… and you have a lot of questions. Good. Here comes my attempt to help you sort out what your options are and how you can make your decision making a little easier. We talked a couple of days ago about Setting Up A Home Gym. Today we’re going to narrow the focus of our discussion and talk about shopping for a treadmill.
If you are anything like me, when you first considered buying a treadmill, few brand names probably leapt to mind. You may also think that treadmills are pretty much alike, so it may be hard to decide what makes one a better investment than another. Let’s see if I can help you out there. First things first, remember to review Setting Up a Home Gym to check out your space requirements, after that – let’s go shopping.
A Treadmill on a Budget
Most of us are working on a budget and really don’t want to spend a tremendous amount of money for home-based equipment. The problem with spending a lot has a lot less to do with our real budget constraints and everything to do with being able to justify spending that much on ourselves.
A company called Icon Health and Fitness produces the Weslo brand treadmill; they are one of the largest manufacturers of treadmills in the world and they produce Proform, Reebok and NordicTrack as well. The last two are the better-known brand names.
The Weslo, however, is a bargain investment. The Weslo 400 CS sells for under $400. It is ideal for the tight budget and even more ideal for the beginner looking to get into using a treadmill at home. There are two major things to be aware of. While the cost of the Weslo is low, it only has a 90-day warranty. It also lacks the power and larger running area of other models.
This is not a bad thing, per se – but the idea of the Weslo is that it is an entry-level machine and designed for those who do not plan to do a really intensive workout. It’s ideal for those who want to use a treadmill to walk on bad weather days and it’s also ideal for people living in an apartment. The smaller size gives you more options on where to put it.
If you want to get a little more advanced, see if you can locate a Weslo EX18. It costs a bit more at $500, but it is considered the best of the Weslo models and it is still budget friendly.
A Little More Bang for the Buck
The Image brand, while still considered a budget treadmill, costs a bit more than the Weslo, but it is still less than a $1000. Most fitness experts suggest that if you are the only person using a treadmill, you should expect to spend around $1000. However, if there are 2 or more planning to use the same piece of equipment – you should consider spending more.
Remember, the more people who use the machine, the increased amounts of wear and tear and the more versatility it will need. The Image 1200 has a motor that provides continuous speed up to a maximum of 10 mph. This is the runner’s budgetary treadmill. The Image 10.6 QL, ranked in the top five treadmills by Consumer Reports. It offers increased flexibility including programmable workouts that adjust speed and incline as well as a heart rate monitor.
It also adds the perk of being IFIT compatible. That lets you plug it into the Internet and use online workouts that increase the amount of flexibility the Image 10.6 QL treadmill can offer. You will be paying a bit more for the privilege – somewhere in the neighborhood of $1400. Space wise, you can fold it up and that it eliminates how much space it will take up when not in use.
Personally speaking, my treadmill has variable speed, programs, adjustable incline and speed as well as the ability to fold up. It is not an Image 10.6 QL, but it’s a close match. The fold up capability is one of my favorite aspects, it reduces the footprint the treadmill occupies in your home, but it offers you a lot of options for walking, running, uphill, downhill and for cardiovascular endurance.
If you plan to use your treadmill extensively as part of a regular workout routine, I’d recommend this level of model. It’s a bit more expensive, but it can offer you a lot more options. Still, the drawback to the Image machines is similar to that of the Weslo in that the warranties are usually only about 90 days.
Later today, I’ll explore the higher end machines including the Reebok, Proform and NordicTrack.