How to Choose a Pilates Reformer

A reformer's resistance comes from springs hooked between the carriage and the frame. Listings lead with the count: five springs, six springs, sometimes with a breakdown such as three heavy, two medium, one light. The count is easy to compare. It tells you very little.

Colors Are Not a Standard — Springs are color-coded, and many makers follow a similar pattern, lighter colors for lighter springs. But the actual tension behind each color varies from one maker to the next. A "heavy" spring on one reformer is not a "heavy" spring on another.

The Weights Are Rarely Published — Across the reformers we carry, most describe their springs only as heavy, medium or light. One machine publishes the real figures, 5, 11, 26 and 88 pounds per spring, and that is the exception. Without numbers you cannot compare two reformers, and you cannot tell whether the lightest setting will be light enough for a beginner or the heaviest heavy enough for a strong user.

Resistance Changes Through the Movement — A spring pulls harder the further it stretches. A published weight describes the spring at some point in its stretch, so ask where it was measured.

Classical and Contemporary — Some reformers, built in the classical tradition, use springs that are all the same tension. Contemporary reformers mix lighter and heavier springs. Neither is wrong, but they suit different teaching styles, so know which you are buying.

A reformer that does not fit you forces compromises in every exercise. Four specs decide fit.

User Height Range — Most reformers publish one. On the reformers we carry it is commonly 4 foot 11 to 6 foot 4. If you are near either end, check how the machine adapts. A platform extender adds length for taller users, and some of the reformers we carry include one for exactly that reason.

Weight Capacity — Maximum user weight varies more than most buyers expect. Across the reformers we carry it runs from 330 to 375 pounds. Check the figure, and check that it covers everyone who will use the machine.

Footbar — The footbar is where much of the work happens, so its adjustment matters. A standard footbar locks into a few set positions. A full-track footbar slides along the frame, giving a longer range of positions. Ask how many positions it has, and how quickly it changes between them.

Headrest, Ropes and Shoulder Rests — Check the headrest adjusts (three positions is common), whether the ropes adjust in length, and whether the shoulder rests are padded and removable.

Frame Height — Reformers sit low, and getting down onto one and up off it is part of every session. The reformers we carry sit 14 to 16 inches off the floor. If getting to the floor is hard, a higher frame helps.

Frame Material — Reformers are built in wood, aluminum, steel, or a mix. Wood looks like furniture. Aluminum is light and rigid. Steel is strong: one folding reformer we carry uses a steel frame because the hinge takes the load. Ask what the frame and the rails are made of, not just the visible finish.

Carriage and Wheels — The carriage rides on wheels and bearings, and their quality decides how smooth and quiet the glide feels. Ask how many wheels and what bearings. Eight wheels is common on the reformers we carry.

Folding or Fixed — A folding reformer packs away. One we carry folds from 96 inches long to 48 in under 30 seconds and rolls away on wheels. A fixed frame gives that up for rigidity, and usually for a longer track. If the reformer will live permanently in one spot, fixed is simpler. If it has to share the room, folding is the reason to buy.

Floor Space in Use — Measure for the machine in use, not the frame. One foldable reformer we carry has a 90.6 by 24.4 inch frame but needs 98.4 by 31.1 inches once the footbar and wheels are counted. Then add room to step on, off and around it, and room for your arms and legs to move beyond the frame.

"Studio-Grade" and "Commercial-Grade" — You will see these on almost every listing, including on foldable models built for the home. There is no standard behind either phrase. What matters is what the warranty covers, which section five covers.

A home practice often starts with a reformer and grows. Each piece of studio apparatus adds something the reformer cannot do.

Tower — A vertical frame fixed to the end of a reformer, adding springs and bars for standing, kneeling and overhead work. It turns one machine into two without a second footprint. Check the ceiling: one tower we carry stands 80 inches tall.

Cadillac — Also called a trapeze table. A raised padded table inside a full frame, with bars, springs and straps overhead. It covers work a reformer carriage cannot. It is large and fixed: one we carry is 96 inches long and 82 inches tall.

Chair — A compact box with spring-loaded pedals, for seated, standing and lying work. Its small footprint, about the size of an armchair, is the argument for it.

Barrels — A ladder barrel pairs a padded curved barrel with a ladder. A spine corrector is a smaller curved barrel that sits on the floor. Neither has springs. Check warranties here: on the line we carry, the spine corrector has a 1-year structural warranty against 10 years on the frames of the reformers.

Platform-Style Machines — A different class from the classical reformer, built for the slow, high-intensity classes run in some boutique studios. They are much larger. The one we carry is 126 inches long in full size and 114 in its compact version. If you are choosing between one of these and a reformer, you are choosing between two different kinds of training, so try both first.

Lead Time — In-stock reformers can ship within days. Custom finishes and built-to-order pieces take much longer: 8 to 12 weeks on the line we carry. Ask for the lead time on the exact finish you want, not the headline one.

Delivery and Assembly — Reformers and studio apparatus ship by freight and weigh well over 100 pounds; the pieces we carry that publish a weight come in at 145 to 165 pounds. Many arrive mostly assembled: on the line we carry, final setup takes 20 to 30 minutes on the models that state it. Ask whether freight is included and whether delivery is to the door or the room.

The Warranty's Fine Print — Read three things:

1. 01Frame and Moving Parts Separately — Frame warranties are long. Moving parts, springs, upholstery and accessories are covered for much less. On the line we carry, 10 years on the frame and 2 to 3 years on moving parts and springs.
2. 02Registration — Some warranties must be registered to count. The line we carry needs no registration. Ask.
3. 03Who Handles Claims — Directly with the maker, or through the seller? Know before you need it.

Springs Wear Out — Springs are a wear part, not a lifetime component. At least two major reformer makers recommend replacing springs every two years. Ask the price and availability of replacement springs, and whether they must come from the original maker.

A studio reformer runs class after class, often all day, and different instructors and clients use it every hour. That is a different life from a home machine.

The first question for a studio buyer is whether the maker warrants this model for commercial use, in writing, and for how long. "Studio-grade" on a listing is not that.

After that:

• Spring Replacement Schedule — Springs in a busy studio wear much faster than at home. One manufacturer suggests replacing them as often as every 6 to 8 months on a machine running 8 to 10 classes a day. Budget for it, and keep a log per machine.
• Consistency Across the Room — Clients and instructors expect the same spring setting to feel the same on every machine. Buy the same model for a whole room, from the same production run if you can, and replace springs as a set.
• Published Spring Weights — For a studio, spring weights matter even more than at home, because instructors cue settings by name. Choose a maker that publishes them.
• Upholstery and Cleaning — Studio machines are wiped down between every class. Ask what cleaners the upholstery tolerates and whether pads can be replaced individually.
• Floor Plan — Plan the floor for machines in use plus walkways, not frame dimensions. Towers and Cadillacs also need ceiling height.
• Parts and Service — Ask how fast replacement springs, ropes and wheels ship. A machine out of service is a lost spot in every class.