We wanted to do an unbiased (as possible) review of a selection of the best hand grippers available in the UK.
Updated for 2020 with new additions. We have extensive hand gripper experience and a selection of over 50 hand grippers, being in the UK means some hand grippers are easier to come by than others..
Especially at a reasonable price! So today our aim is to find the best of the best and let you know exactly how each hand gripper performs.
For ease of reading we will add 3 different areas of marking to each hand gripper with a 5 star rating;
Feel ★★★★★
Consistency ★★★★★
Aesthetics ★★★★★
Cost ★★★★★
Gods Of Grip Godlike Grippers
Total 18/20 Stars
Starting with the Godlike Hand Grippers, these are the perfect hybrid of quality and price.
Manufactured with a consistent feel and performance in mind, these hand grippers have been designed using our research into exactly what people like us want! We wanted to bring a hand gripper that looks good, feels good and has long lasting performance, and at a good price!
After many months we finally finished the design and specifications and came through with our current line. For some videos of the grippers in action head over to our instagram @godsofgrip.
Now on the second model these grippers are better than ever. Hades 300lb hand gripper is seen as a monumental challenge for 99% of gripsters.
If you are tough enough to crush this gripper then you'll find yourself in our Crush Club!
- Poseidon 100lb
- Tlaloc 150lb
- Achilles 200lb
- Hephaestus 250lb
- Hades 300lb
Feel ★★★★☆
Picking up these grippers you will immediately feel they are durable and will last you a long time! The knurling on these grippers is very effective and comfortable, especially when used with chalk, without chalk if you start getting a bit sweaty they will become a little slippery. They are not abrasive or risk ripping skin like many other grippers. We decided to give 4/5 stars on feel as they do feel superb but can be a little slippery without chalk.
Consistency ★★★★★
So far the consistency of the grippers has been fantastic and the reviews we have been getting are very positive. A lot of hand grippers will begin to 'season' or weaken as they're used more and more stretching out the spring meaning the resistance feels different to when it was straight out of the pack. To a certain extent it is impossible for a gripper to feel brand new every squeeze. But from what we've heard so far the consistency is top notch 5/5.
Aesthetics ★★★★★
Where to begin? Gone are the days of the boring old standard silver hand grippers. Welcome to the splash of color that is our hand grippers. Glistening in the light our metal grippers look superb, especially when dashed with a little bit of chalk. Currently we have 4 colors, Blue, Black, Gold, Red. The black rust proof coating on the springs not only adds to the performance and longevity of the grippers but also makes them look great! Contrasting the colors of the handles they really do look great! We have to give 5/5 for this purely for the reaction we have had to the Godlike Grippers since release.
Cost ★★★★☆
When compared to other grippers such as Captains of Crush or Heavy grippers, the Godlike Grippers come in just above the Heavy Grippers. Captains of crush way out in front at around £26 - £28 each. We feel this is a very competitive price for such a high quality of product when compared to the cheaply made Rated Metal Hand Grippers you can find on eBay or Amazon which range from about £5-10.
Captains Of Crush Hand Grippers
Total 18/20 Stars
Probably the most well known hand gripper, Worldwide the IronMind Captains of Crush are a superb hand gripper. First released in 1995 these hand grippers took the strength world by storm and found themselves in the palms of some of the strongest people on the planet.
Feel ★★★★★
When you pick up a Captains of Crush hand gripper you immediately feel the quality they ooze, made from the highest quality materials available such as aircraft grade aluminium and GR8™ springs, they really do feel good. The only downside of these grippers is the very rough knurling. While good for grip they do rub the skin, and for people looking to just train casually may not be the most comfortable option.
Consistency ★★★★★
Purely down to the quality of the materials used to make these grippers they really do give a good consistent performance. Unlikely to ‘season’ or wear in too much due to the springs these grippers will give you a long lasting performance. The only downside is the springs being exposed to rust. We keep most of our grippers in the Grip Shed, which unfortunately in the winter can get a little cold and cause rust on the springs on our captains of crush. Which does alter the performance slightly so that is the only negative we could find here!
Aesthetics ★★★★★
Simple, effective and beautifully crafted. The Captains of Crush not only perform great but look great too. The engraving around the handles on the grippers looks great as does the stamp on the bottom. There really isn’t too much else to say about them! I mean.. Just look at them!
Cost ★★★☆☆
If you’re in the USA these grippers come at a decent price of around £18 but unfortunately for us in the UK they come in at around £24-28 a Gripper which is the top of the price range for Grippers. Although the price probably warrants the excellence of these grippers they are expensive compared to other alternatives such as the Godlike Grippers.
Heavy Sport Hand Grippers
Total 14/20 Stars
Heavy sport’s hand grippers have been around for a while now and have found their way into many gripsters collections. Coming in at a variety of ratings from 100lb - 350lb they cater for everyone, however you have to be a bit of a maniac to attempt the 350lb, that things feels like crushing a brick!
Feel ★★★☆☆
The heavy grippers do immediately feel good in the hand, however compared to other grippers the handles are a little thicker and can feel strange at first. The knurling is smooth compared to the Captains of Crush but with a little chalk they grip just fine! A solid gripper.
Consistency ★★★☆☆
This seems to be the main downside of the heavy grippers, the ratings can seem to vary vary between grippers, you may have a 200lb gripper that feels like a 150lb and 150lb which feels like a 200lb. However they do give a solid performance with a little bit of seasoning over time which is to be expected. The addition of the rust proof spring means the spring won't get rusty and lock up much.
Aesthetics ★★★☆☆
To be honest the most appealing thing about the heavy grippers is probably the packaging. A very cool looking cardboard print with the hand gripper on top they do look very appealing. While pretty standard they do have a stamp on the inner side of the handles which is unique and easily noticeable for rating.
Cost ★★★★★
Usually at a very reasonable price the heavy sports grippers are towards the lower end of the price spectrum and at this price they are definitely worth the money. An upgrade on something such as an adjustable hand gripper at a couple of £ more it will at least give you an indication of whether you want to begin growing monstrous crush grip or stick with the easy stuff!
Metal Hand Grippers
Total 12/20 Stars
These come in all shapes and sizes, for the purpose of this blog we purchased a couple of different standard metal hand grippers and gave them a thorough testing for the last few weeks !
Feel ★★☆☆☆
Lighter and a little bit less robust feeling these grippers feel like they weigh about half of what the captains of crush grippers would, but still feel pretty good in the hand. The knurling is very smooth and becomes very difficult to use without chalk.
Consistency ★★☆☆☆
To be fair to these grippers they feel the same now as they did when we got them 150lb and 250lb, the 150lb feels very easy and the large legs on the spring are a bit strange and seem to affect the performance relieving some of the tension that would be felt if the legs were shorter or screwed further into the gripper handles. The 250lb gripper on the other hand feels like a brick, they were not from the same seller or brand so perhaps the 150lb for this may have been very tough too. But as far as consistency goes for standard ‘Metal Hand Grippers’ you don’t really know what you're going to get.
Aesthetics ★★★☆☆
We are actually quite impressed with how these grippers look, the 150lb has a funky looking blue band around the handle and stamped weight on the bottom for identifying. The 250lb gripper also has a nice colour to it. But the spring just looks strange being so long and makes the gripper look unusual.
Cost ★★★★★
As far as the saying goes.. You pay for what you get.. This is exactly what you get with these, a pair of half decent looking hand grippers that will give you a half decent performance. But they're cheap and cheerful.
However if it was up to us… We would much rather just throw down another £2 / £3 and get a pair of Godlike Grippers.
Summary
Below is a table of the results compiled for the best hand grippers. Out on top is the Godlike Grippers. The Captains Of Crush get a close second, only let down by their higher price.
| GOG Grippers | COC Grippers | Heavy Grippers | Metal Grippers | |
| Feel | 4 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Consistency | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Aesthetics | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| Cost | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Total | 18/20 | 18/20 | 14/20 | 12/20 |
Benefits Of Hand Grippers
Hand grippers are one of the best tools if you are looking to;
- Grow your grip strength
- Improve forearm musculature
- Aid recovery and rehabilitation
- Keep your hands healthy
Training With Hand Grippers
If you are looking to start you grip training journey. There is no better place to start than our hand gripper training package. Available in 3 different levels it includes one of the Godlike Grippers, as shown above. As well as a number of accessories and a guide designed to give you an introduction on how to start training.
There are also a number of accessory exercises to add into your training that will help you develop your strength quicker.
