Best Budget Cardio Equipment for Home
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Not everyone has the desire or ability to fork over the thousands of dollars that top-end home cardio equipment can set you back. But just because you’re on a budget doesn’t mean you should have to settle for junk. We’ve done the research and come up with a list of some of the best budget priced home cardio equipment.
Obviously, there are tradeoffs and compromises when purchasing budget-friendly equipment. You’ll have to do without the large, flat-screen displays and other ‘bells and whistles’. But these cardio machines can help you get a good workout from home.
(For a more detailed look at cardio equipment, see our Guides to Treadmills, Exercise Bikes, Ellipticals, and Rowing Machines)
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Best Budget Treadmills for Home
Motorized Treadmills
Sunny Health & Fitness SF-T7515 Treadmill - $499.99
The SF-T7515 has more features than you’d expect at this price point – such as automatic incline. With it’s maximum speed of 8 MPH and relatively small 49.5″ x 16.5″ running surface, it’s intended for users who will walk or jog – not full on ‘run’. Thanks to the small running surface it has a small footprint so it doesn’t require a lot of space. Some limitations, but overall the machine provides excellent value for the price.
- Maximum Speed 8 MPH
- Automatic incline up to 12%
- 12 pre-programmed workouts
- Bluetooth compatibility connect your phone to the built-in speakers
- Maximum user weight of 240lbs
- Running deck folds up for storage
User Review Highlight: “I’ve had this treadmill for 5 weeks and have put 35-40 miles on it. So far it is great! If you’re looking for a functional treadmill to hop onto for a run or walk and don’t need all of the bells and whistles, this is it”
XTERRA Fitness TR 150 Folding Treadmill - $389.49
As you’d expect at this price point, the TR150 lacks many of the features of more expensive models but it’s a decent machine for the money. It has a top speed of 10 MPH which should be adequate for all but the most advanced runners
- Maximum speed of 10 MPH
- Manual adjustable incline up to 5%
- 12 pre-programmed workouts
- Maximum user weight of 25lbs
- Running deck folds up for storage
User Review Highlight: “This is exactly what we expected for this price. It’s compact, easy to use, and it works flawlessly. We’ve had it for about a month and I and/or my hubby walk on it every day 30-90 min. It’s basic, performs well, and isn’t too noisy.”
Manual Treadmill
Sunny Fitness SF-T1407M Manual Walking Treadmill- $179.99
People with budget or space limitations should consider this manual treadmill. No power is needed – you’re doing all the work! It’s foldable and has wheels so it can be easily rolled into another room or closet. It has a padded handrail to hold onto while you walk on the small incline.
User Review Highlight: “I am 68 years old and try to walk 30-45 minutes every day…I feel like I get a very good workout and it seems to be very sturdy”
Best Budget Exercise Bikes for Home
Indoor Cycling Bikes
Sunny Fitness SF-B1805 Cycling Bike - $499.99
The SF-B1805 is a great, affordable option to more expensive cycling/spinning bikes. It’s extremely sturdy with a heavy flywheel (44lbs) for its price point. One of the ways they saved money was in eliminating not just a touchscreen but not having a console at all. It does have a built-in tablet holder allowing your to cycle along to a third-party fitness app (or Sunny’s own SunnyFit app).
- Toe cage pedals with adjustable straps
- Micro-adjustable magnetic resistance with belt drive
- 300lbs Maximum User Weight
- 44lbs flywheel
- Built-in transport wheels for easy moving
Amazon Review Highlight: “This bike is amazing. I love it. I place my galaxy tab s7+ on a tripod in front of it. Added a wahoo cadence sensor and use free classes on YouTube. This bike feels amazkng. It is so smooth through every resistance change and just riding. Probably done over 150 classes and love this bike. It is completely silent. I would say just buy a big tablet and this and you have a cheap Peleton bike.”
Yosuda L-010 Pro Magnetic Indoor Cycling Bike - $399.99
The L-010 is a hefty bike for the price point with a commercial grade steel frame and maximum user weight of 350lbs. The LCD display is good-sized but isn’t back lit – which may be a problem if your workout area lacks good lighting. It has a tablet holder which you can use to workout to a fitness app or watch videos while riding.
- Adjustable toe cage pedals
- Magnetic resistance with 100 micro-adjustable levels
- 350lbs Maximum User Weight
- 40lbs flywheel
- Built-in transport wheels for easy moving
Amazon Review Highlight: ” I am pretty impressed with the overall quality and “heft” of the exercise bike. The digital display is a little hard to read in lower light. A backlight would be really nice but not a deal breaker. Very quiet and overall a good purchase.”
Upright Bikes
Schwinn Fitness 130 Upright Bike- $499.99
This upright bike from Schwinn Fitness is a solid, dependable bike at a budget-friendly price. It has 22 pre-programmed workouts and is also Bluetooth compatible allowing you to synch the bike with a tablet to use third-party fitness apps.
- 16 levels of magnetic resistance
- 13lbs flywheel
- 5.5″ LCD display tracks metrics like speed, RPM, distance, heart rate, and more
- 300lbs Maximum User Weight
- Touch heart rate sensors in handlebars. Also compatible with chest strap monitors (strap not included)
Amazon Review Highlight: “I have tried to use a stationary bike in the past for cardio, but never stuck with it. Like all indoor cardio, just found it too mind numbingly boring. Using this one in conjunction with Zwift has been a game changer.”
Sunny Fitness SF-B2952 Upright Bike- $169.99
This upright bike from Schwinn Fitness is a solid, dependable bike at a budget-friendly price. It has 13 pre-programmed workouts and is also Bluetooth compatible allowing you to synch the bike with a tablet to use third-party fitness apps.
- 16 levels of magnetic resistance
- 13lbs flywheel
- 5.5″ LCD display tracks metrics like speed, RPM, distance, heart rate, and more
- 300lbs Maximum User Weight
- Touch heart rate sensors in handlebars. Also compatible with chest strap monitors (strop not included)
Amazon Review Highlight: “I have tried to use a stationary bike in the past for cardio, but never stuck with it. Like all indoor cardio, just found it too mind numbingly boring. Using this one in conjunction with Zwift has been a game changer.”
Recumbent Bikes
Sunny Fitness SF-RB4905 Recumbent Bike- $189.99
If you’re looking for decent recumbent bike at a budget friendly price, the SF-RB4905 is a good option. It obviously lacks many of the features of higher-priced models, but does give you what you need for a workout. It has adjustable magnetic resistance, a digital monitor to track your workout, a device holder to hold your tablet or phone, and more.
- 8 levels of magnetic resistance adjusted via dial
- Handlebar-mounted pulse sensors
- Digital monitor tracks workout metrics such as speed, calories, distance, and more
- 240lbs Maximum User Weight
- Pedals with adjustable foot straps
Website Review Highlight: “I love this bike. It is sturdy and a very smooth ride. The floor support bar is adjustable so the bike does not rock. The adjustable seat is perfect. The pedals are wide and comfortable. The seat is substantial for large bottoms! The display is easy to navigate.”
Best Budget Elliptical Machines for Home
Sunny Health & Fitness SF-E3912 Elliptical Machine - $499.99
The SF-E3912 is a sturdy, well-built machine at a great price. While it lacks the fancy features of more expensive machines, it does offer 16 different resistance levels and 24 pre-programmed workouts. One caveat we’d offer is that the stride length is only 15.5″ – so this wouldn’t be a great option for taller users.
- 24 pre-programmed workouts and 16 resistance levels
- 15.4lb flywheel
- Maximum user weight of 330lbs
- Built-in device holder for tablet or phone
User Review Highlight: “Want an elliptical without spending a fortune? This is worth considering. It is sturdy, surprisingly so, and looks like it will last a typical home user for many years. It is quiet enough that it won’t disturb other people in the house, even if you use it in the early morning.”
Niceday Elliptical Machine - $499.99
The Niceday Elliptical is utilizes a magnetic-resistance system that requires no external electricity – there’s no need to plug it in. It’s extremely quiet, so it’s a great option for those with housemates. It’s comes almost fully-assembled (they claim 90%) and has a lifetime warranty on all parts. Unlike the Sunny Fitness SF-E3912, it offers no pre-programmed workouts – something to keep in mind if that’s even a little important to you.
- 16lb flywheel with 16 levels of magnetic resistance
- Maximum user weight of 400lbs (although we’ve seen reviews by larger users who cast some doubt on this)
- LCD display that tracks time, speed, distance, calories, and pulse
User Review Highlight: “It’s sturdy, it works like it was supposed to, and I really don’t feel like it even takes up a lot of space. It was a good buy, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a home elliptical who doesn’t want to spend a lot of money.”
Best Budget Rowing Machines for Home
Yosuda Magnetic Rowing Machine - $284.32
The Yosuda rower is a very quiet machine and smooth machine with its all magnetic resistance and smooth-sliding seat. Not a lot of features (as you’d expect at this price) but it does have an LCD display to track workout metrics, a large tablet/device holder, and transport wheels. One thing we like about this bargain rower is it’s built surprisingly sturdy.
- LCD Monitor tracks distance, time, calories, count, and more
- Sturdy machine with a 350lbs maximum user weight
- Four balance stabilizers to help make sure it’s stable and wobble-free
Amazon Review Highlight: “Taken all together I’d say this rower is about as good as you could hope for at this price point. It’s quite, easy to assemble, stores and moves easily if you need it to, and has a good resistance range that provides a smooth workout.”
Sunny Fitness SF-RW5515 Magnetic Rowing Machine - $249.99
Two things we especially like about this affordable rower is its extra-long 48-inch slide rail (which allows it to accommodate users with up to 48″ inseam) and it’s space-saving foldable design.
- 8 levels of magnetic resistance
- LCD console displays time, count, calories, and more
- 4 built-in floor stabilizers and transport wheels
- 250lbs maximum user weight
Amazon Review Highlight: “I’ve been considering getting a rowing machine for almost a year now, but as a beginner, I didn’t want to spend an exorbitant amount of money. After a lot of research and deliberation, I settled on this rower. It was so easy to assemble, operates super quietly, and is absolutely perfect for what I wanted. I’m so happy that I made this purchase and only wish I had made it sooner.
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As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. As a Sunny Health & Fitness Affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases. All prices accurate as of 5/7/24
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Additional Resources for Healthy Living
Unfortunately, there are a lot of web sites out there giving unreliable fitness advice. But there are also some great ones which we rely on when writing our articles. A few great resources for information you may want to also view include the National Institutes of Heath, the Mayo Clinic, and the World Health Organization.