Classical Pilates uses four main apparatus. They are not alternatives to each other, they are complements, and each one reaches movements the others cannot.
At a glance
| Apparatus | Primary job | Footprint | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reformer | Carriage work against spring resistance, the core of the method | 240 x 68 cm | EUR 2,399 |
| Cadillac / tower | Reformer work plus push-through bar, roll-down bar and trapeze | 254 x 72 x 200 cm | EUR 4,499 |
| Wunda chair | Standing and seated loading, unilateral strength | 79 x 69 cm | EUR 999 |
| Ladder barrel | Spinal extension, side bending, hamstring length | 110 x 80 cm | EUR 999 |
The reformer
The reformer is the machine most people mean when they say Pilates equipment. A padded carriage runs on rails against adjustable springs, with a footbar at one end and ropes and pulleys at the other. Because the carriage supports the body while the springs load it, the same apparatus works for post-injury rehabilitation and for advanced athletic conditioning.
Buy it first. It covers the widest range of the repertoire and it is the apparatus group classes are built around.
The Cadillac
A Cadillac adds a vertical tower over the frame: push-through bar, roll-down bar, leg and arm springs, and trapeze. The tower lets you load the body from above and in suspension, which opens spinal articulation and rehabilitation work that a carriage alone cannot reach.
Buy it second, or first if your work is primarily rehabilitation, pre and post-natal, or one-to-one. Check your ceiling: the tower is 200 cm and you want 230 cm of clearance.
The Wunda chair
The Wunda chair is a box with a spring-loaded pedal. That description undersells it. Because the body is unsupported, the chair demands more stabilisation than the reformer does, which makes it excellent for unilateral strength, balance and functional carryover to standing life.
Its real advantage is density: at 79 x 69 cm it delivers serious loading in the footprint of an armchair. For anyone short on space, or any studio wanting to add stations without adding square metres, it is the highest-value purchase in Pilates.
The ladder barrel
The barrel is a curved surface with a ladder at one end. It is the apparatus for spinal extension over a curve, lateral flexion, and deep hamstring lengthening at the ladder. These are ranges a flat carriage cannot support the spine through, which is why classical studios treat the barrel as essential and why physiotherapists use it in rehabilitation.
Buy it last in a studio build, but do buy it. It completes the classical set and differentiates a studio from reformer-only competitors.
The order to buy in for a studio
- Reformers. They fill group classes, which is where studio revenue comes from. Start with as many as your floor allows.
- Cadillac. Opens the highest-margin one-to-one and rehabilitation sessions.
- Wunda chairs. Cheap per square metre and they let you run circuit formats that increase class capacity without more reformers.
- Ladder barrel. Completes the classical offering.
For a home practitioner
Buy a reformer. If space genuinely will not allow one, buy a Wunda chair instead: it is the only apparatus that gives serious full-body loading in under half a square metre. Add a barrel later if flexibility and posture are your priority.
Frequently asked questions
Can a Cadillac replace a reformer?
A combined Cadillac reformer does both jobs, which is why studios buy one when they can only buy one machine. A standalone Cadillac trapeze table without a carriage does not replace a reformer.
Is the Wunda chair harder than the reformer?
Generally yes. The reformer supports the body on a carriage; the chair does not. Most exercises on the chair demand more stabilisation for the same resistance.
Do I need a barrel if I have a reformer?
Not to start. The barrel becomes valuable once you want serious spinal extension and side bending work, which the reformer only partially addresses.
What is the minimum equipment for a Pilates studio?
Two to four reformers will open a studio that runs group classes. Adding one Cadillac and two Wunda chairs lets you run one-to-one, rehabilitation and circuit formats, which is where margin improves.