If you've just begun looking out for the right treadmill to buy
for exercise at home in 2013 and you're beginning to show a little
frustration at the amount of choices out there, nobody will blame you
for that. The truth is you're absolutely right. There's a huge amount of
treadmills on the market. The secret to buying one is to sort out the
good from the bad.
Like almost any consumer purchase these days, if you buy the cheapest you'll end up with something that you may regret. For example if the reason you're buying a treadmill is to lose weight, the cheapest treadmills on the market are not built to withstand a large person on their track and will start to break up in certain areas like the frame and track quite quickly. Along with this the electric motors are not powerful enough as well and can be burnt out if they are subjected to too much force. But perhaps more than anything is the comfort of the track that the cheapest treadmills come with. This is a huge consideration in purchase. Even mid range treadmills can have quite excellent shock absorption qualities on their track (the track is the conveyor belt that you are running/walking on). Why this is so important is that if the shock absorption properties are low then you will definitely feel it in your leg muscles and lower joints. Whereas a treadmill with better track shock absorption will cushion your stride and give you a much more relaxed and satisfying workout.
Other points of note when purchasing a treadmill are the motor size, frame, whether it's a folding or non folding treadmill, its electronic console and warranty.
Motor Size:
Electric motors for treadmills range from 1.5hp through to 5hp. Mid range but quite acceptable horsepower ratings are generally about 3hp to 3.5hp. For longevity the 3hp and up powered ones are the way to go. More power than this doesn't really achieve a lot except the motor's are running at a much lower wattage than they can handle. A little like a V8 powered car cruising all day at 40mph.
Frame:
The frame is of course an integral part of a treadmill. On pricier units they will be very sturdy and vibration free. They will also be equipped with large handlebars for safety and for comfort while you are on for a jog. Treadmills can weigh up to 450lb's and a lot of that weight can be in the frame on a well manufactured unit.
Folding and Non Folding:
Entirely up to you the purchaser. Probably non folding are best, but these days there's some excellent folding machines being produced as well. You would only want to buy a folding treadmill if space in your home is limited and you need it parked up against a wall from time to time. Folding units are designed to pack up neatly and weight is dispersed so that they are easily folded up and upended by one person.
Electronic Console:
This is where the competition is between treadmill manufacturers in 2013. The electronic console will offer you many programmable workouts and features such as different distance running, calorie burning controls and heart rate monitoring. These days its quite common to have between seventeen to twenty five different programmable features for you to go between. When you are looking at purchasing though other features you may like to think about is whether the model or models you are interested in also contain a drinks holder on the console, ability to hold a book and whether it's MP3 capable. Some also offer television screens along with music players and speakers. But there are some manufacturers offering either as inbuilt or as an option a running and weight course that's live with others around the world. So, you can compete with others without ever leaving your home gym. The runs you can run with others are completely programmed to be identical so nobody has an advantage or disadvantage over another. The runs are just like you would experience if you were outside. That is over say a five or ten mile distance the track will incline and decline automatically and according to the program, exactly the same as the real outside run.
Warranties:
Naturally a very important consideration. A quality treadmill these days will offer you a lifetime warranty on the frame and motor and generally between three to seven years and upwards on all other parts including electronics. When a manufacturer offers lengthy warranties like this they are basically backing their own product and will be expecting it to last at least twice as long as the warranty. A decent warranty term like this is also a good resale point. If you have to sell it or want to sell it at some stage, having the ability to offer a second hand treadmill with a good long warranty left on it will always attract more keen buyers.
Different Models:
There are a lot to choose from out there at the moment. We suggest careful consideration of all the above features before purchasing. There is definitely many options available now in 2013 as technology advances on treadmills just like every consumer product.
Like almost any consumer purchase these days, if you buy the cheapest you'll end up with something that you may regret. For example if the reason you're buying a treadmill is to lose weight, the cheapest treadmills on the market are not built to withstand a large person on their track and will start to break up in certain areas like the frame and track quite quickly. Along with this the electric motors are not powerful enough as well and can be burnt out if they are subjected to too much force. But perhaps more than anything is the comfort of the track that the cheapest treadmills come with. This is a huge consideration in purchase. Even mid range treadmills can have quite excellent shock absorption qualities on their track (the track is the conveyor belt that you are running/walking on). Why this is so important is that if the shock absorption properties are low then you will definitely feel it in your leg muscles and lower joints. Whereas a treadmill with better track shock absorption will cushion your stride and give you a much more relaxed and satisfying workout.
Other points of note when purchasing a treadmill are the motor size, frame, whether it's a folding or non folding treadmill, its electronic console and warranty.
Motor Size:
Electric motors for treadmills range from 1.5hp through to 5hp. Mid range but quite acceptable horsepower ratings are generally about 3hp to 3.5hp. For longevity the 3hp and up powered ones are the way to go. More power than this doesn't really achieve a lot except the motor's are running at a much lower wattage than they can handle. A little like a V8 powered car cruising all day at 40mph.
Frame:
The frame is of course an integral part of a treadmill. On pricier units they will be very sturdy and vibration free. They will also be equipped with large handlebars for safety and for comfort while you are on for a jog. Treadmills can weigh up to 450lb's and a lot of that weight can be in the frame on a well manufactured unit.
Folding and Non Folding:
Entirely up to you the purchaser. Probably non folding are best, but these days there's some excellent folding machines being produced as well. You would only want to buy a folding treadmill if space in your home is limited and you need it parked up against a wall from time to time. Folding units are designed to pack up neatly and weight is dispersed so that they are easily folded up and upended by one person.
Electronic Console:
This is where the competition is between treadmill manufacturers in 2013. The electronic console will offer you many programmable workouts and features such as different distance running, calorie burning controls and heart rate monitoring. These days its quite common to have between seventeen to twenty five different programmable features for you to go between. When you are looking at purchasing though other features you may like to think about is whether the model or models you are interested in also contain a drinks holder on the console, ability to hold a book and whether it's MP3 capable. Some also offer television screens along with music players and speakers. But there are some manufacturers offering either as inbuilt or as an option a running and weight course that's live with others around the world. So, you can compete with others without ever leaving your home gym. The runs you can run with others are completely programmed to be identical so nobody has an advantage or disadvantage over another. The runs are just like you would experience if you were outside. That is over say a five or ten mile distance the track will incline and decline automatically and according to the program, exactly the same as the real outside run.
Warranties:
Naturally a very important consideration. A quality treadmill these days will offer you a lifetime warranty on the frame and motor and generally between three to seven years and upwards on all other parts including electronics. When a manufacturer offers lengthy warranties like this they are basically backing their own product and will be expecting it to last at least twice as long as the warranty. A decent warranty term like this is also a good resale point. If you have to sell it or want to sell it at some stage, having the ability to offer a second hand treadmill with a good long warranty left on it will always attract more keen buyers.
Different Models:
There are a lot to choose from out there at the moment. We suggest careful consideration of all the above features before purchasing. There is definitely many options available now in 2013 as technology advances on treadmills just like every consumer product.
We have been reviewing the latest Treadmills for the last six years. To see whats new in Treadmills for 2013 go to Latest Treadmill Reviews for 2013
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