Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (2024)

Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (1)

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Whether you're looking to get in some extra steps at the end of the day or are training for a half-marathon, the convenience of a high-quality treadmill in the comfort of your own home can be a game changer. It's a trusted tool for helping you stay active during colder months and throughout bouts of inclement weather, and can help you build consistency with a strong workout routine.

Our fitness experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute have evaluated treadmills for nearly a decade and have seen tremendous improvements in the space over the years. Not only do most treadmills fold today to maximize space when not in use, but several models offer "smart" features and guided classes so you can get an effective workout at home and save on an expensive gym membership. Our top picks for the best treadmills take into account every type of living space and every level of physical activity, focusing on high-quality performance, speed ranges, incline capabilities, substantial running belts and more. We're confident that our choices offer solutions for all different types of home gym setups and personal fitness needs.

You can learn more about how we evaluate treadmills — including tips for selecting the best treadmill for your home gym and what you should know before you buy one — at the end of this guide. Looking for even more compact choices? Check out our top picks for the best foldable treadmills.

1

Best Overall

NordicTrack Commercial 1750

Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (8)

1

Best Overall

NordicTrack Commercial 1750

Pros
  • Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (9)Incline and decline capabilities
  • Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (10)Smart HD rotating touchscreen
  • Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (11)Space-saving design
Cons
  • Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (12)Additional cost for iFIT membership

NordicTrack treadmills have performed well in our previous treadmill tests, and the Commercial 1750 is a reliable addition to any home gym. Let's start with the build: The sleek design offers solid construction and a substantial-sized running belt for comfortably running at speeds up to 12 mph. You'll also get access to thousands of iFIT workouts with this machine (30-day trial included, with a $39/month charge after that for access to iFIT), including scenic runs through breathtaking destinations around the world with seasoned instructors. What's more, the treadmill offers incline and decline capabilities to simulate outdoor terrain and can be automatically controlled and adjusted by your iFIT trainer during the workout.

The 14-inch touchscreen is big enough to provide an immersive experience, especially during those scenic runs, and pivots and tilts so you can complement your sessions with strength training exercises for runners and other classes off the machine. But if you're looking for an even bigger screen, the Commercial 2450 model offers a robust 22-inch touchscreen at a steeper price (though the models both ultimately have very similar features which is why we chose to spotlight the 1750 instead since it comes at a more affordable price).

Another useful feature is that the Commercial 1750 does fold slightly upright, which can allow you to make room for other fitness equipment when the treadmill isn't in use. At a decent price point, this model offers a solid build and sleek design with smart capabilities that made it worthy of our best overall spot.

READ OUR FULL REVIEW: NordicTrack Commercial 1750

Running belt60" L x 20" W
Dimensions80” L x 38” W x 65” H
Weight capacity400 lbs
Incline-3% – 12%
Speed0 – 12 mph

Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (13)

2

Best Value

Sunny Health & Fitness SF-T7515 Auto Incline Treadmill

Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (14)

2

Best Value

Sunny Health & Fitness SF-T7515 Auto Incline Treadmill

Pros
  • Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (15)Affordable option
  • Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (16)12 pre-programmed workouts
  • Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (17)Foldable
Cons
  • Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (18)Speeds only up to 8 mph
  • Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (19)Shorter running belt than other models

Coming in at a very affordable price point compared to most treadmills on the market, this option from Sunny Health & Fitness is a solid choice for walking or light jogging. Those tight on space will appreciate that this machine is foldable too, with a soft drop hydraulic mechanism which the company says is designed to help the deck gently lower itself to the floor.

The console is complete with a digital monitor and tracks metrics like time, distance, speed and calories burned on the LCD screen. You can take advantage of 12 built-in programs for some workout guidance too. This treadmill also includes pulse sensors and dual water bottle holders to hydrate through those longer runs. While this treadmill won’t endure fast runs (it only goes up to a max of 8 mph), I like that it has a display where the push of a button will quickly adjust your speed.

This truly is one of the most affordable automatic incline treadmills on the market, so if you're a beginner or looking for a low-budget investment then this pick is a great option. But just keep in mind that it is more ideal for walking, incline walking and light jogging since the speed capabilities are limited to 8 mph, and the running belt isn't as long as others on our list. The weight capacity itself is also on the lower side, and while I did find the machine fairly sturdy, this is something to take note of.

Running belt49.5" L x 16.5" W
Dimensions64.5" L x 28" W x 50.5" H (Folded: 40.25" L x 28" W x 54.75" H)
Weight capacity240 lbs
Incline2.6 – 12%
Speed1.0 – 8.0 mph

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3

Best for Beginners

Sole Fitness F63 Treadmill

Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (20)

Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (21)

3

Best for Beginners

Sole Fitness F63 Treadmill

Now 23% Off

Pros
  • Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (22)15 incline levels
  • Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (23)Speeds up to 12 mph
  • Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (24)Includes tablet holder
Cons
  • Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (25)No smart touchscreen

Run at speeds up to 12 mph and 15 incline levels with the F63 Treadmill from Sole Fitness. The moderately priced treadmill features a great marriage of useful features like a 6.5-inch LCD display that notes metrics including speed, incline, time, distance, calories and pace. It's chest-strap compatible and features pulse grips, too.

You can work out with seven built-in standard programs, but if you want to stream running and walking classes on your preferred fitness platform, you can place your tablet in the dedicated tablet holder on the console. Plus, there is a USB port for charging and Bluetooth audio speakers.

For the money, I feel it's a solid treadmill that provides a decent amount for the value and a nice-sized running belt. It does accommodate higher speeds and a substantial incline range as well, making it great for beginners and intermediate runners. Plus, I liked that the tablet holder is at eye level for viewing, which is a small feature but can make a big difference during your runs so you can keep your neck in a neutral position and not have to look down. You won't find tons of high-end features on this pick, but it's a great basic treadmill to keep you active at home and at the right price point where it's a quality investment.

Running belt60" L x 20 " W
Dimensions82" L x 35" W x 66" H (Folded: 50" L x 35" W x 72" H)
Weight capacity325 lbs
Incline0 – 15 levels
Speed0.5 – 12.0 mph

4

Best for Interval Training

Horizon Fitness 7.4AT Treadmill

Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (26)

4

Best for Interval Training

Horizon Fitness 7.4AT Treadmill

Now 33% Off

Pros
  • Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (27)Incline up to 15%
  • Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (28)Easy to use controls for smooth transitions
  • Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (29)Foldable
Cons
  • Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (30)No smart touchscreen

The spacious running deck and sturdy frame on this newer model from Horizon Fitness has everything avid runners will need in a treadmill. Designed for performance, the 7.4 AT is thoughtfully made with advanced Bluetooth features, on-board media controls, a tablet holder and a rapid charging port.

During our tests, we found the speed changes to be seamless, allowing you to sprint with just the swipe of a palm. The QuickDial controls simplify those speed and incline adjustments (up to a whopping 15%) and are intuitive to use without having to break your stride, making it perfect for interval training. The dial on the right rolls forward to increase speed and back to decrease speed, and the dial on the left rolls forward to increase incline and back to decrease incline. "Felt very sturdy and wasn't loud, and it also felt very secure," a tester commented. "It had great handles to hold onto to get your heart rate and to hold on if going up a high incline too."

Another added bonus: The 7.4 AT is foldable so you can save some space in your home workout area when it's not in use. The 7.0 model is also a favorite of ours with a few less features if you're looking for something at a lower price.

Running belt22" x 60"
Dimensions76" L x 37" W x 63"H (42" L x 37" W x 71" H)
Weight capacity350 lbs
Incline0 – 15%
Speed0.5 – 12 mph

5

Best Splurge

Bowflex Treadmill 22

Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (31)

5

Best Splurge

Bowflex Treadmill 22

Pros
  • Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (32)Immersive 22-inch HD touchscreen
  • Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (33)Foldable
  • Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (34)Incline and decline options
  • Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (35)Stream your favorite entertainment options
Cons
  • Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (36)Expensive

You'll find all the bells and whistles you'd expect (and more) from a high-end smart treadmill in the Bowflex Treadmill 22. The premium 22-inch HD touchscreen comes complete with JRNY content, and your membership is free for the first two months. But if you're looking for a more affordable option, I also tested out the Bowflex Treadmill 10 that has a smaller console but still did favorably in our tests thanks to all of its incredible special features.

The Treadmill 22 model has decline and incline capabilities to mimic real-life outdoor runs, as well as a speed range of up to 12 mph. It's also Bluetooth compatible so you can link certain smart devices and heart rate monitors. All of these premium features make this machine ideal for serious runners. Of all the treadmills we tested, this was by far my favorite with its solid build and longer and wider running belt compared to other competitors. But if you're a beginner or intermediate runner, you'll still be able to find a wide variety of appropriate class content and guidance through the JRNY platform.

This option is also great for the whole family, since JRNY gives you access to entertainment options as you run, like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Hulu so you can watch your favorite shows and movies while getting a workout. "This machine has transformed my workouts," a tester said. "It's very high-end and makes half marathon training enjoyable when I can't get outside. Plus I can pass the time by streaming Hulu and my other favorite services for those longer runs which really helps." Another bonus is that the Treadmill 22 is foldable, so you can make room for other home gym equipment when it's not in use. But the product itself weighs a ton (336 pounds to be exact), so I highly recommend paying for expert assembly. It's an investment but one that will likely pay off to keep you and your family motivated to consistently exercise.

Running belt60" L x 22" W
Dimensions85" L x 39.6" W x 70" H (Folded: 44.5" L x 39.6" W x 70" H)
Weight capacity400 lbs
Incline-5% – 20%
Speed0 – 12 mph

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Other Treadmills We Tested and Liked

Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (37)

  • Nordictrack EXP 7i: This foldable treadmill from NordicTrack is also worth mentioning. It has a solid build and goes up to 10 mph with an incline up to 12%. The smaller profile features a built-in EasyLift mechanism for storage, so you can fold it up when you're done with your run. However, it has a significantly smaller touchscreen than the 2450 or 1750 models, as well as a slightly shorter running belt and no decline capabilities. But for the price, it's a quality model that would work well for most joggers and runners.
  • Nordictrack Commercial X22i: Those looking for a serious incline on their walk or run can turn to the NordicTrack Commercial X22i, which wowed us with its 40% incline capability. Speeds go up to 12 mph and you'll get all the other high-end features, like a large 22-inch touchscreen, speed and incline auto-adjust and easy-to-access controls. The high price and intense incline aren't for everyone, but those looking to get a serious workout and mimic strenuous outdoor hikes and runs will appreciate all that the Commercial X22i has to offer. If you're looking for an even larger screen, the X32i offers an extra-large 32-inch HD smart touchscreen.
  • Peloton Tread+: At a whopping $6K (plus a $44/month membership fee), Peloton's newest treadmill is a steep investment. But there's no denying its quality — the crystal-clear 32-inch tilting touchscreen provides for an immersive workout experience and the Peloton instructors are some of the best in the industry. The sturdiness of the model is best-in-class too. The 67-inch running belt is one of the longest we have seen, and you can level up your workouts with "free mode" where you can manually move the treadmill by the force of your feet. But it's important to note that after Peloton's Tread and Tread+ were both recalled back in 2021 following 70 injuries and one child death, the brand has since implemented new safety mechanisms on the models. Ultimately, I feel that the Bowflex Treadmill 22 offers similar capabilities and smart features for a fraction of the price which is why that model was spotlighted in our top picks.

We had previously tested models from Proform and Xterra that we liked and recommended but are currently out of stock. We do plan to test updated models from the brands within the coming months.

How we test the best treadmills

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The fitness and tech experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute test sports equipment ranging from e-bikes to exercise bikes and rowing machines.

We vet treadmills for ease of use, performance and safety. For this roundup, we featured treadmills that we’ve personally tested, newer units of similar models we've evaluated, equipment from reliable brands that have tested well in the past and top-selling products whose specifications we’ve reviewed. All in all, we've tested over 30 different treadmill models over the years. We even send the units to testers across the nation for real-life feedback on functionality and performance.

Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (39)

We looked for options to meet every type of fitness level and home gym environment, whether you're looking for an advanced treadmill with all of the special features to support a serious (yet fun!) run or a compact foldable option. We also included budget-friendly options that still provide an effective workout. Our evaluations did show that for the most part, price was a good determinant of how well-made the treadmills were but that mid-tier options still performed well. If you're looking for a more compact option, you can check out our top picks for the best foldable treadmills too.

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What to look for when shopping for a treadmill

Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (40)

A treadmill that fits into your budget is most important, and our top picks have a wide range of price options to choose from. There are a few other important factors you'll want to take into account too.

Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (41)

✔️ Size: Pay close attention to the dimensions of your treadmill so it’s guaranteed to fit your space. Keep in mind that most treadmills have an incline feature so you'll want to have at least a foot of clearance above your height on the treadmill to the ceiling. Some brands will let you know how much clearance is needed. In addition to size, double-check the treadmill’s maximum weight capacity to ensure you can use it safely.

✔️ Running belt: Make sure that the length of the running track is at least 4 feet long. If you’re over 6 feet tall, then the belt size should be even longer — around 4.5 feet. Running on a belt that's too short for your body may put you at risk of injury.

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✔️ Speed: Some treadmills can go up to 12 mph or more, while others have a max speed closer to 8 mph. If you plan on running quickly, always double-check your treadmill’s max speed setting.

✔️ Incline/decline: Being able to adjust the incline on your walk or run is one of the best ways to replicate an outdoor environment. Some newer models even offer decline capabilities to mimic real-life terrain. I recommend walking instead of running on the decline setting when possible to help protect your joints.

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Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (43)

✔️ Folding capability: Many treadmills on the market now offer some sort of folding feature, which can help save space when the treadmill is not in use. But not all foldable treadmills are created equal — some can collapse to the point where they can fit under a bed, whereas others simple fold upright for a bit more storage space. Most of the treadmills on this list do the latter, but if you're looking for super compact options our best foldable treadmills list features a nice variety of choices. In our tests though, I've noticed that the more foldable a treadmill is the less sturdy it tends to be.

✔️ Warranty: Check the treadmill’s warranty and prioritize products with a longer offering, especially for key parts like the motor or frame.

Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (44)

✔️ Special features: Features such as a touchscreen, built-in Bluetooth speakers and any other advanced settings will likely cost you extra. Decide whether you'll be satisfied with an LED display with standard buttons and controls or if you’d be happier with preset programs or a built-in screen offering on-demand workouts or training.

✔️ Set-up and delivery: Treadmills can be heavy and difficult to set up alone. Most offer options for expert assembly, but that typically comes with an additional fee. If you do plan to assemble the treadmill on your own, consider recruiting a handy friend or two to help. If you plan to move the treadmill to a basem*nt or small room in your home, double-check that the dimensions will fit through narrow hallways and around tight corners.

What do I need to know before buying a treadmill?

Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (45)

Double-check the weight capacity and dimensions to ensure the treadmill is the right fit for you and any other individuals who will be regularly using it. There also needs to be sufficient clearance around and above the treadmill (especially keep this in mind if you plan to workout on an incline). And double-check installation and if it is included or an additional fee — treadmills are typically heavy and complex to assemble on your own, so you may need to enlist the help of a friend or opt to have the company assemble it professionally in your home (often for an added fee).

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What is the average life of a treadmill?

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There is no simple answer since this ultimately takes into account several factors, but the industry standard is roughly 7 to 10 years. If you take close care of your machine and perform regular maintenance on it then it may last even longer. Daily use will wear down the belt and may cause the machine to "age" faster. Check the company's warranty to see what they cover, as you may just need to simply replace a certain part instead of having to get a whole new machine altogether.

Are more expensive treadmills better?

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The phrase "you get what you pay for" isn't always true, but our evaluations did show that for the most part, price was a good determinant of how well-made the treadmills were. That's because more expensive models tend to offer additional special features, such as smart capabilities, on-demand workouts, streaming options and more. They also tend to be more substantial machines with a higher weight capacity and solid running belt. You'll even find certain models with significant incline ranges and the ability to decline. But if you don't need all of those bells and whistles, the more affordable options on our list are still high-quality with decent speed and incline ranges that will make for an effective workout.

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

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Stefani Sassos has been working in the fitness industry for the past 10 years, specializing in indoor cycling and strength training. As a NASM-certified personal trainer, she uses her expertise and exercise science knowledge to create informed fitness content for the Good Housekeeping Institute. From vigorously testing exercise equipment and apps to curating workout plans for GH readers, Stefani is passionate about leading an active lifestyle and inspiring others to do the same. After giving birth to her first child, she actively used a treadmill at home to ease back into fitness postpartum when she couldn’t walk outside in the colder months.

Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (49)

Stefani Sassos, M.S., R.D.N., C.D.N., NASM-CPT

Nutrition Lab Director

Stefani (she/her) is a registered dietitian, a NASM-certified personal trainer and the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition Lab, where she handles all nutrition-related content, testing and evaluation. She holds a bachelor’s degree in nutritional sciences from Pennsylvania State University and a master’s degree in clinical nutrition from NYU. She is also Good Housekeeping’s on-staff fitness and exercise expert. Stefani is dedicated to providing readers with evidence-based content to encourage informed food choices and healthy living. She is an avid CrossFitter and a passionate home cook who loves spending time with her big fit Greek family.

Our Fitness Pros Share The Best Treadmills For Any Home Gym (2024)

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