Treadmills, ellipticals for home use rated
Treadmills are the top home exercise machine. Frankly, one that I once had got more use drying clothing than it did anything else. It now lives in someone else's house.
In the February issue, Consumer Reports tested home treadmills and their cousin, ellipticals. The verdict: You don't have to buy the fanciest or priciest to get a decent machine and a decent workout.
The nonprofit consumer organization gave its best-buy rating to seven treadmills, three nonfolding and four folding. Even so, the highly rated nonfolding PaceMAster Platinum Pro VR costs some $2,000. A highly rated folding treadmill, the Horizon T202, costs $800. Three ellipticals got a best-buy rating: the Nautilus E514, the Horizon EX-68 and the Schwinn 420.
Among their tips: Ellipticals elevate you, so make sure you've got enough ceiling clearance. Test out treadmills to make sure they're long enough for your running stride. Spending more $$ on a treadmill usually gets you more horsepower and a sturdier machine. Sturdy design, a good warranty, your comfort and features you really will use are what to look for.
How many shirts it will hold for drying wasn't part of the evaluation.
Comments
The first few times I tried to use treadmills, I've attempted to either read or watch TV while walking/running. The result wasn't good.
Having a friend to talk to (or, barring that, a good audio book) seems to work much better. Then again, I've seen others happily read, so that's just my 2 cents.
Captcha: Revolution Whodefe
Posted by: Patrick Maynard | January 28, 2011 10:53 AM
The Consumer Report treadmill reviews are a good resource, and offer great insight into the quality of the machines. Unfortunately, they give not insight into the durability of the machines. This is best found by reading customer reviews.
It should also be noted that they gave PaceMaster a "Best Buy". PaceMaster filed for Chapter 11 last spring. I would be nervous about the long-term support of this company.
AS: I agree that Consumer Reports is not the last word on these machines, but it sure is a good place to gather some info. I found, for example, that the old treadmill I had "crept" a good 6" every mile I walked on it, unless I had the front against bricks or the wall.
I do think the nature of a warranty gives you some idea of how sturdy and durable the machine may be. Unfortunately, a lot of people judge the quality of the equipment by add-ons that have nothing to do with that, like whether they can plug a IPod directly into it.
Posted by: Fred Waters | February 2, 2011 3:16 PM