Choosing the best home treadmill can be confusing as you sift through
all of the options, new models, and brand name ‘deals’. Too often,
people get caught up in all the 'Goodies' a treadmill offers them that
they miss the fact that the treadmill doesn't have the basic essentials
of a quality unit.
By knowing the 4 basic essentials of a quality home treadmill, you'll
be able to quickly sift through the treadmill deals and choose the best
home treadmill for you.
The 4 basic essentials to a quality treadmill are:
#1 - High Powered, Well Built Motor
Since the motor is the most expensive part of the treadmill to fix, a
good motor is essential to your treadmill. Try to find at least a motor
power of 2.0 HP, preferably higher.
Remember that a 1.5 HP motor has to work twice as hard as a 3.0 HP motor - so it will burn out long before the 3.0 HP motor.
Also, not all motors are built with the same quality parts. Look for a
good brand name and a long motor warranty to give you clues as to the
quality of the motor.
#2 - Excellent Cushioning
There's not enough said about cushioning and it is so important in a
home treadmill. A good cushioning system protects your joints,
ligaments and back. A poor cushioning system can result in injury and
pain.
I know of one woman who bought a cheaper brand of treadmill and then
ran on it. Within 6 months, she had damaged her hips so badly that it
hurt her to even walk on the treadmill. You definitely don't want that!
Make sure your treadmill offers an excellent cushioning system - especially if you'll be running!
#3 - Extensive Warranty
You want to protect your investment so a solid treadmill warranty is a
must. A good treadmill warranty will cover the frame for at least 30
years, the motor for at least 5 years and other parts and labor for
about 1 year. Anything above that and you've got an excellent warranty.
But a warranty isn't just to protect your investment – a good warranty lets you know about the quality of the treadmill parts.
Treadmill companies do not include warranties because they think
they'll have to fix the treadmill within that time frame. They know
that they WON'T have to fix them within that time frame because the
quality of parts used are high. So if you find a treadmill with a 10
year motor warranty, you KNOW it's a quality built motor. If the motor
warranty is only 90 days however...that tells you something.
#4 - Quality Brand Name
Certain brand names have a reputation for building a high quality home
treadmill. Other brand names may be well-known but they don't
necessarily have a good reputation.
Choose a treadmill that has a solid, trusted brand name. Not sure which
brands are good? Check out expert ratings and 'Best Buys' on various
treadmill review sites and/or magazines. You'll start to see a trend
where certain brand names come up frequently. These brands are the
quality treadmill manufacturers.
So those are 4 basic essentials of a good home treadmill:
- High Powered, Well Built Motor
- Excellent Cushioning
- Extensive Warranty
- Quality Brand Name
Knowing these, you can sift through the treadmills available and easily locate the best treadmill for your home.
For more treadmill reviews and best home treadmill buys, visit: http://www.TreadmillReview.net
Good luck and have fun!
Kathryn O'Neill is chief editor for Treadmill Reviews, a consumer
oriented website focusing on home treadmills. For buying tips, brand
reviews, and best buys, visit Treadmill Review at: www.treadmillreview.net.