Like everything in retail, treadmills come in a very wide range of prices. You can spend $500 or $5000 on one of these popular pieces of home fitness equipment but as the saying goes, you get what you pay for. However, if you are looking for the best treadmill under $1000 then don’t despair, there are deals to be had in this category.
The good news is, we’ve done a lot of the “legwork” for you already…literally! We sent a tester out and tried various popular treadmills for sale right now, each one under $1000. You’ll recognize these brand names if you’ve already started shopping for your treadmills yourself. They all make lower-priced as well as commercial-grade treadmills, each catering to a different customer.
How We Rated the Best Treadmills Under $1000
Our tester was a 130 pound woman, who walked 3 miles on each treadmill. We rated each machine according to 5 categories:
- Shock Absorption
- Noise & Motor
- Construction
- Console & Features
- Warranty
In the end, you’ll see our verdict, and which machines we recommend. Keep in mind there are runners and then there are walkers who buy treadmills. Each has his or her own very different needs…runners put way more wear and tear on a treadmill, as do heavier people. If you are under 150 pounds and aren’t going to be running, then a lighter duty (and therefore cheaper) model will do just fine for you.
Top 4 Treadmills Under $1000
Horizon Fitness T101-04 Treadmill
Shock Absorption
Shock Absorption for this grade of treadmills is never going to match the commercial-quality treadmills but this delivered a soft yet not too soft impact. The Perfect FLEX deck cushioning does its job well.
Noise & Motor
The 2.25 CHP motor is very quiet when walking and pretty quiet when running too. This is adequate power for most fitness goals. Speeds up to 10 mph are possible, whereas with more expensive treadmills they are possible up to 12 miles per hour.
Construction
The platform is comfortable and very strong because it’s made of welded steel, which is the best type. The 55-inch deck is short so is much more appropriate for walkers than runners.
Console & Features
There are 30 programs, surround speakers with pretty good quality, and ability to plug in your MP3. For a treadmill that rings up under $1000, that’s not a bad set of features. The LCD screen is 5″.
Warranty
Lifetime warranty on frame and motor. 1 year warranty on parts and labor.
LifeSpan TR 1200i Folding Treadmill
Shock Absorption
Deck suspension system felt natural, comfortable and supportive to our test runner.
Noise & Motor
The 2.5 CHP motor delivered good power and a quiet workout. It goes up to 11 miles an hour. The motor can handle a user up to 300 pounds, meaning it does have fortitude.
Construction
The 56-inch deck is a bit shorter than most, but fine for most people. There’s a 2-ply belt, which means it will last a good long time.
Console & Features
You get the same dizzying array of programs and other features on the 1200i Folding Treadmill as you do on LifeSpan’s other models. This includes free membership in their LifeSpan Fitness Club. You can manage your fitness program online…choose workouts suitable for you and your goals, keep track of progress, etc. Calorie counts are more accurate because they’re based on way more information than usual. Your heart rate is recorded every 20 seconds and fed into software that analyzes everything for you.
Warranty
Lifetime warranty on frame and motor, three years on the parts, and 1 year on labor.
Proform 505 CST Treadmill
Shock Absorption
The ProShox cushioning delivered a soft yet spring-like experience to our runner, who felt no problems with her knees, ankles or hips after her 3-mile walk on the 505 CST treadmill.
Noise & Motor
The 2.25 motor runs quietly and includes a self-cooling feature which greatly increases its lifespan. All internal components are cooled by the fan, so even when you put the treadmill to the test, it’s still quiet.
Construction
The 50-inch belt means those with long strides may find this a bit short. However, our tester had no problems with the length.
Console & Features
The 6-inch display was easy to read and the buttons were easy to figure out quickly. Buyers who choose the Proform get iFit Live on their consoles, meaning they have access to fresh programs all the time, downloaded via the wireless adapter (sold separately). You can upload your workouts and any programs you may have designed, to the iFit interface, and keep track of your progress this way.
Warranty
25 year warranty on the motor. Lifetime warranty on the frame, and 1 year warranty on the labor and parts.
Smooth Fitness 5.65 Treadmill
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Shock Absorption
The shock absorption system, called Impression Shock Absorption Technology, was fine for our tester, who felt no problems with impact or push-off.
Noise & Motor
The 2.75 CHP motor is a little larger than most in its category, so delivers a quiet experience.
Construction
The 55 inch deck will be fine for walkers but runners will find it to be short. The treadmill unfolds itself for convenience. You can wheel it around for easy storage.
Console & Features
You can connect your own MP3 player or whatever type you have and use the treadmill’s speakers, which is a nice feature. It means you don’t have to work out with earbuds in your ear, and you don’t have to hold your MP3 player or CD player either. There are 14 programs to choose from. There is heart rate control via a heart rate strap, which is commonly found in more expensive treadmills.
Warranty
Lifetime warranty on frame and motor, 4-year warranty on parts and electronics and 2 years on labor.
Our Verdict
For value, piece of mind and the excellent warranty we loved the Smooth Fitness 5.65 Treadmill. The 2-year labor warranty and the 4-year parts warranty really are unusual on a treadmill that costs less than $1000. The motor was the strongest of the bunch, too.
However, for those who want extra features to keep them motivated, the Proform 505 CST Treadmill was an excellent choice. iFt workouts have shown to keep walkers dedicated year after year, so this is a huge consideration.
For those who need health monitoring and are interested in as much data on their workouts as possible, the LifeSpan model was a good choice.
The Horizon model was a good price, so if you’re on a serious budget, this is your treadmill. Ringing up around $350 less than the other models reviewed here, it’s got value written all over it.
