The best pull-up bars
Pull-ups and chin-ups at home with no drilling: five doorway bars compared on how they fit, door sizes and the makers’ weight limits.
A doorway bar stays up without screws in one of two ways. A telescopic bar, like the RHINOSPORT and Sportneer, is wedged between the sides of the doorway on rubbery end pads, so it needs solid, flat sides. The other three hook over the top of the door frame and rest their pads against the wall, so the frame’s depth matters as much as its width. Any of them takes a chin-up, palms facing you, as well as a pull-up, palms facing away.
Measure before buying: the width inside the doorway, and for a hook-over bar the depth of the frame. Check the frame too, in the makers’ words: RHINOSPORT says solid wood or brick frames only, and Sportneer rules out glass, hollow or carved ones and asks for the fit to be checked before every use. The weight limits are the makers’ own, from 135kg for the Sportneer to 200kg for most of the rest, though JX suggests its bar for people under 120kg.
What matters
- How it fits: wedged inside the doorway, or hooked over the top of the frame.
- Door width, and for hook-over bars the frame depth: measure before buying.
- The maker’s weight limit, and its advice on which frames are strong enough.
- Grips: a full-length foam bar, or angled handles for more hand positions.
#1 of 5
Best overall
RHINOSPORT Pull Up Bar for Narrow Doorways (70–92cm)
£30–£50 Price range
A telescopic bar that fits doorways from 70cm, with a built-in spirit level to get it straight and a spring lock that RHINOSPORT says grips tighter as you pull.
What owners say: Owners say it stays put without slipping and goes up in minutes with no tools.
A closer look: RHINOSPORT’s rule is solid wood or brick frames only, never glass, hollow, carved or tiled surfaces. Level it with the bubble, lock the gears and check it’s firm before each session; the thick PVC end pads come away without leaving marks, which suits a rented home.
- Fits doorways 70–92cm
- No screws or drilling
- Built-in spirit level
- Full-length EVA foam grips
- 200kg static load (maker’s figure)
Best for: Narrow doorways and renters
- How it fits
- Wedged in, no screws
- Door width
- 70–92cm
- Weight limit (maker’s figure)
- 200kg static load
- Grips
- Full-length EVA foam
- Frame protection
- Thick PVC end pads
#2 of 5
Best budget
Sportneer Doorway Pull Up Bar, No Screws (75–94cm)
£20–£30 Price range
A plain telescopic bar for the least money here, with a gear lock to hold its length, a full-length foam grip and PVC pads backed by four metal support points.
What owners say: Owners find it solid and quick to put up with no screws, and say it holds firm once it’s in.
Heads up: Check it’s tight before every session, as Sportneer asks: the fit can loosen over time as the door frame moves.
A closer look: Sportneer asks for a flat, solid frame that’s wider than the pads, so glass, hollow wooden and carved frames are out, and so is any frame with cracks. The bar has been tested well beyond its rating, but the manual’s 135kg is the figure to keep to.
- Fits doorways 75–94cm
- No screws or drilling
- Gear lock
- Full-length foam grip
- 135kg maximum load (manual)
Best for: A simple bar for less
- How it fits
- Wedged in, no screws
- Door width
- 75–94cm
- Weight limit (maker’s figure)
- 135kg
- Grips
- Full-length foam
- Frame protection
- PVC end pads
#3 of 5
Widest door range
AmazeFan Doorway Pull Up Bar with Ergonomic Grips
£30–£50 Price range
A hook-over bar with angled ends that AmazeFan says are kinder on the wrists, and hooks set close enough together to fit doorways from just 55cm up to 92cm.
What owners say: Owners like the choice of hand positions, find it comfortable to hold, and say it doesn’t budge.
A closer look: Measure the frame before ordering: AmazeFan gives 21cm as the deepest it takes, with trim up to 9cm tall. It simply hangs on the frame with no fixing, so it lifts off after a workout and stores away in seconds.
- Fits doorways 55–92cm
- Frames up to 21cm deep, 9cm trim
- Angled, multi-position grips
- Soft foam handles
- Detachable silicone pads
Best for: Narrow doors and grip choice
- How it fits
- Hooks over frame, no screws
- Door width
- 55–92cm
- Weight limit (maker’s figure)
- 440lb (200kg)
- Grips
- Angled, multi-position foam
- Frame protection
- Detachable silicone pads
#4 of 5
JX FITNESS Foldable Door Frame Pull Up Bar
£30–£50 Price range
Hooks onto the frame, comes assembled and folds flat to slide under a bed or sofa, and it sits higher than most doorway bars for a fuller range of movement.
What owners say: Owners find it rock steady mid-set and like that it arrives ready to use, then tucks under the bed.
Heads up: Measure the doorway first: it needs an opening 72 to 92cm wide and a frame 12 to 21cm deep.
A closer look: JX rates it to a 200kg load but suggests it for people under 120kg, allowing for what a door frame can take. The maker also offers to check a door frame’s measurements before buying, which is worth taking up for an older or unusual frame.
- Fits doorways 72–92cm
- Frames 12–21cm deep
- Folds flat for storage
- High-density foam grips
- Removable rubber pads
Best for: Folding away after workouts
- How it fits
- Hooks over frame, no screws
- Door width
- 72–92cm
- Weight limit (maker’s figure)
- 120kg user, 200kg load
- Grips
- Padded foam handles
- Frame protection
- Removable rubber pads
#5 of 5
Best for full-body training
DH FitLife Multi-Grip Doorway Pull Up Bar with Sling Trainers
£30–£50 Price range
Wide, narrow, parallel and chin-up grips on one bar, with angled hammer handles, plus two sling trainers in the box that hang from the bar for full-body work.
What owners say: Owners describe it as well made and sturdy, and like how securely it hooks over the frame.
A closer look: Unfold it, hook it over the frame and it’s ready in about 30 seconds, then it folds again to put away behind a door or in a cupboard. The rubber hooks and caps protect the paintwork, and the sling trainers pack away with it.
- Fits doorways 70–92cm
- Wide, narrow, parallel and chin-up grips
- Two sling trainers included
- Folds for storage
- 200kg maximum load
Best for: Full-body home workouts
- How it fits
- Hooks over frame, no screws
- Door width
- 70–92cm
- Weight limit (maker’s figure)
- 200kg
- Grips
- Angled hammer handles, foam
- Frame protection
- Rubber hooks and caps
How they compare
| Feature | #1RHINOSPORT P5 | #2Sportneer | #3AmazeFan | #4JX FITNESS | #5DH FitLife |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best budget | Widest door range | Best for full-body training | ||
| Picked Rating | 9.0 | 8.9 | 8.7 | 8.6 | 8.5 |
| Price | £30–£50 Price range | £20–£30 Price range | £30–£50 Price range | £30–£50 Price range | £30–£50 Price range |
| How it fits | Wedged in, no screws | Wedged in, no screws | Hooks over frame, no screws | Hooks over frame, no screws | Hooks over frame, no screws |
| Door width | 70–92cm | 75–94cm | 55–92cm | 72–92cm | 70–92cm |
| Weight limit (maker’s figure) | 200kg static load | 135kg | 440lb (200kg) | 120kg user, 200kg load | 200kg |
| Grips | Full-length EVA foam | Full-length foam | Angled, multi-position foam | Padded foam handles | Angled hammer handles, foam |
| Frame protection | Thick PVC end pads | PVC end pads | Detachable silicone pads | Removable rubber pads | Rubber hooks and caps |
| Best for | Narrow doorways and renters | A simple bar for less | Narrow doors and grip choice | Folding away after workouts | Full-body home workouts |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
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