According to Polzak, all equipment can help you burn calories depending on how you use it. "Don't assume purchasing a piece of cardio equipment is always the best way to burn max calories," Polzak says. "Appropriately loaded kettlebell swings, or dumbbell thrusters, could easily torch just as many calories, in less time, if used in an interval style." Polzak suggest performing high-intensity exercises if your goal is to burn a lot of calories, stressing that intensity matters. "Working in a HIIT format, whether it is with strength equipment or on a piece of cardio equipment, is going to outweigh the calorie output if you are just doing long slow distance cardio," Polzak says.