EquipmentMay 2026
Best Pilates Reformer Brands (2026)
Gratz, Balanced Body, Merrithew, Align-Pilates, and Peak Pilates — the complete brand comparison.
Read → 12 min readBrand Guide·Reformer Equipment
Balanced Body vs Merrithew:
Which Reformer Is Right for You?
Updated May 2026 · 13 min read
Balanced Body and Merrithew are the two most important reformer brands for practitioners outside the classical Gratz world. Together they equip the majority of professional Pilates studios globally. Both produce genuine professional-quality equipment. The question of which to choose is a real one — with meaningful differences in spring feel, accessory depth, price points, and training alignment that should inform your decision. This is the most detailed comparison of both brands available.
The brands in brief
Balanced Body
Founded 1976, Sacramento, California. The dominant global studio brand — more professional reformers in active studio use worldwide than any other manufacturer. Designs for both classical and contemporary method. Flagship models: Allegro 2, Studio Reformer, Rialto.
Merrithew (STOTT Pilates)
Founded 1988, Toronto, Canada. Owner of the STOTT Pilates teacher training system — the most widely adopted contemporary Pilates certification globally. Equipment and curriculum designed together. Flagship models: SPX Reformer, V2 Max, V2 Max Plus.
Head-to-head across six dimensions
Spring feel
Draw — preference-dependentBalanced Body
Smooth, progressive resistance with a forgiving transition at the beginning of movement. Most practitioners find Balanced Body springs easier to work with at first — they don't snap or feel abrupt. The spring system is highly engineered and consistent across units.
Merrithew
Slightly firmer initial resistance with a crisper feel throughout. Some practitioners — particularly those transitioning from classical apparatus — prefer the Merrithew spring feel as being closer to the original Pilates spring quality. The difference is real but subtle; most practitioners adapt within a few sessions.
Accessory ecosystem
Balanced Body for depth, Merrithew sufficient for mostBalanced Body
The deepest accessory catalogue in the industry. Every possible attachment for the classical and contemporary repertoire is available: jump boards, long boxes, short boxes, tower/cadillac attachments, vertical frames, arm chairs, and more. If you want to expand your home reformer into a comprehensive apparatus studio over time, Balanced Body allows this most completely.
Merrithew
Strong accessory range, particularly for STOTT curriculum accessories. The SPX Vertical Frame, jump board, and box are all high quality. Less depth than Balanced Body at the highest levels of the apparatus vocabulary, but sufficient for any home or private studio context.
Price range
Merrithew at entry level, comparable at mid-tierBalanced Body
The Allegro 2 (the standard professional home/studio model) runs $3,500–$4,200 depending on configuration. The Studio Reformer (commercial grade) is $4,500+. The Rialto and Contrology models extend into the $6,000+ range. Used Balanced Body equipment holds strong resale value.
Merrithew
The SPX Reformer is the best-value Merrithew model at $2,800–$3,400 — a meaningfully lower entry price for professional quality. The V2 Max and V2 Max Plus extend to $4,000–$5,000. Merrithew's pricing gives it an advantage for practitioners who want professional quality with less capital outlay.
Instructor training alignment
Merrithew if STOTT-trained, Balanced Body otherwiseBalanced Body
Balanced Body offers its own instructor training (BASI Pilates and Balanced Body University are affiliated certification bodies). The equipment is used across both classical and contemporary training programmes globally. No single training methodology dominates — it's a neutral platform.
Merrithew
Merrithew owns the STOTT Pilates teacher training programme. If you trained as a STOTT instructor, your curriculum was designed for Merrithew equipment — the exercises, spring configurations, and footbar positions all correspond to the machine dimensions you trained on. This is a meaningful advantage if your instructor background is STOTT.
Build quality and durability
Balanced Body for commercial intensity, comparable for homeBalanced Body
Commercial-grade construction at every tier above the entry level. The Allegro 2 and Studio Reformer are designed for intensive studio use with multiple clients daily. The carriage glide, spring clips, and frame joints are engineered for longevity. Balanced Body machines from 15+ years ago are still in active studio use.
Merrithew
Comparable commercial-grade quality at the V2 Max tier. The SPX — while excellent for home use — is designed for lower-intensity use than the commercial Balanced Body models. Studios with very high client volume (20+ clients per machine per day) consistently choose Balanced Body over Merrithew at the top commercial tier.
Folding/space-saving options
Merrithew for space-constrained home studiosBalanced Body
Balanced Body does not offer a high-quality folding reformer at the professional level — their folding options are in the consumer tier. For home studios with space constraints, this is a limitation.
Merrithew
The Merrithew At Home SPX Reformer folds vertically and is one of the best-designed space-saving professional reformers available. For practitioners in apartments or shared spaces who need the machine to fold when not in use, Merrithew has a significant practical advantage.
The recommendation by context
- 1.STOTT-trained instructor setting up a private studio → Merrithew V2 Max. Your curriculum and machine are designed together; the exercises, spring tensions, and footbar positions all correspond.
- 2.Studio owner wanting the broadest possible accessory expansion path → Balanced Body Studio Reformer or Allegro 2. Nothing matches the depth of the Balanced Body apparatus ecosystem.
- 3.Home practitioner with a space constraint → Merrithew At Home SPX. The folding design is genuinely superior for apartments and shared spaces.
- 4.Home practitioner with dedicated studio space, $3,500–$4,500 budget → Balanced Body Allegro 2. Better long-term resale value, deeper accessory options, global service network.
- 5.Commercial studio needing maximum durability under heavy use → Balanced Body Studio Reformer without hesitation. The machine is engineered for this use case specifically.
- 6.Rehabilitation clinic or physiotherapy practice → Merrithew SPX. The STOTT curriculum has deeper integration with rehabilitation protocols, and the price point is more appropriate for healthcare contexts.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use Merrithew accessories on a Balanced Body reformer?
Generally no — the proprietary dimensions of boxes, footbars, and jump boards are brand-specific. Universal accessories (foam rollers, general grip pads, bands) work across brands. Jump boards, long boxes, and short boxes are almost always brand-specific and should be confirmed with the manufacturer before purchasing.
Which brand holds resale value better?
Balanced Body generally holds resale value more robustly in the used market — particularly the Allegro 2 and Studio Reformer models. Both brands maintain meaningful resale value relative to consumer-grade reformers. In metropolitan US markets, used Balanced Body equipment is easier to sell quickly due to the larger buyer pool.
Is one brand harder to service than the other?
Both brands have authorised service networks and readily available replacement parts. Balanced Body has a larger US dealer network; Merrithew has stronger international presence in parts of Europe and Asia-Pacific. Both brands offer direct purchase of springs, ropes, and pads — the components that require the most frequent replacement.
Which brand do professional instructors prefer?
Preference divides largely along training lineage. STOTT-trained instructors nearly universally prefer Merrithew — they trained on it and the machine embodies their curriculum. Classical practitioners often prefer Balanced Body for its broader apparatus options. Instructors without a strong training system allegiance tend toward Balanced Body for the accessory ecosystem.
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