Home Gym · Head-to-head
Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer vs Merrithew At Home SPX Reformer Package
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Pilates Reformers for Home: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The Allegro 2 is the most adjustable frame here and the one you can grow into with legs, a tower and accessories. The At Home SPX gives you a spring-loaded studio-style machine plus the box and platform extender for less.
Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer
Buy itA studio-grade aluminum reformer with a full-length sliding footbar and a 10-year frame warranty, and the best long-term home machine here.
- The Infinity Footbar adjusts to 4 vertical positions and slides the full length of the frame to 9 positions, which widens the exercise range.
- It ships with 5 springs (3 red, 1 blue, 1 yellow), a lever-adjusted rope system, a 3-position headrest and a built-in maple standing platform.
- The frame carries a 10-year limited warranty, and legs, a jumpboard or a full tower can be added later without changing the footprint.
- At 148 lb without legs it is heavy, and the wheel kit and wall strap needed for upright storage are optional extras.
- The box, jumpboard and leg kit are sold separately, so the base machine is less complete than a package.
- Balanced Body does not publish a maximum user weight on the page and points taller or larger users to the longer Allegro Stretch.
Merrithew At Home SPX Reformer Package
Buy itA spring-loaded aluminum-rail reformer from the STOTT PILATES maker that arrives with the box, platform extender and pole, making it the value studio-grade pick.
- The package includes the reformer, a Reformer Box with footstrap, a padded platform extender, a metal roll-up pole and 5 springs (four full and one half resistance).
- Merrithew states a 250 lb weight capacity and says it is ideally suited to users 60 to 74 in. tall, which most makers leave out.
- The aluminum rails, frame and footbar mechanisms carry a limited lifetime warranty for home use.
- It cannot be stacked or upgraded to add a vertical frame or tower.
- The shoulder rests are fixed and cannot be removed.
- Upholstery is covered for only 90 days and ropes and straps for 1 year, and the warranty is void in commercial use.
Side by side
| Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer | Merrithew At Home SPX Reformer Package | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Anyone setting up a permanent home studio who wants a frame they can expand for years. | Home users who want a studio-style spring reformer with the common accessories already in the box. |
| Price tier | $$$ · premium | $$$ · premium |
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformer - A studio-grade aluminum reformer with a full-length sliding footbar and a 10-year frame warranty, and the best long-term home machine here. Choose the Merrithew At Home SPX Reformer Package instead if home users who want a studio-style spring reformer with the common accessories already in the box.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Pilates Reformers for Home: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).