Buying a treadmill is a significant long-term investment. Unfortunately, money doesn’t grow on trees, so you will want to buy one of the best treadmills for home use.
Like almost any other product, not all treadmills are created equal. Here are some things that you’ll want to consider before making a purchase.
Don’t Want To Read Our Full Guide?
If you want to skip all the reading of what took look for in a treadmill and just see our top pick, check out the Sole F85 Treadmill here.
Who Will Be Using The Treadmill And Why?
Do you have more than one person in your home? Most do.
You will want to make sure that the treadmill you purchase will be adequate for everyone who will be using that treadmill.
Treadmills are designed for and used by many different types of people to do many different things. A marathon runner will likely want different features in their treadmill that a 300 pound guy who is walking to lose weight.
- Are you planning on walking on your treadmill or running?
- Who is the heaviest person that will be using the treadmill?
- Will it get used year round or just during the winter?
These are all important questions you should ask yourself before plunking down a couple paychecks on a treadmill.
Weight Limits
Almost all treadmills have some kind of weight limit associated with them. This can give you a decent gauge on the quality of the equipment.
Higher quality treadmills tend to have higher weight limits, usually in the 300 – 500 pound range.
That being said, take the manufacturer’s weight limit with a grain of salt. In reality, there is no industry standard that dictates how treadmill weight limits are calculated.
What that means is that two manufacturers can use entirely different methods to determine a treadmills weight limit.
To illustrate this point, let’s use an example…
Let’s say Company A and Company B both design and sell comparably priced treadmills. Treadmill A is rated at 250 pounds while Treadmill B is rated at 300 pounds.
To the uneducated consumer, those weight limits would indicate that Treadmill B must be the high quality machine, right?
What the consumer doesn’t know is that Company A set their rating by having a group 250 pound men run on their treadmill for 72 consecutive hours, while company B set their rating by having a 300 pound man walk on their treadmill for 20 minutes.
I think it is fairly obvious which weight limit is more accurate and which treadmill will be more reliable.
Workwhilewalking.com states that, “Some manufacturers overstate their weight limits by 50 to 75 lbs., if not more, and that’s at running speeds, not even at walking speeds. For this reason we recommend you purchase a treadmill with a user weight limit that is at least 100 lbs. greater than the heaviest person who will be using it.”
Space
Treadmills are not well known for their space saving qualities. They are large, bulky pieces of equipment.
With that in mind, make sure you know how much space you have in your home to dedicate to your treadmill.
Measure your space and write it down so you can take it with you when you go shopping.
If you don’t have a lot of extra room, consider getting a folding model. This will add to the cost of the unit, but will be well worth it if floor space is hard to come by in your residence.
Apart from simply having a place to put it, you’ll want to make sure that it’s big enough.
According to TreadmillReviews.net, walkers should look for a belt width of at least 20” and a length of 50”. Runners should look for something a bit bigger, generally a 22” wide by 55″ long belt will be adequate. Runners over 6’ tall will need at least a 60” long belt.
Motor Size
The motor is an often overlooked feature, but it’s possibly the most important. An undersized motor will typically spell trouble for your treadmill and will likely wear out quickly.
This is one place that you won’t want to skimp.
When you look for the motor specs, look for the motor’s ‘Continuous Duty Horsepower’ (CHP). Continuous Duty Horsepower is the industry standard that measures treadmill motor power.
The last thing you want is to have an under-powered treadmill. Here is a good guide for what CHP you’ll want for various activities.
Up To 200 Pounds | Greater Than 200 Pounds | |
|---|---|---|
| Walking | 2.0 CHP | 2.5 CHP |
| Jogging | 2.5 CHP | 3.0 CHP |
| Running | 3.0 CHP | 3.5 CHP |
While CHP is a decent measure of a motor’s quality, it should not be the only qualifier. Buying a high horsepower motor built with cheap parts is kind of like buying cheap toilet paper. It’s probably gonna break and leave you with a mess on your hands.
The Best Treadmills For Home Use
Finding the right treadmill can take a lot of research. You have to know what you want and how much you are willing to pay for it.
These are some of our top picks for the best treadmills for home use.
Horizon Adventure 3
The Horizon Adventure 3 is a great treadmill that is designed mostly for walkers and joggers. If you are someone that is just starting to get into shape or getting ready for that first 5k, this will be one to take a look at.
What To Expect
The Horizon Adventure 3 comes in on the cheaper end of the spectrum and probably isn’t suitable for serious runners. But if you are looking for a small framed treadmill to start getting into shape with, this has some excellent features for the price.
Features
- Track Length: 55″
- Track Width: 20″
- Variable Response Cushioning
- 2.5 CHP Johnson Drive System Motor
- Folding track for easy storage
- Built-in speakers
- Up to a 12% incline
- ViaFit Connect
- 30 pre-progammed workouts
- Life time warranty on the frame and motor
What Other People Are Saying
The people over at TreadmillReviews.net had this to say about the Adventure 3.
“The Horizon Adventure 3 has a respectable specs list. It has plenty of workout options and makes it easy to track your long-term progress. This is an affordable treadmill for walkers. You could expect this product to endure for at least a few years.”
Rob purchased an Adventure 3 from JohnsonFit.com and had this to say,
“I needed a treadmill that my wife and I could walk and jog on. The Adventure 3 is perfect for us. I am 6 ft tall and weight 230 pounds, this treadmill fits me very comfortably and does really well in speeds up to 7. Quality made product that was super easy to set-up. Have been using the adventure 3 for over a month now and have no regrets. Have recommended it [to] friends.”
NordicTrack Commercial 1750
If you are looking for lots of features at a reasonable price. The NoricTrack C 1750 is definitely worth your time. NordicTrack is a household name as far as treadmills are concerned and is always synonymous with quality exercise equipment.
What To Expect
With its powerful 3.8 CHP motor, the 1750 can take on just about any runner. This one is moderately priced in the $1,500 range. Whether you are a heavy individual looking to get fit or a marathoner who needs a winter training machine, you won’t be disappointed.
Features
- Track Length: 60″ (Great for tall runners!)
- Track Width: 20″
- Supports up to 300 pounds
- 7″ touch screen interface
- Wireless Heart Rate Monitoring
- 3.8 CHP Motor
- Folding track for easy storage
- Belt speeds up to 12 MPH
- Up to a 15% incline and 3% decline
- iFit ready
- 34 pre-progammed workouts
- Life time warranty on the frame and motor
What Other People Are Saying
Fitrated.com praised the Commercial 1750 saying,
“The NordicTrack Commercial 1750 is a very popular treadmill despite the slower customer service associated with its manufacturer. It’s backed by one of the best warranties in the industry and is likely to deliver enjoyable and effective training sessions for many years.”
GLB, a NordicTrack customer purchased the Commercial 1750 for winter training and has been very pleased with his purchase.
“I am very happy with the Commercial 1750 treadmill. We’ve had ours for about 2 months now, and the whole family has been using it regularly. As a bigger runner (about 200 lbs), this unit handles my long runs on these cold days with ease. I also subscribed to the iFit system, and have been enjoying those features as well. My only issue is that the console occasionally complains about an intermittent wi-fi connection which results in some map images being unavailable. I know my wi-fi network is solid, so I suspect it’s the Android OS that powers the console that’s at fault. However, it’s been solid 95% of the time, and I have no regrets.”
Sole F85
The Sole Fitness Company is a popular vendor for treadmills in hotels and gyms around the world. They sell high end equipment with higher price tags. That being said, you will certainly be pleased with their quality.
What To Expect
The Sole F85 is known as one of the best folding treadmills around. It comes in at a higher price than most of it’s competitors at around $2,000. You won’t regret purchasing this gym quality running machine.
Features
- Track Length: 60″ (Great for tall runners!)
- Track Width: 22″
- Supports up to 400 pounds
- 10.1″ LCD Display
- Pulse Grips
- 4.0 CHP Motor
- Folding track for easy storage
- Belt speeds up to 12 MPH
- 15 Incline Levels
- Cushion Flex Whisper Deck
- Bluetooth Compatible
- 34 pre-progammed workouts
- Life time warranty on the frame and motor
What Other People Are Saying
Jeffery Roach purchased his F85 on Amazon and talked about his experience.
“I’ve been running an hour each morning since I got the Solo Fitness F85. It’s the quickest way to make sure I get some exercise every day. This is the smoothest at home treadmill I have ever ran on, and it’s quiet enough that I can watch TV while I run. If you want a quality treadmill for home, you can’t go wrong with this one.”
TheTruth at Dicks Sporting Goods had nothing but praise for the F85.
“I never write reviews , but I am making an exception for this machine because I’m thrilled with it. It is SUPER Quiet, Plenty of different workouts available, speed controls from 1/2 mph too 15 mph in 1/10 increments. Incline works great. The Hydraulic release to lower the tread down to the ground works incredible, you literally don’t have to hold the tread at all. Someone mentioned you have to be 7′ tall to utilize the fans , but they must not have realized there are directional buttons to raise the fans up and down. I’ve run on many treadmills and this one equals any of the commercial ones in the Gyms if not better. LED screen is very well lit, visible, and user friendly . Once assembled this machine is very easy to move, but you will need about 3 or 4 guys to get it in your house initially , which just about everyone mentions in their reviews. Took one hour to assemble. I am in shape already but bought this machine to help battle the hi cholesterol that runs in our family, I highly recommend this machine for whatever your needs may be. Stay Fit !!!”
Click here to read even more reviews.
LifeSpan TR1200i
Are your on a tight budget, but are in the market for a treadmill? Then this may be the one for you. Life Span is a fairly young brand that started selling exercise equipment in 2001. Their goal is to bring you great exercise equipment at a great value. The TR1200i won’t disappoint.
What To Expect
If you are looking for a great quality treadmill but need something under $1000, this could be your lucky day. Life Span brings you a high quality product for a fraction of the cost. Sure, it won’t have all of the bells and whistles of a more expensive model, but it is a great value for what it is.
Features
- Track Length: 56″
- Track Width: 20″
- Supports up to 300 pounds
- Pulse Grips
- On-Handle Controls
- 2.5 CHP Motor
- EZFold System for quick storage
- Belt speeds up to 11 MPH
- 15 Incline Levels
- 6 Independent Compression Shocks
- 21 pre-progammed workouts
- Life time warranty on the frame and motor
What Other People Are Saying
Denise purchased her TR1200i on Amazon and had good things to say about it.
“Great value and quality for the price. Very easy to assemble and move. I have been running on this treadmill for approximately 6 weeks. I prefer running outside but, this is very convenient, especially with bad weather. This treadmill is quiet, has easy to read panel, and securely holds my tablet as I run. The running surface is firm and offers “cushion” compared to running on concrete and blacktop. There are a variety of programmed workouts and I love the incline is up to 15%. Great for mountain hiking training. This treadmill easily folds up, if desired. I am very happy with this purchase.”
Jessica T. bought her treadmill sight unseen and she could not be happier.
“This treadmill was my first home treadmill purchase and I love it! I took the risk and purchased it without seeing it in person first, just based off its great reviews, and it paid off. What I didn’t want in a treadmill was one that when you ran on it you felt like an elephant because it was unstable and shook. No problems here! Very solid treadmill and I really do like the speed and incline buttons located on the side handle bars as well. Great purchase for the money.”
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