Top Rated Treadmills For 2011
I operate this site under the assumption that people are looking just as much for a used treadmill as they are looking for a cheap treadmill for sale. In your mind answer this question, is my budget or my ego the most important factor here? Well in this post we are going to answer the later – your ego. We are actually going to cast aside the logical best value for the money treadmills and we are going to show you the top rated second hand treadmills.
If you want to skip the nonsense and go straight to the best values under a certain price point please refer to the categories column on the right side of the screen, otherwise, please continue reading. Now as we do with any treadmill or piece of gym equipment on this site we are going to rate the models based on 4 metrics.
Tread Strike – This is a reflection of how strong the motor is and how it reacts to your feet striking the tread belt. Stronger motors last longer and provide better more natural running strides.
Maintenance – Last I checked treadmill repair classes weren’t offered at the Junior College, so maintenance is expensive and you want long warranties.
Exercise Value – Whats the point of a treadmill computer unless it gives you diverse exercising experiences.
Extras – Fans, A/C, Google Maps, i-Pod docks, etc.
My only stipulation on used treadmills is that the best new treadmills make the best used ones, so on average the commercial lines will do better because they are built for excessive use. You really do get what you pay for. But again, if you want to pay less, here are the top 5 used treadmills for sale we reviewed.
The Top 5 Used Treadmills For Sale
| Treadmill | Value | Tread Strike | Extras | Care | Price | More |
| Merit Fitness 725T | 6 | 7 | 5 | 5 | $700 New | Full Review |
| ProForm 6.0 ZT | 8 | 7 | 6 | 4 | $600 New | Full Review |
| Horizon T101 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | $900 New | Full Review |
| LifeSpan TR4000i | 10 | 9 | 8 | 9 | $2,500 New | Full Review |
| Smooth Fitness 5.65 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | $2,000 New | Full Review |
Merit Fitness
Exercise Value – 7 Preset programs with a heart monitor you have to hold while you run.
Tread Strike – 1.25hp motor, seems to have about a 230lb weight max, and carrys you to 10mph max.
Extras – Nothing really worth mentioning.
Maintenance – Lifetime frame warranty, other warranties to do not transfer.
Price – around $450 used.
Our take – It is a really cheap new treadmill, but because runners typically grow past its capabilities it becomes a popular used treadmill. I wouldn’t buy it for serious runners, my dog, my grandma, reducing diabetes yes.
ProForm
Exercise Value – 2 types of programmed workouts for different long term goals.
Tread Strike – 250lbs capacity with 2.5 hp motor and a cushion deck, with below ideal deck area.
Extras – Comes with Cool-air workout fan.
Maintenance - 5 year warranty on motor.
Price – around $400 used.
Our take – ProFrom has a really great reputation and their machines are in a lot of gyms, this is a limited fluff work horse.
Horizon
Exercise Value – 9 pre-programmed options,
Tread Strike – Above ideal tread area, 2.25hp motor with a 300 lbs user weight.
Extras – Sonic surround speakers with MP3 compatibility.
Maintenance – Lifetime frame and motor with 12 months parts and labor.
Our take – One of the best values for the money, if you find it for lower than $600 bucks you won’t be disappointed.
Price – around $600 used.
Smooth Fitness
Exercise Value – Dual stage soft drop folding mechanism, quick speed incline decline and speed buttons,
Tread Strike - Variable speed motor transitions from speed to speed like a commercial treadmill. 2.5hp motor is very powerful and quiet.
Extras – Sound system inlcudes CD and MP3 inputs as well as 2 speed cooling fans.
Maintenance – Lifetime on frame and motor, 4 years all parts & electronics and 2 years of in-home service.
Price – around $900 used.
Our take – This is a little pricier but often you can find it used for around $1,000 like right now on Amazon. For $2,000 the machine lacks the extras, for $1,000 it is the best value out there.
LifeSpan
Exercise Value – 21 different programmable features, including USB support so you can save and modify future workouts, wireless chest heart rate monitor, scrolling LCD message window for easy up-dates on how you are doing.
Tread Strike - above ideal tread strike area 20×60 inches, 3.25 hp motor, up to 12 mph, 350lbs capacity, commercial grade belt and up-graded variable density deck suspension.
Extras – Dual cooling fans, Mp3, i-Pod compatible with built in speakers.
Maintenance – Frame and Motor – Lifetime. Parts 5 years, Labor 1 year.
Price – $2,000 used.
Our take – This treadmill has all the perks and great in home reviews from Runner World, and Health Magazine. Its on the more expensive side but will deliver above average ease of use and longevity.
