Home treadmills art a tough sea too navigate for most buyers – there art so numerous different brands and they all seem alike too outsiders. Luckily, over the past 20 or the years, I’ve had to repair merely about all treadmill ever produced. In other words, my pain wilt be your salvation!

My 1st piece of advice is: avoid anything and everything from Icon Health and Fitness. They’re the manufacturer of the units you’ll find at places like Sears – nothing against Sears, but the treadmills they sell tend to be on the lower final of the quality scale. Their treadmills seem to have specs that are too good to be true for their cost and, truth be told, they art. The old saying “you get what you pay for” comes in too act with them.

Tiny motors with high RPMs to give those a perceived higher horsepower (most of their motors should really be rated at under 1.5 HP regardless of what they tell you – a motor the size of a soda canst should not be powering a full sized treadmill!), lots of plastic pieces, small rollers, and generally unstable machines art par for the routine for the Icon brands like Proform, Weslo, Healthrider and image. Just stay away from them! There are improved treadmills even at the more affordable prices that Icon tempts the unlearned consumer with.

On with translating the arcane lore that is treadmill purchasing for the lay person.

Let’s begin with the motor. The 1st thing you want to do is make sure the motor is rated with “Continuous Duty.” any sales person or manufacturer who gives you a “Peak” rating is trying to sell you a bag of magic beans. Peak is best described as the maximum a motor will perform at before it breaks down. What’s more important is: how the heck is that motor going to perform when you’re actually using it? Another object a shady salesperson may mention is that a common home circuit (120v/15amps) will only let you run about 2.5 HP and any motor larger than that is a waste of money. Technically that is correct (about the amps vs. HP, not the waste of money), but the larger motors will tend to last longer as they are not running at the higher RPMs of a smaller motor. And, if nothing else, the larger the motor, the smoother the “ride.” A bigger motor will allow you to run or stroll on it without slipping.

The next thing to appear at is the size of a treadmill’s rollers. The bigger the rollers, the longer your belt will last and the improved the running experience.

Next, and this is my favourite thing – especially when recommending cardio equipment too my in-laws – the warranty. Like something else, the better the warranty the more piece of mind you will have. The five year parts warranty on Spirit treadmills, for example, is one of the best in the business. For me, the more faith a manufacturer has in its own produce (i.e. the warranty), the more faith I have in that product. Of course, doing repairs I absolutely love the lower final warranties as it wherewithal more paying labour for me!

What’s next? The weight and stability of the device. There is nothing worse than getting on a treadmill and having it transfer back and forth, or shake, or, even worse, creak as you run on it. The heavier the portion the longer it will last. If you’re used to running on a treadmill at your local gym and then acquire on most home units, you’ll immediately notice the difference. You don’t need to be running around on anything that feels like it is going to drop apart immediately do you? Don’t answer, that was a rhetorical treadmill question.

The tread and the deck are where majority problems for treadmills happen. When the friction from your running builds up between the deck and the tread, the badness begins. Stick with the 4-ply belts/treads that facilitate to reduce the amount of friction, and look at units with reversible, phenolic wax coated decks. Reversible decks let you flip over your running surface to use the opposite side when the original wears down. It’s like having a free second deck if you wear out the first one.

Programs. Don’t be fooled by this. Most individuals only wind up using 3-4 programs. If the treadmill has 20, that’s cool, but you’ll rarely use those. If you do heart rate training, then heart rate control is great. If not, it’s merely an extra you’ll never use…like the clock you’ve never set on your VCR.

Speed and Incline are worth talking about. Most treadmills canst go up to about ten miles per hour and a ten degree incline. Don’t let speed or incline become a deciding factor unless you’re doing a lot of tall speed or high incline training. Obviously, electronically controlled speed and incline are the way to go. If the feature are manual merely transfer on.

Finally, check test out the shock absorption. You want to make sure you aren’t running on a hard surface. This is a “feel” object more than a “scientific” one. If the deck is bouncy, transfer on. If the deck feels like running on concrete, move on. If the deck moves from side to side, move on. You need to get a deck that feels good, with merely enough give and little to no lateral motion.

Beyond that fans, speakers, cup holders, magazine racks and even television sets on the treadmills console art all just icing on the cake. It’s better to get a good treadmill without a fan or TV and spend $50 to buy your own than too obtain a crappy, fully loaded treadmill which will eventually merely become an expensive coat rack for dirty clothes.

Now, I know I already typed “finally” but there is one last piece to consider: PRICE. You can just obtain what you canst acquire but don’t be fooled into buying a lemon. There are decent (and some downright extraordinary) treadmills at just about all price point. I’ll go over some of the best, at least in my experience, treadmills in the under $1000 range in the next week.

Don’t despair; there is a good treadmill out there you can actually afford

About the Author

Uchenna Ani-Okoye is an internet marketing advisor. For more information you can visit top rated treadmills at http://www.topratedtreadmills.info

Feast on these specs:

Multi-zone deck suspension system absorbs shock and minimizes impact

Phenolic laminated deck bonded to 3/4 medium density fiberboard. Deck can be flipped to double life

Dry silicone belt lubrication system requires no maintenance

Precision machined steel drive and take up rollers keep belt running smoothly to reduce noise and wear

The running belt is 20 wide, multi-ply, polyester satin weave with a PVC non slip surface

The Full Report on the Precor 9.23 Treadmill:

If you love the Precor equipment at the health club, you’ll love working out on the Precor 9.23 treadmill right in the comfort of your own home. Check for current prices and FREE Shipping on the 9.23 and other Treadmills.

If you are weighing a Life Fitness machine (which has gone up in price this year!) to a True, it’s recommended by most treadmill experts to go with the True treadmill. It’s a solid treadmill, that is very stable to run on. The belt and motor run very quiet and smooth.

It is manufactured with commercial-grade materials and the finest components for extreme durability. Coupled with a great warranty and service plan, you know that your treadmill will stand up to years of heavy use.

The PS300 is equipped with a digital contact heart rate monitoring system and a Polar® wireless system to assist you in maintaining your optimal heart rate to maximize your workouts.
TRUE HRC Cruise Control™ allows you to “lock in” on your targeted heart rate. Once your target is entered, one touch TRUE HRC Cruise Control will adjust speed and incline automatically throughout the duration of your workout to maintain your target heart rate (operates just like the Cruise Control in your car).

Warranty – Frame Lifetime, Motor 30 Years, Parts 5 Years, Labor 1 Year.

Get more specs and reviews on the True PS300 treadmill.

When you spend time reading the best treadmill reviews, you’ll find that most people rate the machines for a variety of features including stability, cushioning, speed, electronic readout, accuracy in distance, and even noise. If a review includes a rating on the decibel level, check to see that the treadmill you’re considering purchasing has a DC motor that has a 1.5 to 2.5 hp rating. Try out the treadmill and see if it gives you a smooth, stable ride.

Read treadmill ratings

The treadmill ratings will often include a few notes on the “cushioning feel” of the running deck since impact and comfort are key requirements of a heavy workout. The review should also make mention that the machine feels stable and not wobbly, since the smoothness of the ride is one of the more important attractions in a top rated treadmill.

The best reviews tend to focus on higher-end models that are advertised as being for home use (not rated for club use) and are priced from $1,400 to $4,500. This is the range of better machines that can withstand the rigors of a daily workout from a dedicated runner who will put in an hour or more. The best treadmills on the market have an amazing range of features that allow the user to duplicate almost anything they’ll find on a track or road, including steep inclines. Furthermore, you can run at any time of the day or night, with no concern for traffic or other hazards. This convenience is often sited as a primary attraction for treadmill buyers that they often include when they rate models in their review.

Make a point to read reviews of the best selling models. A review will tend to stress the popularity of a better rated treadmill since they are the staple of the home gym which often includes a wide range of equipment such as free weights, mats, and even other machines.

While you will find cheaper models that have the same features as better treadmills, the important difference is that these machines will not hold up over time. Whatever you primary criteria, you should keep long-term durability and quietness in mind when reading through reviews to find the best treadmill for your home gym.