Not cheap, but this is a superbly made bit of kit. It’s solid as a rock and won’t wobble, rock or squeak, no matter how much iron you throw around. The foam footpads can be removed easily – which is great, because they mostly just get in the way – and the back rest can be positioned at vertical, 45°, flat or declined. A set of wheels lets you manoeuvre the bench easily. This is exactly how a bench should be: unfussy and solidly built.

Stockists: 01908 267345, www.bowflexselecttech.co.uk

The wobble on this bench is so ferocious it’s like doing presses on a Swiss ball. No amount of nut-tightening with a spanner would stop it rocking. It’s also compact, so anyone above munchkin size will find it difficult to use the leg pads (which get in the way of bench presses). The back rest rises only to around 30°, so any exercises that require you to sit upright are out. This bench tries to offer a lot, but none of it works particularly well.

Stockists: 0845 600 7000, www.nextelectric.co.uk

Like a Transformer toy, this is two things in one – a step platform that turns into a bench. We like the versatility – you can go straight from step-ups to seated presses – but it means it has its limitations as a bench. There’s no padding, for starters, and it’s a bit too close to the ground. But if you want a really simple piece of kit that is cheap, hard-wearing and easy to store, you can’t do much better than this.

Stockists: www.reebokprofessional.co.uk

This is an attractive, tough-looking bench that folds up so you can store it easily. The back rest can be positioned at vertical, 45° and flat, with a decline setting that’s great for sit-ups. It loses points for being too short to support your head and for having non-removable foot pads, which are a nuisance when you’re not using them. It’s also not as stable as the BowFlex – but then it does cost a fraction of the price.

Stockists: 01792 796893, www.escaladesports.co.uk

This is a neat, stylish bench, small enough not to clog up your house but big enough to support your back and head. It’s stable and comfortable, and you can take off the irritating foot pads if you want. The problem comes when you want to adjust the bench from flat to incline (it won’t do vertical), which is akin to constructing flat-pack furniture. You need to pull out three pins to move it, and the whole thing collapses when you do. Frustrating.

Stockists: www.argos.co.uk