Vibration plates are useful machines for core strength and balance work. Here’s our pick of the best vibration plates for home use.
If you’ve set foot in a gym, you’ve likely seen a vibration plate gathering dust in the corner. Otherwise known as power plates, they were all the rage a decade or so ago, but have since fallen unjustly out of favour. We’re here to tell you why they should still have a place among the best home gym equipment.
Once they were bulky, cumbersome machines that took up much of the gym floor. Now, vibration plates are also available as slimline units, capable of delivering the same muscle-toning benefits but in a smaller form factor. As such, they’ve become much more suited to home use.
Below, we’ve rounded up and tested the latest vibration platforms that will suit a range of different budgets and spaces.
Why you can trust Men’s Fitness
We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test
The best vibration plate for home use
Hands-down the best vibration plate in our guide, the Power Plate Move boasts a wealth of adjustable settings and a robust design. It’s so solid and reliable it’s become standard issue in many gyms. The only catch? You could buy a SkiErg and a treadmill for the same price.
Other vibration plate recommendations
| Best for value | How a £129 vibration plate like the Mirafit Slimline can have 99 modes, we’re not sure – but it does |
| Best for longevity | A sturdy design and a lifetime warranty make the Eilson FitMax 3D XL a vibration plate that will last |
| Best for storage | At just 60cm wide and weighing 10.7kg, the Motive Fitness Elegance is one of the most compact plates around |
(Keep scrolling for full reviews)
1. Power Plate Move
Men’s Fitness verdict
The Power Plate Move is a well designed and comprehensive vibration plate from a company with a strong track record in vibration training. We think it’s well worth the price tag.- Highly adjustable
- Robust and reliable
- Very expensive
- Heavy
| Weight | 87lb / 39.5kg |
| Dimensions | 30 x 24 x 9in / 76.2 x 60.9 x 22.9cm |
| Frequency range | 30-40Hz |
| Colors | Black / Red / Silver |
| Accessories | Remote control / strap set / rubber mat |
While the price might be prohibitive for most casual home fitness users, Power Plate brings all its experience and know-how to bear on its Move model (buy now). While testing, I was impressed by the wide, roomy plate, which has six levels of vibration to choose from, as well as a 30-40Hz frequency range.
There’s a two-year warranty for additional peace of mind, as well as a rubber mat and straps for a wider range of workouts. If you buy the Power Plate Move you’ll have access to plenty of videos and other useful resources on its website, as well as an app, virtual coaching and fitness workshops – this was a big win for me.
- Read our full Power Plate Move review
2. Eilison FitMax 3D XL Vibration Plate
Men’s Fitness verdict
The Eilison FitMax 3D XL is a good-value and robust vibration plate with an innovative acupressure base for releasing tension.- Built-in accupressure system
- Good speed range with 120 levels
- Large platform
- Speakers aren’t the best
- Remote has a short range
| Weight | 30.6lb / 13.9kg |
| Dimensions | 28.5 x 15.8 x 5.7in / 72.4 x 40.1 x 14.5cm |
| Warranty | Lifetime |
| Colors | Copper / Silver |
| Accessories | Remote control / strap set / fitness tracker |
With a wide speed range of 120 levels, the Eilison FitMax also features a useful acupressure system to massage and stimulate the soles of your feet. I also found the base to be large enough to accommodate a wide range of movements, while suction pads kept it locked firmly to the floor.
You also get built-in Bluetooth speakers so you can have a soundtrack to your workout – something which I loved – as well as a handy fitness tracker and resistance bands. An impressive lifetime warranty rounds out this excellent-value vibration plate.
- Read our full Eilison FitMax 3D XL Vibration Plate review
3. Bluefin 4D Vibration Plate
Men’s Fitness verdict
If you’re looking for a vibration plate with benefits, the Bluefin 4D Vibration Plate’s built-in Bluetooth speakers, LED intensity meter and wrist-watch remote will certainly appeal.- Quiet operation
- Wearable watch remote
- Larger than most vibration plates
- Difficult to store
| Weight | 37.5lb / 17kg |
| Warranty | Lifetime motor warranty |
| Color | Black |
| Accessories | Remote control / resistance cords / workout and nutrition guide |
The USP of the Bluefin 4D Vibration Plate (buy now) is a striking multi-colour rim that gives you useful feedback on how intensely you’re working. I found this incredibly useful while testing. There are also three program modes and seven manual options – this gave me plenty of combinations to vary my workouts.
Three silent motors control vibration, oscillation and micro-vibration for a variety of stimulation, and useful extras include a workout and nutrition guide, resistance bands and a wearable remote for hands-on control mid-workout.
- Read our full Bluefin 4D Vibration Plate review
4. Motive Fitness Elegance Vibration Plate
Men’s Fitness verdict
With 30 intensity levels, the Motive Fitness Elegance Vibration Plate is a useful – albeit basic – addition to any full-body training plan.- 30 intensity levels
- Compact and easy to store
- Basic function
- On the small side
| Weight | 23.6lb / 10.7kg |
| Dimensions | 23.6 x 14.4 x 5.3in / 60 x 36.5 x 13.5cm |
| Frequency range | up to 50Hz |
| Color | Black |
| Accessories | Remote control / exercise strap |
The Motive Fitness Elegance vibration plate (buy now) is a fairly basic machine that’s ideal for beginners, but its four operation modes and 30 intensity levels still give plenty of options to vary your workouts. What I found really impressive is the Elegance’s ability to reach vibration frequencies of up to 50Hz, which is the highest I tested.
It’s a lightweight and portable unit, too, so it is an ideal choice if you’re looking for easy storage or to use your plate in different rooms – rather than looking to perform expansive exercises or micro-control their vibration plate session.
- Read our full Motive Fitness Elegance Vibration Plate review
5. Mirafit Slimline Vibration Plate
Men’s Fitness verdict
At just £129, and offering 99 levels of vibration, the Mirafit Slimline Vibration Plate is one of the cheapest vibration plates on the market and an affordable introduction to vibration training.- Good value
- Powerful motor
- Noisy and jerky at high speed
- Short power cable
| Weight | 30lb / 13.5kg |
| Dimensions | 23.6 x 14.4 x 5.3in / 68 x 38 x 14.5cm |
| Colors | Orange / Black |
| Accessories | Remote control / resistance bands |
The Mirafit Slimline is one of the cheapest vibration plates available, but it still packs a pretty powerful motor. It also features nine program modes as well as 99 vibration levels.
While testing, I noticed it has a wide, grippy surface, plus suction cups for extra stability and resistance bands to increase your range of workout options. I found it to be lightweight and not too tall, either, so is ideal for storing away under beds or tables. For £129, it’s hard to fault the Mirafit Slimline.
- Read our full Mirafit Slimline Vibration Plate review
The benefits of vibration training
Whether you stand or sit on, or just use them to massage tight muscles, vibration plates work by sending vibrations through your body’s muscles – stimulating them to contract and relax. In general, our muscles tend to contract once or twice a second. But when standing on one of these plates, you can cause automatic reflex muscle contractions of up to 30-50 per second depending on the vibration frequency – also known at the Hertz (Hz).
And the facts back up the supposed benefits of the best vibration plates. Scientists not only suggest that training regulary on a vibration plate (15-20 minutes per session, up to four days a week) with a frequency of 20-45Hz can improve strength, speed, flexibility and vertical jump height, but also that the equivalent of 60 minutes of conventional strenuous exercise can be achieved in just 20 minutes when using a vibration plate. That’s because the frequent, vigorous vibrations cause instability in the muscles which have to contract to stabilise themselves.
The constant movement of the plate also creates an unstable platform. That causes the target muscles to constantly adjust in order to compensate for the instability. That, in turn, increases the effectiveness of each exercise performed – while of course activating your core, which has to work extra hard to keep yourself centred on the platform.
How do vibration plates work?
To use a vibration plate, you simply stand on it and choose a setting that’s suitable for your workout. You can then perform any of the best bodyweight exercises – including push-ups, squats and triceps dips – on the platform rather than the floor.
If you have a choice of frequencies, generally a frequency of 30Hz or less is best for relaxation and massage. A frequency of 30-45Hz is best for strengthening muscles, and 45-50Hz is for more intense stimulation and massage.
Types of vibration plates
Vibration plates come in many forms and sizes. When looking for the best vibration plates for your needs, it’s important to assess beforehand how you’ll be using your plate. Some machines are large, free-standing pieces of gym equipment with the vibrating platform at its base. These offer the advantage of having a bar to hold onto. However, they do take up significant space. They’re best in a home gym or other dedicated workout space. Other vibrating platforms are much more compact and can be easily stowed away when not in use.
