Buying a Treadmill
There are a number of things you should consider before you go ahead and buy a treadmill. For most people, this is a fairly large purchase so it’s very important you carefully consider what you wan’t from your treadmill and read the treadmill reviews first!
Price
Price is probably the first thing most people will consider when looking to purchase a treadmill. Treadmills can vary greatly in price, from just a few hundred dollars to several thousand. Obviously, not everyone has that type of money to spend so it’s inevitable that some compromises will have to be made. A basic, cheap treadmill is likely to be manual or “human powered” and will set you back just a few hundred dollars. High end treadmills tend to have a lot more features and are usually of a high quality build.
Horsepower and Motor
If you have decided to buy a motorized treadmill then the first thing you will want to look for is the horsepower (hp) and quality of motor. The important figure is the “continuous duty rating” – anything between 1.5 and 2.5 is what you should be looking for. It’s also worth mentioning that direct current (DC) motors are quieter than their non DC counterparts.
Size of Treadmill
To put it simply – make sure that the treadmill will fit in the space you have! When you have established that you have enough space, consider the size of the running deck. If you run a lot at higher speeds then you will generally want a larger running deck as your strides will also be larger. If you just jog gently then this is not as important. The same can also be said for who will be using it – naturally, taller people will generally want to look for larger treadmills.
Features and Speed
Finally you need to consider how the treadmill will be used. If you like to run fast then check that the top speed is fast enough, similarly you should check the bottom speed is suitable as well if you want to walk on your treadmill. Other features you might want to look for are cup holders, incline, music, heart rate monitors and programmable computers. Generally, the more features a treadmill has, the more it will cost.
