Treadmill Buying Guide

Download Treadmill Buying Guide PDF (185 kb)

This guide was written to help educate people who are looking to purchase a treadmill for home use. Unlike other resources, this document comes from an industry leader. In the interest of full disclosure Smooth Fitness is the industry’s largest direct-to-consumer treadmill manufacturer and we’re in the business of making and selling treadmills. We believe that the best customer is a knowledgeable one and it’s our goal to help educate you as a buyer so that you are better equipped to avoid the industry tricks and traps so that you end up purchasing a treadmill that fits your workout needs for the right price.

First, you’ll be happy to know that treadmills have been the largest selling category of cardio products for the past 20 years now. Treadmills provide allow for a natural running/walking motion that the human body is well suited for.  Motorized treadmills automatically pace the user. For this reason, treadmills enjoy a significantly lower drop-off rate than any other workout machine. Once you get into a routine your more likely to stay with it. But you already know you want one, so let’s dig into what to look for.

Before explore how to research various manufacturers, makes and models, let’s go over a few DOs and DON’Ts:

• DON’T make your decision based on just one person’s opinion- including ours.
  

• DO look at many sources available online such as About.com (owned by the New York Times), Epinions, Bizrate and Consumer Guide online (which is now part of www.howstuffworks.com).
  

• DON’Tget too hung up on the specs and horsepower ratings (we’ll explain in more detail below). 

Where to Start? 

Price: The first thing you need to consider is how much you should spend in order to get a good quality machine.  This really depends on what kind of use you and your family expects to get out of the treadmill.  Generally, you can get a good machine for walking for around $1,000. Look for a 2.5 HP continuous duty motor (beware of anything labeled much more than that – keep reading for why), a 20 inch wide walking belt that is 52-55 inches in length.  Please note that if you are taller than 6’2” then you really should consider stepping up to something in the $1,500-$2,000 price range because of your longer running stride and you’ll also benefit from a longer warranty, a longer treadbelt and generally a smoother, quieter and longer-lasting machine.

Folding vs. Non-Folding:   The great majority of folding treadmills are only suitable for walking.  The reason for this is that when you put a joint in the middle front of the machine and then you add incline to the front end you no longer have a very stable surface to withstand the constant pounding that regular running will put on the frame, console and lower electronics.  If you require a folding treadmill, look for one that has a separate pedestal and a one-piece deck that folds up independently of the pedestal.  You can test this by inclining the treadmill while running on the unit.  If the console elevates while the deck is inclining, then that machine does not have the separate pedestal design.      For those focused on running, a non-folding treadmill is still the best type to buy, especially in a basement or on the first floor of a home where you can dedicate the floor space.  If you are going to spring for a non-folding unit, you may want to just get the full 60”-long deck to give yourself more room to roam.  One added benefit of the non-folding class of treadmills is that they often have a better shock absorption system geared for running.

User Weight: If any of the users in your family weigh over 225 pounds then you should increase your budget a bit for a stronger motor and higher grade belt and deck, even if you are only planning on using the treadmill for walking.  The reason for this is that all home treadmills are made using DC motors.  DC motors only operate at their full capacity when running at their top speeds, which means that a person walking at 4 mph on a machine with a 2.5 HP motor will likely only be using a small fraction of the motor’s capacity.  This is not a huge problem for most users, but a heavy person walking at a slow speed will put an extra load on the motor and cause it to run hot which will eventually result in motor or lower electronic board failure. A larger motor will be able to handle the extra load without over-heating.