Top Treadmills by Consumer Reviewers

Smooth Fitness 5.65 Electronic 2.5HP Foldup Treadmill

111 Reviews

Consumer Passion :

Popularity :

	Price: $899.00
Hayneedle.com	Price: $999.99
Compare Prices

Pros: Quiet, Well-built, Easy to assemble, Superb warranty, Audio-in jack
Cons: Expensive, Large footprint

Review: Staying in shape is not easy and rainy days don't make it any easier. With the Smooth Fitness 5.65 Treadmill, you can achieve your goals without ever having to worry about the weather again. The SmoothDrive 2.75HP Motor makes the unit ultra-quiet and powerful while the SmoothSound Audio System makes working out extra fun by allowing you to connect and play music from your iPod or other MP3 players. There are 12 speed and incline programs, 1 body fat program and a manual program that lets you walk or run at your own speed. You can easily change the speed and incline by pressing the buttons located on the handrails. The Im-pression Shock Absorption Cushioning System minimizes stress on the back and joints during long hours of exercise. This treadmill is expensive and it has a large footprint. Its running surface measures a total of 20" x 55" and the machine has an overall dimensions of 73" L x 31" W. While it is not as compact as advertised, it folds up nicely and the SmoothDrop Folding Frame enables it to fit in your desired space. It even has transport wheels for moving it to other rooms or other parts of the house. A 3-Window LED w/ LCD Dot Matrix display is integrated into the unit for intuitive operation and for easily viewing important information like heart rate, calories, time and distance. It also has a Water Bottle Holder for added convenience as well as a Reading Rack or Media Shelf for keeping your cellphone, magazines and newspaper within reach. Finally, the warranty of the Smooth Fitness 5.65 Treadmill is superb. The frame and motor are backed by a lifetime warranty while the other parts are covered with a 4-year warranty.

Smooth Fitness SMT735 7.35 Treadmill

51 Reviews

Consumer Passion :

Popularity :

	Price: $1399.00
Compare Prices

Pros: Easy assembly, High quality, Priced lower than most treadmills, Plenty of features
Cons: Heavy, Fan may be too noisy for some, Terrible technical support

Review: The ease of assembly and operation of the Smooth Fitness 7.35 Treadmill plus its incredibly low price make it a good deal if you're planning to build your own home gym and you're looking for a high quality piece of exercise equipment that will help you burn a lot of calories. It definitely fits the bill and although it tips the scales at 231 lbs and may require more than one person to set it up, it is still a tad easier to fold, move and set-up than other treadmills, all thanks to its SmoothDrop Folding Frame and Transport wheels. Different Shipping Options like Inside Front Door Delivery, Express Curbside Delivery, In Room Delivery and Delivery & Assembly, in addition to Free Curbside Delivery, are also offered by the manufacturer, but of course, at additional costs. A total of 25 treadmill programs consist of a manual program, 5 preset incline programs, 5 preset speed programs, 5 combination programs, 4 heart rate programs, a fitness test and 4 custom programs are built into the machine to make your workout challenging and most importantly, effective. You can run or walk with ease in its 20 x 62 inch running surface with exclusive im-pression shock absorption cushioning system while enjoying music with the unit's SmoothSound Audio System. The greatest benefit of the im-pression shock absorption cushioning technology is that it provides comfort and at the same time, reduces stress on your joints and back caused by excessive exercising or long hours of running. You can even adjust the incline and speed easily with the QuickChange Hand Rail Speed and Incline Control. The Smooth Fitness 7.35 Treadmill can hold up to 350 lbs. of weight and is driven by a SmoothDrive 3.25 HP Continuous Duty Commercial Grade Motor which lasts longer than standard motors and allows it to run quietly. It is backed by a lifetime warranty on frame, motor and deck, a 7-year warranty on all parts and electronics and 2 years of in-home service. Technical support is a little lacking, though. The SmoothAir Built-In Fan serves its purpose but may also be too noisy for some. At this price point, however, it will surely be difficult to find a treadmill with the same amount of features and as good as the Smooth Fitness 7.35. It has a good length for running and walking and the VivaClear Blue BackLit LCD Display is very informative, showing essential information like speed, time, distance, incline and calories burned. A Heart Rate Control with Wireless Heart Rate Strap, a water bottle holder and an Integrated Reading Rack/Media Shelf for keeping books, newspapers and portable devices close at hand are likewise featured in this model. Lastly, as with any Smooth Treadmill, you can take full advantage of the exclusive mySMOOTH Virtual Fitness Trainer which ensures faster and greater results.

Merit Fitness 725T Plus Treadmill JHT010

67 Reviews

Consumer Passion :

Popularity :

Hayneedle.com	Price: $399.99
Compare Prices

Pros: Affordable electronic treadmill, Adjustable speed and incline, Seven presets workouts
Cons: May need two people to assemble it, Doesn't fold down compact, Doesnt have a fan, Appears to generate radio interference

Review: The health benefits of regular exercise can never be overstated, and with the use of equipment like the Merit Fitness 725T Plus Treadmill, keeping in shape is now so much easier. This excellent piece of fitness equipment uses a 2.25-horsepower drive motor moving a workout area measuring 18 X 45 inches and backed by a solid steel frame. The belt, which travels at a maximum running speed of up to ten miles an hour, has an Aerosoft cushioning system that softens the shock on your feet and legs from the impact of each step, and 0-10% incline angles for a harder, but more rewarding challenge. Moreover, the belt has a key-based locking system, allowing it to operate only when needed. Merit Fitness' 725T Plus, like most electronic treadmills. has the standard controls nestled together on the dashboard, and has a dual LCD display for monitoring variables like your heart rate, time, distance travelled and speed. The 725T offers a selection of seven unique presets for more challenge when running, as well as the option to put the incline controls into automatic, which dynamically adjusts the level of incline of the running belt. Pulse sensors installed within the handles offer a reliable way to observe your heart rate, which, as mentioned, is displayed onscreen. The Merit Fitness 725T does not have a fan though, so you may want to keep a separate ventilator close by to keep cool. It generates a reasonable amount of noise, but not so much that you won't be abe to hear your surroundings. There's not really much one can say about the Merit Fitness 725T Plus Treadmill. For its price range, which is pretty affordable, it offers a solid and reliable construction. The locking system is an innovative addition to this treadmill too. While it does require some assembly, it can easily be managed by two persons working together since it does weigh a significant amount. As a side note, some people have noted that this treadmill doesn't really fold down that much, making it hard to move around, again because of the weight. One reviewer also commented that the Merit Fitness appears to generate radio interference when in operation, so it may be better to move it some distance from televisions audio equipment.

Phoenix Denise Austin Manual Foldup Treadmill

63 Reviews

Consumer Passion :

Popularity :

Wayfair	Price: $143.99
Compare Prices

Pros: Silent operation, Battery-powered electronic console, Ideal for intense workout, Affordable price
Cons: 250-pound weight limit, Incline angle is fixed, Requires regular lubrication

Review: Treadmills provide a great way to do your walking exercise in the comfort of your own home but they can be bulky and expensive, especially the motorized ones. The Denise Austin Manual Treadmill from Phoenix Health and Fitness offers an affordable alternative to costly equipment while offering the same positive benefits for your health produced by walking. As the name implies, this treadmill is powered by your walking motion rather than having a motor drive the belt. The slight incline of the 41" X 13" track also provides greater resistance. When combined, these amounts to more effort and therefore, more calories burned. The weighted flywheel under it rotates silently, as opposed to the noisy operation coming from motor-driven treadmills. There is even a battery-powered electronic console at the top of the handlebars that displays information like your speed, distance traveled, time and calories burned. Another advantage of this manual treadmill is its weight. At about 45 pounds, it is much more lightweight than comparable models. You can easily move it around the house and place it wherever or whichever way you want. The top frame of the treadmill folds down onto the track and once you lock it down with the spring-loaded pull pin, you can easily push it into storage. While the Phoenix Denise Austin Treadmill is a perfectly serviceable fitness machine for casual use, it does have its share of limitations. For example, it requires regular lubrication especially in its moving parts and the level of incline of its track is fixed so if you are looking for more challenge, there are other models that offer this feature. It also seems to be more designed for slow to brisk walking rather than jogging. Finally, it has a low weight limit of 250 pounds so if you are heavier than this, it would be better to consider other models as well.

Schwinn 840 Treadmill

34 Reviews

Consumer Passion :

Popularity :

	Price: $1149.00
GNC	Price: $999.99
Nautilus.com	Price: $999.00
Compare Prices

Pros: Soft running deck, Quiet operation, Two LCD screens on console, Requires little assembly
Cons: May need two people to move it even with wheels

Review: Jogging may be easy on fine, sunny days but it becomes near impossible to do during snowy, or worse, rainy days. Released in 2010, the Schwinn 840 is a mid-range treadmill that is perfect for the jogger who still wants to run even in the comfort of their home. The suspension running deck measures 20 X 55 inches, supports up to 300 pounds of user weight and is soft and cushioned to minimize painful impact damage to joints for a longer and more comfortable running session. Powered by a 2.5HP continuous duty motor, it is very quiet during operation thus, letting the user listen to music or watch TV without interference. It can run at a maximum speed of 10 MPH and incline up to 10 percent grade. 16 workout programs are preset on the machine, which can be accessed through two bright LCD displays on the console. It even has built-in grip and strap-on telemetric heart rate monitors. This treadmill emphasizes convenience with its fold-up storage design and rolling wheels for easy transport. It requires little assembly as it comes with most of the parts already bolted on. All the tools and manuals needed for the setup are also included with the purchase as well. A nice inclusion of a water bottle and a magazine holder rounds out the package. Lastly, the Schwinn 840 has a company-provided 10-year warranty on the motor, 5 years on the frame, 1 year on electronics and 6 and 3 months coverage on parts, wear parts and labor, respectively. Weighing a little over 250 pounds, the only drawback is that it may require two people to move it around the house.

Nautilus Inc. T514 Electronic 2.75HP Foldup Treadmill

29 Reviews

Consumer Passion :

Popularity :

	Price: $1198.99
Nautilus.com	Price: $1199.00
Wayfair	Price: $1004.99
Compare Prices

Pros: Easy to set up and use, Great price for the quality, Lots of workout programs, Powerful
Cons: Extremely heavy

Review: The Nautilus T514 Treadmill is a great piece of exercise equipment. You just have to be aware that you will need some help in moving it into position after it arrives due to the fact that it is extremely heavy. But from that point on, set-up becomes very easy and shouldn't give you any problems. As for how the machine runs, this is the best part. It puts up a massive amount of power with its 2.75 horsepower continuous duty motor and there are 6 time/distance courses for an intense workout. Adding to that, you can create two user profiles and get hold of 19 workout programs. The incline is just about perfect and there are many different speeds available. The 20” x 55” surface area is wide enough for walking and running at varying speeds and the overall strength of the frame provides a feeling of safety and sturdiness, which is important when you're gripping the rails or just running along. Another great feature is the wireless heart monitor that proves to be very helpful if you have health problems or if you just want to monitor such things. The unit doesn't fold up completely flat but it does fold to offer more room wherever you set it up. At around 300 pounds, you definitely cannot lift the Nautilus T514 singlehandedly but other than that, it is a very good investment.

Schwinn 860 Electronic 3.0HP Foldup Treadmill

20 Reviews

Consumer Passion :

Popularity :

	Price: $1399.00
Nautilus.com	Price: $1399.00
Wayfair	Price: $1085.99
Compare Prices

Pros: quiet operation, easy set-up, small footprint, strong motor, useful monitoring tools
Cons: Instructions could be better, placement of on/off switch

Review: If you are looking for a quiet treadmill that you can store away easily, the Schwinn 860 Electronic is going to be for you. We really like the fact that the treadmill is so easy to set-up, both initially and when you put it away for storage. There are some things that could be better - like the location of the power button, for example. Overall, however, this treadmill has quite a bit going for it. The motor is powerful enough to get you up to 12 MPH, but it is quiet enough that it is not going to bother you or people around you. We don't think this is a perfect treadmill, but we're not really sure such an object actually exists. For the money, though, this is a treadmill you should look at closely if you are considering buying one. There's a good chance that it is going to exceed your expectations if you try it. From the design to the operation to the reliability of the machine, it has quite a lot going for it. You're going to have to pay for being this close to perfection, but for many who enjoy the better things in life, this won't be a problem.