Now is the time of year when many of you are investing in home exercise equipment, so I thought I would share my thoughts on purchasing a treadmill.
Before you go out and buy:
- Decide on your budget. Treadmills can range from $500 to $5000, so decide on a price that you can afford and then work from there.
- Do your research! There are plenty of compare and review websites out there, spend some time narrowing down the brand name you are interested in. Some of my top favorites are True (the kind I own), Precor, LifeFitness and Smooth.
- What options are you looking for? Just because a treadmill is $5000 does not mean it is “better” per se, it might just have more features than you really want or need. I opted not to get the heart rate control features on my treadmill because I am always wearing my Polar heart rate monitor. This saved me about $300, without any impact on the quality of my treadmill. Take a close look at the bells and whistles and decide if they are all really necessary.
- Space! Do you have room in your house for a full size treadmill or do you need one that can fold up? (I suggest putting it on a ground floor to help eliminate noise to the floors below you.)
- Use? I also refer to this as the “clothes hanger factor”. Are you going to use this treadmill or will it become a place for you to hang clothes? Decide if this is something that is worth the investment for your life and family before making a decision.
- and the most important factor of all is TRY BEFORE YOU BUY! If you plan to log some running miles on your new treadmill, you want to find out how it feels. Not all treadmills are the same, so you cannot assume that you are going to love it. Go to a sports or gym specialty store (I like the Gym Store) and try out each treadmill. If you plan to buy one from Costco, jump on the floor model and try it out! Trust me on this one—it can save you a lot of heartache and money by ensuring you are happy with your purchase!
Do you have any tips to share?
Never underestimate the power of a workout gang!
photo credit: allaboutgeorge
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I agree with all your tips! I just picked out a treadmill for my Christmas present this year, and I spent a good two months thinking about it. Will I really use it, why do I want it, how will is change my workouts, what features are a must, how much money am I willing to spend…and on and on. I wound up going with a Landice. They are expensive, have very few bells and whistles, but last forever and can take a good beating. That was a huge factor in my deciding process. Durability. Because I will use it, and not lightly. Oh and I did try it and a few others before I took the plunge and actually bought it.
.-= Katie´s last blog ..My Lost Decade of Running =-.
Nice tips. We don’t have the room or the money for a treadmill but they are nice. Lucky for me our subdivision has one in our little rec center, and even luckier, they open at 5AM!
.-= Victoria´s last blog ..Weight Workout =-.
Check out the warranty on any treadmill. Most will cover you for a full year with a lifetime frame warranty. Some will cover the motor for three years and the electronics for one year, or cover all parts for three years but offer labor for one year. Anything less than this is an indication you’re in the budget zone and you may find yourself paying for lots of repairs. Luxury treadmills costing more than $3000 should offer an exceptional warranty. Look for lifetime coverage on the frame, 10 years on the motor and a minimum 2 years on parts and 1 year labor.
.-= Kevin from Treadmill Talk´s last blog ..Treadmill Comparison Chart $1000-$2000 =-.
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