In this detailed treadmill buying guide, I will tell you where to buy treadmills & how to buy treadmill exercise equipment that won’t disappoint you.
I will also talk about the best place to buy a treadmill online.
You’re concerned about your health, and you want to get fit. You’re thinking about buying a treadmill for home use. Maybe that’s because you’ve used one in a gym or health club, and you love the idea of being able to have the same benefits in your own home without the expense of gym fees and the need to go to a special location in order to work out. Maybe you want to “double up,” or even “multiple up,” having a treadmill in the home for your entire family to use.
Whatever your reasons, buying a treadmill can be the best thing you can do for yourself and your loved ones.
Why Buy a Treadmill?
Fitness pros recommend treadmills overwhelmingly over any other kind of home exercise device.
This is because they’re easy to use, don’t cost much in comparison with other types of exercise gear, and they deliver a super workout.
If you want to improve your cardiovascular health, tone your muscles, and lose weight, you can’t do much better than a treadmill. Physical activity is important, and you need a certain amount each day to stay healthy.
But be careful – there are a lot of choices, and a lot of different price ranges.
You’re going to want to make sure you get quality equipment at a reasonable price.
Buying a Treadmill – How Do You Find the Right Treadmill?
Start shopping. Approach your treadmill purchase the same way you would any other major buy. To get a good treadmill, one that approaches gym quality, you’re going to have to spend around a thousand dollars, and that’s not money you want to just throw away on sub-standard equipment.
Check out websites, and find a dealer that looks good. Then ask questions. Make sure that you’re able to check out the equipment at a local outlet. If this is impossible for whatever reason, then make sure that the treadmill you buy is backed up with a solid money-back guarantee. Really good equipment generally comes with a no-strings, return it for a full refund, no questions asked guarantee.
Think about what you want from your treadmill. Is it going to get a lot of use? Will you be the only user, or is your whole family going to be on board? If you weigh a hundred pounds soaking wet, you don’t have to worry too much about how the treadmill is rated for weight. But if your 200-pound husband wants to do a hundred miles a week, you’re going to want something that’s pretty heavy-duty. An underpowered treadmill could be a huge mistake.
Do your research, check out product reviews, and even look around on Facebook to see what people are saying.
Where to Buy Treadmills – Where Should You Buy?
Once you’ve done your research on various models and checked out the product reviews, think about where to buy.
Most equipment can be purchased directly from the manufacturer’s websites, and many manufacturers also stock their products in major retail outlets or sporting supply outlets. Generally speaking, you should avoid discount outlets. They may stock “seconds.” This is equipment that you’ll get at a significantly reduced price, but it’s in a discount outlet because it didn’t meet the manufacturer’s quality standards.
If local service is important to you, most of the time, you won’t want to buy online.
If you do, make sure that the vendor has a location in your area where you can have the equipment serviced or repaired if necessary.
You might get a cheaper price online, but you may not be able to get the service you need.
How to Buy a Treadmill – What Are My “Must Haves”?
If you just want to hop on the belt and get moving, that’s fine.
But ideally, you should buy a piece of equipment that you’re really going to enjoy using. There are all manner of innovations in home treadmills these days that make working out easier and more enjoyable, and most of the add-ons that enhance your workout experience don’t add much cost to the treadmill.
The better treadmills offer consoles that are easy to navigate and screens that provide a very visible digital readout. Make sure, too, that the readout and the buttons are user-friendly. If the interface isn’t intuitive, that’s an indication that the manufacturer didn’t consider the needs of the consumer, and it might be a red flag to other problems. A good console isn’t a “personal” must-have. It’s a must have, period.
Do you want to listen to music while you work out without having to get off the treadmill to change CDs on your stereo, or fiddle with your iPod dock? Consider a treadmill with a built-in iPod or MP3 dock, and speakers.
What about cup holders? No, really! This is a great add-on for any home treadmill. If you don’t want to get off the belt to get your water, just pop the bottle in a cup holder and keep going.
You get hot when you work out – would you like a fan to cool you off?
Are you cramped on space? Make sure that you buy a folding treadmill (aka foldaway treadmill).
Think about what you absolutely have to have, and what you’re happy living without.
Think about how various options are going to affect the bottom line, and proceed accordingly.
What Makes the Difference?
The difference between a really good treadmill and a sub-standard model boils down to one thing – how does it feel?
When you’re walking or running, the deck should feel forgiving, but not spongy. On the other hand, it shouldn’t feel too hard – you don’t want to feel as if you’re running on pavement.
A good manufacturer will provide information on how they’ve created their cushioning system. A great manufacturer will build adjustments into the belt speed that will compensate for variations in your gait and speed. The technology is available, and the best treadmill manufacturers make use of it.
You want comfort. You want a good workout. You want quality and durability. And sure, you want a few extras. These are all things you have to consider.
My Treadmill Buying Guide Conclusion
Consider price, performance, and availability of service.
Consider how many people are going to be using your home treadmill, and what you want in the way of options.
Shop carefully.
Once you’ve found the right treadmill, enjoy your workout!
Get more advice on how to buy treadmill exercise equipment on my blog.