15 of the Best Treadmills for the Ultimate At-Home Workout
Let's face it: With everything going on in the world right now, at-home workouts just may be our best option for the foreseeable future. Luckily, there are many ways to reach your fitness goals from the comfort of your living room—especially with the right exercise equipment, such as one of the best treadmills on the market.
Not only are treadmills great for cardio and burning calories, they target and tone calf and thigh muscles as well, making them a perfect workout for all fitness levels. And with New Year’s resolutions just around the corner, you may want to jump on the next opportunity to have one for daily access. While selecting a heavy-duty machine online may seem intimidating at first, the process is actually quite simple if you know what to look for.
What are the Best Treadmills
We've outlined four essential elements that a treadmill should have to help find the best model for you.
- Speed: While some treadmills can go up to 28 miles per hour (!) the average person doesn't need a treadmill that goes more than 12 miles per hour. (Sorry, we just can't all be Usain Bolt.)
- Incline: You'll want to be sure you're getting a treadmill that can be angled at up to at least a 10 percent incline to properly target your muscles. Some can even go up to 40 percent.
- Shock-absorption: A good treadmill will be easy on your joints. As such, you should look for one with a cushioned running bed.Track cushioning can reportedly reduce impact by up to 40 percent, which encourages stamina and lessens potential injuries.
- Stability: When looking for a treadmill, make sure to find one that stays in place and doesn’t rock back and forth while you’re using it. The best way to determine this is from the first-hand perspective of reviewers.
The Best Treadmills at a Glance
- Best Treadmill for Running: NordicTrack Commercial 2950 Treadmill
- Best Cheap Treadmill: Weslo CardioStride Treadmill
- Most Splurge-Worthy Treadmill: NordicTrack Commercial X32i Treadmill
- Best Treadmill on Amazon: Bowflex T7 Treadmill
- Most Versatile Treadmill: Xterra Fitness TR150 Treadmill
- Best Treadmill for Beginners: Sunny Health & Fitness Walking Treadmill
- Best Treadmill for an Intense Workout: Nautilus T618 Treadmill
- Best Manual Treadmill: Sunny Health & Fitness Manual Treadmill
- Best Folding Treadmill: Skonyon Folding Treadmill
- Best Under-Desk Treadmill: Erkang Under-Desk Treadmill
- Best Compact Treadmill: LifePlus Treadmill
- Most High-Tech Treadmill: NordicTrack T Series 6.5 S Treadmill
- Most Convenient Treadmill: Rehoopex 2-in-1 Treadmill
- Safest Treadmill: SereneLife Manual Treadmill
- Best Treadmill Colors: GoPlus Superfit Treadmill
1. NordicTrack Commercial 2950 Treadmill
Best Treadmill for Running
Those who like to keep it fast-paced will surely appreciate the cushioned deck of this treadmill, which allows for lessened impact on the joints for a more sustainable and comfortable jog. And with a 30-day iFIT membership, you'll have access to a vast array of virtual professional trainers. Another bonus is that your iFIT trainer can choose your incline (up to 15 percent) to match their own.
2. Weslo CardioStride Treadmill
Best Cheap Treadmill
On a budget, but still want to get in shape? This treadmill saves you cash at less than $150 because it's self-powered, no electricity needed. It comes with an adjustable incline to target different muscle groups, and has a small device holder, so you can enjoy the media of your choice while burning those calories.
3. NordicTrack Commercial X32i Treadmill
Most Splurge-Worthy Treadmill
Wanna go all out? This treadmill is worth the price due to its impressive 32-inch touchscreen, built-in fans, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi connectivity and 30-day iFIT membership. Its automatically-adjusting high incline and speed of up to 12 miles per hour all add up to a completely immersive workout experience that’ll keep you coming back for more.
4. Bowflex T7 Treadmill
Best Treadmill on Amazon
Not only does this treadmill go up to 12 miles per hour, you can also stream your favorite entertainment services, such as Netflix or Hulu, right from its HD touchscreen monitor. But what makes this treadmill really unique is that with the one-year JRNY membership, it can take you through multiple scenic routes across the globe on its screen, making you feel like you’re truly in an immersive experience in nature.
5. Xterra Fitness TR150 Treadmill
Most Versatile Treadmill
This durable treadmill has everything you need, including three incline options, an easy-to-use interface that displays essential stats and 12 preset programs of varying difficulty. Adjust the machine accordingly to push yourself to—or past—your limits.
6. Sunny Health & Fitness Walking Treadmill
Best Treadmill for Beginners
If you’re new to the whole treadmill, or even exercising, universe (don’t be embarrassed—we applaud you!), then this treadmill will be the best option for you. That’s because it only goes up to a reasonable pace of 5 miles per hour, and has handrails for safety, balance and focus. With this treadmill, you can also count your calories burned and distance traveled to keep track of your progress.
7. Nautilus T618 Treadmill
Best Treadmill for an Intense Workout
Because this treadmill can go up to 12 miles hour hour and has a 15 percent incline, it's all you'll need for a hardcore workout session. With its easily accessible controls, you can adjust the intensity without interrupting your flow. If you're serious about running, it also has a pace and endurance tracker to help you meet your goals.
8. Sunny Health & Fitness Manual Treadmill
Best Manual Treadmill
A manual treadmill can give you more of a workout than a regular one in some ways, and this one comes with a larger-than-average surface area and 16 resistance levels, so you can conquer everything from flat lands to to hills for a full-body cardio exercise. Overall, it takes more physical energy to get this one started, meaning you’ll burn more calories.
9. Skonyon Folding Treadmill
Best Folding Treadmill
This treadmill boasts transportable wheels and folds in on itself for optimal storage. It also comes with three slope and incline adjustments, which means you can target certain muscles more intensely. And with shock-absorbing cushions for a quieter workout experience, you can workout whenever you please, without having to worry about waking the baby.
10. Erkang Under-Desk Treadmill
Best Under-Desk Treadmill
Calling all multi-taskers! This treadmill allows you to burn calories and build up your lower half's muscles, all at the comfort of your own standing desk. With its anti-slip belt, you can use it while you’re sending emails or working on a large project on your computer, making it the perfect way to unwind during these high-stress times.
11. LifePlus Compact Treadmill
Best Compact Treadmill
If you’re looking to save space, then this compact treadmill will be perfect for your apartment or office. While most treadmills are around 64 inches long and 28 inches wide, this guy comes in at 51 inches long and 24 inches wide. It also has a high-performance motor, multi-layered elastic belt and 12 exercise programs. All in all, this treadmill may be small, but it sure is mighty, and can definitely meet all your workout needs from home.
12. NordicTrack T Series 6.5 S Treadmill
Most High-Tech Treadmill
If you’re a music-fanatic, then you won’t want to miss out on this spacious treadmill that has an auxiliary port and dual speakers, so you can listen to your favorite tunes during your run. It also gives you access to personal trainers, who can adjust your incline and speed with the machine's accompanying free 30 day iFit membership. As an added bonus, there is special cushioning that will be easy on your joints, and this equipment can even be folded up if you’re concerned about storage.
13. Rehoopex 2-in-1 Treadmill
Most Convenient Treadmill
Because of its adjustable handrail, which enables it to be used in multiple ways, this easy-to-assemble treadmill can go under your desk for walking or run on when the rail is raised. It also allows you to track your time and distance ran and calories burned with its LED display, and you can easily adjust your speed with its handy remote control. And, thanks to its quiet motor and non-slip, shock-absorbing belt, you can get in shape without worrying about disturbing your neighbors or damaging your joints.
14. SereneLife Manual Treadmill
Safest Treadmill
With its integrated safety key that attaches to your clothing and prevents you from flying across the room, this machine is about as safe as it gets. This foldable and highly customizable treadmill has speed controls right at the sturdy handrails and a trusty heart-rate monitor, too. You can also adjust your pace and intensity with ease, and enjoy its 16 preset routines and three incline options.
15. GoPlus Superfit Treadmill
Best Treadmill Colors
With its seven-layer, wear-resistant belt, this mighty treadmill can give you a highly effective workout. It also comes with Bluetooth access and a phone holder to make the process more entertaining, plus a remote control to shut the machine off instantly. Oh, and did we mention you can choose from seven different colors to best suit your home's decor?