All I can tell you are features that are on our treadmill that my husband specifically looked for.
It has a strong reliable motor. Honey knows more about that. I took his word for it. It also has a long warranty to guarantee the motor.
The incline and speed controls are automatic. They can be adjusted while the belt is moving so not to interrupt the workout. Not all mills are like this.
It is shorter than many treadmills so it would comfortably fit in the space we have without always storing it away. Therefore it is not really comfortable for a runner with long strides. But we really wanted it for walking and jogging.
It can be programmed several different ways before the workout and keeps track of different users so it doesn't have to be reprogrammed.
It got a good review on consumer reports. You really have to be careful about purchasing mills from regular department stores. It seems to me that many of these stores carry models that are filled with frills and don't cost much so they would cater to people who don't have time to do research elsewhere.
The weighlimit on treadmills vary. Some are 275, 350, 475, and 400 pounds. I'm sure there are mills that have higher limits, I just didn't personally see any.
It was really important for us to get the best mill for our money. Some features we could live without and while others might seem like frills to some it helps to ensure that the mill doesn't become covered in dust from nonuse.
We have a home treadmill and an eliptical machine. I wouldn't recommend the department store ones as much as the sports store models. Usually the dept store ones are geared toward people who don't want to spend a lot. You DO get what you pay for in treadmills. Of the 2 machines we have, the treadmill cost much less - simpler to make I guess, less moving parts?
As the previous person said, there are a number of things you want to look at. In our case, a consideration is the weight capacity of the machine. Usually most companies have a website and post the specs on their site, per each model. At sports stores that sell gym equipment, they will usually have a brochure too, which will list the max user weight right on it. It does vary.
There are treadmills that have SO many differences in features, depending on what you are looking for or need. Some are not electric - don't recommend those, those are the lowest in the category of treadmill, and I always found them hard to use, myself. Some also have a 'fold up' feature, where you can put the track part up to meet the front part so it will take up less space. if you don't need this feature, then don't get a model that has it, it does add more cost (at least the sports store guy said that to me).
Here are some questions you might want to consider:
* where are you going to be able to situate it, do you have a dedicated space? space is a first factor you want to consider
* noise factor - where you put it may be noisy if you put it on a floor above another (do people sleep below your selected room?)
* do you want fold up or don't care
* $$ you can afford (obviously this one goes without saying)
* warranty - some have a lifetime warranty, some have a short or long warranty on parts only - the product website will usually list this
* maintenance - what kind is required? Some have to be lubricated periodically, some do not (this lube is not expensive)
* Horse power - some have lower HP and some more. Higher end models have higher HP than other lower model ones. I think mine is 2.0 or 2.5?
* some have a basic digital readout and some have more advanced. some have programs you can input and some do not. I just use "manual" so I don't care about setting up programs.
*wideness of track, wideness in between the side handles (if it even has those, some do not). Are you an arm swinger? You might want to test how much room you have for your arms as you swing them.
* Do you care if the treadmill has a HR sensor on the handle? Mine does not, but it accepts HR (heart rate) info from a strap on unit. The on-handle sensor models cost considerably more.
I'd suggest going to try some out, walk on them for a few minutes, raise and lower the incline level. listen to how it sounds, how it feels. You will know which ones feel good or bad once you walk on them for a few mins.
Another option - some places (depending on where you live) rent treadmills. You can rent them by the week or month, and then decide if you would like to buy one.
Hope that helps you out.
if you want to find out more opinions on treadmills, type in google "treadmill reviews" and you will see some info coming up that will help.
Consumer Reports has provided some very helpful articles on buying treadmills. We copied parts of it in a post in our exercise forum. Click here to read it. That was from the Jan 2005 issue. The Jan 2006 issue had pretty much the same thing to say.
In a nutshell, they recommended avoiding the treadmills you buy at Sears, Walmart, and similar stores, and looking for one from a sports store. Apparently they break down within a year and the warranties are very poor.
Like Jayde pointed out, make sure you check the weight limit, as some are surprisingly low. Often times, the lower the price, the lower the weight limit. Angie mentioned that she was told not to get a foldup model if you don't need it. I've also heard that they are more prone to breakdowns.
If you get one, please let us know your experiences
Shyla2001: You are so very thoughtful for just thinking about me. I hope you have a great Monday! Jayde, Abbeycat36, and Suzanne 3FC: Thank you so very much! I had no idea the differences between treadmills and a tremendous price difference. What an eye opener. We went to Walmart this evening and they had a few but after reading what you ladies said, I was very leary. The only one that would allow my weight was $375.00 and that's too much to spend if it's going to become a door stop in a week or two. Suzanne, I read the Consumer Reports article and I will need to drive to a major city to investigate quality treadmills, so I'll hold off for now. Thank you all so much for your thoughtfullness. You saved me alot of money. Bless you all!
Norma
When my husband came home he told me that in addition to Consumer reports he relied on the Treadmill Doctor. Google it and you'll get lots of info on just about any mill out there.
Honestly? I'd say you'd be hard pressed to find a good gym quality treadmill for under $1,000. I just got a Vision Fitness T9200 Deluxe for $1500 and even that was considered to be on the lower end of the high quality machines as the price range is $1300-$4800 for the VF mills. It is a space killer at 73"x29"", but then again... so am I!
You can always get whatever you want (previous posters made great points about what to look for) but I've gone the cheap route with equipment before and was sorely disappointed. In terms of cost it sometimes boils down to "pay now or pay later."
Do your homework and learn what the specs on the machines mean to you and what is important to you. My needs may not be yours. I want to keep this sucker forever and one day use it for running. In the meantime I use it everyday, sometimes twice a day. That is very heavy use and something from a department store would be dead in a month with that kind of use unless you got pretty lucky. Those $300 machines are really meant for casual use by skinny people. Not daily use by a baby elephant!
I agree with madscientist.... I was spoiled with the treadmills I used at the gym so now I know how good a quality machine feels. it's hard to go back!
The one we own is called a pacemaster bronze I think, it was $1500 Cdn if I remember correctly.
The eliptical we own is called a SportsArt, and I'm very happy with that also. It was the closest thing to gym quality but a bit less cost. It was twice the cost of our treadmill though. It's really nice to have 2 machines and be able to split my workout time between the 2 machines!!!! ( yeah I'm spoiled aren't I?)
Madscientist & Angie: You guys were a great help. I realize that there are lot more to treadmills than I ever imagined. I only want it to walk because it is so darn hot here during the summer. I am not much of a fan of walking, but I am making myself do it because I know it's good for me to do so. From what you've said and what I've been able to read about, it's a major investment and a waste of money to buy cheap. I opted for the "Walk Away the Pounds" dvd for now and when fall gets here I'll head outside. Who knows, I may learn to love to walk and reconsider at a later date. You guys are so great to share this information with me. Good luck with your weight loss and your love of exercise. You are a great motivation for us all.
Norma
Help on treadmills
