What’s a Smart Mirror and Why Should You Consider One?

The concept of smart, or connected fitness, equipment is very new. At its most basic level, smart mirrors and other home fitness equipment allow you to workout effectively from home, without needing a ton of equipment. That’s historically always been the biggest dilemma, after all, not having access to the proper equipment and programming at home vs. at the gym/studio.

Smart mirrors have changed the way we see home fitness in a number of ways. First, they’re designed to be nearly invisible. Instead of bulky, obtrusive fitness equipment, smart mirrors are sleek and modern and are designed to blend in seamlessly with your home decor, adding a touch of elegance even. 

Behind the aesthetics of smart mirrors is an LCD screen that creates an interactive fitness experience from home, streaming thousands of live and on-demand classes while you follow along, checking your form in the reflection. The concept of a mirrored studio is genius as it allows you to not only watch your instructor but also to watch yourself as you replicate their movements. Some of these studios take it a step further by adding in AI-technology that tracks your movements and provides form cues and corrections.

Why should you consider purchasing a smart mirror?

For starters, they provide you with the experience of having a personal trainer at your disposal at any time. Smart fitness equipment eliminates some of the most common pitfalls of fitness, which include time constraints, scheduling concerns, and budget restrictions.

With a home fitness studio in your living room, you can work out when you want and benefit from personalized fitness that costs less over time than the price you’d pay to hire a personal trainer. So, if you’re looking for a convenient, discreet way to achieve a well-rounded fitness routine from home, then a smart mirror may be a great option for you.

Next, let’s start to take a look at the Mirror and Forme Life Studio to get a feel for what each machine has to offer and how they stand up against one another.

The Mirror Vs. Forme Life

Forme Life Studio Overview

This smart fitness mirror is hands-down one of the most technologically advanced, innovative options on the market right now. With just one look at this machine, you’re going to be impressed by its sleek, beautiful design. In fact, the studio was created by a renowned designer whose goal was to make it more than a piece of fitness equipment, but also a piece of furniture and a touch of style to add to your home.

The Design

The giant screen combines a 70% reflectivity mirror with a 43” 4K touch and voice-controlled screen to deliver a massive presentation. While this studio certainly stands out among its competitors for being larger, it’s incredibly sleek, giving it the look and feel of luxury. If you go with the Studio Lift package, the resistance arms tuck away neatly and discreetly when not in use, so all that’s left to look at it is a gorgeous mirror.

Workout programming

Aside from the design of the studio, Forme Life also stands out because of its programming. The brand takes a highly targeted approach to their classes and programming, recruiting some of the best of the best instructors to coach their clients through every workout. Speaking of workouts, there are so many types and modalities to choose from that anyone with any level of fitness can find something that suits their unique style and goals.

To further amplify and add value to the programming, Forme Life incorporates their human-centric computer vision to keep an eye on your form, make suggestions, and help you progress safely and efficiently through each workout. They believe that every workout should be customized to fit your personal goals and needs, so they custom tailor their workouts to do just that. This company takes all the guesswork out of getting in shape and reaching your fitness goals, leaving you with nothing else to do but show up ready to work.

Who’s Forme Life best for?

The Forme Life Studio is best for those who want the latest and best in fitness training and technology. The cutting edge features and design that come standard with this machine are bare none. Of course, that kind of innovation comes at a price, so just know that this is not a budget machine.

Additionally, I find that the Studio Lift is best suited for exercisers who value strength training and have a desire to increase strength and muscle mass while ensuring that they’re doing so correctly and safely. Forme Life is the closest thing you can get to having a personal trainer in your living room, so if that sounds appealing to you, this is the right machine for you.

The Mirror Overview

Mirror was the first of its kind studio to make a nearly invisible home gym that fits seamlessly into any area of your home. The concept is quite frankly genius, particularly for those who have small or limited spaces and don’t have the capacity to accommodate a large, clunky home gym setup. The Mirror is sleek, slim, and elegantly designed to suit the decor of any room in your home.

It suffices to say that this is a very simple product that doesn’t carry any extra bulk. But similar to Forme Life’s product, the real value lies within the programming. Mirror has expert trainers from the best fitness studios around the country teaching live and on-demand classes. In fact, they have one of the largest, most diverse lists of class offerings I’ve seen in a single product, which makes it an excellent choice for people of all experience levels and abilities.

The mirror doesn’t have the ability to correct your form or provide real-time feedback, however, they do have technology that allows them to deliver personalized workouts and recommendations for you based on your unique needs and goals. One important thing to note is that if you want to do any classes that require the use of equipment (dumbbells, bands, etc.), you’ll have to bring those yourself, which can make for a more cumbersome workout experience. That said, if bodyweight or equipment-free workouts are your jam - then you’re going to find plenty of options to accommodate this.

Read my detailed Mirror review with pros and cons, if you're interested in learning more about this smart home gym (really, it's the OG)!

Who’s Mirror best For?

Mirror is best for those who have small spaces and need a smart way to incorporate fitness into their everyday home life. This product is the perfect solution for anyone that loves and enjoys fitness classes. The Mirror is very sleek and minimalistic in design, making it a seamless addition to any room in your home. I mentioned this when comparing Tonal and Tempo to Mirror and have been seeing many of my readers benefit from that article.

This studio is best suited for those who like to do bodyweight only workouts or workouts that require nothing but your body, like yoga, pilates, and dance. While there are strength training workouts offered within the app, you would need to supply your own weights, which is easy to do. They've also recently really stepped up their game in class offerings, bringing even more variety, including boxing, tai chi, Latin dance, boot camps, and more!

Key Similarities and Differences Between These Two Smart Fitness Mirrors

When comparing two similar products, it’s helpful to understand in what ways they are similar and how they differ so that you can make the best decision for you and your unique home and fitness needs.

What's the same about both smart mirros?

• Are sleek and modern in design, blending in seamlessly with your home’s aesthetics
• Allow you to perform a variety of workouts, streamed live or on-demand from their respective apps.
• Offer the option to fix the unit to your wall or to stand them on the ground.

What's different between the two?

• Forme Life has two package options - one with resistance arms for strength training.
• The mirror is slimmer and smaller.
• Forme Life features form correction and feedback cues using human-centric computer vision and two-way cameras, The Mirror does not provide customized guidance or two-way training.
• The Mirror does not come with any equipment or accessories, Forme Life Studio Lift comes equipped with resistance arms that provide up to 150 lbs of customized, variable resistance (but at a much higher cost!)
• Forme Life is significantly larger than Mirror.

Final Thoughts: Which Fitness Mirror Is the Best Choice for You?

Now that you have more information about each fitness mirror, it’s time to put that knowledge to use and analyze which option is going to be the best decision for you and your home. You honestly, you’re going to get an amazing experience from both options, but one is likely better suited for you than the other.

Things to consider include:

Here's a few things you want to consider when choosing between the two smart gyms.

How much space do you have?

Forme Life is larger in size than Mirror, so make sure you have the space to accommodate the studio before purchasing.

What’s your primary workout preference?

If it’s strength training, then you’re best advised to look into the Forme Life Studio Lift which includes 150 lbs of personalized resistance and tons of strength training options, along with personal training that will make sure you’re using proper form and progressing properly. Mirror also offers strength training classes, however, you'll need to have your own weights (no biggie!).

What’s your budget?

Forme Life is significantly more expensive than Mirror (rightfully so, they have much more advanced technology). But if budget plays a role, this is something to consider. Mirror continues to be one of the most budget-friendly smart mirrors on the market.

Do you care about having the latest technology and features?

If so, Forme Life certainly takes the cake in that department. That’s not to say that Mirror doesn’t have great tech and features, because it certainly does, but it’s not as cutting-edge (yet) as Forme Life, however, I'm seeing some great upgrades recently!

Get ready for an immersive experience!

By now you may already know which studio you’re leaning towards, but if not, I recommend heading to their official websites and browsing around a bit to get an even closer feel for each product. And if you have any specific questions, don’t be afraid to leave them below or join our Facebook group, Fit Home Healthy Life, where we’re always discussing the latest in home fitness equipment and trends!