Best Treadmill For Home – Buyers Guide – PhytoMethod

9 Minute Read

Whether you’re looking for a treadmill to fully equip your own home gym, or whether you’re looking for a living-room friendly machine that will allow you to complete your cardio workouts from the comfort of your home, there are some important points to consider before purchasing your treadmill. 

If you’re a bit overwhelmed by all the specs, features, and details of different treadmills and aren’t sure which one is the best treadmill for you, you have come to the right place. This article is designed to help you get clarity on which features might be important to you, and then find the best treadmill for your needs and your budget. 

What to look for in a treadmill

Treadmills can be important tools to incorporate into a well-rounded fitness routine. They come in different sizes, price ranges, and qualities, and are designed for different users and with different goals in mind. From a treadmill’s maximum weight capacity, the size of the running surface, built-in workouts, incline and speed ranges, and more, there is a lot of room for customization in a treadmill. Let’s look into a few points you should consider before you buy.

Consider the treadmill’s main purpose: running, walking, incline training?

If you plan on only using your treadmill for walking, you may not need as sturdy and large of a machine and could save money (check our best treadmills under $500). The speed range doesn’t need to be very large, but you might want a good incline range to keep your intensities varied while walking. Shock absorption also doesn’t need to be as high as it would need to be for running.

If you are getting a treadmill to improve your running, train at high intensities from the comfort of your home, and rely on it to get a solid workout in almost daily, your treadmill should be able to meet those expectations with a strong motor, high incline, and speed levels, a sturdy feel, enough running belt space, and possibly pre-set workouts that challenge you anew when you’re getting tired of the same workouts over and over again.

So if you haven’t yet, take a minute to decide:

What specs and extra features are important to you?

Think about what you want out of a treadmill. Some points on a checklist could be:

• Entertainment Options
• Bluetooth Connectivity
• Does it come with built-in workouts?
• HD or LCD Screen
• One-Touch Incline and Speed Controls
• What weight capacity is sufficient for you?
• How fast do you want it to go? (i.e. Max. Running Speeds)
• Incline Range
• Level of Thoroughness for Workout Insights / Workout Stats
• Size of Running Belt
• Cost
• Does the treadmill fold up for easier storage?

Note that the general recommendation for the size of running belts is

• min. 50″ belt for walkers,
• min. 55″ belt for runners,
• min. 60″ for runners over 6′ in height

NordicTrack is a major leader in the treadmill and workout equipment space, and it is difficult to go wrong with their machines. This model is an entry-level, basic treadmill, more budget-friendly than their higher-level machines, yet powerful and sturdy enough to be a great home treadmill for runners, joggers, and walkers alike.

What’s great about this treadmill?

There are many things to love about this treadmill. If you have ever run on a treadmill with manual speed controls, you know how frustrating it can get to press the “up” or “down” button 30 times to reach your desired running speed. You won’t have to deal with this issue on the NordicTrack 6.5 Si treadmill, as it comes with one-touch speed controls directly in your view, next to the screen, allowing you to press whichever speed and incline you desire to walk or run at with just one touch.

Especially considering its price, the NordicTrack T-Series 6.5 Si is equipped with a solid incline and speed range (going up to 10% and 10pmh respectively). This makes it one of the best treadmills at the entry level.

The treadmill also comes with a year-long membership to iFit, a platform on which you can create up to five individual user profiles so other members of your family can use the machine without messing up your workout stats, and where you can access live, studio, and global workouts directly on the treadmill, wherever you install it.

At its very affordable price, this is a fantastic and high-quality entry-level treadmill for most users and a great fit for the home gym.

KEY SPECS

• 10 Inch Display
• 20” x 50” tread deck
• Speed Range: 0 – 10 MPH
• Incline Range: 0-10%
• Dual CardioGrip™ Heart Rate Monitor
• OneTouch™ Controls
• 300 Lb. User Weight Capacity
• 1.9″ Roller
• 20 Workout Apps
• Footprint: 54” H  x 36” W x 73.5” L

Amazon allows you to choose between the treadmill with a 5″ display and 1 month of iFit membership and the treadmill with a larger screen (10″) and 1 full year of iFit membership. We recommend the larger display model.

If you have been searching for at-home treadmills before reading this article, you’ll have likely come across very inexpensive machines that can be folded and stored away to decrease the space they take up in your home. The issue with many of those treadmills is that their motors aren’t too strong and cushioning and shock-absorption is lacking.

What’s great about this treadmill?

The Horizon Fitness T101 Treadmill only shares one feature with the budget treadmills described above: its foldability, which is a big bonus for convenience in the home. Besides this, it does have a durable motor, an appropriately large running belt (55″), and a great speed and incline range, putting it far ahead of lower-level budget treadmills while preserving foldability and smart use of your space.

The screen on this treadmill displays speed and incline level, as well as the time elapsed, calories burned, distance covered, and current heart rate.

KEY SPECS

• Bluetooth connects to your device to stream media through integrated speakers
• Includes device holder and rapid-charge USB port
• Set-up in 30 minutes or fewer
• Quickly shift speed and incline automatically with one-touch keys
• 2.5 CHP motor runs at lower RPMs to minimize noise and increase efficiency
• 55″ 3-Zone cushioned deck supports runners, joggers and walkers alike
• Effortlessly store between workouts with one-step hydraulic folding
• 73 x 29.5 x 12 inches
• Deck Length: 20×55 Running Surface
• Speed Range: .5-10 mph
• Incline Range: 0-10% incline
• 2.5 Horsepower
• Weight Capacity: 300 lbs
• Item Weight: 180 lbs

The OMA treadmill is, in our opinion, the perfect treadmill for home use. Between its power, built, speed and incline, options for entertainment, and even price, it has all the features we would want in a treadmill, and does not leave much to ask for.

What’s great about this treadmill?

There is a lot to love about this OMA treadmill. Its running belt is large at 60 inches in length, making it a fantastic choice for runners of all heights and sizes. Its sturdy built and powerful 3.5 horsepower motor allow for a weight capacity of 350 lbs and ensure that there won’t be any shaking or instability while you do even the hardest running workouts. 

The treadmill offers 43 workout programs, including 36 different interval training programs for a guaranteed intense workout. The treadmill’s large display helps you keep track of your speed, distance, heart rate, time, and calorie burn at one look. 

With a top speed of 12.4 mph and an incline capacity of up to 15%, you are guaranteed the ability to exert yourself and improve your cardiovascular fitness effectively. The wide range in both speed and incline allows for effective speed workouts and incline workouts.

A little bonus for those who love watching movies or videos while working out on their treadmills: The OMA treadmill comes with a built-in iPad holder that you can add your own tablet or iPad to for ideal stability and entertainment without compromising the main screen that holds all of your workout stats.

KEY SPECS

• Incline: 0-15%
• Speed: 0-12.4 MPH
• Net Weight: 231 lbs
• Weigh Capacity: 350 lbs
• Running Area: 60” x 22″
• 3.5 HP Motor
• Material: ABS, Steel Pipe
• Unfold Size :75.8″ x 36.4″ x 69.7″
• Folded Size: 55.2″ x 36.4″ x 69.7″
• 6-Layer Belt for Shock Absorption

The 3G Cardio Elite Runner Treadmill is your best choice if you’re in the market for a high-end and more expensive treadmill that could be found in commercial gyms and is built for casual walkers and avid runners alike.

What’s great about this treadmill?

The 3G Cardio Elite Runner is designed with the motto “simple and effective”, but to us, it seems to be “just a little bigger and better than others”. The treadmill presents a few different features that indicate its design for the heavier or taller user:

It comes with the strongest motor in this guide, at a maximum of 4.0 horsepower. Its weight capacity is also higher than most common treadmills, allowing users up to 400 lbs in body weight to exercise on the machine. To further support taller users, the running deck is 62″ long, giving enough room for runners of all sizes to move comfortably and with some extra space.

The treadmill’s max speed of 12 mph (almost 20 km/h is great), and so is the incline capacity of up to 15%.

This one is a more expensive treadmill, but users and reviewers of the machine agree on the high quality, giving it an overall 4.6 stars. So, if you are in the market for a high-end machine that has a lot of power, this one may be the one for you!

KEY SPECS

• Dimensions: 84″ x 35.5″ x 58″
• Running Belt Size: 62″ x 22″
• Belt Type: Orthopedic
• Drive Motor Size: 4.0 HP
• Speed Range: 0.5-12MPH
• Maximum Incline: 15%
• Max User Weight: 400 lbs
• Built in Speakers and Audio iPhone/MP3 connections
• Machine Weight: 386 lbs
• Non-Folding

The NordicTrack Commercial Treadmill Series 1750 is a strong machine with features that won’t leave you hoping for much more! It has a good overall weight capacity, a tread belt of 60″ in length to accommodate walkers and runners of all sizes and heights, and its workout program access and display are top-notch as well.

What’s great about this treadmill?

The NordicTrack 1750 smart treadmill comes with a one-year membership to iFit, a global interactive workout platform through which you can access trainer-led global and studio workouts without having to hire a separate trainer.

With the treadmill’s 10 inch HD touchscreen display, you’ll be perfectly immersed in the stream workouts and your workout data. On each side of the display, you’ll find one-touch incline and speed buttons to quickly come to a slower pace or begin a running interval without needing 10 taps.

Despite its sturdiness and commercial-grade quality, the treadmill is extra home-friendly as it allows you to fold it up to store it compactly and easily to save space.

KEY SPECS

• 22×60″ Tread Belt for Tall Runners
• Treadmill Weight: 346 lbs
• Maximum Weight Recommendation: 350 lbs
• 3.75 Horsepower
• 50 Workout Programs
• 10″ Interactive and Smart Touch Screen
• Incline Range: -3 to 15%
• Speed Range: 1-12 mph

The Sole F80 is a popular treadmill choice and in terms of cost, lies right between budget models and more expensive treadmills, making it a great choice for many. It has a fantastic incline range that makes incline training a breeze. This workout style is highly beneficial as it can increase the intensity for non-runners and provide more variety in interval- and walking workouts.

What’s great about this treadmill?

This treadmill comes equipped with a proprietary Cushion Flex Whisper Deck which has been shown in a study to reduce the impact on your joints by up to 40% compared to running on asphalt. This is especially great for those who intend to use their treadmill a lot.

A pulse grip and chest strap heart rate monitoring allow you to keep a close eye on your heart data directly on the screen so you can gauge the intensity, and easily keep track of heart rate zones for targeted zone or interval training.

Numerous reviewers applaud the treadmill for having longevity and running smoothly even after years of use.

KEY SPECS

• Treadmill weight: 265 Pounds
• Weight capacity (for users): 375 lbs
• Treadmill Dimensions (LxWxH): 85.43 x 37.01 x 17.32 inches
• Power Source: Corded Electric
• Speed Range: 0.5-12mph
• 6 Workout Programs
• Incline Range: 0-15%
• Running Surface: 22 x 60 inches