Before you invest a ton of money in at-home fitness equipment, consider one of the best smart home gyms instead.
Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com Creative/Tonal/Mirror/Tempo
In This Article
How We Chose
Best Cable System
Best on a Budget
Best for Advanced Exercisers
Best for Functional Fitness
Best for Small Spaces
What to Know Before Buying
What do whipped coffee, Abercrombie & Fitch and home gyms have in common? In the past few years, they've experienced quite the glow up.
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And while standard free weights certainly aren't obsolete, smart gyms have taken at-home training to a new, innovative level. Browse the best smart home gyms on the market below, and learn how to find the best machine for you.
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The Best Smart Home Gyms
Best Overall: Tonal ($3,496, Tonal) Best on a Budget: Mirror ($795, Mirror) Best for Advanced Workouts: Tempo Studio ($1,695, Tempo) Best for Functional Fitness: OxeFit XS1 ($3,999, OxeFit) Best for Small Spaces: NordicTrack Vault ($999, NordicTrack)
How We Chose We chatted with a strength coach and personal trainer, who narrowed down the most important things to look for in an at-home smart gym. Our top picks are based on their criteria, including:
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Safety Workout variety Accessories
Best Overall: Tonal
Visit Page https://www.tonal.com Image Credit:Tonal/LIVESTRONG.com Tonal was among the first at-home smart gym systems on the market, and it’s still one of the best you can find. This machine has a totally customizable cable resistance system, much like a cable machine at your gym. And you can switch out any of the attachments (it comes with handles, a bar and a rope) depending on the exercise you’re doing.
Advertisement Tonal’s screen allows you to stream thousands of workouts, including modalities like strength training, high-intensity interval training and yoga. And you can track your sessions to monitor your progress over time, making it a great option for those looking to meet fitness goals, according to Carolina Araujo, CPT, a California-based strength coach. Buy it: Tonal.com; Price: $3,495 or $73/month
Best on a Budget: Mirror Basic
Visit Page https://mirrorco.hu6f.net Image Credit:Mirror/LIVESTRONG.com There’s a reason this machine is called the “nearly invisible home gym” — at first glance, it looks like a standard (and sleek) mirror. But it’s so much more.
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Advertisement Mirror’s glass turns into a screen where you can watch thousands of on-demand workout videos, including barre, dance, boxing and more. “I love that the screen still has reflection even while you’re using it,” Araujo says. “You can watch your form during the workout without having to constantly glance away from the machine.” Mirror also has a smartphone app that syncs with your fitness tracker, so you can monitor your heart rate, giving you a more accurate measure of your effort and intensity.
Advertisement Another bonus: You can connect your Apple Music account to play your own workout playlists while you train. Buy it: Mirror.co; Price: $795; $39/month video subscription
Best for Advanced Workouts: Tempo Studio
Visit Page https://imp.i277339.net Image Credit:Tempo/LIVESTRONG.com Whereas most smart gyms incorporate a single set of dumbbells or a built-in pulley system, Tempo takes your workout a step further. This system comes with two dumbbells, clips and weight plates, so you can customize your resistance.
Advertisement You can even combine the two dumbbells to create a barbell, Araujo says. This really brings the gym into your house, allowing you to build and develop more advanced training skills at home. Like many smart home gyms, this system scans your body and monitors your form, giving safety tips as you go. So, those who don’t have much barbell experience can make safe progress.
Advertisement Buy it: Tempo.fit; Price: $1,695 or $70.63/month; $30/month video membership
Best for Functional Fitness: OxeFit XS1
Visit Page https://www.oxefit.com Image Credit:OxeFit/LIVESTRONG.com Looking to improve performance in your favorite sport? OxeFit’s XS1 machine can help with that. You can choose from additional packages that allow you to use the machine’s cable system to practice the motions and strengthen the muscles involved in sports like skiing, kayaking, swimming, rowing and more.
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Advertisement “This is a great option for anyone looking to develop a sport-specific skill or just practice functional fitness in general,” Araujo says. Buy it: Oxefit.com; Price: $3,999 or $79/month; $39.99/month video subscription
Best for Saving Space: NordicTrack Vault
Visit Page https://www.awin1.com Image Credit:Nordictrack/LIVESTRONG.com Also a mirror-style system, the Vault allows you to work alongside a trainer and watch your form while you move. This system works with iFIT (a digital workout platform) where you can try numerous workout styles, including yoga, Pilates and interval training. The machine is also a great space saver, Araujo says. The front of the Vault machine has a door that opens up, providing extra space to store the dumbbells, resistance bands and foam roller that come with the gym. And for those who already have some equipment around the house, you can buy the Vault solo without any additional equipment. Buy it: NordicTrack.com; Price: $999 or $21/month; $39/month video subscription 3 Factors to Consider Before Buying
Your Favorite Activities While most smart home gyms have a variety of streaming fitness classes to choose from, think about your favorite types of activities, Araujo recommends. Love boxing classes? Make sure the machine you’re considering has this modality in its library. Consider your fitness goals, too, she says. Those who want to build strength, for instance, should look for a smart gym with a resistance system of some sort, like cables, dumbbells or a barbell.
Your Budget As you may have noticed, these home gyms aren’t exactly the cheapest investment. So, the amount of money you’re willing to spend affects the options at your disposal.
Advertisement Also, keep in mind that most smart gyms require a monthly membership if you want to livestream classes or access video libraries. Usually, these are about $30 to $40 per month, but some companies require a year-long commitment, so make sure this additional cost can fit in your budget. Equipment companies often offer financing options, meaning you can pay off your machine at a rate that feels comfortable. Many also have flexible return policies if you decide the investment isn’t right for you after all.
Your Available Space Unlike standard at-home gyms, most of these machines don’t take up much space at all. Nevertheless, you still want to make sure there’s enough space for your device, so double check the measurements in the product info before purchasing. “I’d check that you have a few feet of space where you plan to put your home gym, too,” Araujo says. “After all, workouts involve movement, so it’s good to have a little space to move back and forth.” Shop More Gear for Your Home Gym
The Best At-Home Workout Equipment of 2023 by Bojana Galic The 5 Best Adjustable Dumbbells for Home Workouts, According to Trainers by Amy Schlinger, NASM-CPT The 9 Best Treadmills of 2023, According to a Trainer by Bojana Galic The 7 Best Ellipticals for At-Home Cardio Workouts by Bojana Galic The 15 Best Resistance Bands and How to Choose the Perfect One for You by Bojana GalicAdvertisement
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Before you invest a ton of money in at-home fitness equipment, consider one of the best smart home gyms instead. Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com Creative/Tonal/Mirror/Tempo
Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com Creative/Tonal/Mirror/Tempo
- How We Chose
- Best Cable System
- Best on a Budget
- Best for Advanced Exercisers
- Best for Functional Fitness
- Best for Small Spaces
- What to Know Before Buying
Best Overall: Tonal ($3,496, Tonal) Best on a Budget: Mirror ($795, Mirror) Best for Advanced Workouts: Tempo Studio ($1,695, Tempo) Best for Functional Fitness: OxeFit XS1 ($3,999, OxeFit) Best for Small Spaces: NordicTrack Vault ($999, NordicTrack)
Visit Page
https://www.tonal.com
Image Credit: Tonal/LIVESTRONG.com
Image Credit: Tonal/LIVESTRONG.com
Buy it: Tonal.com; Price: $3,495 or $73/month
Visit Page
https://mirrorco.hu6f.net
Image Credit: Mirror/LIVESTRONG.com
Image Credit: Mirror/LIVESTRONG.com
Buy it: Mirror.co; Price: $795; $39/month video subscription
Visit Page
https://imp.i277339.net
Image Credit: Tempo/LIVESTRONG.com
Image Credit: Tempo/LIVESTRONG.com
Buy it: Tempo.fit; Price: $1,695 or $70.63/month; $30/month video membership
Visit Page
https://www.oxefit.com
Image Credit: OxeFit/LIVESTRONG.com
Image Credit: OxeFit/LIVESTRONG.com
Buy it: Oxefit.com; Price: $3,999 or $79/month; $39.99/month video subscription
Visit Page
https://www.awin1.com
Image Credit: Nordictrack/LIVESTRONG.com
Image Credit: Nordictrack/LIVESTRONG.com
Buy it: NordicTrack.com; Price: $999 or $21/month; $39/month video subscription
The Best At-Home Workout Equipment of 2023
by
Bojana Galic
The 5 Best Adjustable Dumbbells for Home Workouts, According to Trainers
by
Amy Schlinger, NASM-CPT
The 9 Best Treadmills of 2023, According to a Trainer
by
Bojana Galic
The 7 Best Ellipticals for At-Home Cardio Workouts
by
Bojana Galic
The 15 Best Resistance Bands and How to Choose the Perfect One for You
by
Bojana Galic
