How to Find the Best Treadmills

The treadmill is an excellent investment for your home. It allows you to exercise at your own pace, without worrying about the weather and the long commute to the gym.

A quality treadmill is also a great way to track your fitness progress over time. If you're preparing for an upcoming marathon or simply want to maintain your fitness level, having a treadmill at home is an essential item.

1. Motor

Look for a treadmill with an efficient motor when you shop. If you plan to log more than 20 miles per week, and doing intense interval training, opt for one that has a continuous 3.0 horsepower motor with 60 inches of deck long. If you're just starting out or simply want to walk and run occasionally, you should consider smaller models that includes a 1.75-2.5 horsepower motor.

Choose if you want a smart treadmill with a touchscreen and virtual classes as well as a console or a basic model without one. Certain models fold to make storage easier.

The Peloton Treadmill is a sophisticated treadmill that sports a sleek design with an impressive array of features. It's more expensive than our top pick, but it combines an effortless running experience with an intuitive touchscreen and a wide variety of workouts on demand from live and virtual instructors. The incline controls are located on the handrails, and the quick dials make it easy to alter the speed and incline while working out. The only cup holders on this treadmill are plastic and only hold water bottles.

The NordicTrack Commercial 2450 is another treadmill to consider. It's less expensive than the Peloton Treadmill but has a lot of good features. With its iFit integration it allows you to access a variety of virtual workouts developed by trainers all over the world. The app is available as a subscription that costs $39 per month. The treadmill also has a huge 22-inch touchscreen and a cushioned deck. It can reach an maximum speed of 12 mph and offers an incline range of -3% to 15% for a more challenging workout.

2. Design

The design of a treadmill is important as is any other piece of fitness equipment. If you're training for an outdoor race that has a hill, you will want to choose a treadmill with the highest incline setting. If you like to follow along with a workout class, choose models with a large screen and iFIT compatibility, which allows you to access classes in the studio virtual coach programs, Explore the World scenic runs and other off-treadmill exercises.

Other design elements we consider are adjustable speed and incline controls (on the handrails as well as the lower console) that can adjust to your preferences without having to touch the touchscreen, easy-to-use buttons, and an easy-to-use interface. We also consider whether the treadmill is foldable and, if so, how long it takes to fold it. We also look at whether the treadmill must be put together and if it's an easy and quick process.

3. Technology

The technology utilized in treadmills makes a big difference in how easy the machines are to use and whether they have any glitches. When we evaluate a treadmill in this category, we take into consideration touchscreens and user-friendly controls. We also consider user-friendly interfaces, easy-to-use controls and Treadmill Home Gym other technological features. We also look at whether a treadmill can be folded and transported easily. This is crucial for people who have to move their treadmills frequently or have to squeeze them into tight space.

The Nordictrack 1250 Treadmill impressed us with its quick speed and incline control based on previous workouts, a long belt, comfortable cushioning, and iFIT integration, which provides access to studio-style classes, virtual coaches, and Explore the World scenic run options, in addition to exercises that are not on the treadmill (though Bluetooth connectivity was sometimes difficult). This treadmill was rated highly because of its 22" color touchscreen, which has crisp, eye-catching images and iFIT compatibility.

Another treadmill with high scores is the ProForm Carbon T10. It has a 10" display and features live and on-demand content from the iFIT platform for walking, running and running. We like that the speed and incline changes are simple to navigate through the touchscreen, the ergonomically-placed buttons for quick adjustments, and the iFIT integration that lets you stream workouts from Zwift and Hulu Max (subscriptions required). The only downside is that it doesn't have headphones or USB ports.

4. Comfort

The best treadmills are those that are comfortable for the person using them. For those with larger bodies and longer strides could be more concerned with the size of the deck, and the amount of space it offers for running or walking. Others might be more interested in ergonomic features such as well-placed controls for speed and incline. We also searched for additional features that make it enjoyable to use the machine, including front-facing speakers as well as the USB charging port, a small cooling fan, and plenty of places to store your water bottle and other accessories.

Finally, we considered the storage capacity of each treadmill, as not everyone has space in their homes for a full-size treadmill. Fortunately, the majority of treadmills we tested fold up or have support arms to reduce their footprint when not in use. We examined how easily they folded and stored away and how quickly they were set up, and whether or not they were easy to move on firm surfaces.

If you plan on running lots of hills outdoors, you should also take into consideration the maximum gradient. This is an important feature that will help you prepare for more challenging outdoor climbs by mimicking the ascent with the treadmill.

In terms of the technology used on each treadmill, we searched for touchscreens that were responsive and easy to navigate during a workout as well as an user-friendly interface. We also looked at the design of the treadmill and if it was compatible with fitness apps from third-party companies. This allowed us to determine if each treadmill offered enough features to justify the cost. A quality treadmill for your home removes the barriers of weather and expensive gym memberships and can boost your motivation to get in shape.

5. Safety

A treadmill can be a dangerous piece of equipment if it is not used in a safe manner. It's a massive, heavy machine with an incline that can move at speeds of 10 or 12 miles per hour. Anyone who uses treadmills for walking and running should not lean on the hand rails, since this could cause a loss of balance and result in injuries. A messy space around the treadmill could also cause tripping hazards so it's important to keep it tidy and clutter-free during use and storage.

The best treadmills on sale have safety features like a magnetic safety that can be removed and that is attached to the belt. If a runner loses balance, the magnet disengages and stops the belt immediately. This feature can help prevent serious injuries to the runner as well as other people. The treadmills in gyms are typically equipped with this technology, and homeowners might want to consider purchasing one in order to reduce the amount of accidents that occur when exercising at home equipment.

When using a treadmill at home, it's crucial to listen for the safety "beep" that comes on when the belt begins to move. Don't leap off until the belt has stopped. Many people make the mistake of trying to save time by jumping off before the belt has completely stopped, which can lead to injuries. Also, you should be familiar with the location and usage of the emergency shut-off switch.

When you're done using the treadmill, it's a good idea to unplug it and switch off the treadmill home gym. This will minimize the chance of unintentional use by visitors or children. The fact that it is kept in a separate area and a clear area above and around it can protect others from coming into contact with it, as well.