How to Choose the Right Pilates Reformer for Your Home

Walk into any reformer Pilates studio and the machines all look fairly similar. Bring that decision home, though, and suddenly there are frames, footbars, fold-downs and finishes to weigh up. At Reformly, we get asked almost daily which Pilates reformer is "the right one" — and the honest answer is that it depends on your space, your goals, and how you like to move.

Here's how to think it through.

Start with your space, not the spec sheet

Before comparing features, measure your room. A reformer needs clear space at all ends for your work outs, moving around and for you to step on and off safely.

• Plenty of dedicated space (a home studio, sunroom or garage): The Original Reformly is built for this. It's our benchmark machine — full-length, studio-grade stability, and the closest experience to training in a boutique studio.
• Tight on square metres (apartments, share houses, multi-use rooms): The Reformly Fold gives you the same quality build in a frame that folds away after your session, so the room goes back to being a living room.

Think about how you'll actually train

• If you love variety — footwork, arm series, standing splits, jackknife — the Reformly Infinity and its extended footbar range give you more positions to progress into as you get stronger, more confident and experienced in using your reformer.
• If you want a clean, no-fuss setup that just works every time you step on it, the Original Reformly keeps things simple and dependable. Perfect for most reformer customers and users.
• If you're after a modern aesthetic to match a minimalist or Scandi-style home, the Reformly Aluminium brings a lighter, contemporary frame without compromising on carriage smoothness or spring resistance. This reformers strong frame, heavy duty components and quality build is ideal for any reformer user, any setting. 

Consider who else will use it

Reformer Pilates isn't a solo sport in most Reformly households — plenty of our reviews mention partners, housemates and even teenagers all sharing the same machine. If more than one person will train on it, prioritise adjustability (footbar and strap positions) so it suits different heights and experience levels comfortably.

Commercial vs home use

If you're kitting out a studio rather than a spare room, our approach doesn't change much — every Reformly reformer is suited to commercial standards. What changes is footprint planning across multiple machines, which is exactly what our Studio & Spatial Design service is for.

Our general recommendation

If you're only ever going to own one reformer, we usually point people toward the Original Reformly — it's the machine our design philosophy is built around, and it suits the widest range of bodies, budgets and goals. From there, let your space and lifestyle guide you toward Fold, Infinity or Aluminium.

Still unsure? Get in touch and tell us about your space — we're happy to talk it through before you buy your reformer.