Treadmill Buying Guide – Quick Tips On Finding the Best Home Treadmill For You

Kathryn ONeill is chief editor for http://www.TreadmillReview.net – a site offering the latest home treadmill reviews and treadmill buying guide tips.

For the best treadmills buys visit http://www.TreadmillReview.net/best-treadmill.html

Looking for a treadmill buying guide? Buying a treadmill may seem like an overwhelming experience. There’s a mountain of information out there, dozen of brands and hundreds of models to sift through.

Plus reading treadmill manufacturers’ websites can sometimes feel like you should have a PhD in engineering – 3″ rollers, phenolic deck with shock absorption, continuous duty, peak duty motor power…it can be overwhelming.

But never fear. This easy treadmill buying guide will lay out the basics you should be looking for when choosing a treadmill:

First of all the basics…

Motor – The motor is the heart and soul of your machine. You want at least a 2.0 HP Continuous Duty motor power (this means it can continuously run at this power without overheating). If you’re planning on using the treadmill for long periods of time or for running, you may even want to get a 2.5 HP or higher.

Belt – You want at least a 20 x 55″ long belt. Anything shorter and you may feel like you’re falling off the treadmill (especially if you like to run or if you’re taller than 5’7″)

Cushioning – The treadmill should have some form of cushioning system to protect your joints.

Console – There should be easy-to-reach Start/Stop buttons. Also, while it’s not essential, a backlit console window will make it much easier to read your workout stats, especially if lighting is not the best in your home gym.

Incline – Most motorized treadmills come with an incline from 10 – 15%.

Speed – Most treadmills also come with a speed limit of 0 – 10 or even 0 – 12 MPH.

Heart Rate Monitor – Most users prefer to have a heart rate monitor so they can stay in their target fat-burning range.

Now the Entertainment Options…

Treadmills today are getting better than ever. There are some with features that will challenge and entertain you. While these are not “essential”, depending on what kind of exerciser you are, you may want to include them on your ‘must-have’ list:

Built-In Workouts – Do you want programs to burn maximum calories? Or how about a personal trainer coaching you through your paces? Do you want to train for a marathon?

Or do you want the treadmill to monitor your heart rate and adjust speed/incline to keep you in a target range? There are all programs that can help you do these things.

iPod Dock – Some treadmills comes with an iPod/mp3 port in the console. You plug in your iPod and you can play it through built-in console speakers. Some treadmills also offer a port for your headphones if you want to keep things quiet.

Track Your Fitness Results – Several treadmill brands are now offering online programs that let you easily track your fitness results over time. So you can push yourself further and reach you goal.

Built-In TV or Web Browser – This is one of the coolest new innovations to come along in years. You can find treadmills that come with built-in TVs or even web browsers. So you can surf the net, read your emails or catch up with Facebook friends while walking.

Again, these are just some of the latest entertainment options. But if you get bored easily like me, you may find them indispensable in a treadmill.

Some final tips…

One indication of a well-constructed treadmill is a long warranty, especially long coverage on the motor and parts. Also, once you’ve done some research and read some reviews, you’ll start to get an idea of what’s out there – which brands have a good reputation and which brands are not so popular.

In general you get what you pay for with a treadmill. A $1500 treadmill is probably going to hold up better over the long run than a $700 treadmill. But then again, if you’re not planning on using it too frequently, you may just be fine with that $700 treadmill. So it really depends on what you want and your intended use of the treadmill as well.

So those are some treadmill buying guide tips. Take your time and research before you buy. You’ll find a better treadmill – and feel much more comfortable with your buying decision too. Good luck!

You may also like to see the following articles:

• Livestrong Treadmill Review – What To Know Before You Buy
• 3 Common Myths About Buying A Treadmill
• Treadmill For Sale – 3 Places To Buy A Treadmill And Tips To Save Money
• Incline Trainers Vs Treadmill – Benefits of a High Incline Trainer
• Proform Treadmills – Are They Right For You?

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