Despite their popularity at commercial gyms, leg machines just don’t seem to get the amount of attention they deserve in the home gym space.
That’s not to say that there aren’t any, or even that there aren’t enough leg machines to choose from, but it seems like for every dedicated leg extension machine out there, you got ~15 preacher curl benches to choose from.
…and people wonder why you (sometimes!) skip leg day…
Thankfully, some companies have noticed these areas of dearth and have put out entire lines of lower-body workout machines to ensure that you’re always able to get a leg day workout in from the comfort of your basement or garage gym.
RitFit, who we have profiled before, looking at a number of their larger gear and machine offerings, is one of these companies. Their M1 tops our list of the best Smith Machines on the market today; but how do some of their other heavy hitters match up? More specifically, we’re going to explore…
Table of Contents
The Best RitFit Leg Press and other Leg Machines
Gazelle
90
PLC01
87
BLP01
91
Buffalo
81
The Best RitFit Leg Press and other Leg Machines
RitFit Gazelle
Gazelle
The RitFit Gazelle is arguably the company’s most “premium” leg machine (and is definitely it’s most premium leg press machine, specifically) while also being one of its most recent releases.
Allowing for standard leg pressing and hack squatting, the Gazelle also is ideally suited for a multitude of different calf raise variations as well as reverse hack squats and more “creative” movements (ex. single leg presses).
Vertical leg pressing isn’t possible in the Gazelle and premium materials have garnered a premium price point. However, near universal user love makes it as close to a “can’t miss” option as possible.
Pros
Leg press and multiple hack squat variation optionality
Smooth-gliding linear roller bearings
2000-pound capacity
Cons
Not inexpensive
The Gazelle is RitFit’s “premium” three-in-one leg press/hack squat machine and is also the company’s most functional dedicated leg machine in its entire lineup. Besides allowing lifters the ability to execute the traditional leg press exercise, trainees can also perform multiple hack squat variations as well as a number of different unilateral movements.
Despite a relatively modest footprint (the Gazelle’s dimensions are roughly 4 feet by 7 feet), at 2000 pounds, the machine’s load capacity is nothing to sneeze at. As such, any home or garage gym trainee who hasn’t quite developed the leg strength required to press a literal ton will be able to get a lot of use out of it for the foreseeable future.
Being the premium RitFit leg press machine comes with a more premium price tag. As such, it should come as no surprise that the Gazelle is a bit more expensive than the BLP01 (which we will cover shortly). However, between the comfort-enhancing heavier padding and the smooth-gliding roller bearings, this price increase also results in an upgraded user experience.
RitFit PLC01
PLC01
The RitFit PLC01 is the company’s first (and only) leg extension/leg curl machine. This more niche piece of gym gear is aimed at those who are looking for more specialized functionality over all-around leg development.
Despite its somewhat diminutive size, the PLC01’s range of both popular lower-body exercises gives it an edge over single-purpose leg machines. The ease of transitioning between exercise modes is an added bonus.
The PLC01 is not ideal as the “centerpiece” of one’s home or garage gym, but its attractive price point makes a strong case for it to be a subsidiary item in one’s arsenal.
Pros
Quick and easy to alternate exercise settings
375-pound capacity is more than enough for most lifters
Inexpensive relative to other leg extension/lying leg curl machines
Cons
325-pound maximum user weight excludes heavier trainees
The PLC01 isn’t technically one of the RitFit leg press machine offerings, but it is a multifunctional lower body machine, allowing lifters to execute both leg extension and leg curl movements. Alternating between these exercises is particularly easy, requiring only a very quick adjustment between machine settings.
While most would argue that the dual functionality isn’t that interesting for a home gym machine, the leg extension and curl exercises are arguably some of the most difficult to execute without a dedicated machine. Considering how affordable the PLC01 is, it provides a pretty decent ROI for more precise lower quad and hamstring development.
Most lifters likely won’t have an issue with the 375-pound capacity, but this top-end range is a bit lower than what you might be accustomed to from other leg machines. Also, larger users (those weighing over 325 pounds) are advised not to use the PLC01.
RitFit BLP01
BLP01
The RitFit BLP01 is the company’s first foray into dedicated leg machines and is also its lower-cost leg press machine option.
With much of the same functionality as the higher-priced RitFit Gazelle, trainees who do not prioritize premium materials will likely prefer the BLP01 as it offers similar exercise variety.
The BLP01 doesn’t have quite the same universal acclaim as the Gazelle, but considering that it costs roughly 1/2 of this main competitor, it may very well be worth slightly lower “social proof”.
Pros
Multiple hack squat and leg press position angles
Quick/easy assembly
Relatively expensive
Cons
Not the highest load capacity (1200 pounds)
The BLP01 is RitFit’s OG leg machine while also being the company’s first leg press/hack squat combination machine. Despite not being the more “premium” RitFit leg press machine option (this title goes to the previously discussed Gazelle), it provides a lifting experience comparable to those presented by commercial-grade machines.
Multiple hack squat (5) and leg press (3) angle settings allow for users of all heights to comfortably position themselves for each respective movement. The 3 different “catching” positions ensure that trainee safety is never compromised, even when lifting under heavily fatigued conditions.
With a smaller footprint (the BLP01 measures roughly 3-and-a-half feet by a little over 6 feet) comes a lower top-end load capacity. At 1200 pounds, the BLP01 doesn’t have the highest load capacity we’ve ever seen and if you’ve surpassed a half-ton leg press (well…congratulations!), you may want to opt for the Gazelle and its 2000-pound capacity.
RitFit Buffalo
Buffalo
The RitFit Buffalo is a less traditional “leg machine” addition since its structure is very much that of a traditional power rack. Its vertical leg press attachment is a rare and extremely valuable addition.
Due to its power rack/Smith Machine combination structure, the Buffalo allows trainees to perform standard barbell back and front squats as well as a range of Smith Bar exercises.
The Buffalo is more expensive than most other leg machines and some lifters may prefer those that do not involve any barbell components.
Pros
Extremely functional; can perform upper body movements, as well
Vertical leg press capabilities
“Basic” warranty lasts 3 years
Cons
Not inexpensive
The Buffalo is a bit of an outlier in any discussion about RitFit Leg Press machines (or about leg machines in general) as it takes the form of a traditional, multifunctional Smith Machine/power rack combination piece of equipment. However, its ability to facilitate classic lower body barbell movements as well as some niche leg machine movements earns it a spot on this list.
There are a decent number of leg press machines on the market today, but very few that allow for vertical leg presses to be executed. The Buffalo’s vertical leg press attachment places it in this category, creating a more novel lifting experience and largely unprecedented functinoality.
For lifters who are only interested in “pure” leg machines, at first glance, the Buffalo may not appear to be an appropriate option. The same can be said for home gym trainees who are looking for a more affordable option. However, the full body functionality it provides is truly unprecedented, particularly when compared to dedicated leg/lower body machines.
RitFit Leg Press Assessment Criteria
If you’ve stumbled upon our breakdown of all of the RitFit power cages (and other large equipment items) or even our look at the best Smith Machines on the market today, you’ll notice some key similarities and differences in our assessment criteria.
At the end of the day, we encourage you to check out our much more comprehensive individual reviews (where possible) of each of these machines as it is far more difficult to make precise statistical conclusions with only a few (in this case, 3) different measured categories.
As it is, we’re confident in the utility of our basic assessment criteria areas which essentially amount to answering the following questions:
- How useful is the machine for doing lower body work relative to other lower-body machines?
- How much does it cost relative to other lower-body machines?
- What have the masses had to say about it?
Not the most precise nor comprehensive evaluation criteria, but enough to learn a lot about each piece. Let’s take a closer look at each of these areas:
Lower Body Functionality
We define “functionality” as being able to actually do things with a particular piece of equipment…within reason. We know that creative types will find some…creative exercises to perform with different items, some of which are actively promoted by the brands themselves. However, for better or for worse, we don’t include this kind of stuff in our assessment:
When thinking about lower-body machine work, the first movements that come to mind are often things like leg presses, leg curls, leg extensions, hack squats, and calf raises. Unfortunately, most machines that allow one or two of these exercises don’t generally allow for the others.
It’s also important to be mindful of the fact that in relation to free weights, machines (and many lower body-focused machines, specifically) don’t have nearly as much functionality and utility. You’re always going to get more mileage out of a barbell, some plates, and a squat rack than out of a single leg press machine.
These considerations in mind, the “lower body functionality” scores we’ve assigned to these machines are relative to other, not-overly-functional leg machines. Because of this, a decently high premium is placed on 3-in-1 machines while a 4-in-1 machine would be akin to a unicorn.
One last thing to mention is that although the RitFit Buffalo has objectively more overall functionality than any of the other items on our list, we only consider the lower body “machine” exercises (ex. Smith Machine and leg press attachment) that can be executed with it. If you’re interested in it so you can do some legit “curls in the squat rack”, that’s a different conversation!
Price
One of the words that we used a lot in the last few sections is “relative” (or, to be more precise, “relatively”). This is probably the section where it’s most important to properly define and clarify how we came to the numbers that we did.
Again, we’re not measuring each machine based on absolute price, but on what it costs you relative to all other lower body-focused machines. This is why the PLC01 (which isn’t that much cheaper than many other leg extension machines) nevertheless enjoys a high “Price” score in our assessment. Its price point is on the verge of “excellent” compared to other leg machines.
I don’t think we really need to justify why we include this category in our assessment as just about everybody pays attention to equipment pricing…especially for larger, higher-ticket items like leg machines.
Customer Reviews
Review sites like ours are the best (obviously)!
With that being said, as much as we would like people to simply take what we say as the Gospel truth (I mean…not really…but sorta!), you really should get at least a few opinions before pulling the trigger on equipment, especially larger, more expensive offerings like these.
There are a couple of ways to do this:
- Looking at the collective review scores of items you’re interested in. If you’ve taken even a basic statistics course, you know that the larger the sample size (more reviews) the better.
- Check out the outlier reviews, particularly those focused on negative aspects. These are generally a bit more candid and can reveal issues that most others either overlooked or intentionally failed to mention.
In these multi-item reviews, we mainly focus on the first of these options (and include our findings in our review scores). However, if you look at our FULL REVIEWS, you’ll find our outlier commentary as well.
The good news is that the RitFit items we reviewed in this article are sold on both the Amazon and official RitFit pages. As such, we generally get large sample sizes as well as well as reviews from pages that RitFit does not control. We give these reviews slightly more credibility due to the third-party nature of these websites. We combine all reviews together to determine this score.
Ultimately, as with all of our reviews, we’re confident in our picks…
Our Experience with RitFit Leg Press Offerings and other Machines
We’ve gotten to use a lot of different RitFit gear over the last few years and have first-hand experience with all but one of the pieces on this list. Although we haven’t given the highest of ratings to all of their gear, the BLP01, PLC01, and Buffalo have each received high praise.
For the most part, RitFit leg press machines and other lower body-focused equipment combine elements of being both functional, durable, and affordable. Granted, even the Gazelle isn’t going to be as nice of an option as the Rogue Iso Leg Press Machine…but it only costs ~$1,300 while Rogue’s offering is closer to $6,500!
…and that’s pretty much how our experiences with all of these machines have been…better than “good enough” while not breaking the bank.
As long as you’re not planning to open a commercial gym where 500 of your closest friends are likely going to be beating the hell out of your machines on a daily basis, we’re pretty sure your experiences will be comparable to ours.
The Best RitFit Leg Press (and other Leg Machines)
The RitFit Leg Press lineup isn’t all that extensive at the moment, but what they do do in this category, they do pretty well.
We won’t go so far as to say you should just “get ’em all!1!!!1!”, but you could do a lot worse than putting together a little circuit involving the Buffalo, PLC01, and the Gazelle/BLP01. You’d have leg day solidly on lock while also giving yourself a full array of upper body functionality, as well.
As we always say, though, ultimately, you gotta go with what you want to train and for the machine(s) that best meet your specific priorities. Thankfully, these machines stack up pretty well against other leg machine options…proceed with confidence!
The Best RitFit Leg Press and other Leg Machines
Gazelle
90
PLC01
87
BLP01
91
Buffalo
81
