One of the main reasons why people have more success getting in shape by going to the gym rather than working out at home, is because the gym offers a whole range of machines that make working out at least interesting, if not fun. It is equally true that gyms have a social component that you simply cannot find by working out at home, but if that is not important to you, there are a couple of very affordable devices that can make working out challenging and fun.

The ab wheel is one of the most important fitness aids that you can buy and use at home, without worrying that you have invested too much. In the beginning it is a very challenging tool to use, but that is what makes it fun, because, you learn very quickly how to balance with it, and how to flow with the movement. Once you learn that you will already have started on a training curve that will take you from barely being able to go through a couple of repetitions with the wheel, to having a 15 minutes to half an hour intensive workout. And because you can actually see your abilities increasing, as well as discover new movements every day, you will most likely keep up with your workout until you get to those perfect abs. Of course, the challenge is to find the perfect ab wheel for your needs and that is why we have put together the following list, each ab wheel on that list being the perfect choice for a specific type of buyer.

Comparison

	Product	Rating	Price
	Perfect Fitness Ab Carver Pro	4.5/5	$$
	CSX Ab Roller Wheel with Extra Thick Knee Pad Mat and Comfort Foam Handles, Black	4.9/5	$
	Inred Dual Ab Wheel	4.3/5	$
	Perfect Fitness Ab Carver Sport	4.4/5	$
	Ab Wheel - Smooth Workout - Comes Fully Assembled, Sturdy and Very Durable.	4.7/5	$

The Best Ab Wheel If Money Is not a Problem

Perfect Fitness Ab Carver Pro Roller for Core Workouts

For those of you who are sure to keep up with a training program, the best choice you could make is the Perfect Fitness Ab Carver Pro. It is one of the more expensive choices you could make, although way below the average price of a gym membership, but still it is a beautiful, brilliant machine and it would be a shame to just keep in the back of the closet gathering dust. Still there are a couple of things that actually make this the perfect choice for a beginner, the most important of which being the fact that the wheel itself is extra wide and many people find it difficult to go through what are strenuous movements and keep their balance on a regular ab wheel. It is also made with the best quality rubber so it does not slip out of control and it comes with its own foam kneepads. Speaking of which, if you are going to go with any of the other wheels we are going to talk about today, since most of them do not come with kneepads, make sure to buy a training mat that you can cut into pieces to make your own kneepads or you will severely bruise your kneecaps during the more intensive workouts. There are a couple of characteristics that also make this the perfect ab wheel for advanced users. Once again, the fact that the wheel is so wide, and designed at a slight angle means you can actually follow through on each side of the wheel and get an intensive workout for the sides of the abdomen as well. Finally, you should take into consideration the fact that this wheel has a high density coil inside that provides resistance as you push, and that, combined with the rubber surface of the wheel, helps you maintain your balance and not fall out of control to one side or another, no matter how exhausted you are.

What’s to like?

• It is fairly priced

• It has a gorgeous design that is patented by the manufacturer

• It offers assistance on the way back

• It has built-in resistance

• It has an advanced design

• It has interior kinetic engine

• It has a carbon spring steel

• It has ultra-wide wheel tread

• It is stable

• It is extremely comfortable to use

• It has ergonomic handles

• It is ideal for ab workouts

• It comes with high-density knee pads

• It includes a 21-day workout plan

• It is covered by a 1-year warranty

What’s not to like?

• It is not suitable for those of you with a weaker core

The Best Ab Wheel for the Money

MOORAY SPORT Abs Stimulator Trainer Ultimate Abs Stimulator Ab Stimulator

If you are looking to get the biggest bang for your buck, and not end up spending too much money, an even better choice than the Ab Carver Pro would be the CSX Ab Roller Wheel. It is definitely not a better wheel but it is a lot more affordable and it does pretty much the same job. The first thing that we look at is the quality of the rubber on the outside of the wheel, because that makes the biggest difference between a wheel that you have absolutely no control over and one that is manageable. The big difference is that this wheel is a lot thinner and does not have the tilted sides that help you go into longitudinal workouts that focus on the side of your abs. On the plus side, though, the CSX also comes with its own kneepads and we did find them somewhat more comfortable than the ones that come with the Ab Carver. The handles are not quite as ergonomic or comfortable as the ones on the Ab Carver, but they are definitely superior in make and quality to the other ones on the market. Finally, we loved the fact that the core of the wheel is made for durable steel so it can take a lot of punishment from a variety of intensive workout.

What’s to like?

• It comes at a great price

• It offers value for money

• It is a great alternative to ab crunches

• It is easy to use

• It has a comfortable grip

• It is stable

• It has no wheel wobble

• It strengthens ab muscles

• It is made of high-quality materials

• It is made of dual matt black plastic

• It has a metal axe

• It has a snug fit

• It has foam handles

• It includes a knee pad

What’s not to like?

• It isn’t the best product for advanced users

The Best Ab Wheel on a Budget

Exercise And Fitness Wheel With Easy Grip Handles For Core Training And Abdominal Workout

One of the undeniable facts of life is that you will never have all the money you could wish to have to invest, even when it comes to your health. So in our search for the best ab wheel on the market we also looked for the best budget choice, and we think we have found it in the Valeo Inred Dual Ab Wheel. It may look almost identical to the CSX Ab Roller, but the moment you unbox it, you will feel the pungent smell of inferior plastics and rubber. Still the outside of the wheel is softer the on most other wheels we have found in this price range, and the handles, although hard and difficult to work with, do have a smart, ergonomic design. The wheel is obviously a simple design, so you will need to strengthen your core muscles before you can attempt to go into long side slides that will focus the effort on your side muscles. The one thing that really drew our attention to the Valeo Ab Wheel was the fact that the core is made from extra strength steel bearings, so it will definitely last the duration of your workout, until you get in shape.

What’s to like?

• It is very inexpensive

• It is made of durable plastic

• It is sturdy

• It is ideal for shoulder, arm and ab toning

• It has a slip resistant grip

• It has no wheel wobble

• It has ergonomic handles

• It has compact and lightweight design

• It can be used by both beginners and advanced users

• It is lightweight

What’s not to like?

• It doesn’t include other accessories

• It doesn’t have metal parts

Honorable Mention

Perfect Fitness Ab Carver Sport Roller for Core Workouts

There were a couple of ab wheels that truly impressed us, but that simply did not make the cut in our top 3 choices. Still we just had to mention the Perfect Fitness Ab Carver Sport because it has those ergonomic handles covered in a soft rubber layer, that allow you to perfectly control the motion of the wheel. There is also a second feature that we found quite impressive and it is the fact that they use a 2 wheel configuration with a gap between them so that the entire ab wheel is a lot more stable than the regular ones. It also helps a lot that they used a gym studio grade rubber on the wheel so it is does not slip on any type of surface. Still, it is not as stable as the Ab Carver Pro, but a significant improvement over anything else. The handles do allow you to carve both left and right in order to work those lateral muscles, but, because they wheel does not have the angled shape, it still does not feel as comfortable as we would like to have it. Then again, the price is a lot more reasonable than what you would have to pay for an Ab Carver Pro, and, because of all the features we have mentioned, the handles, the double wheel, the rubber coating, it almost got us to choose the Perfect Fitness Ab Carver Sport as our number one choice.

What’s to like?

• It is affordable

• It has a gorgeous design

• It has extra-wide handles

• It is very stable

• It has an ergonomic design

• It is designed for forward and lateral exercises

• It has a good grip

• It doesn’t slip

• It protects the wrists

• It is lightweight

• It is suitable for beginners, too

What’s not to like?

• It is made of plastic

• It doesn’t have rubber handles

Elite Sportz Equipment Ab Wheel

Our Ab Exercise Wheels are Sturdy, Smooth Rolling, and has Non- Slip Handles

The biggest problem that an ab wheel user faces is the fact that it is not the most stable workout tool. That is partly a deliberate choice because it is part of the workout routine to try and maintain the perfect form, but it can also be an unnecessary challenge and even create a somewhat dangerous situation. The way the Elite Sportz Equipment Ab Wheel solves that problem is in using to distinct wheels set apart one from the other. The result is the most stable wheel we have tried, except for the Ab Carver Pro, of course, but the downside is that it is almost impossible to twist the wheel and your body to work on your side core muscles. The wheel itself has a pretty rugged look to it, and does not feel as comfortable as any of the other wheels. However, as far as stability goes the double wheel configuration is quite impressive and the price is one of the lowest we could find. So this would be the perfect tool for someone who was not sure whether they would keep up with a training regiment or not. The one thing that you have to be careful with is to also get some sort of kneepads because you do not get a set with this wheel and you will very quickly destroy your knees if you do not use any type of protection.

What’s to like?

• It has a great price

• It has a beautiful design

• It is small sized

• It is a double wheel

• It is more stable than other similar models

• It is very lightweight

• It rolls smoothly

• It is sturdy

• It is fully assembled

• It is comfortable to use

• It is ideal for beginners

• It is made of plastic and rubber

• It is non-slip

• It comes with video instructions

• It is covered by money-back guarantee

What’s not to like?

• It might be too small for some users

Can you replace crunches with ab wheel exercises?

Everyone hates crunches. They make your muscles burn, hurt and sometimes they simply feel like torture. More often than not, ab muscles aren’t very strong, which is why when working out, they hurt more. At the same time, if your back muscles aren’t very strong, either, you will find it even more difficult to do crunches, as you need some strength in order to lift your back from the ground or the bench. The ab wheel is a less boring alternative that works your entire core at once and that strengthens your chest and arms, too. If you feel that you need to do a change in your workout routine and you are tired of gathering your strengths to do crunches, then the ab wheel is your best option. There are plenty of exercises that you ca do using an ab wheel, except for the obvious. Actually, these are all variations from the classic exercise. You can try doing an ab wheel plank, knee roll-outs, wide-stance front roll-outs, narrow stance front roll-outs, V roll-outs, knee tucks, and plank to pike, oblique tucks, bridge hold, and single arm roll-out. If you are eager to get results in a very short period of time, then you can do circuit workouts using the ab wheel.

How can you use an ab wheel the right way?

If this is your first time exercising with an ab wheel, you shouldn’t panic. The wheel is easy to use and allows you to control how low you will roll. So, to begin with, you must grasp the handles of the roller with both hands, palms facing down, from an all-four position. Next, push the torso up just like if you were trying to do a plank position. If your position is correct, your head, body and heels will form a straight line. For the best results, fitness experts recommend either doing 15-20 repetitions and 3-4 sets or engaging your core and holding for about 60 seconds. As a beginner, you should simply get used to the ab wheel and start doing a few repetitions, until you feel confident that you can do more.

Are ab wheels durable?

Just like any other fitness equipment, it depends a lot on the wheel’s material. If the wheel is made of stainless steel, it comes with PVC rubber and has a non-slip rubber wheel system, and then the answer is yes. The more durable the material is, the longer the product’s life. If, on the contrary, you choose to buy a plastic ab wheel, you cannot expect it to last a lifetime, as plastic is less durable by definition. From this perspective, it is worth paying more for a high-quality, durable wheel, as it withstands the most intense workouts and you will have it for years to come. When you look at such a product’s durability, don’t pay attention only to the wheel itself, but also to the quality of the padding and rubber, if any.