These Affordable Pilates Machines Make It So Easy To Keep Up Your Reformer Practice At Home

There are plenty of Pilates videos to stream for free online right now. But if you’re missing the feel of pushing off the footbar of an actual Pilates reformer machine, it’s worth considering investing in one the same way you would an exercise bike or treadmill to keep up your studio practice at home.

While you can get the same Pilates benefits—ranging from improved core strength and flexibility to reduced back pain and improved posture—without using any equipment, there are certain features of reformer-based practices that are unique to them alone.

“The machine works your entire body,” says Carrie Minter, a certified Pilates instructor and the founder of Carrie’s Pilates Plus in Los Angeles, California. “The springs and cables on it change the tension so you get much more of a workout than you would on just a mat.”

In fact, those spring systems strengthen your muscles in one direction and stretch them in the other, allowing each move to pull double duty—all while offering adjustable resistance you wouldn’t experience in a mat workout. Plus, says Minter, machine-based Pilates doesn’t put any pressure on your joints, which is why you’ll spot a lot of women over the age of 70 flooding reformer reviews online, and why it’s ideal to adopt as a long-term practice. It’s low-impact, but intense—this is no “sit and be fit,” in other words.

But since a reformer can be expensive and the field is relatively flooded with similar-seeming options, this Pilates machine shopping guide is designed to help you find the ideal one based on your needs. “For people shopping for a machine at home, I’d say to look for machines that utilize a back end as well as the front for exercises,” says celebrity trainer and Pilates master Leslie Karpman. “There are so many more challenging variations of lunges, squats, planks, more concentrated weight work, and also cardio options on models that have the back platform and handles.”

She also suggests seeking out machines that have a platform design for fast and easy spring changes. “You want your workout to flow, and the machine should always feel smooth, never bulky,” she says.

With all that in mind, here are the 10 best Pilates machines to shop right now.