Treadmills Review

The way you exercise is unique to you: the way you breathe, the way your hold your hands when you run, how you run, how much you sweat, your inner voice. No one is the same. Everyone is different. We all have varying needs, wants, goals and desires. To accommodate these differences, there are hundreds of exercise routines and machines for you to choose from. You may love the atmosphere of the gym with various machines to try out, people to talk to and pace yourself against. But the gym is not for everyone; you may prefer running outside, taking in the world around you as your feet pound the pavement, track or trail.

A treadmill provides you a combination of the two: a gym-quality machine with the incline and challenge of running outside. If you are a 5K, 10K, half or full marathon runner, a treadmill, like the Sole F85, is also the ideal machine to train on, as it allows you to customize your workout 100 percent by increasing the incline and speed manually or selecting pre-set programs designed for your fitness goals. Top rated fitness treadmills, like the NordicTrack Elite 9500 Pro and the ProForm Performance 1450 are the best treadmills for racerunners, as the fantastically innovative Google iFit program is built into the treadmill and accessible through the full color LCD touch screen.

We invite you to delve deeper into our treadmill reviews, finding the best machine to get your heart pumpin', your legs movin' and those calories a-burnin.' To compare best treadmills and learn more about treadmill fitness news, you can read additional articles on treadmills in our Learning Center.

Treadmills: What to Look For

Features
When considering which treadmill to purchase, we recommend focusing on your fitness needs and goals, and then choose a treadmill with the features and functions to help you meet those needs and goals. We suggest you make a list of these needs and choose your new treadmill accordingly.

If you enjoy silently walking or running, absorbed in your own thoughts, then a treadmill with basic features and programs would be perfect for you. If, however, you need noise, action and connection to motivate you, purchase a treadmill with advanced features such as a color LCD touch screen with Android capabilities and Google's iFit programming.

With this built-in technology, you are able to map out your favorite runs around the world or in your own neighborhood. This is the ideal feature for those training for a 5K, 10K or marathon, as you can choose the exact location you will be running, map out the distances and off you go. iFit Live even controls the speed and incline levels on your treadmill to simulate the actual route you will be running. Technology is fabulous, isn't it?

If you are a start-and-go runner, then a treadmill with minimal programming may be perfect for you. If you are really looking for a challenge or a course that is designed just for you, then choose a treadmill with customized, goal and heart-rate programs.

Design
Again, focus on your needs. Do you live in a small apartment? Then you probably need a treadmill that folds. If you live in a larger home with a dedicated room, then a platform treadmill model may be a better option. If you are over 5'10 and weigh over 250, you need a treadmill with more stability and a longer running surface to match your stride. If you walk briskly at a higher incline a couple times a week, then you should consider a treadmill with 2.5- to 3.0-horsepower motor. If you run several times a week for 45 minutes and up, we suggest getting a treadmill that has at least 3.0- to 4.1-horsepower motor.

Before purchasing a fitness treadmill, we suggest you measure the space where you would like your treadmill to go and then compare those measurements to the dimensions of the treadmill listed in our comparison matrix. Be cognizant of your space as well as your health and fitness needs. Just a note, many treadmill manuals caution you not to place your treadmill outside or in your garage due to moisture and climate control.

Safety
Safety is extremely important and something that you should definitely consider in your treadmill purchase. Safety and treadmill design go hand-in-hand, as many design elements such as handrails, side rails, a dedicated storage latch and hydraulic lift and drop system are also safety precautions.

If you are purchasing a fold-up treadmill to save space, we highly recommend – in fact, we insist – that you purchase a treadmill with a hydraulic lift and drop system and a heavy-duty storage latch, as many of these treadmills weigh hundreds of pounds.

Handrails are also an important safety feature, as they provide you support and stability on your treadmill as well as something to grasp for, just in case you fall. Because no one is immune to a misstep and accidental trip on a treadmill, a safety key clip is another necessary safety feature. When walking or running on your fitness treadmill, attach the key clip to your clothes. If you happen to fall, the key will release from the machine, causing the belt to quickly stop.

Help & Support
A majority of treadmills require you to assemble them. The carrier who delivers the treadmill to you will probably pack it to your garage and no further. Because the majority of the treadmills we reviewed are between 200-300 pounds, we suggest asking a friend or two to help you carry the treadmill inside to your predetermined location and help you set it up.

The majority of treadmills come with a user manual as well as an assembly manual. The assembly manual generally displays every nail, screw, lever and switch needed to put your treadmill together. Most, if not all, of the parts are included with the purchase of your treadmill. Before purchasing a treadmill, double and triple check that a user and assembly manual are available either as a physical copy or in a PDF version.

Live chat support is another fabulous help and support feature to look for so you can get quick and detailed answers to your current and feature treadmill questions. If live chat is not available, a technical support phone number or a support email or form should be available.

Warranty
You must remember that a treadmill is a machine, built with a lot of working parts and that require regular maintenance by you and a professional. Dirt, dust and grime, even miniscule particles, can cause serious damage to your treadmill if you do not regularly clean and maintain it. In fact, if you decide to skip in-home maintenance, it could void your warranty. Before you fall in love with a treadmill and its features, you need to first fall in love with the warranty. The treadmills we are comparing in this fitness treadmill review usually have great warranties, but before you purchase any treadmill, read the fine print to make sure there are no loopholes in the system. You should choose a motorized treadmill with a lifetime warranty on the motor and frame, or at least 10-15 years at the very minimum. Parts, labor and electronics come with their own limitations. Typical treadmill warranties cover parts, labor and electronics for one to five years, while the best treadmills offer a five-year to a lifetime warranty on these elements.

Whatever your fitness needs, a treadmill is the perfect machine for you to excel in the goals you have set for yourself. Treadmills are an investment, it's true, but it's definitely time to take control of your health, boosting your immune system, increasing your self-confidence and improving your overall well-being.

At TopTenREVIEWS We Do the Research So You Don’t Have To.™