Pilates Equipment - Buyer Beware

The question everyone asks is: ‘Why is there a price difference between Pilates Brands?’

There are several companies selling various brands of Pilates Equipment, meaning you can find Pilates Reformer Beds priced from $1000 - $9000.

Quality of the Pilates Reformer

Not unlike buying a car you always need to look under the hood.

Most of the less expensive brands will resort to manufacturing from wood because a quality wood craftsman is not that difficult to find - right? Well, yes and no. Just because you can build a wooden table does not mean you understand the intricate details of a Pilates reformer carriage running effortlessly for up to 8 hours a day.

Let’s look at a foldable Pilates Reformer made from wood as an example.  The question buyers need to ask is why do the major Pilates Manufacturers such as Align-Pilates make a folding Pilates reformer from metal and not wood.

The answer - it is extremely difficult to test the longevity of the hinging mechanics in a foldable Pilates reformer bed and therefore difficult to offer a legal Warranty. Wood is generally unpredictable when it comes to working mechanically because it can swell and split. Timber, which is hard and strong enough to endure these difficulties, is also generally quite heavy and thus a poor choice for a foldable Pilates reformer when considering the weight of solid hard wood. Consequently Align-Pilates makes their F3 Pilates Reformer machine out of aluminium steel so that its longevity and mechanics can be guaranteed.

Those Pilates manufacturers that have been in the industry for a while will agree that it takes years to perfect the skill of building a Pilates reformer bed that will endure the many hours a Pilates reformer is used for. Therefore, we advise our clients to check the warranty period for Pilates equipment because not all manufacturers openly advertise their Warranty, nor do they promote their Pilates equipment for commercial use. They generally promote their Pilates reformer machines as a home use device or don’t even specify the intended market for their products. They notoriously use ambiguous wording such as ‘award winning’ and ‘market leading’, which unfortunately is not measurable as there are no awards specific to Pilates Equipment manufacturers…that we know of.

The quality of the Pilates equipment should show up in the Warranty period they offer.  If they are an accomplished manufacturer, they will likely have ascertained some level of worldwide manufacturing standards such as ISO or CE standards. Companies not offering this guarantee are either not providing the highest quality products or manufacturing equipment in a poor-quality factory. Lower priced brands are not “officially branded” and as such recommended guidelines such as height and weight limits can be copied from the major brands rather than professionally standardised.  Generally, most quality Pilates machines will offer a limited expected lifetime Warranty of 10 years.

Finally, the availability of parts to fix your Pilates reformer when it breaks a wheel or rope or pulley is an important consideration for buyers.  Customers should check the longevity of the company they are purchasing from because a high percentage of importers have been known to last for less than 2 years in the competitive market of Pilates.

Why buy from Pilates Reformers Australia?

Celebrating 10 years in business, Pilates Reformers Australia was the first company to bring a quality Pilates product, at an affordable price to the Australian market. This indeed assisted with the boom in Pilates throughout Australia as Pilates Studios were able to access the Pilates equipment required to start their business.

Pilates Reformers Australia prides itself on offering customers:

• Quality Equipment: Manufactured in a high quality Pilates based factory, Align-Pilates Equipment is rigorously tested undergoing multiple quality control checks from the moment manufacturing begins right up until it is delivered to your door.
• Customer Service: Our personable staff understand the needs of ‘Pilates People’. All staff regularly partake in the practice of Pilates and are highly experienced in customer care.
• Distribution Network: Due to the large expansion of the Pilates market in Australia, we have established a high-level distribution network around Australia. We chose people who also care about the customer and are prepared to give the service that Pilates Reformers Australia requires for its customer base.
• Australian Expertise: Much of the Align-Pilates equipment since 2012 has been designed in conjunction with Pilates Reformers Australia. We listen to the unique and high demands of the Australian Pilates Instructors who can be operating for as much as 50 hours per week.

For more information contact our friendly team on info@prateam.com.au or 1300 107 331