5 Best Treadmills For A Home Gym Reviewed

Did you know that the Department of Health & Human Services of Victoria state, Australia, calls sitting the new smoking?

Prolonged sitting is widely considered to be extremely harmful to long-term health, posing such risks as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, varicose veins, and general joint and muscle weakness.

The solution to the dangers of prolonged sitting is fairly simple – according to the American Heart Association, moderate activity of at least 150 minutes a week or 75 minutes of vigorous activity should keep the mentioned health problems at bay.

Unfortunately, not everybody has the ability to participate in physical activity, whether due to the lack of time or a suitable location for exercise.

Well, the answer to this dilemma might be a treadmill!

A treadmill is a big investment, and you should think about it very carefully. But don’t worry – today, we are going to help you with choosing the best treadmill for home gym use!

How To Choose The Best Treadmill

First up, let’s briefly cover the features that you should be looking for in a treadmill.

Mechanical vs electrical treadmills

Treadmills can be mechanical and electrical. In mechanical models, you move the tread belt as you run – no motors are used to bring the belt in motion. Likewise, the speed of the belt depends on your muscle effort.

This allows for easier adjustment of the workout intensity since you don’t have to reach for any controls. On the other hand, mechanical treadmills can be straining on joints and muscles, so if you have joint issues, avoid mechanical treadmills.

Electric treadmills use an electric motor to move the belt. Most electric models are equipped with on-board computers that allow you to adjust the speed, incline, time, training program, and other settings. These treadmills are more convenient but also more expensive than mechanical ones.

Functionality

Pay attention to what kind of functions the desired treadmill comes with. Among the things to look for are:

• Speed adjustment range.
• Inclination settings (% or degrees). Besides, some treadmills require that you manually raise the belt, while others adjust the inclination with a push of a button.
• Built-in training programs.
• Pulse grips. Some treadmills may also be compatible with third-party heart rate monitors.
• Compatibility with fitness apps.
• Music capabilities. Some treadmills have music input via AUX or Bluetooth. Aside from that, if you want music, make sure that the treadmill has built-in speakers.

Tread belt size

Very carefully consider the size of the treadmill’s tread belt. More precisely, pay attention to its width and length.

The larger the belt, the safer the treadmill will be because you will have more surface to work with. On the other hand, treadmills with larger belts will be larger themselves, as well as will be more expensive.

Width is more important than length. Don’t go lower than 15-16 inches no matter your stature. If you are tall, then the wider, the better, but try to buy a treadmill with at least a 20 inches wide belt.

Safety stop

The safety stop is an important thing to consider as well. Although all treadmills come with this feature, you should pay attention to how it is implemented.

Some treadmills have a safety button that needs to be pushed for an emergency stop. In others, you are getting a clip with a string that needs to be pulled for stopping.

Both emergency stop types work well, but what you should pay attention to here is the accessibility of the safety stop. Buttons should be big, while clip strings should be easy to grab. Some treadmills may have poor safety stop design – you may want to avoid such models.

Weight capacity

Pay attention to how much weight a treadmill can take. Your treadmill should be at least rated for your weight, but it would be better if there was some headroom.

Don’t overpay for weight capacity though, especially if you are planning to lose weight. As you lose weight, the increased weight capacity of the treadmill will become less vital.

Size

Finally, consider the physical size of the desired treadmill. Treadmills can be pretty big, so be sure to check the width, length, and height of the desired model. This is to ensure that the treadmill won’t occupy too much space in your room and that it can fit in the room to begin with.

5 Best Treadmills For A Home Gym

Treadmill Weslo Cadence G 5.9

The Weslo Cadence G 5.9 treadmill is suitable for those who are looking for something simple. G 5.9 is fairly inexpensive, compact, but quite functional.

The track here is 16 inches wide, which is relatively narrow. On one hand, the narrow track makes this thing more compact, but on the other, G 5.9 isn’t very suitable for big users.

In terms of functionality, G 5.9 is solid but nothing exceptional. It has an integrated LCD for convenient control, 6 programs for automatic intensity adjustment, and a built-in heart rate monitor. There also are 2 manual incline settings, which is not a lot but is good enough.

Durability-wise, the G 5.9 treadmill is decent. Being a budget treadmill, it uses cheap components, but it nonetheless has a 275-pound weight limit.

All in all, as you will be able to see from our next reviews, G 5.9 offers nothing too exceptional. But given its price, it might be an excellent option for people on a tighter budget.

Pros:

• Fairly inexpensive.
• Compact.
• Cushioned tread belt.
• 275-pound weight limit.

Cons:

• Has only 2 incline settings.
• The display is pretty hard to read.

NordicTrack T Series 6.5 S Treadmill

The T Series 6.5 S treadmill is a highly functional middle-end model. Although it’s not outrageously expensive, it has a few very good features to boast.

Up first, we have sophisticated treadmill settings such as 0-10mph speed, 0-10% digital incline control, and compatibility with the iFit fitness app. Notably, when connected to your iFit app, 6.5 S can automatically adjust the speed and incline to match your trainer’s recommendations.

Not only that, but iFit provides you with advanced stats and interactive training from top coaches. iFit isn’t free, unfortunately, but NordicTrack provides a 30-day membership with the 6.5 S treadmill.

If you like to hear music while jogging, then you may also be glad to hear that 6.5 S has an AUX audio input along with decent 2-inch stereo speakers. This treadmill also has a smartphone/tablet holder on the main console.

The tread belt in the 6.5 S treadmill is also fairly notable – it’s a large belt sized at 20 x 55 inches, and it also has some cushioning to soften the impact on your joints. This treadmill is strong as well, capable of supporting up to 300 pounds.

All in all, given its functionality, the T 6.5 S treadmill is priced very well. It’s not that much more expensive than the cheaper models on our list, but its functionality is noticeably better.

Pros:

• Very functional.
• Cushioned and wide belt.
• Has an AUX music input & stereo speakers.
• Includes 30-day iFit membership.
• Supports up to 300 pounds.

Cons:

• A bit pricey.

XTERRA TR150 Treadmill

The XTERRA TR150 treadmill is a little more expensive and more functional than the Weslo G 5.9 treadmill.

In terms of adjustability, TR150 is slightly better – it has 3 manual incline settings, as well as 6 more training programs. The LCD display here is a little bit more readable as well, though it’s smaller.

Like the G 5.9 treadmill, TR150 is one of those narrower treadmill models – TR 150’s tread belt is 16 inches wide, so it is compact and not as suitable for big users.

In terms of running comfort, the two treadmills should be pretty comparable – both have deck cushioning and are in the same price range.

With that said, the weight limit here is 25 pounds lower – 250 pounds. This should still be pretty enough for people who can comfortably run on this narrow treadmill.

What we dislike about this treadmill is its subpar water bottle holders. They are small and won’t be able to adequately hold big water bottles. The G 5.9 treadmill is a little better in this area.

In the end, for a little more money, TR150 offers noticeably better functionality than the G 5.9. If you do have the budget, then consider going for this treadmill.

Pros:

• Inexpensive.
• Compact.
• Quite functional for the money.
• Cushioned tread belt.
• 250-pound weight limit.

Cons:

• The water bottle holders are subpar.

Sunny Health & Fitness T4400 Treadmill

The T4400 treadmill from Sunny Health & Fitness is far from being the most functional on our list, but it has a few very interesting things to offer nonetheless.

Although priced close to the Weslo G 5.9 and XTERRA TR150 treadmills, T4400 seems to be much more convenient. In fact, the highlight of this model is the easily accessible safety stop that’s very easy to reach and grab.

Notably, the T4400 treadmill also has a shock-absorbing tread belt that should deliver more comfort than the belts of G 5.9 and TR150. Aside from that, T4400 has its speed adjustment buttons in the handrails, allowing for easier control while jogging.

T4400 is also a quite compact treadmill, but this comes at a cost – this treadmill has the narrowest and shortest tread belt on the list (49 x 15.5 inches). This might be a problem for bigger users. The weight limit here is unremarkable 220 pounds as well, but given how compact T4400 is, it’s not the best fit for tall and heavy users anyway.

Pros:

• Fairly compact.
• Shock-absorbing tread belt.
• 3 manual incline options.
• Convenient handrail controls.
• Easy to reach safety stop.

Cons:

• Has the narrowest tread belt on the list.

NordicTrack 1750 Commercial Treadmill

The 1750 commercial treadmill from NordicTrack probably is overkill for most people who are training at home. However, for some people, this thing may be just the right treadmill. Plus, it seems like a good option for commercial use!

The 1750 treadmill extends on the features we’ve seen in the NordicTrack T 6.5 S treadmill reviewed a bit earlier.

First off, it offers more training variety with its 0-12mph speed and 3-12% electronic incline controls.

Secondly, the 1750 commercial treadmill again reaps the benefits of the iFit fitness app. The functionality in this treadmill is exactly the same as in the 6.5 S treadmill. However, NordicTrack includes a 1-year membership with the 1750 treadmill rather than just 30 days!

The deck in 1750 is better as well – it’s 2 inches wider (22 inches in total), as well as boasts the advanced Runners Flex cushioning system. If you also care about music, then the 1750 treadmill can play it via Bluetooth through the 3-inch stereo speakers.

With a heavy-duty motor, NordicTrack 1750 is made with commercial gym use in mind. It’s perhaps a great option for home use as well, but only if you have deep pockets.

Pros:

• Integrated touchscreen.
• Commercial motor.
• Very functional.
• 22-inch wide shock-absorbing tread belt.
• 1-year iFit membership included.
• Supports up to 300 pounds.

Cons:

• Very expensive.

Final Words

Hopefully, this little post has helped you find the best treadmill for your home gym!

Remember what we said in the beginning – treadmills are a serious investment. You should thus understand your needs, carefully research available treadmills, and make your final decision without any rush.