Treadmills - Exercise, Home, Commercial, Folding Treadmills

Treadmills offer up a convenient way to get a great natural aerobic workout. For many people, the quickest way to lose weight and get into an exercise habit is to buy a treadmill and work out a few times a week.

So, you are in the market for a treadmill and want to make sure you make the best possible investment for your hard earned dollars. Here is some stuff you need to know about treadmills before you buy.

Motorized Treadmills
Motorized treadmills are naturally more expensive than non-motorized treadmills. With a motorized treadmill you can set a speed and then you have to keep pace with the belt. For many this is the preferred route as it is more challenging and all you have to do is keep pace to get a full work out.

Peak Horsepower - the maximum power an engine can generate for short bursts.
Continuous Horsepower - the power at which a motor can operate continually without drop-offs.

More power is generally better. But more power means more expense. If you are a seasoned runner you should get a machine that machine that generates at least 2hp of continuous power. If you plan to walk and not run regularly, anywhere between 1 and 1.5 hp should be sufficient.

Non-motorized Treadmills
With non-motorized treadmills the pace is set by your stepping motion. The belts turn as quickly as you walk, giving you a similar expeience to walking on the street, at a pace you set by pushing off from your trailing foot. Non-motorized treadmills have less mechanical parts (and no motor) and therefore tend to have a longer life-of-use. However, most people prefer their motorized cousins.

Home Treadmills
These treadmills are popular with home users because they tend to be smaller, less expensive and most come with folding options for easy storage. The motors tend to be less powerful and the belt width and laden weight tend to be less than the commercial variety. Some home treadmills are on the higher quality side and you might find them in condos and multi-family gyms. Buy these if you plan to use the treadmill a few times a week and 1-3 people will use it mostly for walking or short periods of running.

Commercial Treadmills
These are used commerically and tend to look feel more sturdy. Warranty times are longer, belts are higher grade and wider and laden weight ranges are higher. These machines are more powerful and offer multiple options such as higher inclines, greater speeds and more controls. Also, since they are built for extended, frequent and heavy use they are built to match.

Folding Treadmills
Most home segment treadmill manufacturers have folding models. Folding models tend to be a little less sturdy than non-folding treadmills, partly due to the fact that they need to be easily manuevarable so that users can fold them and tuck them away.

Belt size
Important metrics are length and width. If you are over 6 ft tall, don't buy a treadmill with a short belt. Why, because of your longer than average stride. Belt width is a big factor when it comes down to the comfort of your treadmill workout. The wider the belt the more the running surface area, of course. Belt widths range from 16 to 22 inches, and belt lengths from 45 to 60 inches.

Construction
Look for sturdiness, not just sturdy looking, but have a sturdy feel. Lighter models may be more manageable, but you're sacrificing durability for portability. All of our treadmills are built tough and are tested for durability and sturdiness for their recommended usage and price range.

Warranty
Look for at least two to three years of limited warranty. All of our treadmills come with at least 3 years of warranty, some with a lifetime warranty.

Gadgets and Controls
Options include heart rate monitoring, distance traveled, calories burned, speed, and the length of your workout. Most of our featured models have these features. Hmm, what about a television? Well, we have a few of those to choose from.

What are you waiting for? Buy your treadmill online now and get and stay fit in the comfort of your home or office.