No matter what kind of workout you’re trying to get in, we found this NordicTrack simple and straightforward to use. It’s easy to control via buttons on the side of the touchscreen, which stays responsive even when you get sweaty. “I’ve been in fitness for the past 15 years, and this is by far one of the better treadmills that I’ve used,” says one of our testers, a high school track coach and trainer.
That’s partially thanks to the bouncy, shock-absorbing platform that moves comfortably with your body weight, even at a light jog. When we ramped up the speed, a couple of testers said the belt felt like it slipped sometimes. Yet the frame itself is exceptionally stable, and the belt has great traction. Plus, unlike some treads, it’s easy on the ears. “This treadmill would not wake a sleeping baby,” says one tester.
For the price of this cardio machine, we highly recommend springing for an iFit membership (starting at $180 per year) to get the most out of it. You’ll get tons of options for coached workouts that adjust your incline and speed automatically, and you’ll be able to track your progress over time.
Sturdy and powerful enough to give you a legit run, the Horizon Fitness 7.4 AT treadmill lets you fold it up and wheel it away after you’re done.
Our Tester’s Take
Not every home has enough room to have a treadmill sitting out at all times. That’s why the 7.4 AT Treadmill from Horizon Fitness folds up and locks into place automatically with a simple foot lever so you can put it away whenever you’re not running on it. It’s got wheels, but be warned: At 318 pounds, moving it into the closet could count as its own workout.
We didn’t mind since this folding tread is designed for those who want to go hard. It adjusts to a 15% incline for serious climbing. At 60 by 22 inches, the long, wide deck is spacious enough to feel comfortable sprinting (up to 12 mph) without fear of falling off. Shifting from flat to full incline took just 18 seconds, and it didn’t stick or wobble while adjusting. Throughout our runs, it felt rooted to the ground and super stable.
“I think everyone should have one of these bad boys,” says our tester, a personal trainer and high school football coach. That said—this piece of cardio equipment doesn’t come with a touchscreen; you need to use your phone or iPad to stream any fitness classes, though we found the Bluetooth connection was seamless. “The functionality didn’t require a lot of thinking on my part,” our tester notes, calling the monitor “the definition of user-friendly.”
The WalkingPad A1 Under Desk Treadmill makes hitting your step count at home very doable.
Our Tester’s Take
If TikTok has convinced you to get a walking pad to rack up your step count during work hours, this simple, no-frills option can help you do that without any fuss. The set-up is dummy-proof—you just have to plug it in, and start walking. Plus, it’s only a couple of inches tall, so it’s easy to slide under your desk (and you won’t be falling off a massive platform if you somehow miss a step).
