The Best Treadmills For Working Out

Getting Started with Treadmills

The treadmill is one of the most popular pieces of home workout equipment, but all of the available types, features, and brands of treadmills can make the process of buying a treadmill overwhelming. What type of treadmill is best for a person or workout environment? What features combine to make a good treadmill? What brands make good treadmills? These are all valid questions that this treadmill buying guide will answer so that the consumer will be able to make an informed treadmill choice.

The Types of Treadmills Available

In one sense, there is only one type of treadmill since, sophisticated or not, they all feature a running belt powered by a motor. The most sensible way, however, to differentiate between treadmill types is to separate them by budget and whether or not they can fold.

• Budget folding treadmills. As the name implies, these treadmills are cheaper than their non-budget counterparts and are also capable of being folded up for easier storage. On average, these treadmills can reach up to 10mph and have an incline of roughly 10 degrees. They also generally have basic informational displays that tell a user speed, distance, time elapsed, and calories burned. They may also have a few other basic features like a storage shelf or bottle holder. These are ideal for people on a budget who are primarily interested in walking rather than running or who have a short running stride.
• Folding treadmills. These have similar features to their budget folding counterparts except that they often have more advanced informational displays and pre-installed exercise programs. Some of them may also have attachable heart rate monitors, enabling the treadmill to display the exerciser’s heart rate in real or slightly delayed time. They are generally sturdier than their budget counterparts and may thus be able to stand up to more rigorous use during exercise.
• Non-folding treadmills. These are the hard-core treadmills for serious runners that are generally found in gyms and exercise clubs. They may be significantly more durable than their folding counterparts, often have fairly sophisticated and varied exercise programs, and have a variety of features that aid in the exercising process. They are made for hard, fast running and thus generally have powerful motors and durable running decks. They are the most expensive type of treadmill, but users generally get their money’s worth.

Features of Treadmills

While all treadmills are, at their hearts, a belt attached to a motor and a walking deck, there are still some features that are common to most treadmills—and others that are less common but still desirable.

• Electronic programming. This is an immensely popular feature of treadmills because it enables people to vary their exercising habits. Walking at the same speed on the same incline can get boring, but a program that electronically makes such adjustments can give the user the sensation of a cross-country run or a jog through the hilly neighborhood.
• Hand rails or handles. This safety feature is a staple of most treadmills because it gives exercisers something to hold onto while running, jogging, or walking that keeps them from falling down or slipping.
• Folding capabilities. Being able to fold a treadmill allows for easier storage, which can be immensely helpful if the consumer lives in a small home or apartment or wants a treadmill for office use.
• Controls. Even the most basic treadmills have some sort of speed and timer controls, but more sophisticated models allow for incline and programming control.
• Safety toggle. Many treadmills have some sort of toggle, key, or clip that attaches to the treadmill and the runner and immediately stops the treadmill if the safety item is detached from the treadmill. This helps prevent injury to those who slip and fall while using a treadmill or who cannot keep up with a particular speed setting.

Brand Names of Treadmills

Some of the most well-known brand names in terms of treadmill marketing are BowFlex, Precor, Nordic Track, and Vision Fitness. Other respectable treadmill brands include Epic, Life Fitness, PaceMaster, ProForm, and Smooth Fitness. Some of these brands manufacture only higher-end treadmills while others make everything from budget models to those more commonly found in exercise clubs.