All three plates below have a handle or handrail to hold while the plate runs.
The Lunix LX18 is the plate to start with: a metal handlebar set from 26.8 to 38 inches, and a Low band from speed 1.
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The three plates, sorted by handle and weight limit:
- Lunix LX18: metal handlebar, 26.8 to 38 inches high, supports users up to 265 lb.
- Lifepro Rhythm: full column with dual handrails, handle height not stated, supports up to 330 lb.
- Merach MR-2468: adjustable handles, 37.4 to 42.1 inches high, recommended up to 330 lb.
Three vibration plates with a handle to hold
Lunix LX18
You want a handlebar you can lower or raise, and a Low band to start on
Lunix LX18 Vibration Plate with Handles
Metal handlebar, 26.8 to 38 inches
Supports up to 265 lb, non-slip rubber surface
See colors and prices on Amazon
Lunix gives its speeds in three bands: Low is speeds 1 to 33, Medium 34 to 66 and High 67 to 99.
A remote changes the setting without bending down, and the plate can also be used seated, with your feet on it.
Lunix says to begin on Low at speed 1 for a short session. At 24.36 lb it is one of the two lighter plates here.
- Great if
- A timer from 1 to 20 minutes that ends the session on its own
- Pass if
- You weigh more than 265 lb: that is Lunix's stated limit, the lowest of the three
Lifepro Rhythm
You want a full column with two handrails and a 330 lb weight limit
Lifepro Rhythm Vibration Plate
Upright column with dual handrails
Supports up to 330 lb, 99 speeds
See colors and prices on Amazon
Lifepro describes an upright column with dual handrails, in contrast to flat-surface plates. Its lowest band is Easy, speeds 1 to 33, and it adds three preset programs beside manual control.
At 60.4 lb it weighs more than twice as much as the other two, so decide where it will stand before you order. Ask the seller for the handrail height if your height matters.
- Great if
- Supports up to 330 lb, with built-in heart rate sensors
- Pass if
- You need to know the handle height first: Lifepro does not state one
Merach MR-2468
You are taller and want the handles set high
MERACH Vibration Plate with Adjustable Handles (MR-2468)
Handles adjust 37.4 to 42.1 inches
Up to 330 lb, magnetic remote on the pole
See colors and prices on Amazon
Merach recommends a maximum weight of 330 lb, and its remote attaches to the pole by a magnet. Its handles never go below 37.4 inches and reach 42.1.
Ask the seller for the plate’s lowest speed before you order.
- Great if
- The highest stated handle range here, 37.4 to 42.1 inches
- Pass if
- You want the speeds stated plainly: the listing gives two different speed counts
Which plate for which reader
| Where you're at | Give this a try |
|---|---|
| You want a handlebar you can lower or raise, and a Low band to start on | Lunix LX18 |
| You want a full column with two handrails and a 330 lb weight limit | Lifepro Rhythm |
| You are taller and want the handles set high | Merach MR-2468 |
Four checks before you order
- The handle. Look for a handlebar or handrails you can hold with both hands. Read the stated height range against where your hands fall when you stand upright.
- The weight limit. Choose a plate rated above your weight.
- The lowest setting. Look for a band that starts at speed 1. Lunix and Lifepro both give one.
- A timer and a remote. Lunix lists a timer that ends the session by itself and a remote you use without bending down.
Worth paying for: a handle at a height you can reach and a weight limit above your own.
Who should ask a doctor first
Power Plate, a company that makes vibration plates, asks some people to get a doctor’s approval before using one. Ask your doctor first if you have a pacemaker or an implanted medical device.
The same list includes anyone with cardiovascular disease, uncontrolled high blood pressure or a serious heart condition.
It also names recent surgery, especially joint replacements or spinal procedures, and deep vein thrombosis (a blood clot in a deep vein), blood clots or clotting disorders.
Power Plate adds that vibration may interfere with implanted electronics, including pacemakers and defibrillators. This is general information, not medical advice, so check with your doctor if you have concerns.
The first week on the plate
Begin on the lowest band and keep each session short. Lunix advises you to begin on Low at speed 1 for a short session and move up only when it feels right to you.
Hold the handle from the moment the plate starts. If standing feels unsteady, the Lunix can be used seated on a chair with your feet on the plate.
Use the timer for a short session, and stay in the Low band until moving up feels right. On the Lifepro, the lowest band is Easy, speeds 1 to 33.
When you may not need a plate
A 2011 review of 13 trials with 896 older adults found no significant effect on hip or lumbar spine bone density in older women. The comparison was with no intervention or active exercise.
For an older woman who already walks and does strength work, the review gives no bone reason to add a plate. The review did find gains in knee extension strength and leg extension strength compared with no exercise.
Matching the plate to how steady you feel
If you feel steady standing, any of the three suits. The weight limit and handle height narrow it down.
If you feel less sure, start with the Lunix, since it can be used seated, and hold the handlebar for the whole session.
A taller reader should look at the Merach’s handle range first. A reader above 265 lb should choose between the Lifepro and the Merach.
If you are still deciding whether to buy a plate at all, read what the research on vibration plates found first.