Balanced Body Allegro 2 review: Specs, tower option and who it's for

The Balanced Body Allegro 2 is the studio-style reformer that both NBC Select and Women's Health name as their best overall pick. This review covers its specs, what those reviewers report, and whether the tower is worth adding. Both outlets list a price well above most home reformers, and at 148–155 lb (per Balanced Body) it's a heavy machine.

If you've narrowed your search to the Allegro 2, you probably want three answers. Is it worth the premium? Will it fit and store in your home? Is the tower version worth adding? This page gathers what Balanced Body publishes and what independent reviewers report.

Studio-style home reformer

Balanced Body Allegro 2

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Pros

• ✓ Footbar slides the full length of the frame to 9 positions, per Balanced Body; Women's Health praised the extra positions
• ✓ Aluminum frame with a 10-year limited frame warranty, per Balanced Body
• ✓ Studio-standard 5-spring setup
• ✓ Upgrade path: leg kit, tower and mat kit can be added later, per Balanced Body
• ✓ Made in the USA, per Balanced Body

Cons

• ✗ 148–155 lb; Women's Health calls it heavy and immobile
• ✗ Women's Health reports about two hours of setup with a helper
• ✗ High price (NBC Select, Women's Health), and Balanced Body only quotes through a local rep
• ✗ No maximum user weight published on Balanced Body's US site
• ✗ Women's Health notes a learning curve for beginners

The short answer

• Buy the Allegro 2 if you want a studio-grade machine at home, have a permanent spot for a 94-inch frame, and want the option to add legs, a tower or a mat conversion later.
• Look elsewhere if you need to move or store the reformer often, you're a beginner on a tight budget, or you're tall (Balanced Body points taller users to the Allegro Stretch).
• Compare the Allegro Nextgen first if you're choosing within Balanced Body. Per Balanced Body, it's about 31 lb lighter with legs, has 10 horizontal footbar positions and comes with a limited lifetime frame warranty. The Allegro 2's edge is that NBC Select and Women's Health both rank it first.

Allegro 2 specs at a glance

Specs below are from Balanced Body's product page. NBC Select and Women's Health list slightly different dimensions and weights, so we use the manufacturer's figures.

Balanced Body doesn't publish spring resistance in pounds or a maximum user weight or height for the Allegro 2 on its US site, so confirm with your rep if that matters to you. It also doesn't list a price on its site. Its page asks buyers to contact a local representative. NBC Select and Women's Health both quote a list price well above most home reformers, so expect the $1,000+ tier.

Balanced Body also sells an Anniversary Allegro 2 with a black finish, walnut details and a walnut standing platform. It lists the same core specs as the standard model.

Allegro 2 reformer reviews: what NBC Select and Women's Health say

Independent coverage is thin. We could confirm two outlets that cover the Allegro 2 in depth.

NBC Select

NBC Select named the Allegro 2 its Best Overall reformer in a January 2024 roundup. Pilates instructor Bianca Melas told NBC Select, "Balanced Body Allegro 2 has to be my personal favorite." The roundup highlights the five springs, the Infinity footbar, adjustable spring tension with the jumpboard in use, the 3-position headrest, removable carriage padding, custom upholstery colors, and the optional wheel and leg kits.

Women's Health

Women's Health also named it Best Overall. Its tester, certified trainer Talene Appleton, wrote: "I was blown away by how much the additional positions of its foot bar allowed me to change up my usual Pilates sequences."

Women's Health lists these pros: a "gold standard" professional reformer, a footbar that locks securely, extreme durability, and a good fit for advanced users.

Downsides reviewers mention

The same Women's Health review lists the downsides:

• Setup: "Setting this thing up was no joke—I knew I was in for a challenge when I saw the multiple massive, heavy boxes it arrived in." Appleton says it took about two hours with a friend.
• Weight: Women's Health calls it heavy and immobile, with a footprint of about 8 ft × 3 ft.
• Learning curve: Women's Health says beginners face a learning curve.

Price is the other hurdle. Balanced Body doesn't publish one, and both outlets quote a list price well above most home reformers.

Balanced Body's own page shows owner testimonials, not star ratings. One testimonial on the brand's page reads: "The machine is beautiful and incredibly well built." Keep in mind that the brand chooses which testimonials to show.

Key features explained

Infinity footbar

According to Balanced Body, the Infinity Footbar "adjusts vertically in 4 positions, including down, slides horizontally the full length of the frame to 9 positions." That range is the feature both NBC Select and Women's Health single out.

Tap the diagram to enlarge

Springs and ropes

The Allegro 2 comes with five Balanced Body Signature Springs, per the brand: three red (medium), one blue (light) and one yellow (very light). They're nickel-plated, with spring collars to make changes easier. Balanced Body also offers optional DURO Springs for high-traffic classes.

Rope length adjusts with what Balanced Body calls a "SoftTouch Rope & Padded Double Loop Kit" that "allows quick, quiet adjustments with an easy-to-use lever." The headrest has 3 positions, and the risers and shoulder rests are removable. For how spring resistance compares with the bungee cords on budget machines, see reformer springs vs. cords.

Height: with or without legs

Without legs, the frame is 9 inches high and the carriage sits at 8.5 inches, per Balanced Body. The optional Leg Kit raises the machine to a 15-inch studio height and "can be added at any time." The Amazon listing is a 14-inch leg-kit version, so confirm the height on the listing.

Assembly and storage

The Allegro 2 arrives partially assembled, according to Balanced Body. You attach the footbar, springs, shoulder rests, risers and any optional wheels or legs. Balanced Body provides video and downloadable instructions.

Vertical storage is possible, but it needs the optional Wheel Kit, and the footbar must be "properly positioned and securely locked," per Balanced Body. The brand also says it takes two people to stand the machine upright, and it sells an optional Wall Security Strap. The frame is 94 inches long, roughly 7 ft 10 in, so measure your ceiling before planning to stand it on end. For room-size planning, see how much space you need for a Pilates reformer.

For cleaning, Balanced Body recommends its own cleaner or gentle soap and warm water. It says to avoid alcohol, bleach and chemical cleaners.

Allegro 2 with tower: is it worth adding?

Tap the diagram to enlarge

Balanced Body sells the "Allegro 2 Reformer with Tower and Mat" as a full package. It's an Allegro 2 with the 15-inch Leg Kit plus the Tower and Mat Conversion. Per Balanced Body:

• Height: The tower rises 61 inches above the reformer frame, for a 76-inch installed height with legs.
• Footprint: 94 × 34 inches for the full system. That's wider than the 31.25 inches Balanced Body lists for the reformer with footbar, even though its Allegro 2 page says the retrofit kit "does not change the footprint." The brand doesn't explain the difference.
• Weight: The tower with springs weighs 38.5 lb, for a 177.5 lb system.
• Hardware: 29 spring attachment points and 8 tower springs. It has a 3-sided push-through bar that's 2.5 inches wider than the original, plus a solid maple roll-down bar and a safety strap with carabiner.
• Mat: The mat conversion measures 47 × 26 × 2 inches.

Balanced Body's FAQ says "The Tower is rigidly secured to the frame and does not fold." You can remove it, but Balanced Body says to do that only for storage, and the pulleys used for reformer work are attached to the tower, so removing it also removes those pulleys. Our reading is that you can't store the reformer upright with the tower attached.

You don't have to decide on day one. Balanced Body sells a Tower and Mat Retrofit Kit that can be added to an Allegro 2 later. If you aren't sure you'll use tower exercises, the base reformer keeps that option open. Balanced Body doesn't publish a price for the package. We couldn't confirm an Amazon listing for the tower version, so the button below runs an Amazon search.

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Allegro 2 vs. Allegro Nextgen, Metro IQ and Merrithew SPX

Specs per Balanced Body and Merrithew. The Allegro 2 is the heaviest of the four.

The Metro IQ is the pick if storage matters most. It telescopes down to 61.5 inches and weighs 85 lb, per Balanced Body. The Merrithew At Home SPX is lighter than the Allegro 2 and publishes a 250 lb user limit and a 60–74 inch ideal user height, per Merrithew. See our Merrithew SPX reformer review for the full breakdown.

Allegro 2 vs. Allegro Nextgen

Balanced Body's reformer lineup now also includes the Allegro Nextgen. Per Balanced Body:

• Weight: 114 lb without legs, 124 lb with them (by our math, about 31 lb lighter than the Allegro 2 with legs)
• Footbar: Infinity Footbar with "10 horizontal positions and 4 vertical positions"
• Carriage and wheels: 8-wheel carriage and integrated transport wheels
• Warranty: limited lifetime on the frame and footbar
• Storage: at least 8 ft of ceiling clearance for vertical storage, per Balanced Body
• Tower: Balanced Body says a tower can be added to the Nextgen at any time

If you're weighing the Allegro 2 against Balanced Body's other Allegro models, the Nextgen belongs on the list. For how the Allegro 2 differs from the original Allegro, see the FAQ below.

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If you're tall: Allegro Stretch

Balanced Body says "taller and larger exercisers may want to use the Allegro Stretch Reformer." Its frame is 111 inches long, 18 inches longer than the original Allegro. Its carriage is 6 inches longer and 2 inches wider. More options are in best Pilates reformers for tall people.

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Who should buy it (and who shouldn't)

Good fit:

• You want the studio-style machine two major outlets rank first, and you'll use the footbar range.
• You have a permanent spot of roughly 8 × 3 ft, plus room around it.
• You want the option to add legs, a tower or a mat conversion later.

Consider something else if:

• You'll move or store it often. At 148–155 lb, the Nextgen or Metro IQ are lighter, per Balanced Body.
• You want the longest frame warranty. Balanced Body gives the Nextgen a limited lifetime frame warranty, compared with 10 years on the Allegro 2.
• You're tall or heavier and want published limits. Balanced Body doesn't publish them for the Allegro 2.
• You're not sure a home reformer will get used. Read is a home Pilates reformer worth it? first.

Balanced Body offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on the Allegro 2. The Amazon listing linked below is a 14-inch leg-kit version. Its price and ratings didn't load when we checked, so confirm the details on Amazon. Compare it with other machines in our best home Pilates reformers guide, or browse all home reformers.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Balanced Body Allegro 2 worth it?

NBC Select and Women's Health both rate it best overall, citing the footbar range, durability and studio feel. Women's Health also flags tedious assembly, a heavy and immobile frame, and a learning curve for beginners. Balanced Body backs the frame with a 10-year limited warranty.

How much does the Allegro 2 weigh, and how big is it?

Per Balanced Body, it weighs 148 lb without legs and 155 lb with legs, and it measures 94 × 31.25 × 15 in with footbar and legs. With the tower, the system weighs about 177.5 lb.

Can the Allegro 2 be stored upright?

Yes, with the optional Wheel Kit and the footbar positioned and locked, according to Balanced Body, which also sells a Wall Security Strap. Balanced Body says it takes two people to stand it up. With the tower, no: the tower is rigidly secured and doesn't fold. Balanced Body says it can be removed only for storage, and that removes the pulleys used for reformer work.

What's the difference between the Allegro and the Allegro 2?

Balanced Body says the original Allegro is lighter and easier to move. The Allegro 2 is heavier and sits higher, and it adds a full-length sliding footbar, a built-in standing platform and plush straps. Balanced Body's newer Allegro Nextgen is lighter (114–124 lb) and has a limited lifetime frame warranty.

How much does the Balanced Body Allegro 2 cost?

Balanced Body doesn't list a price and asks buyers to contact a local rep. NBC Select and Women's Health both quote a list price well above most home reformers, in the $1,000+ tier. Balanced Body offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Is the Allegro 2 good for beginners?

It can work, but Women's Health notes a learning curve for beginners and about two hours of setup with a helper. If you're unsure you'll use a reformer, start with our guide to whether a home reformer is worth it.

What is the Allegro 2's weight limit?

Balanced Body doesn't publish a maximum user weight or height for the Allegro 2 on its US site. It says taller and larger exercisers may want the Allegro Stretch. Confirm with a Balanced Body rep if this matters to you.

What does the Allegro 2 tower add?

Per Balanced Body, the tower adds 61 in of height, 8 tower springs, 29 spring attachment points, a push-through bar, a roll-down bar and a mat conversion. It can also be added later with the Tower and Mat Retrofit Kit.

Sources

• Balanced Body: Allegro 2 Pilates Reformer (product page and FAQ)
• Balanced Body: Allegro 2 Reformer with Tower and Mat
• Balanced Body: Allegro Nextgen Reformer and reformer lineup
• Balanced Body: Anniversary Allegro 2
• Balanced Body: Metro IQ Reformer
• Balanced Body: Allegro Stretch Reformer
• NBC Select: Best Pilates reformers (January 2024)
• Women's Health (via Yahoo): Best Pilates reformers for home (May 2026)
• Merrithew: At Home SPX Reformer Package
• Amazon: Allegro 2 Pilates Reformer with 14-Inch Leg Kit