How to Choose the Best Treadmill

Before You Buy a Treadmill

This section should help you with features and issues to consider before purchasing a treadmill. If you’re still unsure about anything, please get in touch with our expert team who will be able to give you advice which should help you make the right decision. Compare treadmill features and benefits to our range of cardio equipment.

Check the maximum user weight

The maximum user weight is a useful guide to indicate the quality of the treadmill frame, belt and motor. A maximum user weight over 160kg indicates a robust treadmill for regular home running. Treadmills used in commercial gyms often have a maximum user weight over 180kg. A quick word of warning; some unscrupulous retailers may increase their maximum user weight so that the machines appear more robust than they are. We recommend you also consider the total weight of the treadmill, reviews and the size of the motor.

Motor Type

The type of motor you get is a significant indicator of your treadmill's quality. Most home treadmills feature a DC Motor (Direct Current), which are usually quieter and easier to control. On the other hand, AC Motors (Alternating Current) are often more powerful and are a lot sturdier. As a result, treadmills that use AC motors are usually commercial grade, found mostly in gyms and leisure centres. Because of their superior power, AC motor treadmills are often more sought after by those of a higher weight. Athletes that plan on endurance training (eg ultra-marathons) will also benefit more from AC treadmills due to longer usage guidelines.

Roller Size

The size of a treadmill's rollers is another factor to consider before you buy the machine. Generally speaking, most roller sizes range from 1.5 inches to 3.5 inches. Treadmills of a lower spec lean more towards the former, the cheaper the treadmill the smaller its rollers tend to be. Smaller rollers also tend to cause more wear and tear on the motor and the track of the treadmill.

Horsepower

The term ‘horsepower’ is a unit of measurement for motor size. A large horsepower (3hp or more) generally indicates a higher quality motor which will last longer than a small motor size. Retailers often list two ways of measuring the horsepower, continuous and peak. For example, 1.75 horsepower, 3 horsepower peak. We suggest you focus your attention on the continuous duty rating, which is the lower of the two numbers.

Some lower quality treadmills refer to their power in watts. There are 750 watts to 1 horsepower unit. If you are hoping to run over 3 times per week, or you weigh over 10 stones, we suggest that you look for a treadmill with a 1.5 horsepower motor or more.

Frame

The foundation of the treadmill must be robust. Frames are usually steel or aluminium. Steel frames are tough and tend to feel more ‘springy’ when your foot hits the deck. They also tend to be quieter sounding. Aluminium frames are still strong but they tend to have a less spring-like feel.

Shock absorption

Running on a treadmill with a shock absorption system can reduce the impact on your body by 40%. This will reduce common running injuries and allow you to run for longer. Types of shock absorption systems:

• Springs - Avoid running decks that provide a spring shock absorption system. Springs compress and then bounce back which returns the force of the stride back into the body.
• Variable-Durometer Elastomer Cushions - These are cushions that absorb some of the energy from the impact and are found on most commercial and heavy duty treadmills.

Heart-rate monitoring and programs

There are two types of heart rate monitor; hand sensor monitors and wearable monitors. Hand sensors come with most fitness machines and take your pulse through the hand grips, they are good as a guide but rarely very accurate. Wearable monitors such as chest straps and watches are generally much more accurate than hand sensors.

Target heart rate training can be used to assist goals ranging from fat burning and weight loss to maximum aerobic capacity development. A target heart rate zone is selected before working out based on the users individual goal. A strap or watch will then monitor your heart rate, giving you real time feedback so you can maintain the right level of effort to stay in your selected target zone. Many fitness machines link to chest straps or watches and auto adjust resistance levels to help keep you in your target zone so it is worth checking product detail pages if you are interested in this type of training.

Important safety features

• Safety Key: The safety key has a magnet at one end which is attached to the console, at the other end is a clip to pin on to your T-shirt or shorts. If you trip the safety key will fall off the console and automatically bring the machine to a stop.
• Hand Rails: Side handrails are essential to ensure that a little stumble on the treadmill doesn’t turn into a great big belly flop. Make sure the handrails don’t get in the way of your arms when you’re running because they might disrupt your balance.
• Automatic Slow Start: No matter how fast or slow you run, or how experienced you are, a treadmill should never start at the selected speed. All good quality machines will start off slowly and then gradually increase speed until it reaches your desired pace.

Choosing where to put your treadmill

We don't recommend keeping electronic fitness equipment in cold rooms or garages. In the winter months particularly, the temperature can fluctuate widely. This can cause condensation inside the computer and circuit boards. If you do want to keep your machine in a room like this we certainly recommend keeping it under a heavy sheet or rug to help minimise the risk of damage.

It is also worth avoiding rooms which get extremely warm. This is not so much about maintenance, more because it will make it more difficult and uncomfortable when you come to workout.

If you can, we recommend you put your treadmill in a room with a TV or stereo. Getting motivating tunes or your favourite TV series on will help you get in the zone and smash through your training.

Making sure you have enough space

Treadmills can be surprisingly large. So check the assembled dimensions and measure up before buying if you are unsure. For safety, reason make sure there will be no obstructions directly behind the treadmill.

If you're limited on space, our foldable treadmill folds flat and can be stored in a cupboard or under your bed. Alternatively, our walking pad can be kept under a sofa or bed when not in use.

Check Customer Reviews

Reviews are a great way to understand if a company is as good as they say they are. We collate our reviews in association with TrustPilot, which means you can be absolutely sure they are independent, authentic reviews from genuine customers. Read our treadmill reviews and browse our range.

Try Before You Buy

Whenever possible, we would recommend trying out a treadmill before purchasing. This will allow you to get a proper feel for the machine to see if it is the right one for you. You can try out our full range of treadmills at our Sussex based gym equipment showroom.

Read The Small Print

There are a number of important considerations to look for in the terms and conditions:

• Money-back guarantees: If you are buying fitness equipment over the internet make sure you have the right to change your mind once you have assembled the machine and tried it out. Most reputable companies have a 28 day money back guarantee as long as you return it in the original packaging and pay for delivery costs (approx £75- £100). Some companies restrict returns periods to 7 days and, worse still, state that the machine must be unopened and unused. We feel if you can’t open and test your machine the returns policy is worthless. All we ask if you aren’t sure that you want to keep your machine is that you keep your packaging and re-box it so we can pick it up. See our ‘no quibbles’ returns policy.
• Cost for servicing or replacements during your warranty period: Make sure the warranty covers in-home repairs to include parts and labour. Otherwise you might be left with a treadmill that can cost as much as the original machine to service.
• Retailer or manufacturer warranty: Often warranties are from the original manufacturer rather than the company you bought the machine from. Make sure it is clear who your warranty is with. It is also worth understanding whether your warranty is automatic or needs activating, and, if so how you activate it. If the warranty is with the manufacturer rather than the retailer check they are in the UK and contactable. One of the great things about buying from JTX Fitness is that we are the manufacturer and retailer so you know exactly who to call. You also have the confidence that you are covered as our warranties activate automatically on purchase. Read more on our warranty details.
• Second-hand warranties: If you are buying a fitness machine second-hand we recommend that you contact the original retailer to ensure the warranty is transferable - most are not!
• After the warranty period: If the machine has a short warranty period it’s worth enquiring how much it will cost to fix the machine and the cost of parts.

Will a treadmill increase my electricity bills?

To help you make an informed decision each product listing shows the energy consumption for each JTX treadmill. This useful electricity energy cost calculator can be used to predict any increase in your electricity bills.

Example: JTX Sprint 7 uses on average 1.9kw per hour. This above calculator estimates a cost of 65p per hour. Five hours of use each week would add £3.25 to your bills each week. This has been calculated at the UK: Energy Price Guarantee (October 2022) electricity rate of £0.34 per kWh.