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Fitness mirrors: are they worth the money?
EYNTK about the fitness world's new favourite gadget
Fitness mirrors are the latest addition to the smart home gym revolution, and we're big fans. What are they? Well, fitness mirrors offer real-time and virtual group fitness and personal training from the comfort of your own home, so they're essentially like a virtual PT. And who wouldn't want that? The only catch is they're not the most wallet-friendly... so it's well worth doing your research beforehand to check that it's definitely a purchase you'd benefit from making.
What is a fitness mirror?
A big upgrade from squinting at your phone or streaming stuttering YouTube workouts on your TV, fitness mirrors are equal parts looking glass and interactive touchscreen, with classes beamed directly into your living room. 'It's essentially a big human sized touch screen combined with a mirror,' says Valerie Bures-Bönström, founder and CEO of interactive fitness mirror VAHA. You see the correct form demonstrated on screen, then replicate it with the help of your reflection to guide your posture.
‘Fitness mirrors provide various workouts, classes and personal training which you can take at any time from the comfort of your own home,’ says Bures-Bönström. ‘Ours includes motion tracking through a built-in camera to help users correct their form, and we offer constant visual feedback.’
How do I use a fitness mirror?
It’s really quite simple - just swipe through the interface to select your workout, and you’re off. You’ll always be able to see yourself and your trainer, so mimicking movements is easy - just like in a regular class.
For the mirrors that offer personal training (not all do), Bures-Bönström advises scheduling a one-to-one session before you get started. ‘They will assess and plan your workout routine,’ she says. ‘After reviewing your monthly fitness plan, explore the offered classes and see which ones you like best. We have many inspirational VAHA trainers and an AI that studies your training schedule and recommends your next classes.’
Otherwise, just make sure you have enough space in front of your fitness mirror to exercise comfortably. You don’t need a cavernous front room, just enough square footage to squat and lunge.
Are fitness mirrors worth the money?
Let’s not beat around the bush; like other smart home gym equipment (hello, Peloton), fitness mirrors are pricey. With hybrid working now the norm, we are spending much more time at home, and hitting the strategically-joined gym-close-to-the-office is much more faff, so in the long run fitness mirrors can be a worthwhile investment.
‘We are facing an unpredictable future where we might have to be homebound for an undefined period of time, says Bures-Bönström. ‘As more people are working from home, a smart gym solution is the best way to maintain and elevate your overall wellness.’
Justifying the price also depends on you and the exercises that make you feel great. If it’s swimming, then a fitness mirror probably isn’t for you. But they do offer a huge range of workouts and classes, and most memberships are cheaper than a gym - of course you do also have to work out if the upfront cost is worth it for you. But many offer a monthly payment plan, making them pretty good value - particularly when you factor in that you're likely to work out more frequently.
Do I need any extra equipment when using a fitness mirror?
With such a huge range of workouts available on a fitness mirror, you’re bound to come across some that use simple equipment like dumbbells, but there are plenty of options if your home gym kit is a little shy. Some fitness mirrors come with equipment included (win), but at the very least, you’ll want a decent exercise or yoga mat.
In a hurry? These are the workout mirrors available to shop now in the UK:
Best fitness mirror for bespoke personal training: VAHA S Fitness Mirror, £1295 or £36 a month
Best fitness mirror with gym equipment: NordicTrack Vault Fitness Mirror, £2299 or £96 a month
Best compact design fitness mirror: Echelon Reflect 50" Smart Fitness Mirror, £1799 or £80 a month
Best fitness mirror for strength training: Pro-Form Vue Fitness Mirror, £1499 or £62.46 a month
Keep scrolling for our full thoughts below...
NordicTrack Vault Fitness Mirror
Starting your home workout setup from scratch? The NordicTrack Vault is essentially an entire gym packed onto a tiny footprint. The mirror/screen is mounted on a door which opens to a shelved cupboard stacked with high-quality dumbbells, kettlebells, resistance bands and more - all included in the price. The mirror itself is over 150cm in length, with a smaller, 80cm touch screen incorporated behind it. The door slides open to the side and can be rotated, keeping your trainer in sight and making choosing a suitable spot for it that much easier. A huge range of on-demand workouts are available courtesy of the iFIT app, and include everything you’d expect: yoga, Pilates, sculpt and tone, lift, HIIT, strength and interval training, plus a mindfulness section.
The NordicTrack Vault is freestanding - the mirror and attached storage cabinet sit on a baseplate that’s slightly wider than the device itself. Unlike the VAHA it doesn’t have a camera, so you need to rely on your own reflection to keep your form in check. But there are a variety of trainers and styles to choose from, and with a fully reflective surface it’s easy to adjust your moves as you exercise.
Cost: £2499
Size: 185 x 61cm x 35cm
Key specs:
• Reflective training
• Includes a wide range of equipment
• Integrated equipment storage
• On-demand classes
• Built-in bluetooth speakers
• Freestanding
Extras:
• One year iFIT membership (worth £336)
• Yoga mat
• 2 yoga blocks
• 3 loop resistance bands
• 3 heavy resistance bands
• 6 pairs dumbbells (5-30lb)
• 2 kettlebells (20 and 30lb)
• Microfibre cleaning towel
The first fitness mirror available in the UK, VAHA offers the closest thing to having an IRL personal trainer at your beck and call. You choose your own PT who’ll video chat with you, make sure your workout plan is suitable and check on your progress. Plus the mirror comes pre-loaded with heaps of classes, including strength, cardio, boxing, yoga and Pilates workouts, and even guided meditations, and there are daily live options too. Clever motion tracking offers live feedback on your form - as you’d expect from any good trainer - so it truly makes working out at home feel like a high-end studio experience. If you’re someone who thrives on the motivation of group fitness, during live classes you can see who else is sweating with you, and there’s a VAHA Facebook Community group if you want to chat post-sesh.
VAHA offer two sizes of fitness mirror - we’re focusing on the compact and more cost-effective VAHA S, but for £700 more you can opt for the larger VAHA X. The VAHA S can be wall-mounted, so no hasty feng-shui required, but even when using the floor stand it takes up little space. And when it’s not in use, the VAHA doubles as a regular, albeit sleek and expensive-looking, mirror.
Cost: £1295 or from £36 a month, plus monthly membership of £39
Size: 150 x 50 x 4.2cm
Key specs:
• Two-way interactivity
• Loaded with more than 2,000 on-demand workouts
• Live daily classes
• One-to-one personal training
• Live motion tracking feedback
• Add up to five profiles
• Apps including Zoom, Instagram, Spotify, TikTok and an internet browser
Extras:
• Resistance bands
• Camera cover
• £60 Garmin voucher
• User manual
• Metal stand
ProForm Home Gym Trainer
Strength-training junkies, rejoice! This smart mirror, complete with barbell, weight plates and dumbbell bars, was made for you. Hooks are tucked away on the back to store equipment, which you can access more easily by swivelling the mirror. Like the NordicTrack Vault, the Pro-Form Vue fitness mirror uses the iFIT library of workouts, so you can expect the same range of fitness, mindfulness and recovery classes. It automatically records your stats so you can track your progress, and the mirror pivots, giving you far more options for placement in your home.
The reflective display is 152cm high, and comes with an integrated 55cm touchscreen so you can swipe through workouts. Speakers are incorporated but you can also hook it up to your favourite wireless headphones, and it’s freestanding on a baseplate.
Cost: £1499 or £62.46 a month
Size: 178 x 61 x 53cm
Key specs:
• Bar and weights included
• Storage for equipment
• On-demand classes
• Headphone / earbud compatible
• Freestanding
Extras:
• One year iFIT membership (worth £336)
• 1 barbell (4.5kg)
• 4 plates (1.1kg each)
• 2 dumbbell bars (2.3kg each)
Short on space? Opt for this streamlined option from Echelon. Known for their Peloton alternative, the brand recently jumped onboard a second bandwagon with its Reflect Smart Fitness Mirror. It comes with a sturdy stand but can also be fixed flush to the wall for zero footprint. It comes loaded with thousands of workouts and offers live sessions across a range of disciplines from kickboxing to yoga. Plus a high quality front-facing camera is already installed for future bespoke personal training (watch this space).
Feeling competitive? Thanks to a fun points-based system and interactive leader board, you can train with (and beat) your workout buddies. As with the VAHA, when switched off it functions as a normal mirror. It’s 127cm high, with an 80cm embedded touchscreen.
Cost: £1799
Size: 127 x 61 x 5cm
Key specs:
• More than 2,000 on-demand workouts
• Live classes available 24/7
• Built-in speakers
• Bluetooth connectivity for heart rate monitors
• Sync with apps like Strava, FitBit and Apple Health
• Can be freestanding or fixed to the wall
• Plans to introduce one-on-one training
Extras:
• Free 30 day membership
• Floor stand
Hattie Parish is the Senior Health and Wellness Ecommerce Editor for Women’s Health, Men’s Health and Runner’s World, covering the best gym wear, latest fitness tech and wellness launches worth investing in, plus the best deals during Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day.
As well as clocking up the miles in myriad running socks, pummelling her muscles with massage guns, testing out fitness mirrors and donning dry robes every other weekend, Hattie consults leading experts in the health and fitness industry to help readers make informed decisions when shopping online.
Brought up by two medics, Hattie worked in health clinics before completing a BA in English at King’s College London. She qualified as a journalist in 2015 and has since written for titles such as Healthy magazine, Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar and Red, as well as worked commercially with health and wellness clients such as Holland & Barrett, Lloyds Pharmacy and Superdrug.
Hattie is passionate about arming readers with honest, unbiased product reviews and has a particular interest in the role of technology in our wellbeing, as well as gender-based inequalities in healthcare. When she’s not putting gym wear through its paces on the Pilates reformer or kitting out her home gym (garage) with the latest equipment, she’s attempting to make progress on her teetering pile of bedside books, cycling round South East London or sampling wellness retreats for the Women’s Health travel pages.
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