Treadmill & Elliptical Reviews

Budget Elliptical Trainer Reviews

Written by admin on June 29, 2009 – 6:31 pm -

Fitness reviews say that, in general, the best elliptical trainers cost at least $1,000. If $1,000 is beyond your budget for an elliptical trainer, you still have some options, but experts say you shouldn't expect a low-end machine to offer the same flexibility and durability as more expensive elliptical trainers. That's most evident in the manufacturer warranty. On the higher-quality elliptical machines above, one-year warranties are standard, but less expensive models often only back their machines with a 90-day warranty.

Reviews like the Schwinn 418 (est $800) , which wins a couple of best-buy ratings. The Schwinn 418 has a flywheel design, like the Smooth elliptical trainers above, and the handlebars move, providing an upper body workout. Heart-rate sensors are located on the handgrips. There are 12 programs, a weight capacity of 275 pounds, and an 18-inch stride, which should be comfortable for most users. Schwinn offers a 15-year frame warranty, shorter than the lifetime frame warranties offered by Precor and Smooth, but reviews say the quality and durability of the Schwinn 418 are excellent for this price range. Compared to the higher-end Spirit XE 350, the Schwinn has eight resistance levels compared to 20 for the Spirit. The Spirit has a higher weight limit and a two-year labor warranty. Schwinn only gives you a six-month labor warranty.

However, we're read some recent complaints about manufacturing flaws with the Schwinn 418. Several owners posting comments to Amazon.com report that the Schwinn elliptical trainer broke in the same place -- that the welds holding the mast to the frame are too weak. Although the price is low, the six-month labor warranty and reports of the exact same durability problem gives us pause. Though it costs more, the Spirit XE 350 comes with a two-year labor warranty.

In this price range, TreadmillDoctor.com likes the NordicTrack Elite 1300, Epic 1000 and ProForm 21.0 (est $850) . All three of these elliptical machines are made by the same manufacturer, Icon Health and Fitness. We found the ProForm to be a bit easier to find in stores. This model has an 18-inch stride, gel handgrips on the handles and 12 programs. Its big innovation is that it includes a few video games you can play on the small console screen. You control the games with the handgrips. Reviews say this feature is pretty gimmicky, but the elliptical trainer as a whole is a good value. Unfortunately, the ProForm warranty is one of the worst in the industry -- only 90 days on parts and labor. The weight limit is 250 pounds.

The Fitness Quest Eclipse 1100 HR/A elliptical trainer (*est. $400) has an unusual one-year limited warranty on parts and labor. Blake Bissaillion from BuildingMuscle101.com recommends the Fitness Quest Eclipse, saying that its steel frame is sturdy and won't wobble even at higher speeds and that it can support up to 275 pounds. Bissaillion says the Fitness Quest elliptical trainer is lightweight and compact enough to be wheeled from room to room. The Fitness Quest 1100 HR/A has a 275-pound weight limit, ten preset programs and two heart-rate-controlled programs -- a large number for this budget price range. The heart-rate sensors are in the handgrips, which move to provide an upper body workout. This model uses a flywheel design like the Smooth and Schwinn elliptical trainers above, but the stride length is only 15 inches, which may be too short for tall individuals (as opposed to the Spirit XE ellipticals above, which have a 20-inch stride). We found some good owner comments for this model.

Other reviewers like the ProForm 900 (est $600) . Like the Fitness Quest above, the ProForm 900 has handlebars for an upper body workout and an included heart-rate monitor, located on the handgrips. This ProForm elliptical trainer has six exercise programs, but at additional cost, you can download more programs from the Internet. It also has a fan in the console to keep you cool. Although these extra features sound nice, reviews say such things are often gimmicky, especially when the machine itself isn’t built to last. Reviews warn that the ProForm elliptical trainer does not have the stability of higher-priced elliptical trainers, plus ProForm's standard warranty is very short -- only 90 days.

At TreadmillDoctor.com, editors highlight the Image 8.5 (*est. $400). This model is also made by Icon Health and Fitness, and it shares the same short 90-day warranty. This flywheel model has a 17.5-inch stride, movable handles for an upper body workout, and a handgrip heart-rate monitor.

Important Features: Elliptical trainers
Reviews say to look for the following when purchasing an elliptical trainer:
• Make sure that the elliptical trainer is stable and that its motion is fluid and quiet. An elliptical trainer should never feel wobbly or jerky; some cheap machines have been reported to "walk" across the floor during use.
• The pedals should be comfortable, with a non-slip design. They should also provide a natural stance, meaning they aren't too wide or too narrow.
• Check the comfort of the handlebars. Handlebars should be ergonomic for correct posture and comfortably placed so you don't bump into them. Movable handles should move back and forth smoothly.
• Look for a machine with both programmed and manual courses, as well as dual-direction movement (forward and backward) to accommodate your changing workout needs.
• Most elliptical trainers offer varied resistance; make sure this is easy to adjust (either electronically or manually). Most experts prefer machines with an elevated incline, while others say increasing resistance and speed is just as effective.
• Make sure the display is easy to read and provides the information you're looking for. Most displays show speed, time and distance, but you may also want to see calories exerted per hour, degree of incline or heart rate.
• If you're buying an elliptical trainer for a tight space, consider the footprint.
• Experts say you should try out exercise equipment in the store before buying to make sure it fits your needs and budget.

Tags: exercise, Health & Nutrition, Home Gym, weight loss
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