This review of the M2A Smith Machine comes from Garage Gym Revisited, written by Tom Eskey. We truly appreciate their honest and constructive feedback. Be sure to visit their official page for more insightful reviews. Now, let’s dive into their rankings of the best Smith Machines of 2024.
Smith Machines…now we’re talkin’…
To be honest, as more of a CrossFit guy, I don’t use Smith Machines all that often in my regular training. However, when I got a short day, I’m training someplace else, or I just want to do some crazy hypertrophy work, you best believe that I blow that Smith Machine up.
Another thing is, even for people who don’t use a Smith Machine for all of their workouts, these days, most Smith Machines have a lot of additional capabilities to accentuate the classic “Smith” lifts. Free weight/half rack cups and safety bars, functional trainers, pull-up bars, hell…even weight stacks…if you want a “do everything” machine, there is a Smith Machine for you.
Granted, there are some Smith Machines that just…ain’t. They’re too expensive, too flimsy, don’t “run smooth”, or don’t do enough.
Thankfully, we’re not talking about any of those machines today.
In this post, we’re just focusing on the best of the bunch, and, to be more specific, we’re looking at…
🏆 Best Pec Deck
Evolpow M2A
86
Pec deck capabilities rare for Smith Machines
Numerous included attachments
Very high “functionality/price” ratio
⭐️ Verdict: Best pec deck Smith Machine
The Evolpow M2A provides an extremely large number of attachments with a unique design. Its pec deck sets it apart and make it an especially attractive piece of equipment for those who value this exercise. “Standard” Smith Machine workouts can be alternated with free weight exercises while bodyweight movements, specifically pull-ups and dips are also supported. The bottom footplate is a little awkward and, as a newer company, there aren’t a ton of reviews or an established organizational track record to reference.
Despite most home Smith Machines coming equipped with a number of different attachments and features, most of these actually aren’t all that niche. The typical cable attachments, landmine, footplate are found on a lot of these machines.
Evolpow has thrown a wrench in this system by incorporating a dedicated pec deck station into its M2A.Truth be told, the M2A does offer a lot of the same, typical features of other Smith Machines, but these, combined with the pec deck, puts this rack in very niche company. Considering the collective total of these features relative to the “good-to-great” price point might actually result in the best “features/price” ratio in this market.
Evolpow is a newer company that doesn’t have the same name recognition as many of the other brands on this list. However, this status may provide interested home gym enthusiasts with a chance to get a deal on a quality rack from an up-and-coming manufacturer.
Pros
Pec deck capabilities rare for Smith MachinesCons
Not the most well-known companyWhat to Look For in Smith Machines
Unlike smaller pieces of gym equipment, a Smith Machine is oftentimes a pretty big investment. In order to ensure that you select the best Smith Machine for your home gym, we’re going to expand upon the key criteria we use to assess and rate them.
However, always consider your own specific priorities and circumstances so you can select the best Smith Machine for you:
Functionality
As you can imagine, you can perform basic “Smith” exercises on all of the machines on our list. Being able to do so constitutes the most basic functionality of a Smith Machine. Most models go deeper and further, though, sporting free weight training capabilities, cable stacks, pull-up and dip bars for bodyweight training, and even quasi-yoke carry potential.
If you’re planning on making your Smith Machine the “centerpiece” of your home gym, you’ll likely want a machine that maximizes functionality, limiting the need to purchase additional equipment while also allowing for you to perform the most diverse range of exercises possible.
At the same time, if you know you’ll never use the cable system or if you already have a dedicated power rack to squat, bench, and press in, you’ll likely be spending extra money on features you won’t use by opting for the highest-functionality rack.
Overall, remember why you started seeking out the best Smith Machine in the first place. If you just want to be able to more safely perform heavy barbell movements, don’t feel like you have to get the machine with every single “bell and whistle” when a “less functional” option will suit your needs just fine.
Steel
Steel thickness isn’t the only way to measure machine durability and some would even say that it isn’t as important of a metric as many make it out to be.
With that being said, ask yourself:
“When I’m racking my barbell, do I trust a rack that has thicker, more robust steel to safely offload my bar in or would I rather drop it off onto a couple of J-hooks extending from a thin-steeled rack?”
We’ve lifted in/on both and can assure you that the thicker options always leave us feeling more…comfortable racking that bar after that last rep.
Also consider the effects of general wear and tear; thicker materials aren’t going to get scraped and scuffed as easily (unless…ya know…you’re throwing around some heavy weights…which isn’t a bad thing) as thinner, less robust materials.
Steel rating won’t be as important if you opt for a less functional Smith Machine, but it is a decent proxy rating for “durability” and, to a lesser extent (since there are more variables involved) machine “stability”.
Price
As we mentioned above, a Smith Machine can be a pretty big investment. What makes the selection process even trickier in this respect is that these machines come in a pretty wide range of prices. It’s not too difficult to find machines for under ~$400 and there are others that go for over $4000.
In this context, we compare all Smith Machines to one another; as such it doesn’t matter if a machine has 1,239,823 extra features or if it is a “bare bones” machine; they’re all lumped in together. This should make it easier to select a machine if you have a top-end price in mind.
Most of the machines on this list fall in the $900-1600 range and this isn’t an uncommon price point for those that didn’t make the best Smith Machine list. If you find something that is significantly more or less expensive, be sure to check things like additional features, steel, warranty, and company reputation to get a better idea of what you are (or aren’t) paying for.
Customer Reviews
Truth be told, we haven’t gotten our hands on all of these Smith Machines so we it’s impossible for us to let you in on our personal experiences with each of them. Thankfully, the literal thousands of people who have chimed in on these help to paint a pretty comprehensive picture on what they’re all about.
Customer review scores always factor into our product assessment metrics; it would be a bit narcissistic, in addition to being…ya know…kinda stupid to ignore these scores. Plus, it’s kinda hard to argue with a collective 4.8 out of 5 stars across 200 or so reviews.
As always we’re confident in our picks…
Shopping tips for Smith Machines
We’ve covered our assessment metrics, but there are a number of other areas of consideration that could (should?) be taken into account when picking out your Smith Machine. Some of these may be more important to you than others, but they’re all worth a look and at least a moment’s contemplation before you pull the trigger on your new machine.
Features
We kinda alluded to this area in our discussion of “Functionality”, but here, we’re more concerned with objective, “concrete” features. Of course, there are machines with the odd novelty feature here and there (like the M2A’s pec deck), but generally speaking, the best Smith Machines will fall into one of 5 “features” categories:
- Smith Machine…and nothing else
- Smith Machine and some basic free weight functionality
- Smith Machine, free weight, and bodyweight functionality
- Smith Machine, free weight, bodyweight, and cable system
- All of the above plus some additional random and/or specialized features
Unfortunately, it’s kind of hard to separate or “mix and match” features, especially more common ones. For example, you may not care to do pull-ups on your Smith Machine, but pretty much any model over the most basic machines is going to have some type of pull-up bar. It won’t cost you that much more, but it is an additional expense.
If you’re interested in more niche features or things we haven’t covered here, feel free to reach out to us; we can probably help you source what you’re looking for!
Weight-loading Method
This area mainly has to do with certain Smith Machines’ respective cable systems, but there are instances where it manifests in other areas, as well.
Most Smith Machine cable systems (particularly less expensive models) are plate loaded. This shouldn’t be an issue since you’ll need plates to load onto the Smith bar, but this process does take substantially longer than simply pulling a pin in and out. On the other hand, these do allow for more precise loads (especially if you have change plates) since most weight stacks don’t go much lower than 5 pounds per plate.
Certain Smith Machines, like the Vimexciter MF-03 actually incorporates variable resistance training principles (and associated resistance training bands) in place of weight plates or stacks for all of its non-bodyweight movements. For those who really don’t want to have to purchase additional equipment (specifically weight plates), machines like this are a solid option.
Dimensions
If you’re lucky enough to have a large basement, unused garage, or ridiculously excessive backyard shed, you have a lot more flexibility regarding your Smith Machine’s size. However, if you’re like most people and have space constraints, you’ll need to look very closely at your contenders’ respective heights, widths, and depths to determine how well they’ll fit your space.
For some, ceiling height is going to be the biggest issue. Generally speaking, if you have at least 8-foot-high ceilings, you should be good to go, but if not, you’ll have to look at some of the shorter racks.
If maximizing space is your top priority, a folding Smith Machine like the MF-03 is a solid bet, but Bells of Steel Smith Machine Rack Attachment could also be an option if you have an existing power rack that works (and that you actually like) that you know you’ll be able to latch it onto.
Worst case, there are a number of smaller Smith Machine options to choose from that still provide an oversized experience relative to their respective dimensions.
Return Policy/Warranty
We like to hope that things will always go just fine with our gear…but if you’ve ever had any kind of fitness equipment in your life, you’re aware that stuff…happens. To be fair, if you’re anything like us, some of these mishaps are definitely “user errors”, but when if you run into problems with a few parts (or if you get a straight-up lemon), it’s good to know that you have recourse.
Different companies have different return and warranty policies (in some cases, these can be vastly different from brand to brand). Sometimes, there are different policies for different categories of equipment (ex. barbells vs. racks), while some get even more specific, differentiating between different individual parts of each product (ex. a rack’s frame vs. Smith bar).
In some ways, there is a bit of game theory involved; a significantly less expensive rack might have a significantly shorter warranty period. In these cases, you’ll really want to do your homework regarding how well the machine has held up over time (at least how other people have reported it to hold up).
Ultimately, if the Smith Machine you want has at least a halfway decent warranty (at least a couple of years), you can feel much safer about your purchase.
How we Chose the Best Smith Machine
We’ve been lucky enough to get a lot of opportunities to try out a number of different Smith Machines, especially over the last year. Between getting our hands on these machines (some of which are profiled on this list) and getting a better idea of what we like (and don’t like) about Smith Machines that we hadn’t really thought about until owning a few has been invaluable.
Besides our own personal experiences (positive and negative!) with Smith Machines, we have also assessed countless reviews and user experiences with a variety of different machines. We are confident that our list is an aggregator of the best Smith Machine and close contenders! Click here to find out a lot more about how we test and review products.
The Best Smith Machine…
At this point, we hope you’re feeling a bit more confident in not only which Smith Machine you should add to your home gym, but also what to look for in your home gym’s new “centerpiece” item.
This isn’t the kind of gear you buy every day and a Smith Machine isn’t as inexpensive as pair of training shoes, a weighted vest, or even (in most cases) an Olympic barbell. With that being said, the benefits of Smith Machine training are as extensive as they are unique and it won’t be long at all until you’ve felt like you’ve recouped your entire purchase price.
…or you could just continue waiting in line for the (only) Smith Machine at the Anytime Fitness down the street…but you’re totally over that at this point…
…right?
We’re honored to be recognized as the Best Pec Deck Smith Machine! A huge thanks to Garage Gym Revisited for their expertise and for awarding us this recognition. We truly appreciate the support and look forward to bringing even better products in the year ahead!