for most people for 2020. Factoring in price, warranty, performance, and availability, these bars stand out amongst the rest. We'd rather not have the same company hold both of the top spots, but it's hard to argue against the value these bars provide.

A barbell is the most versatile tool in any commercial or home gym. However, thanks to the exponential growth in both barbell training and home gyms there are now hundreds of companies producing thousands of different barbells. This is both good and bad. It's good because you have a plethora of options to choose from to improve your squat, deadlift, bench press, as well as Olympic Lifts and general training movements. It's bad because it's suddenly that much harder to decide which bar(s) to spend your hard earned money on.

That's where we come in. In this guide, we want to give you the best value barbells for most people by choosing the best Olympic Barbells for 2020. If you're a powerlifter and want further suggestions, we suggest checking out our Best Powerlifting Barbell Guide here. Now, I present to you, the best barbells for dollar out of the hundreds that we own and test.

Best Multi-Purpose Barbell

Rogue Bar 2.0 (6 ratings & reviews) This is the next generation of the 28.5MM Olympic bar that helped launch the revolution. Now fully machined and assembled at the Rogue factory in Columbus, Ohio, the Rogue Bar 2.0 represents the highest level of precision engineering with a wide range of new features—including stronger 190 PSI steel, durable composite bushings, and CNC-machined groove sleeves with customizable color bands, available here Like the original flagship Rogue Bar, Version 2.0 still offers convenient dual knurl marks for both Olympic and powerlifting, with a black zinc coated shaft and bright zinc sleeves. The addition of a groove in the sleeve enables athletes and coaches to more easily identify and differentiate bars by changing out the bands. The bar comes standard with Rogue-branded bands, but you can swap them out with any of the additional color options available, or even use any custom, personalized band that matches the dimensions. The Rogue Bar 2.0 is among the first in our arsenal to use composite bushings—a self-lubricating material often found in hi-tech aerospace equipment and military vehicles. For intense, high-rep training, these bushings dramatically minimize friction to both provide a reliable spin and help extend the shelf life of the bar itself. The Rogue Bar helped us cement our reputation at the CrossFit Games and beyond, and we believe the Rogue Bar 2.0 is a worthy successor to that mantle. Buy Now ($255.00)

The Rogue Bar 2.0 is one of the most popular barbells in the world. Combining Rogue Fitness' attention to detail, outstanding customer service, and large manufacturing power, the Rogue Bar 2.0 can perform for nearly every movement or training style imaginable. Not too long ago a barbell featuring 190k PSI tensile strength steel, a bushing rotation system, and high-quality knurl with a lifetime warranty would have cost you nearly $1,000. Thankfully, due to the growth of home gym owners and the popularity of basic barbell training, there are now a seemingly endless amount of high-quality barbells for under $300. Although the Rogue Bar 2.0 is our current pick for the best Olympic Barbell for most people, there are many others worth considering.

For 2020, we reassessed the barbells on the market including what we had on hand. Although there have been a lot of new options come to market, including Cerakote, Stainless Steel, as well as budget-friendly options, the Rogue Bar 2.0 is still the best value barbell for most people.

Best Powerlifting Barbell

Rogue Ohio Power Bar (19 ratings & reviews) Fully machined and assembled in Columbus, OH, the 29MM Rogue Ohio Power Bar features a 205,000 PSI steel shaft (200,000 PSI for Stainless), single powerlifting knurl marks, and center knurling. The bar’s knurl pattern is deep and coarse without being sharp or abrasive, and the 29MM shaft diameter and high tensile strength result in little to no flex or whip. This makes the Ohio Power Bar a perfectly honed workhorse for the bench, squat, and deadlift. The 45LB Ohio Power Bar includes bronze bushings, a snap ring design, and 16.25" of loadable sleeve length. When ordering, you can select from three finish options: Black Zinc shaft with Bright Zinc sleeves Stainless Steel shaft with Chrome sleeves Bare Steel Rogue also manufactures a 20KG Ohio Power Bar , with friction-welded sleeves and 16.25" loadable sleeve space. The Ohio Power Bar’s 29MM diameter steel shaft boasts a tensile strength of 205,000 PSI (200,000 PSI for Stainless), delivering superior rigidity and virtually zero whip/flex. Machined and assembled in Columbus, Ohio, the bar also features a snap-ring design and quality bronze bushings for a smooth, consistent feel. The bar includes single powerlifting marks and a center knurl, each featuring a deep, coarse pattern that produces a reliable grip / stick without being sharp or abrasive. Perfecting this knurl pattern is both a science and an art. Every bar shaft is machined in Columbus on new Haas machines (built in the USA) and fine-tuned and personally tested by the Rogue team. Depending on the look and feel you prefer, there is a version of the Ohio Power Bar right in your wheelhouse. The Zinc option (black shaft, bright sleeves) provides excellent corrosion resistance, the Bare Steel creates a classic look and natural feel, and the new Stainless Steel variation (with Chrome sleeves) strikes a balance between the two. The Ohio Power Bar’s quality construction is backed by Rogue’s Lifetime Warranty against bending. This is a barbell equipped for high intensity, everyday use. Please Note: The warranty does not cover damage due to negligent or faulty use, alteration, maintenance, storage or handling by the user, i.e., dropping the bar on a box, bench, spotter arms or pins in a power rack, excessive dropping with insufficient or damaged bumpers, or excessive dropping with iron plates, and similar usage. Any specific issues regarding a Rogue product with which a customer is not satisfied will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Buy Now ($250.00)

The Rogue Ohio Power Bar, also known as the Rogue OPB, has been the go-to power bar for most people for some time. It's our Top Pick for the best powerlifting barbell and for good reason. Rogue has combined their large manufacturing power, attention to detail, and ability to create industry-leading products at great prices to create, in our opinion, the best power bar for any strength level. Whether you’re a beginner learning the squat, deadlift, and bench or an experienced lifter, the Rogue Ohio Power Bar can handle whatever you throw at it.

The Rogue Ohio Power Bar must be felt to experience the quality differences between it and it’s competition. The part of a power bar that should have the most attention applied to it is its knurling, and in our opinion and many we’ve polled, the Ohio Power Bar has some of the best feeling knurling on the market. It’s aggressive, but not sharp thanks to its volcanic design. In addition to the knurling, the Rogue Ohio Power Bar features a 205K PSI Tensile Strength shaft, bronze bushings, and enough shaft coatings to satisfy anyone’s interests. Whether you choose the Bare Steel, Zinc, Cerakote, or our favorite, Stainless Steel version, you’ll be satisfied. Also, if you need a bar for a powerlifting meet, the KG version is IPF-approved.

Runner-Up Multi-Purpose Bar

American Barbell Training Bar (9 ratings & reviews) The American Barbell Training Bar is a solid, versatile barbell for just about any application. We've tested it against the day-to-day abuse of heavy training and it's proven to last. The bar shaft is made from precision ground alloy steel and the strength of the shaft is tested with every shipment of raw material to ensure we have a consistent 190,000 PSI tensile strength. This attention to detail also allows for excellent whip and long-term performance of our bars. The shaft and sleeves are finished in hard chrome for added durability and corrosion resistance, and the knurl pattern is crisp with just the right amount of tack. The bar sleeves are precision machined and each one is coated with hard chrome for protection against dropping and impact. Sleeves rotate around high strength composite bushings used in aircraft and automotive industries for smooth rotation.Application: Olympic Weightlifting, Weightlifting, CompetitionBushing SystemCenter knurl: NoShaft: Hard Chrome CoatingSleeve: Precision Ground Steel with a Hard Chrome CoatingIWF SpecificationMade in USAWarranty: Limited Warranty* Buy Now ($275.00)

American Barbell doesn't get nearly as much love as we think they should. Their equipment is nearly all made in the USA and their attention to detail is outstanding. The American Barbell Training Bar is one of the best Olympic barbells for the value in the world. It has a great, medium-depth knurling that grips well with chalk and does well for barbell cycling if you're a CrossFit athlete and is also fine for max effort lifts for Powerlifters and Olympic Weightlifters (although we'd recommend specialized bars.) It's also completely made in the US with a lifetime warranty.

We've tested and reviewed the AB Training Bar for over three years now and still like it as much as we did on day one. This is an outstanding do-it-all barbell. If you want better corrosion resistance, than we suggest getting the Cerakote version for $25 more here.

Runner-Up Powerlifting Bar

Buddy Capps Texas Power Bar (8 ratings & reviews) The most popular powerlifting bar on the market, Manufactured by Buddy Capps. Used in National & World Championship Meets since 1980. We are still using the same USA steel mill we started with in 1980. The shafts are center less ground, demagnetized and oiled to the max before shipping to Texas. Once at our production facility, we machine and then knurl each shaft to create a grip that is still the best in the industry. Texas Power Bars have different finishes available including black zinc and chrome plating. The sleeves are are available raw or chrome plated. Big tensile strength numbers sound very impressive and we have them but, the proof is on the platform. Hundreds of state, national, international and world powerlifting records have been and continue to be set and broken on the The Texas Power Bar. Length - 84" Weight - 20kg (45 lb w/ basic collars) Diameter - 28.5 mm Capacity - 1500 lbs Finish - Shaft is black zinc; ends are raw Buy Now ($304.99)

The Buddy Capps Texas Power Bar is one of the most legendary barbells ever made. It’s broken more world records and been used in more gyms than probably any other bar. We like the Texas Power Bar and know many find it the be the best power bar ever made. If you want to start an argument, just say that there's a better power bar than TPB (we do this often.) The knurling on the Texas Power Bar is aggressive and sharp, which has the benefit of staying in your hands during a max pull, however, it also has the disadvantage of ripping your callouses off.

We chose the Texas Power Bar as our runner-up for the best power bar and not our number one pick for a few reasons which we’ll list in more detail further in the article. However, the main reason is that we see it as a bar that is yes, extremely popular and a good performer, but, has been passed by bars with higher tensile strength and that utilize newer machinery and offer more options like Cerakote, stainless steel, and other materials. The Texas Power Bar is also 28.5MM in diameter, which at one time was the standard, but has since been replaced by 29MM barbells. For these reasons and many more, we believe the Texas Power Bar is still an outstanding barbell, however, we believe our top pick, the Rogue Ohio Power Bar is a superior value.

Multi-Purpose Bar Upgrade Pick

Rogue Ohio Bar - Stainless Steel (9 ratings & reviews) The new stainless steel version of our 20KG Rogue Ohio Bar is machined and assembled in Columbus, Ohio, and features a 200,000 PSI tensile strength shaft, chrome sleeves, and an exclusive Rogue knurl pattern that’s 100% in its original, machined form for an unmatched feel. With quality composite bushings and dual knurl marks, the Stainless Steel Ohio Bar is optimized for both Olympic lifts and Powerlifting—delivering a firm but non-abrasive grip, a consistent spin, and a unique balance of whip and rigidity. We call it the Ohio Bar because we think it represents more than just the Rogue brand. It’s a testament to where we work, who we are, and the pride we feel in making the best American-made weightlifting bars on the market. To check out the same bar with zinc or black oxide finish options, see our standard Ohio Bar page. This high tensile strength steel is manufactured in the USA and has proven to be one of the best steel variants for a multi-purpose barbell. Each barbell shaft is ground and polished prior to machining, allowing for a very smooth finish. Every bar shaft is machined in Columbus, Ohio. A great deal of pride is built into each bar as the knurling process is an art. We spent months working on the knurl we believe to be the best for the Ohio Bar. To test the knurl it is more a beer tasting process than exact measurement. There is a look and feel that go into testing every bar. With no plating, the knurl on the Stainless Steel Ohio Bar is left exactly how we machined it, providing a great feel that cannot be achieved with other finishes. It’s similar to the knurl feel from a bare steel shaft, but with better corrosion resistance. The combination of a stainless steel shaft and chrome sleeves also creates a sharp look with few equals. Please Note: Rogue recommends using a synthetic bristle brush, NOT a steel brush, to clean a stainless steel shaft. Steel on steel can cause rusting over time. The Ohio Bar is assembled with the same black composite bushings as the Rogue Bar 2.0, which act as bearing surfaces between the bar sleeve and bar shaft. This is a very robust way of building a barbell, and can produce a smooth, consistent spin not possible with lesser import bars. Each bar comes with an “Ohio Bar Card” that has the initials of the Rogue team member that built it. The multi-purpose Ohio Bar will have normal “whip” during Olympic weightlifting and enough stiffness to hold for heavy Powerlifting. The steel in this bar is proven as an excellent choice for weightlifters. Specifications: Manufactured in Columbus, OH Diameter: 28.5MM Weight: 20KG Stainless Steel Shaft, Chrome Sleeves Dual Knurl Marks for Oly and Power lifts No Center Knurl 200,000 PSI Tensile Strength Steel Composite Bushings for Reliable Spin 16.40" loadable sleeve length Rogue branded endcaps Buy Now ($350.00)

The Ohio Bar and Rogue Bar 2.0 from Rogue Fitness are very similar bars. For this reason, we recommend the Rogue Bar 2.0 due to it's lower price point for what is essentially the same bar. However, if money is not a worry and you want a bar that will best withstand corrosion, we recommend the stainless steel version of The Ohio Bar from Rogue Fitness as a step above our top pick.

The majority of people do not need to spend $350 on a barbell and the benefits of stainless steel are not vastly superior to traditional barbell steel. This said, the corrosion resistance of stainless steel along with the superior knurling (due to no coating) are great to have if you're looking for a general purpose barbell and the increased cost is not an issue for you.

Power Bar Upgrade Pick

Kabuki Strength New Generation Power Bar (7 ratings & reviews) This bar is our IPF spec, multi purpose, power bar. It I a 29mm bar, with aggressive but not overly sharp knurl, and standard powerlifting markings. What is it about our new generation bars that sets them apart? With a tensile strength of over 250k PSI and a rockwell hardness of 51 RC, this bar is harder than any other currently bar on market. What this means in practical terms is that the knurl won’t wear down over the years, leaving you with a bar that is performing sub par compared to when it was new. Even where the bar contacts the rack it will maintain that fine, tacky, aggressive knurl just like the day it was unboxed. The knurl itself is the other piece of engineering that went into this bar this bar that we are proud of. We wanted to create something that grabbed well but wasn’t so unnecessarily sharp that it cut your hands rather than grabbing. The knurl of our bar is finer than most barbells you will find, giving the knurl more points per square inch and creating more surface area to create friction against. Lastly, another small feature to differentiate our bar is the center marks in the knurl. We wanted to leave the power bar with a continuous center knurl so as to not lose any of the grip effects for squatting, but still have marking to indicate the bars center for alignment purposes. We fully stand behind our product and believe in it wholeheartedly, which is why each bar comes with a 5 year warranty against any type of manufacturing defect. What this means is if your bar begins to wear prematurely, we will repair or replace it free of charge. While our bar does have a higher tensile strength – what this doesn’t mean is that we will warranty against customer induced damage such as dropping the bar into metal safety pins. Depending on many variables such as the height and weight used this is just simply too much force into one area of the bar to not cause permanent deformation. Buy Now ($599.00)

The Kabuki Strength New Generation Power Bar is our upgrade pick due to its insanely high tensile strength, outstanding knurling, and price. The New Generation Power Bar is the most expensive barbell on our list (certainly not the most expensive available), but for those that want something stronger than our other picks (not that we feel it’s needed) and prefer a finer knurling than our top pick, than this may be the bar for you.

After using the New Generation Power Bar since its release, we can confidently recommend it despite its high price tag. This bar is the strongest available with a tested 250K+ PSI Tensile Strength steel shaft and it is stiff. At 29MM, the Kabuki Strength New Generation Power Bar is made to take any amount of weight you can throw at it and keep on performing. The knurl utilizes a similar volcanic pattern to the Rogue Ohio Power Bar, but is much finer. We had trouble saying which one we liked best, but suffice it to say, we equally enjoy using both during training. The New Generation Power Bar also comes in a variety of finishes that should satisfy anyone’s needs, although we would like to see a Stainless Steel version.

Multi-Purpose Bar Budget Pick

FringeSport Wonder Bar V2 20KG Barbell (10 ratings & reviews) The Wonder Bar reigns as the nucleus of the barbell universe here at Fringe. We set out on a noble quest to design and build the best bar suited for commercial gyms, and make it available to you at a home gym price. We completed our hero’s journey and now offering our reward to you delights us. This versatile bar will serve almost everyone well. You can set world records on this bar, and use it for most training. If you're a seasoned athlete or an affiliate owner, consider stepping up to the Bomba Bar V2 (made in America) or even our Fringe Sport Weightlifting Barbell. Here are a couple of Wonder Bar features to be aware of:The 28mm shaft diameter is great for Olympic movements.The needle bearing cartridges provide great spin, but may require oiling in time.If you’re new to lifting or building a home gym and need more info to learn what type of barbell works best for you, here’s a helpful guide.We have an informal state motto here in Texas- “come and take it.” Not only do we want you to do this with the Wonder Bar V2, but we’d like to put our own spin on it. Fringe it, or forget it. WONDER BAR V2 SPECS:The Wonder Bar V2 comes in a bushing version or bearing cartridges version. Except for that, the specs for both are the same.Bushing rotation or bearing collarKiller all-black Zinc finishTensile strength: 205,000 PSIYield strength: 160,000 PSIWeight capacity: 1,600 lbWeight: 20kilograms / ~44 poundsCollars: Bushing (Yellow "W") Bronze Oil Lite Bushing Rotation or Bearing (Green "W") 4 Needle Bearing Cartridges Per CollarWhip: StiffSpin: Moderate (Bushing) or Fast (Bearing)Best Use: Garage Gym or WODing. Read below for Bushing vs. Bearing differences.Material: Alloy Steel, Black ZincPlatedLength: 86 inchesSleeve Specs:16 inches Length and 2" diameterShaft Specs: true28mm diameterKnurl: Dual Knurling - Double Ring IWF + IPF Knurling (No Center Knurl)Smooth knurl depth- neither a cheese grater nor too softWarranty: Lifetime Warranty against manufacturer's defects. Buy Now ($199.00)

If you'd rather not spend more than $200, although we'd suggest you do, the FringeSport Wonder Bar Olympic Barbell is a more than capable quality barbell from a company with an excellent reputation. The FringeSport Wonder Bar features 205k PSI tensile strength steel, a 28mm shaft, and a black zinc coating on both the shaft and sleeves.

Although we'll go into more detail on why The Rogue Bar 2.0 ranks above the Wonder Bar and others, the smaller 28mm shaft and black zinc coating on the sleeves are less than optimal for the majority of trainees. The Wonder Bar does feature a lifetime warranty and although we don't believe FringeSport is as capable of servicing warranties as Rogue Fitness, they are a company we trust. Put simply, for $200, the Wonder Bar from FringeSport is a good barbell.

Power Bar Budget Pick

CAP OB-86PBCK Power Bar (3 ratings & reviews) CAP Barbell 2" solid power squat bar is designed to handle over 1000 lbs. This 7' bar has a black oxide finish and comes with proper hand placement markers and comfortable center knurling. This is the bar of choice for squats, bench presses, and deadlifts. Collars not included. Accommodates all 2" plates.Black oxide finishHand placement markers and comfortable center knurlingIdeal for squats, bench presses, and deadliftsCollars not includedAccommodates all 2 inch plates Buy Now ($162.99)

If you are just starting out with barbell training or want a “beater bar” and need a decent, but very affordable option, we’d suggest the CAP OB-86PBCK Power Bar. It has by far the worst specs of any bar on this list, but it also has the lowest price and, simply put, gets the job done.

When it comes to having a good training bar that you can really beat up, the Cap OB-86PBCK is the bar for the job. Squats, presses, pendlay rows, landmines, etc. - if its an activity that can be done with a barbell it can be done with the Cap OB-86B. It’s one of our favorite beater bars due to its durability and price and is our worry-free bar to rack pull with (mainly because if it bends, we’re not worried about it.) Yes, the knurling will get fatigued and worn overtime and the sleeves will most likely get scraped, but it will continue to perform when we need it too.