Treadmill Buyers' Guide

My ratings will give you the best value for your money based on:

Safety
Reliability
Longevity

I want you to have years of reliable service through best-in-class warranty coverage and minimal repairs/down time....that is my bottom line. Comfort, feel, and programming are personal preferences, so I'll leave that up to you.

Precor Quality

Precor have been THE industry leaders in treadmills for 30+ years... everyone else is always playing catch-up.

They make the best-of-the-best top end equipment found in high-use club settings. The big money research that goes into the most advanced treadmills in the world influences and guides the design of their home treadmills. Department store treadmills do not stand a chance against that kind of engineering.

Precor fights hard to maintain their brand image as leaders in safety and reliability, so you'd better believe they'll make sure you receive a premium quality treadmill when you take theirs home, with a fantastic warranty to back it up.

Fold-Up Treadmills

SAFE & RELIABLE treadmills DO NOT have the creaks, rattles, and instability of a fold-up department store treadmill. Stability should not be sacrificed... but if you must have fold-up storage, your best choice is the Life F3.

Details at

Inflated Prices

Department stores that offer fantastic sales on fitness machines usually have highly inflated ‘regular prices’ to make the sale price look very attractive. In truth, even the sale prices I see are usually too much money (versus quality and longevity), and the warranties are usually short-term (look for a minimum five year part warranty). Expect a quality machine to deliver far far more on your investment over time.

REMEMBER

$2500 is the starting price for a SAFE & RELIABLE home use treadmill.
Spending less usually compromises safety and reliability.
Your BEST value is any of the long-lived treadmills I've recommended.

For a workout on a budget, consider a BH bike, starting around $700, details at