Has your workout routine gotten a bit stale lately? It might be time to look in the MIRROR or check your Temp(o).(See what we did there??)
Smart fitness mirrors like the MIRROR or the Tempo Studio are little slices of the future served up to us in the coolest possible way. While they look like super-modern home decor, they’re also hella functional — offering thousands of fitness classes, along with personal training.
With a fitness mirror, you get to experience something we like to call HITT — high intensity *time travel.*
And if you’re trying to decide between the MIRROR and the Tempo, we’ve got all the deets to help you make the right call.
Real quick: MIRROR vs. Tempo at a glance
| MIRROR | Tempo | |
| Starting price | $1,495 | $2,495 |
| Membership fees | $39/month, 12-month commitment | $39/month, 12-month commitment |
| Shipping | $250 for delivery and installation | $250 for delivery, set up, and clean up in room of choice |
| Unit | Freestanding or wall-mounted mirror | Freestanding A-frame mirror with weight storage |
| Display | Display controlled using your phone | Touchscreen display |
| Workouts | Unlimited access to live and on-demand classes with membership | Unlimited access to live and on-demand classes with membership |
| Extra equipment needed? | No equipment necessary | Comes with all necessary equipment; optional weight bench, squat rack, barbell, and kettlebell available |
| Bluetooth connectivity | Bluetooth connectivity for headphones, heart rate monitor | Bluetooth connectivity for headphones, heart rate monitor |
| Special features | One-on-one personal training available | 3D sensors offer real-time form feedback |
What’ll these things cost me?
MIRROR
The MIRROR starts at $1,495, but you can occasionally catch it on sale. If you qualify for financing, you can pay as little as $32 per month.
You can tack on some optional accessory bundles as well for an extra fee. The Mirror Essentials bundle costs $1,695, and includes a heart rate monitor, resistance band, yoga mat, yoga block, yoga strap, foam roller, and a sticker pack. The Mirror Family bundle costs $1,845, and includes a single foam roller and two of everything (except the mirror, ofc).
The required membership to MIRROR Digital costs $39 per month, and you have to commit to a 12-month membership upon purchase of your MIRROR.
Additionally, delivery and installation is $250 — sometimes you can get it free when there’s a sale.
tl;dr: If you buy at full price, you’re looking at an investment of at least $1,745 (more if you purchase a bundle) plus a recurring $39/month subscription.
Tempo
The Tempo Studio’s most basic offering is the Tempo Starter, for $2,495. It comes with the free-standing mirror (on a base that doubles as weight plate storage), a workout mat, 2 dumbbells, 4 collars, and 75 pounds (lbs.) of weight plates.
For $3,245, the Tempo Plus includes all of that plus a barbell, heart rate monitor, foam roller, folding workout bench, 2 more collars, and two 25-lb. competition plates.
Finally, the Tempo Pro — which will set you back $3,995 — contains everything in the Plus, along with a folding squat rack, additional weight plate storage, and two 45-lb. competition plates.
If you qualify for financing, you may be able to score a Tempo for as little as $69 to $111 per month, depending on which accessory package you choose.
Shipping costs $250, but includes delivery, set up, and clean up in your room of choice.
Membership costs $39/month and requires an initial 12-month commitment.
tl;dr: If you buy at full price, you can plan on spending at least $2,745 (more if you opt for a pricier bundle) plus a recurring $39/month subscription. This is $1,000 more than MIRROR, but also automatically includes accessories and storage MIRROR doesn’t come with.
Let’s dig into the details: MIRROR vs. Tempo specs
MIRROR
The Mirror is a sleek, thin mirror with wall-mount and freestanding options. The wall-mount option is sweet if you own your home or don’t mind filling holes/losing part of your security deposit when you leave your rental. The freestanding option is def ideal for renters.
Here are the specs you need to know to make sure it’s a fit for your space:
- Display: 40-inches (in.)
- Dimensions: 53 x 21 x 2-in.
- Weight: 70 lbs.
The MIRROR is also equipped with a front-facing camera, a microphone, and two speakers.
BUT (and this is kind of a big but), unlike the Tempo and most other smart fitness mirrors, the MIRROR is not a touchscreen. You control it entirely through the Mirror Digital app, which is available for Apple and Android.
Tempo
The Tempo Studio is a freestanding mirror and display with a built-in weight rack. Again, freestanding means no holes in walls or tricky installation. And this one comes with built-in storage for your accessories (hell yes!).
Here are the specs for the mirror itself:
- Display: 42-in. touchscreen
- Dimensions: 72 x 26 x 16-in.
- Weight: 100 lbs.
The Tempo also comes equipped with two speakers. Note, though, that these specs are only for the base and mirror — not any of the extras. You’ll def need more space if you decide to purchase the weight bench or squat rack.
Now for the fun stuff: Special features
MIRROR
The MIRROR keeps it pretty simple. To do many of the workouts, all you need is your fiiiine self.
But the bundles also include assortments of Lululemon branded accessories like resistance bands, yoga mats, yoga blocks, foam rollers, and heart rate monitors. And who doesn’t love a little Lulu gear? 💖
The MIRROR also features Bluetooth connectivity for your heart rate monitor and headphones.
With the built-in camera and microphone, you’re also able to do completely virtual one-on-one personal training sessions using your MIRROR.
Tempo
Arguably (OK, definitely) the coolest thing about the Tempo is that it’s equipped with 3D sensors that track your movement to offer instant form feedback and totally custom workout recommendations. The one-two punch of 3D sensors and a heart rate monitor allows the Tempo to offer up more intense workouts as you get stronger.
You can also connect your Bluetooth headphones to the Tempo.
Additionally, even if you start out with the Tempo Starter, you can still buy the full line of accessories on the Tempo website later on. So as you get stronger and want to invest in more and more equipment, you can buy them à la carte and integrate them seamlessly into your Tempo experience.
But what about the workouts?
MIRROR
The MIRROR offers thousands of live and on-demand classes across many fitness genres, including boxing, barre, bootcamp, kickboxing, cardio, family fun, Pilates, stretching, meditation, yoga, and more.
While some of the workouts feature equipment, most of them require little more than yourself and a workout mat — although you may want to have some dumbbells, a kettlebell, and resistance bands on hand for variety.
Tempo
Tempo offers hundreds of classes within six main categories: strength, cardio, HIIT, mobility, yoga, and boxing.
Many of their workouts utilize strength equipment like barbells, dumbbells or kettlebells — since the Tempo is designed with this equipment in mind. But Tempo also offers its fair share of bodyweight workouts.
Shipping, warranty, and returns
MIRROR
For $250, your MIRROR is delivered and installed exactly where you want it in your home.
And with the company’s 30-day risk-free trial, you can return it for a refund within 30 days of delivery if it’s not a great fit for you.
The MIRROR also comes with a standard 1-year warranty, but you can purchase extended plans that cover up to 5 years. If you want extended coverage, be sure to buy it before your 30-day return period ends — or you won’t be able to buy it at all.
Tempo
Tempo’s $250 white glove delivery includes set up and clean up, which is super nice. However, if it’s not your beat (get it — “Tempo??”) you can return it within 30 days of delivery for a full refund, minus return shipping.
And here are all the company’s warranty deets:
- 12 months: display, bench, squat rack, weight plate holder, kettlebell, heart rate monitor, labor, installation
- 3 years: cabinet, barbells, collars, weights
What reviewers have to say
MIRROR
Scrolling through the reviews on MIRROR’s website is like diving into a sea of positivity. People love the MIRROR like it’s a Bridgerton heir.
And it seems like MIRROR listens to its reviewers too. Early reviews complained that there was no Android app, and that you could only access the workouts on the device (so no MIRROR workouts on the go from your phone or tablet). Both of those things are available now (score!).
Next on the reviewer wish list: screencasting, so that the MIRROR can offer a dual purpose.
Tempo
Tempo, however, has equally devoted fans. They all agree that it’s about the closest you can get to a traditional gym experience without leaving home, since it offers the equipment and the class experience.
Aaaaaand we’re STILL scrolling looking for a bad review…
So which is better? Tips for choosing between MIRROR and Tempo Studio
We spoke with Amanda Capritto, certified personal trainer and fitness equipment expert at Garage Gym Reviews, about how to choose between these two mirrors. Here are her recommendations:
Included equipment
The most noticeable difference, explains Capritto, is the equipment that each comes standard with. While the MIRROR is totally minimalistic, the Tempo comes with the fitness equipment you’d expect to see at a gym. For this reason, MIRROR may be a better fit for you if you have limited space, and the Tempo is perf if you need to outfit your home gym from the ground up.
Types of workouts
“That difference,” says Capritto, “brings me right into the next one: the workouts.” She explains that the Tempo is geared more toward weightlifting workings, while the MIRROR skews toward things like yoga, Pilates, and bodyweight.
And since the Tempo comes with the same equipment that’s used in its live and streaming workouts, Capritto says, “you never have to worry about starting a workout and realizing that you don’t actually have what you need.”
Programs for progressions
“Tempo also has a better selection of periodized workout plans,” she explains, “so I would encourage anyone who’s serious about progression to choose Tempo.”
She adds that while the Mirror has some plans, they’re not true progressive programs, but instead similar classes that are grouped together.
Vibe check
Time for a vibe check. “I would recommend MIRROR to people who thrive off of the energy of group and studio-type fitness classes,” Capritto says.
She adds that the Tempo feels a bit more laid back and may be more suited for people who enjoy or are used to working out solo or with a personal trainer one-on-one.
Feedback
“Finally, the Tempo’s biggest selling point is it’s 3D sensors that capture your body movement and use that to provide on-screen feedback for your workout technique,” explains Capritto. But with MIRROR, “you only get form feedback if you pay extra for the personal training program, which is a great option if you have the cash and like the idea of a virtual personal trainer.”
Other workout mirror options to consider
Budget pick: Echelon Reflect
- Price: $1,000
- Notable features: built-in camera, lowest price
If budget is your main concern, say hello to Echelon Reflect. It’s a 40-in. wall-mounted fitness mirror that gives you access to over 2,000 live and on-demand HIIT, yoga, core, Pilates, and kickboxing classes. It’s not a full-length mirror, but it’s the only one that’s available for such a bangin’ price.
Unfortunately the reviews are pretty iffy, so if budget isn’t your main concern, you may wanna spring for a more expensive one.
Fancy AF: Tonal
- Price: $2,995
- Notable features: auto-adjusting weight, real-time form correction
The Tonal is pretty similar to the Tempo in a number of ways, with the key difference being that the Tonal uses digital weight as opposed to the real equipment you get with the Tempo. They both offer real-time feedback using sensor tech, and are mostly focused on weightlifting.
And like the Tempo, the Tonal is widely adored by people who own one. The drawback? It ain’t cheap, not by a longshot.
BYO gear: NordicTrack Vault Standalone
- Price: $1,999
- Notable features: built-in storage, freestanding
If you’ve already got an impressive home gym but want to add a fitness mirror, the NordicTrack Vault might be just what you’re looking for. It’s literally a vault: the mirror slides to reveal a chamber where you can store your weights, resistance straps, yoga blocks, and other smaller pieces of equipment. It also comes with a free year of iFit.
According to reviewers, technical difficulties with the mirror can be a real drag sometimes, but it’s otherwise fantastic.
The bottom line
The MIRROR and the Tempo are like expertly shaped brows: sisters, not twins. While they’re both fitness mirrors, that’s really where the similarities end. If you’re into studio classes like yoga, barre, and Pilates, then the MIRROR and its sleek minimalism will appeal to you. And if you want a gym-at-home experience, you can’t go wrong with the Tempo Studio and its all-in-one equipment package.
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