Treadmill Buyers Guide
What's the budget?
When looking to purchase a treadmill you'll find a huge range in prices so firstly you need to decide what budget you have to spend. Cost can range from around £300 for a treadmill such as the Reebok i-run, to over £10,000 for commercial treadmills such as the Life Fitness 97 Te. You need to decide which features you require and then compare prices within your budget.
What space do you have?
Treadmills are large items and you need to ensure that you have sufficient space to house one. A good tip is to research the measurements given by suppliers and then cut out a piece of cardboard to the same dimensions, placing it where you are considering the treadmill will go. If you are limited on space then most manufacturers provide a range of folding treadmills, some of which can be stored under beds/within wardrobes etc. A popular example of a folding treadmill is the Tunturi T60.
Running or walking?
You need to consider the top speed of the treadmill and measure it against the top speed at which you walk or run. If jogging or running then the treadmill construction needs to be sturdy enough to cope with the force of impact and the motor needs to be powerful enough not to be stressed by the pace (1.5 horsepower continuous duty is recommended as a minimum). It is recommended to go for a larger deck when considering running and to look at treadmills with a top speed a couple of mph greater than your running speed. The Bowflex 3 series is a good example of a running machine with a max speed of 10 mph and a 1.75 hp continuous duty motor
Heart rate control treadmills
Some treadmills allow for the setting of a regular heart rate during exercise. The heart rate can be monitored and used to control the speed and in some cases, incline of the deck. The Life Fitness T9i treadmill is a high end treadmill that monitors heart rate and adjusts resistance accordingly.
Method of incline
Most treadmills allow for an incline to be set and the method of adjustment ranges from manual levers on the cheaper models through to fully automatic control panel powered adjustment on high end models such as the Nautilus treadmill range.