I tried the at-home Pilates reformer that rivals studio classes, and it didn’t disappoint

Reformer Pilates is riding the popularity wave right now, but two things bug me about it: classes can be eye-wateringly expensive, and trying to book onto a class can be incredibly tough. It’s no wonder people are considering purchasing their own reformer and doing it from the comfort of their own home.

While many have cropped up on the market recently (some of questionable quality), one that has garnered a lot of attention for its elegant design, premium build, and thoughtful features is the FOLD Reformer. However, with a price tag of £1,899.99, it sits firmly at the luxury end of the spectrum.

That being said, this isn't the type of workout equipment you want to cut corners on, as performing an exercise wrong can easily result in injury, let alone if you’re doing it on a poorly made piece of kit. I decided to test the FOLD reformer and its accompanying app to see if it can really deliver a studio experience at home.

Setting up the FOLD reformer

The FOLD reformer arrived at our testing HQ on a massive wooden palette. Luckily, we have a hand palette truck that made manoeuvring it into the studio a little easier. However, I dread to think how someone would lug this into their home, or up to their flat – you’d need some serious assistance, that’s for sure.

Once unboxed, the reformer isn’t too bad to set up when following along with FOLD’s step-by-step video. Sure, it’s a little fiddly in places, but what makes it really challenging is its weight, as it’s 72kg, so you may break a sweat before you even start your workout. Once the wheels are screwed, the shoulder rests, risers and ropes are fixed into place you’re good to go. Overall, it took around 15 to 20 minutes to set up (I had to pause the video a few times).

My experience using the FOLD Reformer

The quality of the FOLD reformer is *chef’s kiss* – it feels just like the ones you’d use in a professional studio. It has a sleek design, crafted from Canadian maple wood and upholstered in soft beige leather (with a black option available too). The padded carriage is also exceptionally comfortable and glides effortlessly.

Having only been to a handful of reformer Pilates classes, I’m far from a pro. This wasn’t a problem though, as the reformer comes with three months free access to the FOLD app, which includes a wide range of on-demand classes. There’s even mat Pilates and barre workouts too, perfect for days when you want to switch things up. After this three-month period the app costs £9.99 per month.

I really appreciated how user-friendly the app was. You can filter classes based on your experience level – whether you're a beginner, intermediate, or more advanced – as well as by workout length and focus area (like lower body, upper body, core, etc). My only issue was that I had to keep glancing over at my phone on the floor to follow along with the workout, which interrupted the flow a little.

Aside from that, the instructors were fantastic – enthusiastic, clear, and incredibly helpful when it came to navigating the reformer. They explained everything, from which springs to use, to how to adjust the foot bar with ease. The classes themselves were brilliant too. I tried a range of lower-body, core, and full-body workouts, and even the shorter 15-minute sessions left my muscles burning – never underestimate the power of Pilates!

The reformer also comes with a handy ‘starter bundle’, which includes a Pilates mat and ring, a pair of 1kg dumbbells, and a small Pilates ball – basically everything you need to add a little extra challenge to your workouts.

Surprisingly, putting the reformer away isn’t as complicated as setting it up, and took me less than five minutes following FOLD’s demo video. Essentially, you remove the base, grab the two metal handles in the centre, and pull upwards so it collapses. Again, the most difficult part is managing the weight of the reformer, but once you get the hang of it, it’s straightforward to do.

That said, even when folded, the reformer is still a sizable piece of equipment at 50 inches long, 26.8 inches wide, and 15.7 inches high. You’ll therefore need to make sure you have enough space to store it properly. Obviously I had plenty of room in our testing studio, but I think fitting it into my partner’s two-bedroom house would be a bit of a squeeze.

Is the FOLD Reformer worth buying?

If you’re seriously into your Pilates, then absolutely. Despite its rather large price tag, when you add up one £30 Pilates class a week, that sets you back over £1,440 per year, which isn’t far off the price of the FOLD’s.

There’s also the £9.99 app membership to consider once you’ve exceeded your three-month trial but, again, this is much less than an actual class – so I think it works out as great value for money. I’ve also seen a lot of cheaper reformers crop up on the market and quality and aesthetic-wise, I don’t think any of these match that of the FOLD.

Is it suitable for beginners? While the app does offer beginner-level classes, I do think it’s worth attending a few reformer Pilates classes before purchasing, just so you can learn basic movements and be under the guidance of an instructor. Other than that, if you have the space, it’s an excellent piece of workout kit for your home.

Grab yours at FOLD Reformer