Merax Fitness Chest Press Bench, Adjustable Flat Incline Bench Press with Independent Converging Arms, Total 2000 LB Max. Load Chest Press Machine

The price had me concerned, and seeing only a few reviews I honestly did not have my hopes up..Which is why I felt like I needed to do my due diligence and leave a review. To keep it short and sweet:This bench is one of the best I've used.Absolutely blown away how easy the assembly was, and how sturdy it is. For the price I was expecting either a million parts, or a wobbly cheap disaster.. I was wrong. It's SOLID..does not feel cheap or wobbly at all..AND it was easier to put together then the computer desk I'm sitting next to.. I weigh about 190, I'm 5'8. This thing is compact and practical. Probably one of, if not the best exercise equipment purchase I've made.

Conventional "bro science" tells you that a standard flat bench press with a barbell is all you need to sculpt a well-defined chest. Once you start putting this theory to actual practice, you may find that - despite all the accolades - this exercise may not just right for you.Your mileage may vary, of course. But in my case, I've always found that the traditional bench press activated the "outer" side of my chest to a much larger extend than anything else, leaving a large, moon crater sized flat area in the middle. An additional set of chest flys would then be needed to compensate.What makes the Merax Chest Press bench so desirable is 1) the arms are independent of one another to correct any and all strength deficiencies you might have in one of the arms; and 2) the arms are converging at the top.When laying down flat (or inclined for your upper chest) you start out in your standard mid grip position - as you would with a barbell or a pair of dumbbells.However, as you raise the weight to the top and hold it for a few seconds, you will feel the brunt of the work shift from the "outer" portion of your chest to the "inner" area. Similar to how you would do a cable cross over exercise.The extra, much appreciated bonus, is that you don't feel the same strain on your front deltoids - again, as you would with a traditional bench press. Your chest does the brunt of the work, which is exactly what you want.Asides from this, the bench itself is sturdy and compact. Valor Fitness has a similar model, but you're not able to lift the actual bench, just lower it. Merax allows you to save space and a couple of dollars in comparison.TL;DR if you've been struggling with the traditional bench press or have hit a plateau and you're not able to overcome it with barbells or dumbells - do yourself a favor and get this machine

The media could not be loaded.  It was easy to set up based on the manual given, but I had to go to Home Depot to get the tools. 17mm & 19mm socket. But I found it was easy to buy two wrenches & do it that way. Also another wrench for the single 19mm bolt/washer. If you’re unsure take the bolts to Home Depot, Lowe’s or your preferred hardware store.It does feel a bit flimsy when lifting, & the angle is weird when coming down to the rest position. Also, the weight bar locks that come with it doesn’t fit properly over the plastic cover that makes the plates fit snugly. It ends up tearing the end apart so I’m not putting the metal weight locks on until I find better fitting ones. No big deal.But the issue I don’t like is the fact that the end of the workout bench (where your legs point to, that end of the bench) floats in the air. Yes— it floats straight, evenly. It’s unstable and I don’t trust it enough to hold my weight (I’m at a healthy bmi I’m not big) so I had to put 2 mats under it, & improvised with a bit of flooring planks under it so the chest press machine isn’t unstable when working out. Had I been taller it’d probably tip over everytime I’d use it without the support planks I put This is the reason I give it 4 stars. You’d want a flat even bench when working out. The last thing you want on your mind is if the bench will snap or crack as you’re lifting. It could’ve been designed better, but by the gods this gave me a great pump.Other than that, it’s decent for the price. Came a little banged up but it’s no biggie. Big reason I bought this one over the other ones, is because you can also workout your traps and delts.If the issue gets fixed with the floating bench, this workout machine is an easy 5 stars.

I am very happy with my purchase. It is very sturdy and easy to assemble. It is a game-changer for me. It helps target the chest much better for me than traditional bench press. I can also go until failure or near failure without the risk of hurting myself.

Excellent machine. Easy to assemble.

Excellent piece of equipment for the price! Surely wasn't disappointed. Easy enough to set up. Holds a lot of weight comfortably. Sturdy enough for semi-commercial use. Multiple adjustments allow for excellent depth on the stretch. Works the chest perfectly. Feels really really good. VALUE FOR MONEY.

Easy to stow. I just finished assembling it & will use it tomorrow. I have limited space in my workout room so I was looking for a bench just like this one.

Sturdy and Small - works great for my garage gym.