Smart Shopping: Elliptical Exercisers

Getting Started l Types l Features l Brands l Where to Shop

Ellipticals are odd-looking contraptions, a fusion of stair climber and cross-country ski machine that you stand on and pedal. Your feet move in an elliptical pattern, and a flywheel with resistance you can vary controls the difficulty of the workout.

GETTING STARTED

Unlike cross-country ski machines, which require a degree of finesse, elliptical trainers are easy to use. And like treadmills, ellipticals can provide a vigorous workout, but without the impact of running on a treadmill. The weight-bearing exercise that ellipticals provide helps protect against osteoporosis -- so that's an advantage over bicycling and swimming. And there's no motor; you provide the pedal power, so ellipticals are relatively quiet compared with a treadmill.

A home elliptical trainer offers the convenience of not having to plan your workouts around the weather or off-peak hours at the gym. In a 65 percent increase from the year before, 3.3 million Americans regularly worked out on an elliptical exerciser in 2003. But consider whether you want to devote the money and space to a big exercise machine. A living-room workout is the height of convenience, but you can get fit exercising outdoors or at a gym. If you decide to buy one for home use, this elliptical guide will help you make the best choice.

Where to buy Budget-priced ellipticals are sold by Sears, Wal-Mart, The Sports Authority, and other national sporting-goods chains. Moderate-priced brands such as Horizon Fitness, Schwinn, Trimline, and Vision Fitness, as well as pricier brands such as Landice, Life Fitness, Nautilus, Precor, and True, are generally sold in specialty sporting-goods stores. Wherever you shop, try out the machine and make sure you can return it if you don't enjoy using it. (A drawback to shopping online is that you can't try before you buy. That's especially problematic with elliptical exercisers because the movement is less familiar than walking or running, and each machine has a different pedaling motion.)

TYPES

We have divided the types of ellipticals available according to price. For the most part, you get what you pay for.

Budget-priced ellipticals
These tend to be markedly flimsier than the commercial models found in gyms.

Pros: You might find a satisfactory elliptical trainer for $1,000 or less if you shop carefully.
Cons: Budget-priced models might be less stable than the more expensive ones, and they generally come with a shorter warranty.

Expensive ellipticals
Paying more usually buys you sturdy construction close to that of a commercial gym machine.

Pros: The more expensive machines tend to feel more solid, operate more smoothly, and have more features than the under-$1,000 models. You might also get superior ergonomics, a wide range of features, and a more generous warranty.
Cons: Models that did best in our tests cost well over $2,000. And high price is no guarantee of quality. One $2,700 model had a design defect serious enough for us to rate it Not Recommended.

FEATURES

Some elliptical features can make exercise more entertaining and less painful. And some might do more harm than good.

Electronic programming
Most ellipticals have exercise programs that vary pedaling effort, and some might allow adjustment of the incline electronically as you work out, the way a treadmill allows electronic incline adjustment. Cheaper models might only allow adjustment manually, and not during workouts. By making a workout less boring, an exercise program might get you to use the machine more often. But some programs are easier and more flexible to operate than others.

Ergonomics
Especially check the design of the moving arms and the pedals. On some models, the moving arms are awkwardly angled or block the display. If you hold on to the nonmoving handgrips, make sure the back-and-forth handles don't whack you in the arms. A narrow stance is more natural than widely spaced pedals, and a safety rim around the sides of the pedals can help keep your foot from slipping off.

Heart-rate monitor
All the models we tested come with one or offer it at extra cost. A heart-rate monitor helps you to exercise up to your potential while avoiding dangerous overexertion. A chest-strap monitor is more accurate and convenient than a handgrip or thumb-sensor type.

Pedal arm safety pin
This keeps unsupervised children from using the machine.

Console gadgets
A growing number of manufacturers are loading the console with gadgets such as a CD player, a fan (a full-size fan is more effective), and even an LCD TV. But you might be able to buy those items separately for less. And if they need repair, having them serviced can be a problem.

Added cushioning
Two elliptical exercisers we tested promise bouncier, springier workouts with less impact on your joints. One has flexible pedal arms, "propelling you to the next stride while absorbing impact," as the company puts it. Another machine has an elastic pad between each pedal and supporting arm; moving the pad adjusts the cushioning. But the flexible arms made the machine feel unstable at some speeds, interrupting our testers' cadence. And we question the need for extra pedal cushioning because elliptical exercisers create virtually no impact.

BRANDS

You can compare ellipticals by brand. These profiles can help you learn about a manufacturer and what it offers (listed below in alphabetical order).

Diamondback
The company is the manufacturer of Diamondback and Raleigh bicycles. It offers a full line of cardio-fitness equipment, including treadmills, ellipticals, recumbent and upright bikes, and steppers. Diamondback sells ellipticals for $2,500 and under. Available in specialty fitness stores.

Fitness Quest
Fitness Quest manufactures New Balance treadmills and offers a wide range of home exercise and fitness products, including a number of models sold through infomercials. It sells ellipticals priced at $1,000 or less.

Horizon Fitness
Horizon Fitness was a distant second to the Icon Fitness models in dollar sales last year, with 17 percent. Horizon's models sell for $2,500 or less.

Icon Health & Fitness
Icon Health & Fitness manufactures and distributes ellipticals under the Nordic Track, Proform, and Reebok brands. Icon dominates the elliptical-trainer market. Its range of budget-priced machines accounted for 70 percent of the dollars spent on treadmills last year. Most Icon models are priced at $1,000 or less.

Keys Fitness
Based in Dallas, Keys Fitness also produces ellipticals under the Ironman brand. Keys models sell for $3,000 or less.

LifeFitness
LifeFitness home ellipticals are available at specialty fitness retailers and through its online store. It sells models priced from $1,800 to $4,200.

Nautilus
Nautilus manufactures fitness equipment under the brand names Bowflex, Schwinn Fitness, StairMaster, and Universal. It sells models for $2,300 to $3,300.

Octane Fitness
Octane Fitness is a relatively new company that makes only elliptical exercisers. Octane sells models for $2,000 to $4,200.

Precor
Precor, one of the leading manufacturers of elliptical exercisers, produces high-end home equipment. It sells models in for $2,500 to $5,000.

Spirit
Spirit has been in business for more than 25 years. Its ellipticals are sold nationwide in specialty fitness stores and sell for $2,500 or less.

Schwinn
Schwinn's budget ellipticals are manufactured by Nautilus and are available at specialty fitness stores and online. Schwinn sells models for $1,300 or less.

Vision Fitness
Vision Fitness was started in 1993 and is based in Wisconsin. Its models are available at specialty fitness stores and online, and they are priced at $1,000 to $3,500.

Where to Shop

Good exercise equipment can be expensive but you should also take other factors into account before buying. One important consideration is the amount of space you want to devote to the piece of equipment you're considering. A treadmill or elliptical machine can easily take up as much space as a couch. Still, more Americans regularly work out on a treadmill than on any other type of exercise machine and ellipticals are growing in popularity.

Before you shop
It's best not to buy such a large, big-ticket item on a whim. So before you even go to the store, take stock of how much you want to spend and how much space you want to use. And perhaps most important, decide how and how often you'll use the equipment.

Consider your space
Elliptical exercisers, most of which do not fold, and nonfolding treadmills are hard to move and take up as much floor space as a couch or dining room table. If your workout room does double duty, a folding treadmill can save you about six-square-feet.

Consider the cost
We've found in recent treadmill tests that you have to spend well over $2,000 to get a machine designed for serious runners, though lower-priced models are okay for walkers. We tested elliptical exercisers that cost as much as our high-scoring treadmills and found the same thing. Ellipticals that cost $2,000 and up were well-built and felt stable to our testers, more like the $5,000 machines at gyms. And they were less likely to have defects.

In the Ratings of treadmills and ellipticals, the quality score for less-expensive models reflects the severity and frequency of those problems. Most of the trouble we experienced would be covered under warranty, but it can take weeks and multiple phone calls to get a machine fixed -- enough time to discourage even passionate exercisers. By contrast, the machines we bought for $2,000 and more through specialty fitness equipment stores had very few defects.

Consider your workout intensity
For treadmills, if you usually walk rather than run, any of the tested models will suffice. Decide based on your budget and the features you want. If you run, sturdy construction is paramount. Choose from the models that scored at least very good in quality in the treadmill Ratings. The more expensive ellipticals in our Ratings tend to feel more solid, operate more smoothly, and have more features than the under-$1,000 models. You might also get superior ergonomics, a wide range of features, and a more generous warranty.

Ready to shop
Once you know what type of equipment you want, you're ready to shop. You'll find budget and mid-priced treadmills in Sears, The Sports Authority, Wal-Mart, and other discount and sporting-goods chains. Moderately priced brands such as Horizon Fitness, Schwinn, Trimline, and Vision Fitness, and more expensive brands such as Landice, Life Fitness, Nautilus, Precor, and True are sold in specialty sporting-goods stores. No matter where you shop, here are some tips to follow.

Try it out first
Every model is a little different, so you shouldn't buy a treadmill or elliptical before using it in the store. That's especially important with elliptical exercisers because the movement is less familiar than walking or running, and each machine has a slightly different pedaling profile.

Decide which features you'll use
Some equipment features, such as exercise programs, can make a workout more varied and less boring, which might get you on the machine more often. But don't pay for frills that you don't care about.

Make sure you can change your mind
Because each machine has its own feel, try it out before you buy and make sure the store will let you return it if you dislike using it. See our Ratings and recommendations for some suggestions.

Other shopping options
If you decide you'd like something other than a treadmill or elliptical, be wary of any relatively inexpensive exercise devices sold on TV or online.

Read the fine print
Most of the "amazing results!" shown in infomercials for exercise devices are footnoted as "not typical" or result from an overall "system" that includes a diet plan and, in many cases, additional aerobic exercise. (Our nutrition experts reviewed the diets and found that although they differ in the strictness of their meal plans, most are sensible.)

Calculate the total cost
Unless the price includes shipping, expect to pay an additional $20 to $50 plus any sales tax.

Don't confuse toning with weight loss
These devices might help you to tone or tighten the target area, and building muscle does increase the rate at which you burn calories, but to shed pounds you'll need a change in diet, regular aerobic activity (running, cycling, swimming), or both. Even workouts on the total-body machines aren't vigorous enough to yield an aerobic benefit.

Consider do-it-yourself options
Most of the machines mimic movements you can do on your own or with far-less- expensive equipment, such as weights and resistance bands. They come with instructions, but you can get that with an exercise video or book.

Beware of trials
A "30-day money-back guarantee" sounds good, but returning the product might not be easy. Some of the machines are heavy or bulky, and you might have to pay for return shipping, which could cost $90 or more for the larger products.

Before signing up for a trial, verify with the company the proper return address and how soon you can expect a refund if you send the device back. A scan of online complaints about home fitness equipment revealed that reported problems with returns, including lack of a valid return address or exorbitant shipping charges, were common.