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(CNN) —
In the midst of a global pandemic, many businesses including shops, restaurants and gyms have temporarily closed. This has caused big changes to our lives, and whether it’s watching more Netflix than you’re used to, having groceries delivered or experimenting with trendy coffees, we’re definitely dealing with a new normal.
One big change many have to deal with is finding a way to stay active when everything is closed. At-home workout equipment like yoga mats and dumbbells have become more popular than ever, but so have big ticket home workout solutions like the futuristic Mirror.
The Mirror is a big $1,495 screen that gives you access to thousands of workouts. It can be hung anywhere in your house, making it a frontrunner as the perfect solution to any quarantine workout problems.
We wanted to see what the hype was all about, so we got our hands on a Mirror and tested it for over two months. We took dozens of classes to figure out if the Mirror is worth the investment.
PHOTO: Mirror
PHOTO: Mirror
The Mirror is basically a giant, reflective screen that turns any room in your house into a home gym. Once paired with an app, you have access to thousands of classes, ranging from boxing and cardio to pilates and dance.
It’s just shy of 2 feet wide, so it doesn’t take up much wall space and even acts as a normal mirror when off. Its sleek, minimalist design can fit into any home decor, which means a killer workout is always just steps away.
It’s an all-around workout goldmine that is supremely convenient and engaging. And after trying it, we’ve grown to love it.
While the price for a Mirror is steep ($1,495 plus a $39 per month subscription for the classes), it’s an investment that gives you stellar workouts in the comfort of your own home, which have been extremely valuable in a time of stay-at-home orders and social distancing. We tried tons of different workouts to see if it would help keep us motivated and fit throughout quarantine.
The Mirror was delivered through the company’s white glove delivery service, so all we had to do was clear some space and let the professionals handle the installation. You can choose to either mount it on your wall or attach a sturdy carbon steel stand to the bottom so the device stays on the floor. We opted for the stand because we wanted to move it around to see where it fit best.
The Mirror is a hefty hunk of glass and technology. Measuring a tad over 5 feet, 4 inches with the stand, it’s about the same size as a full length mirror. If you’re not happy with its initial placement and want to move it, be careful, because at 70 pounds, it’s a lot heavier than it looks.
It’s thin and doesn’t have a big profile on your wall, but you’ll need space to move around during your workouts, so plan accordingly. You’ll want to leave at least enough room to jump side to side and completely lay down.
The Mirror app
PHOTO: Kai Burkhardt/CNN
Physical placement aside, The Mirror is easy to set up. Just download The Mirror app and follow the prompts on your phone, and on the Mirror itself. You pair The Mirror with your app by connecting your phone to a Wi-Fi network the Mirror sends out. There aren’t crazy Wi-Fi requirements for The Mirror, but it’s recommended that you have at least 10mbps of stable speed.
Over the two months of testing our Mirror, we came across a big connection issue only once. It wouldn’t load any of the workouts, so we had to turn everything off and back on again, but our Wi-Fi isn’t the greatest, so we don’t blame it on The Mirror. Sometimes classes would take time to load, but the stream never buffered, and overall, there isn’t much to complain about in regard to connection.
Once you have a class loaded, simply follow along and start sweating. Classes range from five minutes all the way to a full hour, and there are tons of filters you can adjust to find the perfect workout.
PHOTO: Mirror
PHOTO: Mirror
Nothing can compare to a real-life instructor that can correct and motivate you in every workout, but The Mirror is close. There are a variety of workouts that range in difficulty, time and type of workout. You can box, do yoga, train strength and cardio or even do a family fun workout.
We tried several different classes and found the majority of them to provide a fun and challenging workout. We don’t have workout equipment at home, and even with that limitation, we were able to try workouts of all kinds.
There are so many levels of customization within The Mirror, it’s easy to find the exercise that’s perfect for you and your time constraints. Intermediate strength and cardio classes had us drenched in sweat, especially after taking longer classes that lasted 45 minutes, and if we didn’t feel like getting our butt kicked, we loaded a more zen class like yoga or cooled down with stretching.
The trainers were fun and enthusiastic, but some were better than others. They have different styles that cater to what motivates you, so the number of options was always nice to have. Although there were many trainers, we picked the Lululemon ambassadors more often than not, as they seemed to consistently provide a harder workout.
Choose from a variety of The Mirror's classes
PHOTO: Kai Burkhardt/CNN
When you’re in class, you can see others who have taken the class before you, and even send emojis to encourage your classmates. Plus, you can hook up Mirror’s Bluetooth heart-rate monitor or sync it with your own fitness tracking device to log your workouts and track improvement on The Mirror. It can display your heart rate and calories burned, along with the target for the class so you know when to kick it up a notch.
Overall, the workouts were fun and kept us moving even though we were stuck inside. Plus, The Mirror is a great conduit for these exercises. The instructors are large on the device’s screen, so you can see their every movement, and they often turn to the side so you can see different angles.
We tried a couple of unfamiliar workouts, namely boxing and barre, and that’s when we really fell in love with having our own reflection right in front of us.
You can compare your form with the instructor, making sure your punches are at the right level when boxing or that your hips are in the right position to feel the burn during barre. Plus, Mirror just announced a personal training option at $40 per session, which uses the built-in camera so you can get that one-on-one motivation you love at home (a lens cover is included with The Mirror so you can easily block the camera).
The Mirror has workouts for everyone, and the list of classes is constantly growing. We never felt bored with the options, in fact, one of the largest appeals was the ability to try unfamiliar workouts to spice it up.
In class with The Mirror
PHOTO: Kai Burkhardt/CNN
If you’ve thrown away your gym membership or have been looking for the ultimate at-home workout solution, The Mirror is definitely an investment you should consider. The price of $1,495, plus a one-year minimum commitment of $39 per month for the subscription, may deter you at first, but The Mirror’s superior convenience is slowly convincing us to ditch the traditional gym.
The Mirror is perfect for those who love studio classes, but don’t have the time or money to constantly go to an in-person session. We loved The Mirror, it gave us intense workouts and always kept us engaged with a seemingly infinite number of classes. It’s accessible with tons of workouts that don’t require equipment, but you can always add resistance bands or weights to make exercises harder and give you even more options.
If you’re ready to take the dive, The Mirror is a convenient and efficient way to help you stay fit and strong. It looks good, makes you feel good and just might be the only piece of workout equipment you’ll ever need.
The Mirror ($1,495 plus a $39 per month subscription; mirror.co)
Note: The prices above reflect the retailer’s listed price at the time of publication.
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