Technology can instantly make anything efficient. While your old gym equipment lay rusty on a random corner of your house, these new devices are efficient and very usable.
Offering a wide array of motivational schemes, workout options, and a whole community of people who are as enthusiastic about gyming as you are, these devices are totally worth your money.
Two of the most raving competitors of home fitness gyms are Mirror and Tonal smart home fitness systems that offer more or less the same features.
But what is it that makes half of the fitness aficionados go head over heels for Mirror than Tonal and another way around for the rest of the half?
Here’s a complete comparison that can answer that in just 10 minutes.
So, read on!
Tonal vs Mirror Review: The Brand
About Tonal
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The Tonal is packed with features that stand high above many of its competitors. Whether your goal is to gain muscle, reduce lower or upper body, or perhaps to stay fit, its incredible smart home fitness allows you to have 170+ unique movements with its 2 adjustable arms and cable handles.
How does a technology this advanced work?
Electromagnetic energy is used to manage the resistance levels of the equipment for digital weight systems. This means, Tonal doesn’t actually have weights; it’s all digital. Artificial Intelligence integrated into the home gym provides excellent health insights and increases/decreases the workout’s intensity by using the data from its 17 different sensors.
Technical details aside, with Tonal, you can access top-class on-demand workout routines that also measure your progress on a day-to-day basis. If you ever happen to lose motivation on a particular day, Tonal never fails to identify it and alerts you on your lack of physical activity.
Unlike many other on-demand training videos that mindlessly provide scattered workout guides, you can rest assured to have trailer-made workout guides that aim to work for your desired fitness goal. For instance, after you have lost a considerable amount of weight, you decide to move to the muscle gain process.
With Tonal, you can switch your initial fitness routine that consists of a high amount of cardio to more strength training. Besides that, it also offers live classes to connect with their fitness enthusiast personally.
About Mirror
You can Tonal mainly focusing on strength training and having bulky equipment to workout; Mirror has a slightly different approach. It is mainly for people who prefer to have rather simple workouts like cardio, strengthening, yoga, pilates, and Zumba.
Upon purchase, it’s only a smart touchless screen with resistance bands that can be used to carry out some of the exercises mentioned in its on-demand fitness videos that you can access on a yearly subscription.
To get your hands on its exceptional capabilities, all you have to do is switch it on with the Mirror app and pick a class that best suits your goals. What makes this smart home gym system stand out from the rest is its top fitness instructors like Orange Theory that puts your mind at peace about the home gym’s credibility.
Tonal vs Mirror Review Comparison
Now that was it for the brands, now comes the comparison that was promised in the first place. When considering these two options, here are some of the things that you can notice that would differentiate the unique abilities of each of these smart home gyms.
Mirror Review
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If I had to state the Mirror concept to you clearly, then it’s a smart gym for people who prefer to workout at home with no equipment whatsoever.
Regardless of your fitness levels, it can yield excellent results before you know it. The home gym is made specifically for houses that are filled with fitness enthusiasts but have limited space.
Pros
1. Affordable
One of the best parts about Mirror is it allows financial convenience for many people. Although the price is $1,495, you can always opt for $42 per month for the monthly installments. It also offers a 30-day free trial to make sure your mind is clear before putting your money into it.
2. Fairly quiet
It is no surprise if you see such smart gym equipment being so loud for your house. However, Mirror takes a competitive edge with this factor and has a fairly quiet technology that can make it an epitome for a home environment.
3. Easy to fold up
Even though the Mirror looks exactly like a mirror, some people still prefer to have their rooms look like a family home rather than a gym. Now, thanks to its thin and lightweight body, you can easily store and keep it away every time you want to get rid of the gym essence from your house.
4. Sturdy and solid
Don’t confuse its lightweight body with being weak. Not only the material used to make the fitness system is solid but because of its carbon steel stand, it also gives a sense of safety for people who like to work out with their kids.
5. Easy to assemble
No unnecessary tools are required to assemble this masterpiece at your house. Just take it out straight from the packing and either mount it on the wall or fix it on top of a steel stand. However, if you find it daunting, you can also take professional help and get it assembled right away!
6. Easy to move and store
This two-foot-tall seamless and beautiful Mirror can blend into any room. If you aren’t happy with its initial position, feel free to move it around your house until you get just the right place for you to workout.
7. Join an online challenge
What’s better than growing and becoming your best version of yourself by being surrounded by like-minded people? Many fitness enthusiasts like you can join a good challenge to keep you motivated throughout the journey. This is especially essential on your not-so-active days where you are on the verge of giving up on the gym session.
8. Connects with popular fitness apps
To take your fitness tracking outside the house, you can connect your Mirror with other external devices like Apple Watch or other monitoring devices that can do a great job keeping your calories in check.
9. Limited 2-year and 5-year warranty
The fantastic smart home system offers a limited warranty of 2 and 5 years along with a starter pack that consists of a cleaning kit, resistance bands, and a Bluetooth heart monitor, so you have everything in one place.
Cons
1. A little pricey – You get what you pay for
If we look at only the gym, it only costs $1,495. However, it comes with extra hidden costs that can quickly add up to your expense. For instance, the $39 monetary membership, without which the device is completely futile, along with delivery and installation charges that can go up to $250.
Tonal Review
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Tonal is an exceptional choice to have if you’re looking to start lifting or amp your fitness game. The equipment that comes with the gym provides an all-in-one function for every gym-goer.
Pros
1. Adjustable resistance levels
The Spotter Mode allows full customization of the weight resistance that gives someone’s real feeling actually spotting you in real life.
2. Provides real-time feedback
You get to have real-time feedback if the advanced sensors integrate into the Tonal sense resistance that is too easy or intense for your fitness level.
3. Virtual groups
If you and your friends happen to have Tonal smart gyms at home, you can team up with your buds and can workout together to set similar goals and motivate each other to improve constantly.
Cons
1. Can have repetitive classes
While this can be good news for people who like to stick to the same routine, some find it boring to follow repetitive fitness routines every week.
Mirror vs Tonal Buyer’s Guide: Things to Consider Before Investing your Hard-earned Money
1. Price
Since you will be paying some good bucks for the monthly on-demand fitness video subscription along with other hidden costs, you should stick to your budget in the initial purchase.
If you’re uncertain how much a smart gym should cost, I’d suggest you opt for a price between $1500-$2000. Anything more or less than this isn’t worth it.
2. Design
Some people prefer a seamless and sophisticated look to their gyming equipment; a few fitness aficionados want to turn one whole area into a full-fledged gym.
If you fall into the first statement category, Mirror is definitely your best bet to go. However, if you want something that offers more than just a screen with guides, Tonal is packed with much effective equipment.
3. Footprint
A footprint of a smart home gym has the potential to enhance or deteriorate your experience with gyming. The lightweight structure can help you to move around the deceive around your house to make adequate space for you to workout.
And the concise structure can make it almost seamless and flexible to fit anywhere you want.
4. Build and Construction
Considering how these home fitness gyms are merely a screen, you need to make sure it’s a solid one. Please pay close attention to the grip and the mounting methods it uses to sit stick the Mirror or Tonal in place.
5. Warranty
Regardless of any technology-based item you buy, make sure it comes with at least one year warranty since you can never predict when your device may need some repairing. Since you will be investing your hard-earned money, make sure you’re making the most out of it.
Benefits of Tonal vs Mirror
1. Cardiovascular health
Cardio is perhaps the only way you can rest assured of the health of your heart. The competitive factor of using live seasons and joining communities in Mirror adds an extra motivational boost to make sure you’re keeping your blood flowing and actively exercising your heart at all times.
As with Tonal, you can always join with your friends who can act as an energy fuel for your daily dose of physical activity.
2. Weight loss
Based on your fitness goals, you can select specific workouts and plans to get you your ideal physique. Here, Mirror can be your best friend since it’s armed with complete cardio classes that are specifically meant to lose weight.
3. Body toning
Body training mainly revolves around spot training rather than cardio. Workouts like yoga, pilates in Mirror, and body-toning specific workouts in Tonal can make sure to keep in shape at all times.
Mirror vs Tonal: How Are They Different?
Besides the Tonal price factor being more expensive than Mirror, Tonal is mainly designed for advanced level fitness experts. The state-of-art equipment that comes with it is absolutely needed for long-term use.
On the other hand, Mirror is specifically constructed for people to like to take aesthetics and gyming side-by-side. You get to indulge in the fun live sessions of pilates, cardio pilates, and many more with your friends and other like-minded people and can join fitness classes with your family members.
The sleek design is ideal for an ordinary mirror (when not switched on) which eases the eye-sore issue that many homeowners are prone to have.
Mirror vs Tonal – Are They The Same?
Although the difference was obvious a few years from now, Tonal gym fitness has also started competitive live sessions that work the same way as Mirror does. They both can be highly convenient to carry out your workout at home instead of breaking your break with heft gym subscriptions.
Independent Reviews and Recommendations
According to research done by the International Journal of Exercise Science, workouts involving technology are likely to improve cardiometabolic health better than any other method present. It can not only enhance our health, but the community-making factor also amps up your social interaction and accountability as well.
Research suggests that home-based exercise training systems with video training technology can help improve cardiometabolic health.
Conclusion
Despite the fact you’re brand new to fitness, many people don’t have access to the gym nowadays. Instead of making this an excuse, create a home gym environment with a few clicks on the internet一yes, it’s that easy.
Now I have one task for you: Since both smart home gyms are excellent in their own ways, they serve a different purpose for different types of people. Therefore, recognize the goals you want to achieve, the factors that you need to consider before you purchase any home gym, and make the right choice for yourself.
Good luck!