The Best Treadmill
We analyzed 1,958 reviews from 22 websites to find the best treadmill. Sources included:
+19 More
Top Treadmills
Why Consider This:
With iFit compatibility and an automated incline, the $599 ProForm Performance 505 CST is potentially the most motivating treadmill in its discount price class. First, owners who connect their iFit subscriptions ($99/year) can design workout programs that use terrain data from Google Maps, and the treadmill can adjust its incline to mimic real landscape, plus an interactive Street View shows on the iFit monitor. Second, you can listen to your favorite tunes through on-board speakers. The Performance 505 CST is a smartphone-compatible treadmill.
People Like:
- Power incline (10 percent)
- 18 workout apps
- Contact pulse monitor
People Dislike:
- Built with less durable parts
- Noisy
- No wireless heart rate monitoring
82
Owner Score
781 Reviews from 7 Sites
88
Media & Critic Score
2 Media Reviews
Why Consider This:
The C 990 is among the best treadmills under $1,000. It features a 3.0 CHP motor, a 20″ x 60″ running area, an iFit-enabled 7″ touchscreen, on/off track cushioning, a 12% incline, and other appealing specs. That’s an impressive machine at a reasonable price.
People Like:
- Incline
- Cushioning
- Music friendly
People Dislike:
- Console Issues
- Large Footprint
- Customer Service
70
Owner Score
569 Reviews from 4 Sites
75
Media & Critic Score
2 Media Reviews
Why Consider This:
The Smart Pro comes with a few upgrades and new features in line with the demands of contemporary fitness. To put things into perspective, the Pro series is ProForm’s top treadmill and the Smart Pro 2000 is the entry level unit in that collection.
People Like:
- Sturdy Build
- 32 Workout Apps
- 15% Digital Quick Incline, -3% Digital Quick Decline Controls
People Dislike:
- No Workout Fan
- Customer Service
- 50 onboard workouts aren't available outside $39.99 iFit app subscription
82
Owner Score
203 Reviews from 8 Sites
85
Media & Critic Score
2 Media Reviews
How Critic.ly Saves You Time
When it comes to reviewing the best treadmill, critic.ly is different than other sites. How?
Unbiased & Unsponsored: Critic.ly aggregates and analyzes reviews from real owners and industry critics. We remove spam, sponsored reviews, and other forms of bias to make sure you get the best possible sense of what people actually think about products.
Our reviews of the best treadmills were based on 1,958 reviews from 22 websites.
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How to Find the Right Treadmill
If you go to the gym regularly to use a treadmill, having your own would save commute time and perhaps money. If you have an established walking or running habit but the area where you live has variable or frequently bad weather, a treadmill could be a convenient alternative to the great outdoors. If you are recovering from an injury and need to be in control of surrounding variables while rehabbing, a treadmill can be a great tool. If you want to run while blasting the Taylor Swift discography and performing air guitar moves without risking an auto collision or strange looks, a treadmill may well be your only hope.
If you do welcome a treadmill into your home, prepare your environs for the new addition. If you have small kids or pets, make sure you have space to place the treadmill in a separate room (or sectioned-off area) so they can’t injure themselves while it’s running. Berkeley Wellness, a University of California Berkeley educational blog, advises keeping a treadmill behind a locked door even when it’s off. Wherever you put the treadmill, for your safety you should maintain several feet of clearance behind the machine as well as a couple of feet in front and to each side.
Treadmills We Eliminated
We research and analyzed 7 treadmills. Here's what we concluded about the ones that didn't make the cut.
3-$1,000
Runner Up
Highly rated (88 owner score, 89 expert score), but a slight notch below the best.
Runner Up
Highly rated (89 owner score, 87 expert score), but a slight notch below the best.
2-$1,299
Eliminated - Low Score
Owner score of 84 wasn't high enough for this to be considered.
8-$1,402
Runner Up
Highly rated (89 owner score, 80 expert score), but a slight notch below the best.
Sources & Methodology
Critic.ly uses a combination of machine learning and human editors to help you find the best products.
We start by aggregating and analyzing reviews from real owners and industry critics. We remove spam, sponsored reviews, and other forms of bias to make sure you get the best possible sense of what people actually think about products.
We convert every review to a weight average score from 0 to 100.
For this article, we analyzed 1,958 reviews from 22 sites to find the best treadmill.