If you are in a hurry and just want to find out what the best whole body vibration machine for low impact workouts at home, then I’d recommend the LifePro Vibration plate Exercise Machine as the best one.

Since first being recognized in 2002, the concept of whole body vibration (WBV) has been gaining increased attention as the years go by.

In this time, an exhaustive number of research studies have been done to discover the effects this technology has on the human body.

While further research in this type of exercise is still required, there are many people who swear by this peculiar workout regimen.

So I decided to try out a few of these devices to find out which Whole Body Vibration Machine had the greatest results, at least for me.

I’ll tell you straight up before we get to the review, no bull. I go with the idea that if I’m sore in the morning, whatever I’m doing is working.

And I found myself very, very sore after using one of these exercise machines.

Which Whole Body Vibration Machine Should I Choose?

Here are the whole body vibration machines we’ll be reviewing:

• Confidence Fitness Slim Full Body Vibration Trainer
• LifePro Vibration plate Exercise Machine
• Pinty 2000W Whole Body Vibration Platform
• Axis-Plate Whole Body Vibration Machine
• Hurtle Fitness Vibration Platform

So What is a Whole Body Vibration Machine?

WBV machines come in one of two forms. The first utilizes a vibrating plate that oscillates up and down in a uniform fashion.

The second changes up the game by alternating between vibrating the left and right sides of a platform in a rapid, up-down motion.

Basically, you’re meant to conduct a variety of light exercise while standing, or otherwise making contact, with these machines.

The idea behind the vibration plate is that the rapid movements aid in further stimulating your muscles.

It is believed that as your body is forced to make quick, minute changes in order to continue maintaining your balance on a plate, you’ll get more of a workout out of your muscles when compared to more mundane exercises.

It makes sense, and there’s plenty of video evidence on YouTube of people who are sweating by the time they finish a five minute set on a WBVM.

As for the research portion, the debate is ever ongoing.

While opinion varies widely, there is at least one study done by NASA that this type of exercise is effective at increasing bone mass in animals.

Another study done in 2010 shows an increase in muscle mass and strength in older women with a mean age of 76 years.

So far, WBV training seems to be a promising avenue of exercise to pursue.

The Advantages of a Whole Body Vibration Machine

There are multiple stated health benefits of WBV technology.

We’ve already touched on how vibration machines are effective at increasing muscle mass, muscle strength, and bone density. But let’s go a little further about how this technology not only applies to the young but the elderly as well.

The benefits of all three of these things are obvious. But historically, harder training methods were only available to those who already have a level of fitness to really push beyond their limits.

You can’t realistically expect someone who has either never hit the gym in their life, have a debilitating physical illness, or become frailer with old age, to do a high intensity interval training for an hour without potentially serious consequences.

WBV technology helps to bridge that gap by providing a relatively low impact method of training, while artificially increasing the difficulty of even the most basic exercise.

Almost everyone can hold a wall squat for thirty seconds, but not everyone is capable or has the time to commit to a full series of exercises.

While slowly growing strong enough to gain a level of fitness to hold a three minute squat is doable with time, many people end up giving up due to slow gains.

With a WBVM, you could conceivably reach that same level with much shorter time investment.

Think about holding that same 30 second squat, except the platform you’re standing on is rocking from side to side.

As you’re struggling to maintain your balance, you’ll quickly find that the exercise you thought to be easy, is quickly growing into something far more difficult.

By the time you step off, it feels like you’ve put in two or three times the effort you normally do, but you’ve done so in less time and with less overall strain you’d get from multiple sets worth of squats.

Do this enough times and you’ll start seeing results in an astonishingly short time.

The Disadvantages of a Whole Body Vibration Machine

There are, however, a few downsides to this method of training.

It’s been long known that extended, long term vibration is the cause of back pain.

This can be seen in people whose vocations are to ride machines synonymous oscillation, of which two examples are long distance truck drivers and helicopter pilots.

That’s easy enough to avoid with short term use. But what about other, more immediate risks?

It goes without saying that pregnant women shouldn’t use a WBVM. Furthermore, people who have bone tumors, carry pacemakers, have experienced retinal detachment, joint issues, or blood clots, should avoid this machine.

There has even been talks that extended exposure to vibration could lead to brain damage, but that’s obviously difficult to test for due to moral concerns.

Overall, this technology seems to be safe enough to use if done so for relatively short periods of time. Instead of wholly depending on a WBVM to maintain your fitness, it’s probably a good idea to have days on and days off between vibration training and hitting the gym as you normally would.

But don’t just take my word for it. Do your research and make sure that you are educated in the possible risks posed by any type of physical training.

The List of Whole Body Vibration Machine

Alright. For those of you who haven’t been scared off by the safety disclaimer, or have returned after doing further research, let’s get started on the review!

Confidence Fitness Slim Full Body Vibration Trainer

Priced at the firm middle ground of this roundup, this WBVM uses a compact design while bringing everything you’d expect from a vibration trainer.

Besides having a small footprint that is ideal for home use, this product uses a simple console to measure your heart rate, activate 3 built-in programs, and control the vibration speed of the machine.

With 50 speed settings, you’ll be able to maximize your gains while slowly ramping up the level of intensity.

Pros

• I like that this machine has handlebars attached to the base of the platform. You don’t get all that much feedback from the bars, and you can use them as a safety measure until you’re used to the vibration plate.
• I’m a little torn on the vibration speed. With just 50 settings, the vibrational intensity is on the low end of the scale. That said, faster isn’t always better, and you’ll have less of a chance of injuring your joints by exercising at a crazy speed.
• Max user weight of 300 lbs.
• It’s not all that heavy, and the provided wheels make it easy enough to move around the house.
• I’ll say it outright, and this applies to all the machines on this list, training on a WBVM is enjoyably entertaining. It’s like being on the playground and discovering a slide for the first time.

Cons

• It goes without saying that this device can be pretty noisy. Doubly so if you end up shifting your feet while on a higher vibration level.
• The slower max vibration setting means you won’t get as much out of this machine once you’re used to it.

LifePro Vibration Plate Exercise Machine

The second least expensive on the list is a device that doesn’t come with the added safety of guard rails.

With a speed setting of 1 to 99, you’ll definitely be feeling it in the morning once you get to the point of using this device at the maximum vibration level.

Funny enough, since you don’t have the mental reassurance of being able to grab a guard rail if you lose your balance, you’ll actually find yourself working that little bit harder to maintain your stability.

Pros

• This device is lightweight and extremely portable. Without safety rails to get in the way, you can tuck this machine under your arm and bring this with you, wherever you go.
• It comes with an incredible lifetime warranty. That’s something you rarely see on any exercise machine.
• This product is on the quiet side of WBVMs. If you put a pad under it, the sound almost reminds you of an extremely muted washing machine.
• It’s ready right out of the box, no assembly required.
• Can take a max weight of 330 lbs.

Cons

• I can’t recommend this product for people with a terrible sense of balance, or someone who isn’t going to be able to take a fall. Even if you trust in your ability to remain standing, use this in an area with a carpet to help mitigate any accidents.
• It’s got suction cups on the bottom, but I find them to be of dubious use as I use this device on a carpeted floor.

Pinty 2000W Whole Body Vibration Platform

Utilizing a powerful, 2000 watt motor, this metal framed beast is able to adjust its vibration level on a scale of 1 through 99.

Unlike some other models, this machine comes with a handy water bottle holder for easy access during long workouts!

Just, uh, try not to drink while operating this device. That path leads to water going down the wrong tube and testing whether or not this machine is water resistant.

Thankfully, I didn’t end up causing a short in my house.

Pros

• The metal handrails of this machine are superbly sturdy. It provides a superior sense of safety that kept me focused on my workout.
• The LED display is intuitive and easy to read.
• It comes with an integrated MP3 player. Pretty nifty.
• Relatively compact size.

Cons

• This thing is pretty noisy. I had to tighten down all the screws a second time so it didn’t sound like Apollo 13 shaking apart upon atmospheric reentry.
• I’m not a fan of the plate’s design. The circular protrusion in the middle of the vibrational plate can get in the way of smooth transitions during use.
• Don’t put your phone in the cup holder unless it’s a really tight fit. Otherwise, it’s gonna rattle around like no there’s tomorrow.

Axis-Plate Whole Body Vibration Machine

The most expensive item on the list, this machine is capable of holding up to 265 lbs of body weight and uses a 500 watt motor.

Additionally, this product comes with 3 built-in workout programs, 99 speed settings, and the handles use built-in BMI sensors to monitor your fitness progress.

The wheeled, portable design also makes it easy to push around the house if you ever have to move it somewhere.

Pros

• Overall, this device is the slickest looking one of the bunch.
• The solid, single piece design of the control post lowers the level of noise you’d expect from a machine with handlebars. The lack of rattling is great for not giving you a headache.
• Uses a large platform that measures at 27.5 x 29 ins. It’s great for adjusting your feet on the fly.

Cons

• This device is a little on the heavier side and is fairly unwieldy when fully built. The wheels do help, but lugging this up and down stairs is going to be a bit of a chore.
• This version of the machine has the lowest user weight tolerance of the list at 265 lbs. Despite the overall quality of the build, I can’t recommend it for anyone over that weight and is primarily looking for a tool to help them lose the extra pounds.

Hurtle Fitness Vibration Platform

This is the least expensive option on the list, and a decent entry level machine. With a user weight tolerance of 265 lbs, this portable and lightweight device is easy to carry with you on the go.

Sadly, this lower price means you’re going to get less out of it.

Pros

• Low price is good!
• This machine runs ninja quiet.
• Its small size means you can take it with you to show off at the beach. As long as you bring a generator of some sort, anyway.

Cons

• This machine only has 20 different vibration settings.
• I’m not a fan of the plate design. It’s thinner at the middle and widens out at the ends, but this makes it a little harder to maneuver your feet.
• Has a maximum session time of ten minutes before it needs to cool down.
• At 200 watts, this product is underpowered compared to the rest of the competition.

The Winner of the Roundup

For me, the most useful Whole Body Vibration Machine would have to be the LifePro Vibration Plate Exercise Machine. While it doesn’t come with handrails, that personally isn’t the largest issue on my carpeted flooring.

And my extra mattress I happen to keep behind me. In case I want to go for a nap.

In all seriousness, I like how portable this machine is and I don’t need more stuff to take up space in the house.

Despite its unassuming size, I still get a pretty decent workout on the days where I don’t hit up the gym.

And given that I enjoy lifting weights too much to ever completely move over to WBV training, I only occasionally use this machine to stress my muscles and entertain guests.

It’s going to stay penned in my workout schedule though. This little machine is both effective for training and fun to use!