it is entirely enough — and the cheapest way into the training.
Adjustable: one bell instead of six
The adjustable competition kettlebell covers 12 to 32 kg in 1 kg steps — 20 settings in one tool. For a flat where no shelf full of bells is going to happen, that solves a real problem.
Two things are the price for it. First, it starts at 12 kg — for the Turkish get up, the press and learning technique that is too heavy. Second, you have to rebuild it between sets. If you switch weights quickly in training — in complexes or during a WOD — two fixed bells serve you better.
Unsure which of them fits you?
The finder asks about your training and your space — and tells you which type and which weights go with it.