Elliptical machines are excellent equipment to add to your home gym. This is a review of the top home elliptical machines which you must consider adding to your other equipment for working out at home.
Elliptical machines are low impact exercise machines. They have low impact on your joints, tendons and ligaments when you are using them. They are safe to use when you have joint pains and injuries. You still get all the benefits of exercise from using them.
When buying an elliptical machine you should consider the following items :
1. Type and Budget
Have a look at the various types available to see what you like. Set a budget of how much you want to spend depending on the type of machine. The prices of Elliptical Machines range from just over $100 for small portable ones up to $6000 for the big cross trainers. Know what you like and how much before you engage.
2. Service and Spares
Check and ensure the availability of after sales service and spares. Check the reputation of the service department of the manufacturer. You don’t want to end up with a machine just sitting there displayed in your home not being used because spares are not available to service it. If it comes with a service agreement make sure the terms are in your favor.
3. Warranty
It is advisable to buy something with warranty that they will replace or at least fix problems if the machine breaks down within a certain period. Sometimes a warranty serves as confirmation of the manufacturer’s confidence in the quality and performance of their product
4. Weight maximum allowed
The machine manufacturer should state the maximum weight allowed on the machine. Ensure your weight is within the limits allowed. If your weight is over the limit allowed the machine will break down. This might also affect the terms of the warranty.
5. Your Workout Goals
Sit down and plan what exactly you want to achieve when you buy the machine. Be very clear about your goals and how you want to achieve them. If your goal is to lose weight then you need a cross trainer that will give you a full body workout. If your goal is to gain strength then you need to ensure the machine comes with variable resistance for you to increase the level of difficulty of the exercise and possibly combine your machine workouts with weights training.
6. The Space in your Home
Check the amount of space you have in your home to sit the machine. Some ellipticalls are big and need a bit of room to place it and ensure correct usage of the machine. Settle for something that will fit well in the space that you have in your house.
After careful consideration of the above you can then make the decision to on which one to purchase. In this review we shall give you the top elliptical machines available and we shall cover the different types as well
The content on this page contains links to merchants on the products under review. I might earn money for coffee if you buy something from the merchants through these links. Note this does not affect the price of your purchase. Thank you for the support. See Full Disclosure here
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
The Machines
1. Sunny Health & Fitness SF-E3912 Magnetic Elliptical Trainer
Features and Pros:
- DEVICE HOLDER: Keep your favorite media devices close to you during your workout sessions when you place them on the built-in device holder.
- RESISTANCE: Challenge yourself with the 16 Level programmable magnetic resistance when you power on this elliptical. Complete smooth strides as you engage the internal flywheel and the belt-drive mechanism.
- WEIGHT CAPACITY: 330 Lbs. Weight capacity. Adjustable front and rear floor stabilizers, which will keep the elliptical machine steady during workout.
- PERFORMANCE MONITOR: Use the on board, back-lit display to track your Speed, Time, Distance, Calories Burned, Rotations Per Minute, Watt Generations, and Magnetic Resistance Level.
- POWERFUL WORKOUTS: Take advantage of 24 unique workout modes, including manual, pre-program, watt, body fat, heart RATE, and user programs.
- 15.15 Inch Stride for greater stimulation of lower-body muscles.
- Wide and textured non-slip foot plates to secure your footing as your stride.
- Monitor your heart rate with the conveniently located heart rate hand grips with pulse sensors
- Can link to a separate compatible wireless heart rate monitor
- Bottle holder for proper hydration to ensure your health and workout performance stay at optimum levels
- Machine fitted with front wheels for easy movement. Tilt the machine to move it on the wheels from one place to another.
- Strong steel frame for durability
The Cons
- The machine needs to be plugged in to electrical power for magnetic resistance to work. Machine can be used manually but resistance will remain the same as last used on power.
- You can only pedal forwards. Pedaling backwards will damage the machine
- You have to assemble the machine on delivery.
- Incline not adjustable
2. ATIVAFIT Under Desk Elliptical Bike
Features and Pros :
- Multiple – Function mini exercise trainer supports sitting or standing position, forward or reverse motion, pedaling or running. Depends on the needs, you can work out your body while sitting or standing up and it makes your workout varied and convenient.
- Multiple Resistance Levels: This mini elliptical is designed with multiple resistance levels, you can adjust and control the intensity of your workout according to your needs.
- LCD monitor features with 5 functions: time, count, distance, calories,total count. You can see your training data while exercising with the display monitor.
- Large Anti-slip Pedals: two large and sturdy anti-slip foot pedals, secures the feet and ensures high comfort,allows you to pedal as hard and fast as you want.
- Compact and lightweight design which makes it easy to transport in any home or office space, provides comfortable and efficient training sessions.
- Size: 22.4*19.7*51.2 inch ( Length*Width * Height).
- Quiet Use: works quietly with brake resistance mechanism, ensuring high, smooth and quiet pedal motion. You can enjoy your workout without disturbing others in the same room.
- Maximum user weight of 220 Lbs
The Cons
- Works only the lower body
- Needs to be assembled when you receive it
- Machine doesn’t come with batteries for LCD display
3. Body Rider Elliptical Trainer and Exercise Bike
Features and Pros :
- 2-in-1 fitness machine with settings for elliptical trainer and exercise bike dual usage
- You can use standing as an elliptical trainer or seated as a bike
- No Electrical Power needed. Just needs batteries for the console
- High-momentum fan blade flywheel system for smooth, fluid movement
- Adjustable resistance level with the turn of a knob
- Electronic console tracks your time, speed, distance, and calories burned
- Seat adjusts vertically and horizontally for optimum exercise and riding form
- Maximum Weight : 250 Lbs
- Built in transportation wheels at the back for moving from one place to another. Tilt the machine to move on the wheels.
- High Momentum Fan which produces a gentle breeze as you exercise
- 6 months warranty
The Cons :
- No incline option
- Some reviews of the product say its not very durable and makes some noise
4. Sunny Health & Fitness Portable Stand Up Elliptical – SF-E3908
Features and Pros :
- PRE-ASSEMBLED: This machine requires no assembly, so you can jump straight to your workout.
- COMPACT DESIGN: This space-saving machine (25. 2L in x 18W in x 10. 6H inches) can easily be stored while not in use. Use the carry handle to easily lift and move this elliptical machine ( Weighs 25.4Lbs).
- VERSATILE DESIGN: Use while standing up or sitting down. We designed this machine to help you develop muscles in your lower body and improve blood circulation through consistent exercise.
- WHISPER QUIET: This portable elliptical machine uses a durable belt-drive mechanism that keeps your strides smooth, quiet, and consistent in shared and compact spaces.
- OPTIMAL STABILITY: Feel confident standing or sitting with the 220Lbs max user weight limit on the home-use cardio machine. The wide textured foot plates are designed to keep your feet steady and secure during your activity.
- MAGNETIC RESISTANCE: Control your workout intensity with the easy-to-use resistance dial. Cycle through 8 levels of magnetic resistance.
- DIGITAL MONITOR: Track your speed, time, distance, and calories burned on the digital monitor. The large numbers on the display make it easy to read while standing or sitting.
- BI-DIRECTIONAL PEDALING: Mix up your workout when you pedal backward and forward to test your balance, develop your lower body, and stimulate your neural muscular system.
- 7-inch stride length
The Cons
- Works the lower body only
5. Bluefin Fitness CURV 2.0 Elliptical Cross Trainer
Features and Pros :
- INTEGRATED SMARTPHONE KINOMAP APP: The Curv Elliptical range is compatible with the Kinomap fitness app – featuring thousands of training videos from around the world, coaching & training classes & structured workouts. Join the Kinomap community today. Connects via bluetooth
- WHISPER QUIET FLUID MOTION: The heavy-duty 12kg flywheel & silent drive system benefits from a safe magnetic braking facility that allows you to come to a halt with total ease.
- IN-BUILT TRAINING PROGRAMS: The cross-trainer computer is pre-loaded with 12 x automatic programs to choose from + 24 x manual levels of resistance. Stroll at pace, or step things up a notch & simulate cross-country sprints.
- LOW IMPACT, HIGH-INTENSITY: The Curv Elliptical Cross Trainer is a fantastic alternative to a traditional exercise bike & offers a low impact cardio exercise that is kind on your joints & full of great health benefits.
- LCD DISPLAY: Measure time, distance, calories burned & pulse rate on the back lit multi functional LCD display. Push yourself even more & work towards targets to achieve your fitness goals.
- Heart Rate Control and Pulse Monitor. The inbuilt computer automatically adjusts resistance level based on your heart readings. Pulse monitors installed on the inner handlebars
- Smartphone and tablet stand
- Transportation wheels to move from place to place. Tilt the machine to move
- Comes with a Tool Kit for set up & maintenance
- Measurements : 113cm x 151cm x 50cm
- Dual ergonomic grip handlebars
- Anti-slip secure foot pedals
- Heavy duty 12kg flywheel mass
The Cons
- You pay a bit more for all the features
- Needs electrical power to work
- Delivered partly assembled. Has to be assembled
- No incline options
Final Thoughts
An elliptical machine is just as good for your cardio workouts and gives you a bit of strength training as well. Grab one of the above machines to add to your home gym. The good thing about the elliptical is you can exercise whilst watching the news on tv or exercise whilst working at the office when you put the small portable one under your desk.
>>> Click here for our workout routine on the elliptical machine <<<
As with any exercise when working out with the elliptical machine remember the correct nutrition is just as important for you to achieve your goals. Avoid and limit your intake of takeouts, candy, sugary foods, baked and deep fried foods. Drink a lot of water for hydration.
Please leave some comments in the comments section. You can also write in the comments if you have any questions and I will get back to you..
Cheers for now…
Please follow us to receive the latest posts by email and share if you enjoyed reading this :
