Before looking at the Smith machine home gym lets firstly look at what is a smith machine in the home gym context.


Essentially a smith machine is made up of a barbell which is fixed within steel rails and which only moves vertically. It was invented by Jack La Lanne who fixed one up in his gym in the 1950s and bodybuilder Rudy Smith subsequently improved on the original design.

The major benefit of the smith machine is that you do not need a spotter when working out because there is a series of slots on which the barbell can be hooked and secured. You only need to twist your wrist to lock the barbell in place thus increasing safety enormously for weight lifters.

Some smith machines also feature a block which can be set up to stop the barbell at a pre chosen minimum height. Generally a smith machine will allow a weight lifter or someone working out a greater degree of safety and protection than the regular barbell.

However a criticism of the smith machine is that it restricts the body to a single range of motion and as a consequence the proper body form is not being used which means the stabilization muscles are not being strengthened which in turn means that transferring your performance from the smith machine to free weights can be erratic.

Furthermore the failure to use the proper form can lead to injury when trying to transfer performance from the smith machine to free weights because you will be using muscles with free weights which may not have been sufficiently developed because of the use of the smith machine.

Marcy Diamond Elite Smith System with Linear Bearings

The Marcy Diamond Elite Smith System with Linear Bearings sells for around $800 on Amazon which is a massive $1,000 saving. It features a non slip foot brace for seated row exercises, adjustable bar catches and safety stoppers, a dual action leg developer and row/curl bar and linear bearings with machined steel guide rods that make for a real smooth movement.

It is made from a heavy duty tubular steel frame and has a 7 degree slant to allow upper and lower body movements. It also boasts commercial grade bar and pop pins adjustment and safety catches.

It also has 6 olympic storage pegs and a range of accessories with an off the floor base frame design which improves stability. Most users of this smith machine home gym cite the quality and price as being big pluses; the negatives include the build time and the absence of an Olympic weight set.

Weider 875 Commercial Smith Rack & Bench

This Weider system has a $500 discount on Amazon right now from it’s recommended retail price of $1,300 and it features a 4 post cage design with a strong utility bench and adjustable seat bottom.

It also has 2 high swivel pulleys and a low pulley with row plate and a smith bar with linear bearings. It also has a leg developer, curl bar and preacher pad.

Caribou III System

The caribou III system sells for $1159 on Amazon which is a fair price for what is a serious piece of home gym equipment. It features a chin up bar, self oiling bushings, and integrated dip station mount, free low row foot plate and Olympic adapters for the smith bar.

One of the advantages of the Caribou III system is that you can add to the system as you grow eg cable cross, dip station and pec deck.

One criticism of this machine is that it is a little small as you can’t use the bench with the back upright to support shoulder presses because the bench can’t slide deep into the rack but this machine is designed to fit into most private residences and that may explain why it is a little smaller than what you might come across in the gym.