The 6 Best Vibration Plates of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

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Experts explain how these odd gadgets are actually beneficial.

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Shape / Jessica Juliao

Strength training can get a little stale when you do the same moves (planks, squats, deadlifts, etc.) day in and day out. If you want to shake things up while using your favorite weight-lifting app in your home or at the gym, add a vibration plate to the mix.

“Vibration plates have become increasingly popular over the last several years,” says Sarah Gascon, PhD, Performance Coach at Future, a personal training app. “These machines, with vibrating platforms, transmit energy into your body. This energy forces your muscles to contract and relax.” Translation: When you try your go-to workout moves on top of one of these devices, you’ll experience an extra challenging workout.

To find the best vibration plates, Shape tested several popular models, considering the plates’ speeds, surface area, accessories, and special features to compile this list.

Simple and straightforward

Lots of features

60 adjustable speeds and seven types of vibration

Very quiet

Better for advanced users who are comfortable navigating many settings

Shape's pick for the best vibration plate overall comes jam-packed with 60 adjustable speeds and seven types of vibration modes. After testing the LifePro Rumblex Plus in our lab, testers were pleasantly surprised by the new challenge the vibration plates offered all our workouts. When we hopped on this vibration plate, the moves that usually feel like old friends suddenly transformed into something unrecognizable and really freaking hard. While their overall experience was pretty exceptional, testers did wish that this vibration plate felt a little more beginner-friendly. The many vibrations and speeds make a great experience for intermediate and advanced vibration plate users, but newbies may find the whole setup overwhelming.

Compact, comfortable, and customizable

Budget-friendly choice

Comes in five intensities

Good for beginners, intermediate, and advanced users

Can be irritating for those with sensitive skin

The Bluefin meets the affordable, comfortable, and customizable trifecta — three qualities the Shape team deems most important in a vibration plate. At $200, it’s one of the most budget-friendly options tested, but still offers a compact, oval-shaped design that feels stable and safe. Testers loved that this plate comes in five intensities ranging from P1 (low vibrations) to P5 (very high vibrations), making this an appropriate pick for beginner, intermediate, and advanced vibration plate users. Something to keep in mind: One editor found that the material on the vibration plate dug into her hands and caused a little bit of pain. She solved the issue by simply placing a yoga towel over the vibration plate, but those with particularly sensitive skin should consider another model.

User-friendly

Includes a remote

Brand offers a larger, extra-comfy base

Better for beginners, not advanced users

Those just dipping their toes into the world of vibration plates will appreciate this simple, user-friendly option. Testers noted that the lowest setting on this plate (15-40 Hertz) is extremely gentle and thus great for anyone who’s brand-new to this technology. Users can increase the Hertz as they grow more confident in their vibration plate abilities, and the remote makes it easy to toggle between settings during the middle of a workout. They also loved that the brand offers a larger, extra-comfy base perfect for crunches, lunges, or any other move in the lineup.

Wide base

Six pre-programmed intensities

Easy to set up

Intense vibration even on lowest setting

Best suited for larger spaces

As the hefty price tag implies, this is the top-of-the-line vibration plate. Power Plate's Director of Training and Curriculum Laura Wilson says it's used by "athletes such as Serena Williams, to F1 race car drivers, PGA and LPGA golfers, NFL and NBA players," as well as "medical facilities such as Mayo Clinic and the Cleveland Clinic."

Its thick, wide surface leaves room to comfortably perform moves like wide-legged squats, and it comes with six different pre-programmed intensities. Testers found it easy to set up and still easier to work out on (although, it’s worth noting that it’s really, really intense – even at the lowest settings). After testing, it was clear that this device likely belongs in a larger setting. But even then, there wasn’t much to set it apart from other plates other than its roominess.

Fits in small areas

Budget-friendly

Five settings

Does not offer much stability

For those living in big cities with small spaces for home gym equipment, the AXV wowed Shape's testers with its low price tag, five settings, and smaller build. This device comes in at four to five inches narrower than the other options we tried. (Shoebox apartment-dwellers know every last inch is spoken for). Like many space-saving devices, AXV has its flaws, chief among them being the size. Those with larger bodies may feel unstable on the small surface area, while people of every body size may find lower body work tenuous with so little plate-room to work with.

Even though we preferred the brand’s more premium model, the lower price point and 99 customizable speeds of the Waver may appeal to some. One thing testers didn’t love? This plate is very small. One testers with size nine women’s shoes felt low on space when using this LifePro.

"As part of your cross-training and fitness lifestyle, [vibration plates] can help improve muscle function, release bound tension, and create more of a 360-degree muscle tone," says Rachel Welch, fitness and women's health expert and founder of Revolution Motherhood.

Gail Hart, a Life Time Lenexa Pilates Coordinator, notes that "Whole body vibration significantly increases energy expenditure and oxygen consumption. Whole body vibration sends signals to the brain for muscle contraction at a much higher frequency to the mitochondrial level. This leads to an increase in muscle strength, bone strength, better balance proprioception and flexibility, increased metabolic rate, and adding to weight loss if needed. Also, it increases blood circulation and oxygen supply, which utilizes fat for energy."

"Weight loss comes from a combination of improved nutrition and regular cross-trained fitness (i.e., cardio, weights, lengthening, muscle patterning, and core strength)," explains Welch. "When you’re working to lose weight, your body is burning more fat and calories while building muscle — this can result in overall body tension and a buildup of lactic acid in the muscle fibers that are being broken down and rebuilt (that’s the feeling of being sore after a workout) — so a vibration plate can help improve your muscle recovery time by flushing out lactic acid, and loosening the tension in your sore muscles - resulting in the ability to workout more efficiently with better muscle range and capacity - speeding your weight loss timeline."

"Whole body vibration training promotes and improves circulation in the body," says Wilson. "Due to the higher rate of muscle activation, the body pumps more blood and oxygen through the circulatory system, which can stimulate the lymphatic system and help with circulation there, as well. The lymphatic system depends on muscle contraction and manual manipulation to move fluid."

"Vibration plates can stress joints, increase injury risks, and worsen some health issues like hernias or heart problems," says Dr. Chris Mohr, Fitness and Nutrition Advisor for Fortune Recommends Health. Some users also may become nauseous if the vibration levels are too intense.

While Welch says it's possible for vibration plates to help you lose belly fat. [Vibration Plates] can passively stimulate increased calorie burn while you’re working out, which will result in quicker overall fat burn, but burning belly fat occurs as part of your overall improved physical health and weight loss," she says. "It doesn’t happen on its own or separate from the rest of your changing health habits."

Experts say definitely not. "You can’t really compare vibration plates to walking," says Dr. Mohr. "Vibration plates are more of a complement to other exercises, not a replacement. Walking is its own form of quality exercise."

Yes. "Your muscles are not intended to be hyperstimulated artificially," says Welch. "Used in moderation, it can be a fun or useful tool, but just using a vibration plate alone can result in neuromuscular dysfunction — meaning your brain can’t quite figure out how to stimulate the muscles to work well on its own (without the plate)."

"I’d start with shorter sessions and gradually increase duration and frequency as the body adapts," says Dr. Ruther. "If you’re a beginner, start with 1-2 minute sessions, 2-3 times per day, and slowly work up to 15-20 minute sessions."

Dr. Mohr suggests sticking to a few days per week, "but never as a replacement for other forms of exercise and just as a compliment."

Our experts agree that those with a history of heart problems, orthopedic injuries, pacemakers, and electronic medical implants should avoid vibration plates. Pregnant women or those who have had recent surgery or implants should avoid or be cautious with vibration plates. "Consulting a healthcare provider before starting any new exercise method is essential if you have health concerns," says Dr. Mohr.

Kells McPhillips is a health and wellness journalist living in Los Angeles. Her journalism has appeared on Well+Good, Business Insider, Shape.com, Fortune, Calm, Create & Cultivate, Equinox, and others. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School in New York City, and she's working on her first novel in the early mornings. For this article, she reviewed our detailed testing insights and interviewed several experts. Shape commerce writer Maddie Barber updated this article in 2024 with additional expert insight.

The Shape team used the following experts for this story: