Jaw-Dropping $3,800 Squat Machine

A squat machine that costs nearly $3,800 is forcing home-gym owners to ask a hard question: how serious are you really about your workout space?

Story Snapshot

Men’s Health published a review of Gymleco’s Pendulum Squat, a plate-loaded home gym machine, on September 8, 2026.
The machine carries an approximate $3,800 price tag, putting it firmly in the premium equipment category.
Coach and Men’s Health Advisory Board member David Otey, C.S.C.S., tested the machine for the review.
The pendulum design uses an arching motion to replicate a squat while reducing stress on the lower back.

What The Pendulum Squat Actually Does

The Pendulum Squat gets its name from the arching path between a pivoting arm and the lifter’s body as they move through the squat pattern. Instead of a straight up-and-down bar path like a traditional barbell squat, the machine swings through a fixed arc. That motion is supposed to feel more natural on the joints while still loading the legs hard.

Gymleco, the Swedish manufacturer behind the machine, markets it as one of the most stable and space-saving pendulum squat models on the market. The company says the design removes pressure from the lower back and needs only a modest amount of weight to create serious resistance for the legs. That’s a notable claim for anyone who has ever wrecked their spine trying to grind out heavy back squats.

Why The Price Tag Matters As Much As The Movement

Men’s Health frames the machine’s value around one blunt fact: the roughly $3,800 cost means buyers need to already be serious about their home gym before adding it to the mix. This isn’t a machine for someone dabbling in fitness. It’s a purchase for people who have already built out a real training space and are looking for a specialty upgrade, not a starter piece.

Specs from Gymleco’s own catalog back up the “serious commitment” framing. The unit measures roughly six feet long, up to three and a half feet wide, and weighs about 330 pounds fully built. That’s not something you tuck into a spare closet. Anyone considering one needs real floor space and probably a garage or dedicated room to make it work.

How It Fits Into A Booming Home Fitness Market

This review lands at a moment when home gym spending keeps climbing. Industry forecasts put the global home gym equipment market at roughly $12.4 billion in 2025, with steady growth projected through the next decade as more households build out permanent training setups instead of relying on commercial gyms. The residential fitness segment specifically is expanding faster than the broader strength equipment category, and it’s more sensitive to sticker shock. That tension between demand and price sensitivity is exactly what makes a $3,800 single-purpose machine a real decision point rather than an easy add-on.

Reviewers of similar pendulum squat machines have echoed the same tradeoff. Independent equipment testers note that pendulum-style squat machines tend to work best as an accessory movement for lifters who already have a primary squat setup, not as the centerpiece of a first home gym build. That lines up with how Men’s Health frames the Gymleco unit: a specialized tool for an already-equipped enthusiast, not a general-purpose replacement for a rack and barbell.

What Buyers Should Actually Weigh

The pendulum squat earns its price only if the buyer’s training goals match the machine’s strength. It isolates the legs with reduced back strain, which matters for older lifters or anyone nursing a bad lower back. But if someone’s home gym budget is tight, a barbell, rack, and plates will train more muscle groups for a fraction of the cost.

Space is the other deciding factor. A machine that runs six feet long and over three feet wide demands a dedicated area most apartment dwellers simply don’t have. Buyers weighing the purchase should measure their actual floor space before they measure their enthusiasm. The Men’s Health verdict boils down to a simple test: if the budget and the square footage both say yes, the Pendulum Squat is a legitimate, well-engineered upgrade worth the investment.