NordicTrack iSelect Adjustable Dumbbells review: No thanks, Alexa

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The first thing I bought was a set of dumbbells. We both wanted to strength train, but we needed different weights. I had noodle arms while he had actual muscles. Our apartment couldn't accommodate a full rack. It seemed like a good choice. It was until it wasn't. The pin securing the weight plates broke during a set of chest presses. I had a heavy plate on my face. I was wary of testing the NordicTrack iSelect Adjustable Dumbbells because they were on sale for as low as $300.

I was wary of the price, but it is actually not outrageous. I will get into it more in a bit, but you can easily spend as much as you want on 10 sets of regular dumbbells. The iSelect Dumbbells go from five to 50 pounds in five pounds. You are paying a premium for the iSelect's smart features.

The first thing that makes the iSelect dumbbell smart is that it uses an electronic locking mechanism, as opposed to pins or end screws. You can use voice commands to change the weights. Fortunately, you don't have to since the knob lets you change the weights manually.

Dumbbells rest in a tray. The manual knob is at the center of the display. You can put the optional holder into the back. The tray is small, measuring 21 x 19 x 16 inches. I already have another connected fitness device in my living room, so I couldn't fit it in there. It was easy to fit in my home office. Most people don't have a problem figuring out where to put the tray. When storing dumbbell, the only requirement is to place it near a power outlet. You want to be intentional about where you place the tray. If you change your mind, you will have to move 100 pounds of weight plates. It isn't fun. When the weights are delivered, you should keep this in mind. The box weighs 123 pounds.

It's easy to set up the dumbbells. All you have to do is download the iSelect app for both your phone and computer and follow the instructions to pair the dumbbells. The latter is for updates. If you want to use the dumbbell with the voice assistant, you'll have to link your Amazon account and the iSelect app. The iSelect app can be used to set weight profiles for dumbbell exercises. I didn't use this feature a lot, but I can see it being useful if you know how much weight you need for each move.

Unlike most connected fitness products, the iSelect Dumbbells aren't mandatory. You don't have to stick with NordicTrack's iFit family membership even if you purchase it. If you don't want to use a service at all, you should cancel the auto-renewal. If NordicTrack stops selling or supports this device, you will not be stuck with bricked dumbbells.

If you choose to stay with iFit, you will have to download a separate app to access classes. When connected gadgets make you download multiple apps, it's annoying. If neither app is well-made, it's irksome. I had issues with both the iSelect and iFit apps. It wasn't always the case when I started my phone and fired up the apps. I didn't appreciate the extra time I had to spend trying to fix something.

iFit's content is fine. It's not flashy like Apple Fitness Plus, but it might appeal to people who don't like peppy instructors. You are still getting a good workout. Structurally, the classes and exercises featured were similar to the ones I have taken before. I appreciated that ifit didn't rush through rest periods between sets. It is a different flavor. ifit is more like a solid cup of diner coffee than Peloton is.

iFit doesn't provide special features or content for these dumbbells. The dumbbells aren't going to count your reps or give any insight, unlike the connected ones. Instructors in some classes are going over how to use the iSelect dumbbell in order to use theAlexa function.

It takes time to increase or decrease weights, which is one of the most annoying things about working out with traditional adjustable dumbbells. That isn't an issue if you're making your own workouts. The 30 seconds between sets isn't enough time to reset the weights in the rack, calculate how many extra plates you need to add, and make sure everything is secured. NordicTrack emphasized in a demo that the combo of the electronic locking mechanism and the voice assistant would be fast and safe.

In reality, she was fast. Other times, she was confused.

To control the dumbbells, you can issue commands such as "Alexa, set weights to bicep curl" or "Alexa, increase / decrease weights by five pounds." The time to adjust the weight is not included. It's not always the smartest assistant on the block. Instead of asking which bulbs I wanted to turn on or off, she would ask which weights I wanted to add. Sometimes, it would say it couldn't connect to my dumbbells, but would successfully change the weights after a short lag.

Again, this is less of a problem if you are following along with the program. If you're not, it can be hard for Amazon to hear you correctly. I tested both the Spot and the fourth-generation Echo and both of them had difficulty understanding me. I was able to understand the class with no issues at all. I would have to yell over the instructor or pause the class to understand my commands. Nine out of 10 times it was quicker for me to manually adjust the weights than it was to use the knob.

If I were to run to the kitchen for water during a recovery break, I would not be able to see myself using Amazon's voice assistant. I'm not sure if it would be quicker to manually adjust. I would like the feature to work more consistently, but I'm all for it being there for accessibility reasons.

I was impressed with how quickly it was possible to adjust the dumbbells. A couple of years ago, I reviewed a connected kettlebell. It wasn't always fast enough to keep up with classes. It feels like the iSelect dumbbells switch weights. The speed doesn't come at the expense of safety. You name it, I have done overhead tricep extensions, deadlifts, Russian twists, renegade rows, chest presses, and squats. Nothing fell off.

The iSelect Dumbbells are sturdy, and the plates don't rattle as much as other dumbbells I've tried. The handles are good for plank exercises where you have to plank with the weight, and the square shape is good for dumbbell pass-throughs. I wouldn't say they were better than the standard dumbbells I already have, even though the shape is bulkier than I would have liked.

The dumbbells cost $429. If you don't already have an Amazon device, or if you choose to continue with i Fit, that's not included. It depends on your strength-training needs. A full rack of standard dumbbells from 5 to 50 pounds can cost a small fortune. The NordicTrack version costs $1,999. Most are in the $700 to $1,000 range. You are getting a deal when you compare the iSelect dumbbells to that. You are also saving a lot of space in your home.

If you actually need a full rack, that's what it is. If you are a beginner, you don't. Smaller dumbbell sets can be found for less. There are dumbbell sets with a smaller range on Amazon. Some can be turned into barbells. If you're disappointed by the lack of metrics, there's a set of connected dumbbells that can count your reps.

If you have multiple people in your house at different strength levels, a set like this makes sense. I don't know if either of us would use the voice control if I hadn't tested the device. These dumbbells have the weight range we need, save space, and adjust quickly for classes. I don't have to worry about a plate hitting me in the schnoz. I am aware that no one needs to spend hundreds on connected weights that don't have many smart features. If you don't have a lot of space to work with, you could do worse.

Victoria Song is a photographer.

Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it. It is impossible for us to read and analyze all of these agreements. We started counting how many times you have to agree to use devices when we review them.

You don't have to use the iSelect app to use the NordicTrack iSelect Adjustable Dumbbells. You won't get any smart features that way. If you want connected features, you have to pair the dumbbells with your phone. You agree to the terms and conditions of your phone. You need to create an ifit account. Accepting two mandatory agreements is what it means to do so.

• iFit’s Terms of Use
• iFit’s Privacy Policy

If you choose to use the voice control feature, you must also agree to Amazon's terms of use and privacy policies.

You can grant the iSelect app access to your phone. You can grant the ifit app access to your phone if you choose to continue with the monthly membership.

There are two mandatory agreements and three optional agreements.