For people who are staying home all the time, sticking to a regular walking routine can be a challenge. You might no longer be able to visit your local gym or run outdoors like you used to. And here is where you need to invest in your own treadmill. And we’ve just handpicked the perfect brands and units that can suffice your fitness needs.
Treadmills | Type | Speed range MPH | Weight capacity | Incline (%) | Decline (%) | Motor (HP) | Belt area |
Sole F80 | Electric treadmill | 0-12 | 375 lbs | 15 | no | 3.5 | 60”x 22” |
Sunny and Health SpaceFlex | Electric treadmill | 0.6-8 | 220 lbs | 5.5-10.5 | no | 2.5 | 19”x 51” |
Nordictrack Commercial 1750 | Electric treadmill | 0-12 | 300 lbs | 15 | -3 percent | 3.5 | 22”x 60’ |
Proform Carbon TLX | Electric treadmill | 0-12 | 300 lbs | 10- 12 | none | 3 | 20”x 60” |
Xterra Fitness TR150 | Manual treadmill | 0-10 | 250 lbs | 5 | none | 2.25 | 16”x 50” |
TrueForm Trainer Curved | Manual treadmill | NA | 400 lbs | none | none | NA | 17”x 64” |
Peloton tread | Electric treadmill | 0-12.5 | 290 lbs | 12.5 | none | 3 | 20”x 59” |
LifeSpan Glow Up | Under the desk treadmill | 0-4 | 350 lbs | none | none | 2.25 | 20”x 50” |
Goplus 2 in 1 | Under desk treadmill | 0.5-6. | 220 lbs | none | None | 1 | 38”x 14” |
Bluefin task 2.0 | Under desk | 0.4 – 5 | 264.6 lbs | none | none | .8 | 44.1x 15.7 |
Buying Guide: How these treadmills made it to our List
Get a treadmill for home and you’re done. That’s not just about it, you need to consider more things apart from that. Otherwise, you can be wasting money.
For us, It has to suffice our needs for the following critters.
- Room for progression
While some are okay and fine with doing the same routine every day, staying at home for longer may present challenges. You can get bored and you might miss the great outdoors and the challenging terrain that comes with it. That’s why a treadmill with more programs, incline options and decline options can be key to keeping you interested. Once you get bored, you might ditch your usual routine and that treadmill can just be accumulating dust in the corner of the room. That can be such a waste of money. Not to mention, it can halt your fitness regimen.
- Budget vs more techy treadmills
Treadmills that offer more programs and have a lot of room for progression can cost a bit more. While that is our primary consideration that is key in preventing boredom, we also thought about the budget of everyone.
So we have a list of basic units for the simpleton. But we also have a handful of treadmills that can help you progress with your daily walking. And if you are on a budget but still need a bit more for progression in the future, we have a handful of treadmills, that despite being basic and having lower speed, are equipped with a decent number of training programs that can help you with your fitness needs.
- Friendly on the knees
Running daily on the flat surface of a treadmill can still hurt your knees, this is especially true if you already have lingering pain in this area.
Despite the lack of rugged terrain, some folks may still find it hurting their joints and knees. That’s why we picked treadmills that are friendlier on the knees and equipped with a certain level of shock absorption features.
Our Best Indoor Treadmills so far: Top 10 Picks
Staying at home much?
These treadmills can help you keep up with your fitness regimen without having to leave the house.
Sole F80
This may not be a budget option but if you’re looking to increase the intensity of your daily walking routine, we recommend a unit like this.
This has enough power and stability to support brisk walking and even running. You can also change the incline up to 15 degrees, so it can add more excitement to your usual cardiovascular program.
It eats up minimal space since it can be folded up easily when not in use.
But keep in mind that though this sports the old-school look, it’s not a smart-looking treadmill. So if you don’t mind, it will surely help you amp up your walking routines at home. It also has a good shock absorption feature so it will be a lower-impact option too.
Sunny and Health SpaceFlex
If you are cramped up in space, you need a slimmer treadmill, which requires minimal storage space. It has both a slimmer dimension and a lighter weight, so you can easily lay it out once you need it and stow it away when not in use.
But of course, to make up for a slimmer dimension, something has to be compromised. This treadmill will not have that fancy console display. Instead, you have that simple and basic console. But it has 6 separate LED windows where you can keep track of your progress.
NordicTrack Commercial 1750
This is an upgraded version of the above units that we have mentioned. It’s also a workhorse and has a decently powerful motor you can use for completing your morning walk or even miles at home. To amp up the level of difficulty of each training session, you can either change the incline or decline the belt. Thus, this can also be used to gain more resistance and muscles in the lower extremities.
It also has a 14-inch HD touchscreen display that swivels so you can see it from anywhere in the room. So if this does not have the convenience, we don’t know what else will!
And if you need to track down your status and record your progress, it syncs with a heart rate monitor that is offered separately and has tactile buttons. This makes changing the speed and grades as simple as that. It even has an iFit sub for a more customized program. So we see this as a welcome treat for those who are looking for more progress in their daily routine, thus can be used even if you have progressed your workout already.
Schwinn 810
This bad boy packs in 16 different preset exercise programs that can help you add more variety to your usual workout.
Couple that with the incline function of up to 10 percent, you can get a whole rounded exercise with just a treadmill.
This helps you also work on your muscular strength and endurance. So you might not need to use weights for your lower body.
But do keep in mind that the LCD screen looks pretty old-fashioned borderline primitive. But it does keep your knees cool as it has this impressive cushioning and shock absorption quality.
Proform Carbon TL
Speed: 0- 10 mph
Incline: 0-10%
This is another powerful treadmill that has a max speed of 10 mph, so we set this as a contender for your morning brisk walking. It almost has the same speed as the NordicTrack unit, and shares the same features too.
It has an iFit interactive workout program. You get the sub free for a year and it comes with the purchase of the unit.
The difference however is while it has an incline function, it does not feature a decline option. It can offer less variety than the NordicTrack treadmills above but still can offer an abundance of training options compared to the competition.
Xterra Fitness TR150
This is a more compact and lightweight unit with a lower max speed. The 10 mph can still be used for brisk walking though, so it can still offer an upgrade from your usual walking.
Also, this has more old-school features, hence it lacks an automatic incline or a decline function. You may be able to adjust the incline manually up to 5 percent. But you have to get off the treadmill first before doing that. It’s after all, an entry-level treadmill that has a more budget-friendly price.
Peloton Tread
This is a highly interactive treadmill that can fuel your interest in daily walking or cardio activity. The interactive courses give you access to hundreds and thousands of fun classes led by professional instructors.
This feature gives you a smoother and funner session albeit being only in the house all the time. So we see this as a great pick for those who want more variety and easily get bored. Or those who are used to walking outdoors but can no longer do so in the meantime. It has a multitude of training options such as HIIT, yoga, strength, and a lot more.
You can also track your progress with workout metrics such as speed, mileage, and pace splits. The monitor is pretty huge too and measures 23.8”. It’s also in HD, has a touch screen, and can tilt up to 59 degrees for optimal viewing. This pockets in a lot of improvements from your old-fashioned treadmill. But oh, this can eat more space since it’s not compact. So best to have ample dedicated space for this unit.
LifeSpan Glow Up
This sleek and stable under-the-desk treadmill enables you to easily monitor and adjust your speed, distance, calories, steps, and time via a console that sits on your desk. It also has a higher max speed for a treadmill of its type.
It also operates quietly, unlike most units we have on the market right now. It also has a generous deck size so those with longer legs will find this suitable for brisk walking. For an under-the-desk treadmill, this has quite a powerful motor of 2.25 hp. But it can pack on much of a weight considering its smaller dimensions. It can be a bit heavier compared to its competition.
Goplus 2 in 1
This foldable under-the-desk treadmill is a great choice if you are cramped up for space. It’s easy to assemble and stow away when not in use
Albeit the lower power motor, it does have 12 built-in programs that can add a wee bit of fun to your usual morning walk. Though it does not have modern upgrades and features such as an incline or a decline, it will not leave you walking boring grounds, so to speak. It even has an LED touch screen where you can change the settings without having to push buttons.
But oh, you have to keep in mind that this is one of the noisier units on the list.
Bluefin Task 2.0
This has quite a narrower belt but is a very budget-friendly treadmill. It can suffice your needs if you’re just looking for a basic treadmill where you can do your daily walks. It is suited for beginners and those just starting to infuse cardiovascular exercises into their daily routine.
It has a handrail that you can hold on to for additional support, thus very beginner-friendly. Albeit basic, it does have 6 built-in programs that can add a bit of spice to your routine, so it will not leave you feeling flat and bored.
But since this is narrower, this is not suitable for taller users.
Treadmills that We have Also Tried
Our team of walking enthusiasts tried these treadmills but found them a bit lacking. However they also offer value, so it might still be worth looking into them.
TrueForm Trainer Curved
If you’re looking for a unit that can carry on higher weight capacity, this is it. It can accept a load of up to 440 lbs, making it a stable pick for heavier runners. But since it is manually operated, you don’t need any electricity to have it started. That’s one good way to look at old-fashioned manual treadmills.
But of course, it comes with no max speed and no preset programs available to you to amp up the intensity of your training. But if you’re looking for a very stable unit, this will not disappoint you. It may not be fast and progressive, but it can last for the long haul.
BowFlex 10
This treadmill offers tons of customization and room for progression. It has built-in programs and incline features that can help add a bit more variety to your usual morning walk.
Though walking on it is not as sublime as the other treadmills we have listed above, it can suffice for light walking. You just have to ensure that you have ample space since this can be quite bulky.
NordicTrack EXP 7i
This is a great pick if you’re looking for a smaller treadmill and do not mind one that has a shorter belt.
Coming from NordicTrack, this is a tried and tested unit. Another downside is that it has fewer features. And if you have longer strides, you might find the length of the belt lacking even for just a light walk.
Echelon Stride
This has a 10 percent max incline that can help you add intensity to your daily walk. It also comes with in-demand workout videos.
So this can serve you in the future if you’re looking to add progression to your usual routine. But it requires a hefty monthly membership, which not all home buddies may find value in.
Also, the lack of an LCD display may not be a biggie but if you’re solely working out at home this can be boring.
How We Tested These At-Home Treadmills
Having your treadmill has liberties, but it also possesses challenges. There’s the impending boredom and the redundancy of running on the same surface every single day.
So one way to prove the worthiness of our list is to use them for a minimum of a month. Then we’d get to see if these can bring solutions to the common issues arising when walking on your own treadmills in your homes.
Room for progression is pretty important, but we also weigh the ease of use.
While having a lot of options can be fun, it can also be overwhelming if these are not laid out properly.
Also, if it requires hefty monthly fees, then this might not be sustainable.
So while there are also premium choices in this list, we made sure that you’re getting the most value out of it.
You can walk at home but will not get bored
There are a lot of at-home treadmills that you can use for walking, there are a myriad of decent choices in the market. Our list satisfied the following criteria.
One, we choose a handful of units that you can use comfortably and easily if you are a beginner. These are traditional, old-school, and basic treadmills that will not intimidate you. We also found a handful of traditional treadmills that offer a wee bit more variety, so you can opt for this if you are looking for progression in the future.
Two, if you are a seasoned walker, so to speak, you won’t get bored with these treadmills. If you are going to stay at home for the longer haul, you will need some more spice in your daily walk. And we’ve just the perfect treadmills that can add a variety of intensity and challenges to your usual routine.
So whether you’re a beginner or have been on the fitness bandwagon for some time, you can find the suitable treadmill for your home gym.