Guide to Treadmills for Home
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Treadmills are a great at-home exercise option. They give you the benefits of walking or running year round without having to deal with bad weather or traffic (or crowds at the gym!). They’re gentler on your knees and joints than pavement. Most treadmills have an incline feature allowing you to ‘supercharge’ your workout. Many at-home Treadmills are foldable or movable for easy storage.
What factors should you look for when selecting a treadmill ? There is an amazing array of treadmills on the market at all price points and feature levels. We’ve tried to sort through the hype and confusion to find some of the best treadmills for home at various price points.
Things to Consider When Selecting a Treadmill
At the end of the day, the best treadmill for home is the one that’s best for your specific situation. Before purchasing a treadmill think about your requirements and how you’ll be using it. What are your fitness level, exercise goals, and budget. Are you looking for the best treadmill for running or the best treadmill for walking? A treadmill that’s good for both?
Pre-programmed Workouts & Fitness Apps: Most treadmills will come with a selection of pre-programmed workouts. Higher end treadmills will typically include a greater selection of workouts. These will automatically adjust speed and/or incline as your workout and can help ensure you’re getting a good workout. Some manufacturers offer integration with either proprietary or third-party fitness apps (such as NordicTrack’s integration with iFit). These apps offer a wide array of workouts that many people find helpful and motivating. Most apps are subscription based so there is an additional charge.
Walking/Running Surface: One of the reasons treadmills are a great option is they normally have a surface that is far gentler on your joints than pavement. Most treadmills at mid-range and above also have an additional shock absorption system built in.
Some treadmills will feature Variable Cushioning where the deck is divided into three separate zones: a soft ‘Impact Zone’ in the front (where your foot lands), a harder ‘Push Off Zone’ in the back (where your foot pushes off to begin the stride, and Transition Zone in the middle.
Speed: Select a machine that has the appropriate speed range for how you’ll be using it. If you’ll only be using your treadmill for walking, you probably won’t need one with a high top speed. If you’re a competitive athlete and want the ability to do speed training on your treadmill, you may want to look for one with a higher than normal top speed.
Depending on your age and fitness level, walking speed will generally between 2.25 – 3.5 MPH. While the commercial treadmills in a health club may have a top speed or 12 – 14 MPH, most at-home treadmills with have a top speed of 10 – 12 MPH.
Many home treadmills will be designed as Walking Treadmills with a top speed of 4-6 MPH. These can be a great, affordable option for people who aren’t planning on running.
Incline: Most treadmills will allow you to increase the incline of the walking surface. Increasing the incline is a great way to add intensity and burn calories. We prefer treadmills with an automatic incline function allowing your to adjust the incline within a range with just the press of a button. But if that’s out of your price range, there are also treadmills with manual incline adjustment which limit you to a few pre-selected incline levels.
Space & Convenience: Depending on how much space you have, you may want to consider a foldable treadmill. A foldable treadmill allows you to fold the walking surface up with you’re not using it greatly reducing the amount of space the treadmill takes up. Many foldable treadmills also have wheels that allow you to move the treadmill out of the way.
Motorized or Manual: A Motorized treadmill has a motor which drives the belt and the user than walks/jogs at the speed. A Manual Treadmill has no motor and the belt is driven by the user as they walk. Normally a Manual Treadmill will be at an incline making it easier to drive the belt. Most of the best treadmills that we recommend are motorized. We’ve included a manual option since they can be an affordable and convenient alternative depending on your budget and other considerations.
Safety: Look for a treadmill with handrails to give you something to help with balance if needed. You may also want to look for a treadmill with a safety stop cord that clips onto your shirt and automatically stops the treadmill if you fall or get too far to the rear of the treadmill.
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Favorite Premium Treadmills for Home
SOLE TT8 Treadmill- $2,849.99
The SOLE TT8 treadmill is great for serious runners. It’s steel construction is extremely strong and durable and supports user weights up to 400lbs. It eschews incorporating fancy video screen into the design and has a basic control panel with an integrated tablet holder, built-in Bluetooth speakers, and a USB port.
- 0.5 – 12 MPH Speed Range
- Automatic Incline/Decline with 15 levels of incline
- Large 60″ x 22″ running area
- Powerful 4 horsepower motor
- Lifetime warranty
Amazon Review Highlight: “So far, this treadmill has been perfect. It feels exactly like a gym treadmill, with the same powerful motor, cushiony track, and feature-laden operating system. The motor is powerful enough to incline the treadmill while I’m standing on it, which is saying a lot”
NordicTrack Commercial 1750 - $1,999
This sturdy, fully-featured machine is a great treadmill on its own, but what really sets it apart is NordicTrack’s iFit Interactive Personal Training app that streams through the tiltable 14″ HD touchscreen. IFit offers a wide range of on-demand workouts that can help keep your exercise routine fun and interesting. IFit is free for the first 30 days but requires a subscription after that.
- 0.5 – 12 MPH Speed Range
- Automatic Incline ranging from -3% – 15%
- 60″ x 22″ running area
Amazon Review Highlight: “It’s only been several days, but this treadmill is awesome. I like the iFIT way better than I thought—lots of options to select from and workouts ”feel quicker” as you follow your trainer and observe the scenery”
Other Good Premium Treadmills
Our Favorite Mid-Priced Treadmills
XTERRA Fitness TRX4500 Treadmill - $1,579.99
The TRX4500 is a sturdy, well-built treadmill that has a strong 3.5HP motor. The foldable deck has a generous 60″ x 20″ running surface. There are 30 pre-programmed workouts to keep you motivated. A chest strap heart monitor is included to track your pulse.
- Maximum Speed of 12 MPH
- Automatic Incline up to 15%
- 60″ x 20″ running surface
- 7.5″ Blue Backlit LCD Display
- Deck folds up for storage using XTERRA’s Lift Assist & Safe Drop systems
User Review Highlight: “I had a very strong mechanical/electrical background and can understand and identify good product craftsmanship and material quality, this treadmill’s construction is top notch. The treadmills frame is heavy gauge steel. The motor is super quiet. Even the composite materials that makes up the control panel and trim is very rigid and strong. For the price, it will be very hard to beat.”
Schwinn Fitness 810 Treadmill- $799.99
The Schwinn 810 is an excellent treadmill for this price range. While not as fully-featured as higher priced models, it still offers automated incline, a fairly large running surface, 16 pre-programmed workouts, and Schwinn’s SoftTrack deck cushioning system. Its 2 HP motor is a little less than we’d like – might not be the best option for larger users.
- Maximum Speed 10 MPH
- Automatic Incline up to 10%
- 55″ x 20″ running surface
- Compatible with Schwinn’s Explore the World training app (subscription required)
- Foldable for easy storage using SoftDrop folding system
User Review Highlight: ” Seems well built, solid, very wide track, plenty of room, Very quiet! no noise at all as you run, no thumping, the shocks work so well. nice storage shelves.”
Other Good Treadmills Under $1,600
Our Favorite Budget Treadmills for Home
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. Like the SF-T7515, this isn’t intended for serious runners but should meet the needs of walkers/joggers.
- 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.”
Other Good Budget Treadmills
Favorite Manual Treadmill for Home
Manual Treadmills are generally more compact & lighter and may be a good option for those with limited space. They’re also normally a more affordable option. The belt is moved by your feet as you walk upon it. Usually the Treadmill will be at an incline making it easier to move the belt and allowing you to build up some momentum.
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”
Our Favorite Treadmill for Seniors
Sunny Health & Fitness SF T7857 Walking Treadmill- $599.98
This treadmill could be an excellent option for Seniors or users with mobility/physical difficulties. Its long handrails on the side and front give an extra level of safety. It’s low-profile deck design makes it easy to get on and off. It has a top speed of 5 MPH allowing for a brisk walk. Embedded shock absorption system to reduce shock to your joints.
- Maximum Speed of 8 MH
- 44″ x 19.5″ walking surface
- Maximum User Weight of 285 lbs
- Built-in Transportation Wheels for easy movement
User Review Highlight: “I looked for a long time at different machines and was glad I found this one. I’m 72 and have a lot of health issues with a totally messed up back. This machine starts out slow and I can increase speed the same way. It also stops slow and easy, don’t feel like I’ll fall off”
Our Favorite Under Desk Treadmill
A treadmill niche category that has seen a lot of growth since the pandemic encouraged more people to work from home is “Under Desk” treadmills. These allow you to walk while working at a stand-up desk helping avoid the problems of a sedentary office work lifestyle. Most of these treadmills have a maximum speed appropriate for walking but some top out at a jogging/running pace. For safety’s sake, we strongly recommend not running on these treadmills unless they come with foldable handrails.
UREVO Under Desk 2-in-1 Treadmill - $349.99
One of the things we like about the UREVO is its hand rail which folds down when you want to use it as a traditional under desk treadmill and folds up for running mode. When the bar is folded down, the treadmill has a maximum speed of 3.6 MPH. When the bar is in the up position, the maximum speed is 7.6 MPH. The treadmill has built-in transport wheels and can be stored under a bed or couch.
- Speed range of 0.6 – 7.6 MPH
- Detachable remote controller for use in walking mode.
- 265lbs maximum user weight.
- No assembly required. Ready to use right out of the box.
User Review Highlight: “Super simple and works straight out of the box. I weigh 230lbs and have been walking and jogging on it everyday to try and lose some weight…Walking while working at my standing desk is quiet and an amazing way to increase steps while working.”
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 5/7/25
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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.