Elliptical Buyer's Guide By Treadmills411.com

 

 

Elliptical Buyer's Guide By Treadmills411.com (2011-2012)

 

If you’ve never tried worked out on an elliptical until very recently, you’re not alone. Elliptical trainers are actually a fairly recent invention with the first one sold only in the 1990’s. Although elliptical trainers have not caught on to the extent that treadmills have, they are slowly appearing in more and more fitness centers and home gyms. This is perhaps due to the general public slowly recognizing its ability to deliver excellent cardiovascular workouts benefits without the detrimental effects that have traditionally plagued other cardiovascular fitness equipment.

 

As the elliptical trainer market is still rapidly developing and expanding, pricing is still not nearly as cutthroat or aggressive as say, the treadmill market. But if you’ve shopped online for an elliptical trainer, you’ll discover that your dollar will still go a long way with many excellent choices even in the under $1000 category. Since the production costs of elliptical trainers are usually less than that of treadmills, we expect the price of elliptical trainers to continue to drop as more players enter the market and competition intensifies.

 

How Much Should You Spend?

The cost of an elliptical trainer can vary widely from as little as $100 budget models to $5000 or more for commercial grade models. For most home users, we would recommend that you budget $500 to $1500 because that is the range where you’ll get the highest return for your dollar invested.  Ellipticals less than $1500 are likely to be very well equipped in terms of features but their reliability can really be a hit and miss at times.

This means that if you consider yourself as one of the more demanding users out there, you might consider ellipticals that are between $1500 and $2000 instead. Ellipticals in this price range may not show much improvement in terms of extra features but they usually make up for it by being more durable and reliable.

 

We usually won’t recommend users spend more than $2000 on a home elliptical because ellipticals in this price range are more recognized for their stability and reliability rather than their bells and whistles. This means you’ll likely be getting a true workhorse that won’t easily give up on you but it also means you might not be getting too many bells and whistles to keep you entertained. That’s why unless you’re absolutely positive you’ll give your elliptical hell in the months and years to come, it’s better to go with a lower cost model instead.  We should note that there are also some unique and somewhat experimental ellipticals like the Cybex Arc Trainers that are only available in this price range.

 

Here’s a chart that summarizes what you should expect in each price range.

 

Range	You Should Expect…	Ideal For…
$0-$650	There are some really bad ellipticals in this price range but there are also some that we would consider to be of excellent value as well. As the selection here is really quite plentiful but the quality can vary greatly, you really need to be diligent or you could be stuck with a bad deal. Of course, our reviews will usually reveal strengths and weaknesses you might have missed if you did the research on your own.	Those that are on a really tight budget Casual users Households with 1 or at  most 2 users
$651-$1000	The quality and features of ellipticals in this price group are generally significant better than the previous price group. Though you shouldn’t expect ellipticals in this price range to hold up to really demanding users, for the average household, there is a good chance you’ll find what you’re looking for here IF you research carefully.	Households with 1 to 3 casual or average users Users that are easily bored as ellipticals here can be well equipped with many extra features
$1001-$1500	We would say you’re most likely to find ellipticals that best balance features with reliability at a reasonable price in this price group. In fact, because this is one of the more competitive price areas for manufacturers, you’ll often see ellipticals that rival or are superior to ellipticals in the following price group. But for those that are willing to invest this amount on an elliptical, you’ll likely be a very satisfied customer. But if you’re one of the minority and you actually plan on putting your elliptical’s warranty to the test, you might consider moving up to the next price range.	Households with 1 to 4 casual or average users Households with 1 to 2 intense users Users that like ellipticals with a lot of extra features and functionalities Who want the best value for their money
$1501-$2000	Ellipticals here will usually sport features and functionalities that are slightly superior to the previous price group but we think the features alone do not justify the extra cost. What does justify the extra cost is the increased reliability backed up by an improved warranty. This means that if you do in fact, have very concrete plans on making the elliptical a part of your daily workout routine, you would definitely be doing yourself a favor by looking at the ellipticals here.	Households with 1 to 4 casual, average or intense users Users that want ellipticals with the best or close to the best bells and whistles on the market today Those who are willing to spend a bit more for a more reliable elliptical
$2000 and up	Ellipticals above $2000 can really vary widely in terms of durability/reliability and extra features/functionality. This is because both high end residential ellipticals and commercial grade ellipticals fall into this price group. If you don’t already know, residential ellipticals are usually strong on the bells and whistles front because for most users, being motivated to workout is half the challenge. On the other end, we have commercial models whose main goal is to make sure it doesn’t break down even if it’s worked to the ground day in and day out. For commercial models then, they’re usually not too concerned with having all the high tech features like high end residential models.	Buyers that are really hardcore workout enthusiasts would benefit from buying a commercial elliptical Buyers that want the most high tech and feature-filled ellipticals as well as a relatively reliable elliptical should look to the high end residential models

 

What You Should Know About Buying Online

If you decide to buy your elliptical online, you need to be aware of the various marketing tactics that elliptical merchants use so you don’t get duped into making a bad decision. One of the most common tactics is the “limited time offers” or more commonly known as “sales”.

 

If you’ve spent more than one week researching before making your elliptical purchase, you probably would have discovered that there are always sales of one form or another at any given time on the retailer’s website. It follows then that when there’s a sale every day of the week, sale prices become the new regular price or at least that’s often the case when shopping online.

 

This is not to say that there are no real sales going out as there are definitely times when certain items are discounted more aggressively than usual, but unless you’ve been tracking the pricing strategies of the companies for as long as we have, it would be very difficult to tell. Lucky for you, we provide pricing guidance on each of our review pages to help you determine if and when something is truly a good deal.

 

Who Should You Trust For Elliptical Recommendations?

Although we do the best we can with the limited resources we have to provide you with what we consider the best elliptical reviews on the web, the reality is that it’s still not easy to match a potential buyer with an elliptical that best matches his/her needs. One reason is the sheer number of ellipticals available with literally thousands of models sold in just the last decade alone. Another reason is because we have not interacted with you personally so we cannot make tailored recommendations just for you as we do not know what your exact needs are or what your budget is.

 

With so many unknown variables, we still try our best to review the ellipticals in as detailed fashion as possible but we know there is still a lot of room for improvement.

 

With that said, we should let you in on a little secret. Almost all reviews on the internet are in one form or another biased. The reason reviews are biased is because reviews are usually tied in with some type of financial interests. For example, even though we take the review process seriously and tell it like it is, the truth is, we wouldn’t be reviewing the products in the first place if elliptical manufacturers don’t offer some form of financial compensation. This is the same with most other elliptical review websites on the web (not just ours) that get compensated in one form or another.

 

But what about user reviews? Believe it or not, oftentimes, manufacturers would post fictitious reviews that they had written themselves or worse, they may also post negative reviews for ellipticals released by their competitors. Though both user and expert reviews are biased, the reviews themselves are often helpful since they help point out common problems or overlooked strengths of the product. This is exactly why when we review the products, we list not only the possible strengths/pros but also all the weaknesses/cons that we’re able to find. 

 

Beyond listing the pros and cons of the product however, we actually go one step further and assign a final, numerical score to the elliptical based on 46 different factors. We hope that by using numbers, we can remove at least some of the bias inherent in all elliptical reviews.

 

“Isn’t 46 factors a lot?” It sure is but we take this painstakingly time consuming approaching in reviewing the products so you get the fairest and most objective look at an elliptical as possible. Read on for the 46 factors!

 

What should you look for when buying an elliptical?

If you’ve never bought an elliptical before, you will no doubt be overwhelmed by the longlist of components and features that sellers bombard you with. You will start asking questions like what and why is the elliptical stride length important? How many built-in workout programs are recommended? What does feature X do? Is feature Y more important than feature Z?

 

Lucky for you, we’ve compiled a list of 46 items that one can and should consider before making their elliptical purchase. If you are patient enough to read through this list of 46 items below, you will have almost no trouble understanding the elliptical jargon and terms on the retailer’s websites. You will also gain a better understanding of just which items are more important and what probably doesn’t matter in the long run.

 

This list of 46 items is the exact same criteria we used to evaluate and rate an elliptical. It is also what we use to arrive at a single, numerical score for all the ellipticals we have on the site. As the list is quite long, it may be impractical for you to read each and every single one so it might be better for you to just skip to the ones you’re interested in. Or alternatively, you can skip this guide entirely and just read the reviews on our site. But for those that decide to do their own research, we believe the following section will prove immensely useful and will be the only guide you need.

 

Criteria 1 – Maximum Stride Length

Explanation

One of the first things you’ll see mentioned when buying an elliptical is the stride length.  Stride lengths can be as short as 13” to as long as 30” in some cases and they are basically a measure of how far you can stretch on the elliptical.

 

Our Thoughts

Though the length of the stride can vary widely, the majority of users would find a stride length of 19” to 22” to be almost always suitable. You’ll also encounter some ellipticals that comes with multiple or adjustable stride lengths. One major selling point of these adjustable stride length ellipticals is that it allows users to train different muscle groups as it is the stride length that determines which muscles do the most work. Multiple stride lengths also have the additional benefit of allowing users of different statures to find a length that feels the most comfortable to them.

 

Criteria 2 – Resistance Levels

Explanation

Perhaps the most common method to increase the difficulty of a workout on an elliptical trainer is by adjusting the resistance level. On an elliptical trainer, this is accomplished by the braking mechanism which resists the motion of the flywheel (the circular structure you see at the base of the elliptical). Most home ellipticals come with an average of 16 resistance levels but a few have more than 20 resistance levels.

 

Our Thoughts

The number of levels of resistance does not necessarily tell us just how much resistance is being applied by the brakes at each level. For example, if elliptical A and elliptical B both have exactly 20 resistance levels each, the highest resistance level setting on elliptical A could be easier/harder than that of elliptical B. As more resistance levels simply mean the maximum resistance is more finely segmented, more levels does not necessarily equate to an increased difficulty. We think 20 levels is a fine enough segmentation and anything beyond really doesn’t add much to the user experience.

 

Criteria 3 – Max Incline/Ramp

Explanation

For practically all treadmills, you’ll likely find some sort of incline function. Unlike treadmills however, not all elliptical trainers have the incline/ramp feature which allows you to pedal at an incline which can greatly increase the difficulty of your workout. A rough estimate to how many elliptical trainers with adjustable incline is around 50%.

 

Our Thoughts

Most inclines are electronically powered but some will require you to adjust it manually by hand which can be quite annoying since you actually have to stop and get off the elliptical to make the adjustment. 

 

We would also like to point out that incline ramps are often mentioned as a % which is misleading at times because you can’t tell what that % translates to in terms of actual angular degrees.

 

Criteria 4 – Built-in Programs

Explanation

Some people like to work out at their own pace while others like to have their workout planned out for them. For those who prefer the latter, the built-in programs then are a popular option because it allows users to challenge predefined courses which are usually approved or even designed by certified personal trainers or professionals.

 

Our Thoughts

Since buyers of ellipticals come in all shapes and sizes and everyone’s fitness level is different, companies will often go the route of trying to include programs for everyone. What usually happens then is you’ll find a few programs perfect for your current fitness level but end up with a lot of programs that you won’t use because they’re too easy or difficulty. So the more programs your elliptical has, the longer the list of programs you’ll like but also the longer the list of programs you’ll likely never touch.

 

We think 15 to 20 programs is a number that would satisfy most users but we wouldn’t complain if it came with 30 or more. Though no one would complain of too many workout programs, we think beyond 30, additional programs don’t really add much value and become redundant.

 

Criteria 5 – Air Fans

Explanation

Air fans are basically small fans integrated into the console to help users cool down.

 

Our Thoughts

Let’s face it, working out is not the most comfortable thing in the world for a lot of people. When people think of exercising, they get this picture in their mind where they’re sweating heavily and feeling uncomfortably hot. That’s why you see a lot of elliptical trainers come with fans to help users cool down.

 

In theory, air fans are an excellent addition but in reality, we think it’s somewhat gimmicky.  Though it’s possible to adjust the speed of the fans on some models, users have complained of the fans being too weak to make a difference or simply blowing in the wrong places. Perhaps users had too high of an expectation for this gimmicky feature so that’s why we’re warning you in advance to keep your expectations in check.

 

This is not to say that air fans are of no value but their value is largely dependent on the user’s height and how hard they sweat.

 

Criteria 6 – Water Bottle Holder

Explanation

A water bottle holder is an apparatus that holds a water bottle.

 

Our Thoughts

Most elliptical consoles are smaller than those of treadmills so the water bottle holder is often located not beside the console but under it. If you’re out doing research on your own and the company did not state whether it has a water bottle holder in the specifications, check the product image to see if there is anything resembling a cup holder underneath the console.

 

Criteria 7 – Foot Pedals

Explanation

The foot pedals are the structures where you place your feet when working out on an elliptical.

 

Our Thoughts

If you think about it, for the entire duration of your workout, your feet will be in constant contact with the elliptical’s pedals. If the pedals were poorly designed and constructed, your workout experience would surely suffer. In fact, we would wager that a lot of people overlook this fact when making their elliptical purchase.

 

Foot pedals come with many different configurations. Beyond the most basic configuration which is essentially a piece of plastic that you put your feet on, foot pedals can also be adjustable, cushioned and/or designed ergonomically.  

 

Adjustable foot pedals usually refer to how you can adjust the angle of the foot pedals. Cushioned foot pedals are foot pedals that come with some padding on top of pedals to reduce the strain put on your legs. A pedal is considered ergonomic when its pedals are extra-large/oversized, articulating or it’s been designed in such a way so that the striding motion is more natural because of it.

 

As your elliptical workout experience can be significantly affected by the foot pedals it comes with, we urge you to pay special attention when you’re shopping for an elliptical. Though nothing beats trying out an elliptical in person, a close second is to see if the manufacturers used terms such as adjustable, ergonomic, articulating, cushioned or oversized when describing the foot pedals.

 

The best foot pedals are adjustable, cushioned, and ergonomic all at the same time.

 

Criteria 8 – Handlebar Grips

Explanation

We’ve just finished stressing how your feet are always in contact with the elliptical, now we’re going to talk about your hands. Most ellipticals feature some sort of handle for you to hold on to when you’re working out. This is referred to as the handlebar or handlebar grips.

 

Our Thoughts

Since you’ll always be holding on to the handlebars, it makes sense for them to be as comfortable as possible. Although it’s difficult to tell just exactly how comfortable the handlebar grips are without testing them out in person, the product specs sometimes do reveal whether manufacturers go the extra mile here. For example, some are described as extra soft while some are described as molded.  

 

Besides the handlebars that you hold on to when working out, some ellipticals also feature handrails that are found on the side. These are handy if you prefer something fixed to hold on to. This is great for those who prefer to keep their arms still and work only their lower body.

 

In conclusion, remember to look for some type of enhancement to the hand grips, handlebars or side handrails.

 

Criteria 9 – Reverse Stride Motion

Explanation

If you think the forward striding motion is the only direction an elliptical is capable of going, you’re in for a surprise. Like bicycles, ellipticals don’t usually allow you to go in the opposite direction but also like bicycles, there are definitely some ellipticals that allow you to pedal in the opposite/backward direction.  In elliptical terminology, we call it reverse or reversible stride motion.

 

Our Thoughts

After looking at dozens of ellipticals, we’re surprised at just how many ellipticals are lacking this common feature. We hope more manufacturers implement this into their design in the future as it can easily add a different dimension to the user experience. An elliptical that allows you to pedal forward and backward will train different muscle groups as well.

 

Criteria 10 – Self Improvement Programs

Explanation

Self-improvement programs can come in many different forms. For example, a fitness test a user can take to see how fit they currently are, or imaginary competitions against yourself or predetermined targets for you to overcome. Basically anything that goes above and beyond the basic built-in workouts to allow users to easily determine if they’re making progress.

 

Our Thoughts

For most people that bought an elliptical, they bought it with some sort of goal in mind be it to lose weight, improve cardiovascular fitness or even a broader goal such as to become healthier. Most ellipticals can definitely help you attain these goals but for most users after they’ve bought their elliptical, they’re pretty much on their own. Users will have to decide how to train, how long to train for, what numbers to track and so on. For those who are just starting out, there’s just a mind boggling number of variables and roadblocks.

 

That is why we hope to see more brands in the future include some sort of program or function that can guide users to slowly improve over time. For example, fitness tests to assess your current level now and one month from now or competitions against yourself or someone of the same age as you. Though these types of self-improvement features are not yet that popular, we believe ellipticals that have chosen to implement them are going in the right direction.

 

Criteria 11 – Personalization

Explanation

Another function that we commonly find missing in ellipticals is the ability to personalize it by inputting your own data or by creating your own profile. Ellipticals that have this function allow you to keep track of things such as the total time you’ve spent on the elliptical since you first bought it or the total calories you’ve burned in the course of the year.

 

Our Thoughts

It’s possible to keep track of these things yourself without the aid of an elliptical but having these functions built-in by default certainly help enhance the feeling of ownership. It’s not a big deal if your elliptical doesn’t keep track of your personal workout history or remember your name but it’s definitely a touch that manufacturers can easily implement.

 

Criteria 12 – Heart Rate Monitors

Explanation

On an elliptical, you can determine your heart rate either by gripping the metallic grips or you can make use of a strap that you attach to your chest which then sends a signal to the console of your elliptical.

 

Our Thoughts

The theory goes that depending on what heart rate you train at, the results you get will differ. This is why you’ll see many ellipticals and treadmills come with the ability to monitor your heart rate so that you can reach and stay in a certain zone which will supposedly greatly increase the rate of fat loss for example.

 

Certain ellipticals also include heart rate control programs which automatically adjust the intensity of your workouts based on your heart rate. These programs are especially useful if you believe it is important to train in a specific heart rate zone for optimal results. Beware of heart rate control programs if your elliptical doesn’t accurately detect your heart rate because you could be pushed to work harder than what your body is capable of.

 

If you’re really serious about monitoring your heart rate, you should go the wireless chest strap option because it’s usually more accurate than the metallic contact grips.  You also tend to notice it less after you’ve entered the “zone” which is when you’re so intensely focused on the workout that you don’t pay much attention to anything else around you including the strap.

 

For entry level ellipticals, most only have contact grips and few would have or support wireless chest straps. There are also some that are compatible with the strap but requires a separate purchase usually between $50 and $100. A lot of the more popular ellipticals have and support both the grip and strap options.

 

Criteria 13 – MP3 Player Support

Explanation

Ellipticals now allow you to plug in your own MP3 players and listen to music via the elliptical’s built in speakers. For those that don’t enjoy the uncomfortable feeling of earphones when working out or don’t want to use an external sound system, you’ll appreciate the elliptical’s built-in speakers.

 

Our Thoughts

One of the most common problems elliptical trainer users encounter is boredom. Working out on a machine for hours is mind numbingly dull at times so we applaud elliptical companies for including built-in sound systems which is at the very least, a good attempt at solving the boredom problem.

 

Though listening to music via the elliptical’s speakers sounds awesome in theory, one problem you may encounter is the quality of your music can take a hit. After all, your elliptical is a fitness machine, not a home entertainment system. The sound quality can thus vary widely depending on the speakers and how hard you’re working out. Be modest with your expectations for this one.

 

Criteria 14 – TV Support

Explanation

Ellipticals with TV support are essentially, ellipticals that allow you to watch TV via its console screen. Besides letting the console screen act as a TV, there are other separate add on options like the INVU LCD which is basically a vertical stand equipped with a TV and DVD player that you can place in front of the elliptical.

 

Our Thoughts

One of the best ways to kill boredom associated with working out is by watching TV.  We’re actually quite surprised that not more companies are going down this route considering how sharply TV prices have dropped in recent years. Perhaps TV ellipticals will never catch on especially since the internet is becoming more and more an integral part of our lives.

 

Right now, due to the scarcity of TV ellipticals, you would need to pay somewhat of a premium for one. If you plan on placing your elliptical close to a TV screen such as in your living room, a TV elliptical is probably redundant.

 

Criteria 15 – Money Back Guarantee

Explanation

Pretty much every elliptical seller we’ve come across offers a money back guarantee which allows you to return the product within a set number of days for a refund. But since it takes money to ship out the product in the first place, companies usually charge a restocking fee to recoup the expenses.

 

Our Thoughts

When shopping online for something as expensive as an elliptical, it is certainly reassuring to know that you can return the product should it not be to your liking. Since most return periods are 30 days, you have sufficient but not an excessive amount of time to test it out. We hope more companies start offering 60 day return periods which is what some companies have started doing.

 

It’s unfortunate if you end up buying an elliptical not to your liking especially if you’ve done a lot of research but it’s better to return something if it truly isn’t to your liking. After all, if it’s something that you don’t like and won’t use, it’ll just sit there collecting dust anyway so might as well return it.

 

Criteria 16 – Time Display On Console

Explanation

The time is displayed on the elliptical console and usually in minutes and hours.

 

Our Thoughts

The console of an elliptical can show a lot of different information but there are a few that we believe are absolute essentials with time being one of them. We’ve come across only a very small handful of ellipticals without displaying the time so this isn’t something you need to worry about unless it’s really of the super low budget variety.

 

Criteria 17 – Distance/Strides Display On Console

Explanation

Another item on the console that we think all ellipticals should have is the distance display which is often displayed as a stride count.

 

Our Thoughts

Knowing how long you’ve worked out is important but so is knowing how much distance you’ve covered. Unlike treadmills which simulate running or recumbent bikes which simulates cycling, you can’t really “cover distance” on an elliptical. As a result, distance is often not measured in meters but in the number of strides instead.

 

The distance display is practically found on all elliptical consoles so you might question just how outdated your elliptical is if it lacks this vital stat.

 

Criteria 18 – Calories Display On Console

Explanation

Along with the distance and time on the console, the calories burned display is one of the most common.

 

Our Thoughts

If you’ve ever wondered about the accuracy of the calories counter, well wonder no more. The truth is that the calorie counter is usually just a rough estimate especially if the elliptical did not ask you to input your personal information such as your weight. But even if the calories burned count is not 100% accurate, it’s still a good idea for manufacturers to include it because it’s a huge motivator for some to know they’ve burned an X number of calories even if it’s just a ballpark estimate.

 

Criteria 19 – Console Design

Explanation

For those not familiar with elliptical terminology, the console is where you input the settings on your elliptical such as the resistance. It is also where vital information such as time, calories burned or distance travelled is displayed.

 

Our Thoughts

Most consoles are for the most part, designed with the user in mind so most users would not have any major complaints in the aesthetics or easy-to-use department. But occasionally, there are some consoles that really make us wonder what the engineers were thinking when they designed it. For the consoles that we deem particularly outdated or poorly designed, we do penalize it a bit. Conversely, we also award extra points when we feel the console is designed exceptionally well.

 

Criteria 20 – Frame Warranty

Explanation

The frame warranty is obviously, how long the frame is warranted but just what exactly is the frame? The frame is basically the structure that supports all the individual little pieces like the foot pads or the console. Generally, if something broke on your elliptical and it’s a broken piece that can be ordered, it’s probably a part which is not the frame.

 

Our Thoughts

Unless you’ve been abusing your elliptical, the frame is usually something that won’t need replacing. Frame warranties are more often than not, warranted for life or decades for a reason and that reason is you’re unlikely to cause enough damage for it to break down on you. But if you see an elliptical with an exceptionally short frame warranty such as 5 years, you really have reason to question the quality of the product if the sturdiness component might not even last 5 years.

 

Criteria 21 – Brakes Warranty

Explanation

The brake is what creates the resistance on an elliptical. There are various types of brakes that ellipticals can use with Eddy Current Brakes being arguably, the most advanced and less prone to breakdown.  A brakes warranty is then simply the warranty for this braking mechanism.

 

Our Thoughts

Not all elliptical manufacturers will list a separate brakes warranty. This means that for those that don’t, your brakes warranty is usually as long as your parts warranty which is not very long in most cases.

 

Brakes don’t usually breakdown that often especially if they’re of the Eddy Current type which doesn’t require physical contact to create the resistance. Generally speaking, it’s good to know if a brake warranty is listed separately since it’s usually longer than the parts warranty but don’t worry too much even if it isn’t.

 

Criteria 22 – Parts Warranty

Explanation

The parts warranty basically covers you for any parts that are defective or breaks down through regular but proper use. The parts warranty is shorter than the frame warranty because the number of parts is numerous and the possibility of any of those parts breaking down is much higher. But since parts are relatively cheap compared to labor, the parts warranty is usually longer than the labor warranty.

 

Our Thoughts

One way to quickly assess the reliability of an elliptical is by looking at the parts warranty. We view the length of the parts warranty as the manufacturer’s way of saying how confident they are in the reliability of their product. After all, most companies would be hesitant in providing a long parts warranty if it does not believe its product can outlast it.

 

Roughly speaking, if you bought an elliptical for less than $1000, a 1 to 2 year warranty is considered average depending on how far below $1000 it is. Three years is considered above average and quite impressive for a sub $1000 elliptical. For ellipticals that cost between $1000 and $1500, we think 5 years is pretty impressive.  Above $1500, we think you should be cautious if the parts warranty is not at least 5 years.

 

Criteria 23 – Labor Warranty

Explanation

The labor warranty covers for any costs associated with sending a technician to your home to inspect or fix your elliptical. Should you need the technician to install a replacement part, the labor warranty also usually covers this as well.

 

Our Thoughts

The labor warranty is without exception, always shorter or at the most, as long as the parts warranty but for good reason. Technician visits are expensive and can greatly erase whatever profit the company gained from selling you the elliptical. If a particular model had a large number of problems, a long labor warranty could turn into a very expensive headache for the company. As a result, you’ll almost never see a labor warranty longer than 2 years.

 

Since labor is so costly, we think that even if companies are confident in the quality of their products, they may be reluctant to offer a long labor warranty because a miscalculation could be financially disastrous. Yet, if you ever see an exceptionally long labor warranty or even a longer than average labor warranty for a budget elliptical, it’s a huge vote of confidence for the product’s reliability.

 

One year is pretty much standard even for higher priced models so anytime the labor warranty is less than 1 year should be a cause for concern. Two years is also quite common for $1000+ ellipticals but three years labor is almost unheard of at any price.

 

Criteria 24 – Unit Weight

Explanation

The unit weight refers to how many pounds the elliptical weighs.

 

Our Thoughts

If you know the weight of the elliptical, you can make a pretty good educated guess on just how sturdy and durable the elliptical is. This is because the heavier the elliptical, the more actual material there is. And when there’s more material, it simply means there is more material to absorb whatever force or pressure you exert on it. We’re not saying that a heavy elliptical exempts it from breakdowns but it does significantly reduce the likelihood of it happening.

 

A good way to determine if an elliptical is heavy enough for you is to take the weight of the heaviest user in your household and add 50 pounds to it. If that number is less than the weight of the elliptical, your elliptical is more than heavy enough. If the elliptical is at least as heavy as the heaviest user, it is still very safe but not ideal. For users that weigh more than the elliptical, a 50 pound difference is still acceptable but not ideal. A 50 to 100 pound difference is borderline acceptable and you’re just playing with fire if the difference is greater than 100 pounds.

 

Example: a 250 pound user should be OK with a 150 pound elliptical but we would recommend a 250+ pound elliptical if at all possible.

 

Unfortunately, many elliptical merchants do not reveal the weight of their machines so users are often left in the dark here. As a result, most people end up relying on the user weight capacity to decide if the elliptical is sturdy enough for them but the method above is a much more conservative and reliable indicator.

 

Criteria 25 – Maximum User Weight

Explanation

The maximum user weight (or user weight capacity) tells you how heavy a user the elliptical can support. If the user weight capacity is 350 lbs for example, users that weigh 351 lbs or more would be deemed unsuited to use the elliptical due to safety issues.

 

Our Thoughts

Unlike the actual weight of the machine, this number can be easily manipulated by elliptical retailers because there’s just no real standard that engineers use to arrive at this number. We think that merchants tend to exaggerate this number to boost sales so as a buyer, you should take this number with a grain of salt.

 

To determine if the weight capacity given by the seller is reliable, take the user weight capacity and subtract the weight of the machine. If the difference is 100 pounds or more (which is often the case), take the number with a grain of salt. A 100 pound difference or less is good but a 50 pound difference or less is ideal.

 

If you don’t know the weight of the machine, instead of using the suggested maximum user weight, subtract the suggested maximum user weight capacity provided by 50 pounds to arrive at a conservative estimate.

 

Example 1: If the company states a 350 lb weight capacity, we recommend only  users who weigh no more than 300 lbs use the machine because there’s at least a 50 pound difference.

 

Example 2: If the company states a 350 lb weight capacity but you also know the machine weighs 220lb, instead of subtracting 50 pounds, add 100lbs to the weight of the machine to get 220+100=320lb. This is in our opinion, a safer and more reliable estimation than the 350lbs suggested by the manufacturer. 

 

As a general rule, the greater the difference between your weight and the maximum user weight capacity, the better.

 

Criteria 26 – Flywheel Weight

Explanation

At the base of every elliptical, you’ll find a wheel called the flywheel.

 

Our Thoughts

The heavier the flywheel, the better the overall workout experience because it is the weight of the flywheel that determines just how smooth the striding motion is. After looking at dozens of ellipticals however, we’ve discovered that merchants usually do not provide this information. This is unfortunate for potential buyers like you as it becomes much more difficult to determine if the workout experience on a particular elliptical is a good one without this information.

 

Bonus Criteria

There are certain components or features that we think all ellipticals should have and thus all elliptical sellers should aim to provide. Items 1 through 26 described above are thus considered essential in our rating system.

 

There are also certain items that are quite a rarity at this point and we thus don’t expect all ellipticals to come with. Items 27 to 46 described below fit this description and are considered optional but for models that have these features, it would earn bonus points in our rating system.

 

A good analogy to understanding our rating system is the tests you take in school. The test has certain questions that are MANDATORY and certain questions that are considered BONUS or optional. The mandatory questions are usually questions that students should be able to answer because it is part of the course curriculum while the bonus questions are optional, usually quite difficult and fall outside the course requirements. Our rating system mimics this by grouping all common features as MANDATORY and all unique/unusual features as BONUS.

 

For example, we expect all ellipticals to include a parts warranty (mandatory) but we don’t expect any elliptical to include a web surfing function (bonus/optional).

 

Criteria 27 (Bonus) – Shipping and Assembly

Explanation

When you buy an elliptical, most sellers include free curbside shipping which means you’re responsible for hauling the elliptical inside the house as well as assembling it. To attract buyers, merchants may occasionally offer upgraded shipping plans free of charge for specific models or within a certain promotional period.

 

Our Thoughts

If just the thought of assembling the machine or hauling something that’s heavier than you is causing you a headache, you would definitely appreciate this freebie that sellers occasionally throw in. But since most of the time, this is not offered as part of your purchase, you would have to pay this out of your own pocket which is usually a few hundred extra dollars. For some such as the elderly, this may be money well spent.

 

Criteria 28 (Bonus) – Decline Ramp

Explanation

Most ellipticals with a ramp are of the incline variety. A relatively small number now offer a second type which declines instead of inclines.

 

Our Thoughts

The decline ramp is still a relatively new invention but one we would like to see more companies start to adopt in the near future. Unfortunately, many elliptical manufacturers have not even incorporated the incline ramp into their machines yet so you’re unlikely to see ellipticals with decline ramps in any significant numbers any time soon. If the elliptical you’re eyeing has this feature, know that it’s definitely a rarity at this point.

 

Criteria 29 (Bonus) – iFit

Explanation

Ellipticals sold under by ICON Health and Fitness which includes brands such as Nordictrack, Proform and half a dozen others sometimes incorporate a technology called iFit into their products. For ellipticals that have this iFit feature, you can load additional workout programs into your console via the purchase of additional iFit Cards.  With iFit, the number of workout programs is limited only by the number of different iFit Cards that you purchase.

 

Our Thoughts

iFit Cards are slowly being phased out and replaced by the newer iFit Live technology which utilizes the internet and Google Maps to create new and unique workout programs. Though iFit is useful, we think iFit Live is far superior because it goes beyond just offering additional workout programs.

 

Criteria 30 (Bonus) – iFit Live

Explanation

The Nordictrack and Proform brands have started pushing out a new technology called iFit Live in the last 2 years. This new technology not only allows you to download new workout courses from the internet, it also offers a plethora of other options such as customized fitness plans, workout stats tracking as well as nutritional food plans.

 

Our Thoughts

The iFit Live is one of the more innovative things we’ve seen elliptical companies come out with in the past few years. With the internet rapidly becoming an integral part of our everyday lives, it’s no wonder that even fitness equipment retailers are jumping on this bandwagon.

 

As impressive as we think the iFit Live is, it does require you to pay a monthly subscription usually after the first year. There are also some models which support but do not include the module (which plugs into the elliptical console or connects to your computer) which will set you back another $100 or so.  

 

Criteria 31 (Bonus) – Handle Bar Controls

Explanation

Resistance or ramp adjustments are usually done via the keys on the console but to make things more convenient, some ellipticals have started including these keys on the handlebar or upper arms as well.

 

Our Thoughts

This is a nice touch but by no means necessary since the console is already very close to the handlebars on an elliptical.

 

Criteria 32 (Bonus) – Motion Controls

Explanation

Ellipticals with motion controls allow you to adjust certain settings such as the resistance when simply by waving your hands close to the sensors. We believe Smooth Fitness patented this technology so don’t expect other companies to have this function anytime soon.

 

Our Thoughts

This is another feature that’s nice to have but you can definitely do without. If you prefer sticking to basics, you’ll probably find the regular up and down keys to be much more straightforward and easy to use.

 

Criteria 33 (Bonus) – Web Browser

Explanation

A web browser is basically a software program you use to surf the web such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome or Safari. One elliptical manufacturer has started the trend of incorporating web browsing software into their console so you can now surf the web on your elliptical while you work out.

 

Our Thoughts

You shouldn’t expect your elliptical’s web browser software to perform nearly as well as the version found on your computer or even your phone. An elliptical’s first and primary use is after all, to help you improve your health and fitness, not to surf the web. Having said that, we do think using your elliptical to surf the web is an excellent innovation albeit somewhat experimental. Your experience with it can vary greatly. It’s probably sufficient if you’re only doing the basics such as checking your email, reading the news or surfing Facebook but for more complicated tasks, it’s best to stick to your computer.

 

Criteria 34 (Bonus) – Aesthetics

Explanation

There are certain ellipticals we feel just look better than the rest and we award bonus points if we feel a certain elliptical just really stands out aesthetically.

 

Our Thoughts

Some ellipticals just have an exceptionally awesome or high tech console while others have a real fine exterior finish on the frame. Some have both.

 

We believe working out on a “pretty” elliptical can really make the experience that much more enjoyable so we’ve opted to give bonus points whenever we think an elliptical excels aesthetically.

 

Criteria 35 (Bonus) – Adjustable Strides

Explanation

Some ellipticals have a fixed stride which is another way of saying it has only one stride length. Others have adjustable strides which is another way of saying it has more than one stride length.

 

Our Thoughts

More ellipticals should start offering multiple/adjustable stride lengths in the future. An elliptical with adjustable stride lengths not only allows users of different stature to find a length that’s most suited for them, it also allows users to train different muscles resulting in a more effective workout. It’s unfortunate that most ellipticals still only offer one stride length by default.

 

Criteria 36 (Bonus) – Secondary Functions

Explanation

Most elliptical trainers are exactly that but there are some elliptical trainers that are really 2 in 1 or 3 in 1 machines. These not only act as elliptical trainers but can also function as ab machines or steppers.

 

Our Thoughts

If your first thought is 2 for the price of 1 or 3 for the price of 1, don’t hold your breath. After all, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is so if a machine boasts of other functions besides elliptical striding, you should be extra careful.

 

But to be fair, some of them do in fact perform admirably for all the functions they advertise but we would recommend you take a closer look at the price of the machine to gauge whether the deal is too good to be true.

 

Criteria 37 (Bonus) – Interactive Games

Explanation

You can surf the web on your elliptical and you can also watch TV on your elliptical so why can’t you play games on your elliptical? It turns out, you actually you can.

 

Our Thoughts

There aren’t too many ellipticals that come with games these days but they do exist. The games aren’t terribly exciting and are frankly, lame in some cases but they do have some entertainment value especially for those who are bored out of their mind while working out. It’s a nice touch but don’t get your hopes up.

 

Criteria 38 (Bonus) – Addon Program Downloads/Online Interactive Features

Explanation

We’re seeing a trend where more and more companies are using the internet to enhance the workout experience for elliptical trainer users. Thus far, we’ve seen companies offer customized workout programs that you can follow on your elliptical, downloadable add-on workout programs and stats tracking among others.

 

Our Thoughts

This is a fabulous trend that we hope more companies start adopting in the future. The internet is arguably, one of the most useful toolboxes mankind has ever invented and if you can effectively make use of it, it can really be invaluable towards attaining your health and fitness goals.

 

Criteria 39 (Bonus) – Fixed and Moving Handlebar/Arms Design

Explanation

Handlebars come in three different varieties: fixed, moving and both fixed and moving.

 

Our Thoughts

For elliptical arms that are movable, you’re simultaneously working both your upper and lower body.  For fixed handlebars, because your upper body is still for the most part, you’re mainly training your lower body. Depending on which part of your body you want to train, both fixed and moving can be useful so neither is necessarily is better. However, for an elliptical with both options, you don’t have to choose and two is definitely better than one in this case.

 

Criteria 40 (Bonus) – Compact Footprint/Folding Design

Explanation

Ellipticals that were designed with space conscious users in mind usually employ one of two methods. The first method is to make the length shorter than others. (We consider 52” or less to be compact in our rating system). The second method is by making the elliptical foldable.

 

Our Thoughts

We’re somewhat divided on this. On one hand, it makes sense to save space whenever possible. On the other hand, by making the elliptical excessively compact and squishing everything close together, the durability is likely going to take a hit. Though we award bonus points for foldable ellipticals in the features category, we also deduct the same number of points in the quality category.

 

Criteria 41 & 42 (Bonus) – Extended Parts and Labor Warranty

Explanation

From time to time, retailers may decide to offer a limited time extended warranty on both the parts and labor on a certain model or for their entire lineup. One year is the most common length of the extended warranty.

 

Our Thoughts

We mentioned earlier that a long parts and labor warranty is a good and reliable indicator of a company’s confidence in their own products. But for an extended parts and labor warranty, it may be a less reliable of an indicator since it’s sometimes offered on a seasonal or promotional basis to boost lagging sales for example. Nonetheless, if you were to purchase an extended labor and parts warranty separately, it would usually cost you about a $100 extra which isn’t an enormous amount of money saved but does make a difference.

 

Criteria 43 (Points Deducted) – Wheel Location

Explanation

The majority of elliptical trainers have their flywheels located at the back or in the front making these two designs, the most time tested and common. There is a third location and that location is the center.

 

Our Thoughts

Flywheels located in the center (usually just beside where you place your feet) are the least common of the three and as a result, are also the least tested of the three. For this reason, their breakdown rate may be slightly higher than the other designs. This is not to say that you should stay away from center drive ellipticals in all cases, but you might want to stick with a front or rear drive elliptical unless there’s a very specific reason for wanting a center drive elliptical.

 

Criteria 44 (Points Deducted) – Folding

Explanation

Though folding is a handy feature like we described above, a folding elliptical may be less stable and more prone to breakdown.

 

Our Thoughts

Similar to folding treadmills, we deduct points for quality whenever we see folding ellipticals because of the higher likelihood of breakdown. Another unintended consequence of folding up your elliptical is that it requires extra motivation to unfold which is bad news for those who already need encouragement to exercise regularly.

 

Criteria 45 (Bonus) – Brake/Resistance System

Explanation

There are several ways to create the resistance needed for brakes to work. One of the more common ways you’ve likely seen is the one on your bicycle which uses some sort of clamping mechanism to create enough friction to stop the wheels dead in its track. Ellipticals can use this mechanism as well but you’ll often see another more advanced mechanism known as Eddy Current Braking. ECB for short, resistance is created by passing an electric current through the electromagnets. Since there is no physical contact between the brakes and the flywheel, the possibility of a brake failure is much less likely.

 

Our Thoughts

If you find a long warranty on an elliptical brake, your brake is probably of the Eddy Current Brake variety. Though you could say it doesn’t matter what type of brake it is as long as it does the job, knowing the chances of a breakdown are significantly reduced earns a few extra quality points in our rating system.

 

Criteria 46 (Bonus) – Light Commercial Warranty

Explanation

You’ll sometimes see high end home/residential ellipticals be warranted in light commercial settings. If this is the case with the elliptical you’re purchasing, you should interpret it as a huge vote of confidence from the manufacturer. After all, in a light commercial setting, the demands placed on the machine are much more intensive and thus the chances of something going wrong are much higher.

There is no official definition of what light commercial means in the fitness industry but an unofficial definition you can use is that a light commercial setting is somewhere between your home and your local gym.

 

Our Thoughts

Though by no means a guarantee against possible problems, knowing that your elliptical is good for settings tougher than your average home is somewhat reassuring. But what you’ll see with some “light commercial residential ellipticals” is that it may skimp out on the bells and whistles department. In fact, this seems to be a common trend amongst commercial ellipticals to dramatically improve the quality and reliability at the expense of removing most of the entertainment and extra features. If this last sentence is anything to go by, check to see if your light commercial elliptical is lightly equipped in the features department. If it is, it probably will live up to its light commercial claim.

 

Closing Thoughts

We have created Treadmills411.com to help you become a well-informed treadmill and elliptical buyer. Though we hope you’ll support us by clicking our links and buying from the merchants we recommend, our greatest desire is to help you find your perfect elliptical. If you find this guide helpful, please pass it on to anyone you know who is buying an elliptical or link to us from your website/blog/Facebook profile. Finally, should you have any comments, suggestions or questions, please feel free to get in touch with us. That’s it! We wish you the best of luck in your search for the perfect elliptical!