Treadmills. Some people love them. Some people hate them. I’m actually pretty neutral. Sometimes I’m in the mood to run in place, some days the thought of getting on makes me ill. So, Patty, April, and I decided that this week’s topic for Tuesdays on the Run would be treadmill tips. Seems pretty timely with the cold and snow that is buffeting much of the U.S.
Since I’ve written a post or two about running on the treadmill and used up all of my tips on a guest post about surviving a long run on the treadmill, I decided to write about my own personal hell right now: treadmill purchasing. So many options out there, so many different price levels, so many decisions!
1. Set your price level. Most of us have a budget that we need to keep under, so this is a really good place to start. Remember that the price you are seeing at the store may not include shipping or set up and definitely does not include tax. You may also want to consider some sort of warranty or service agreement (still debating that myself.) So, make sure you are taking the whole picture into consideration when you are looking at treadmills if your budget has no wiggle room.
2. Decide what features you must have. I noticed that some treadmills only give you your distance in .1 instead of .01. That quickly drove me crazy LOL. I need to feel like I’m making progress, thankyouverymuch. Also think about speed, incline, weight limits, types of usage, etc.
3. Consider the space you have for it. Last time we bought one, we were putting it in the basement. We have low ceilings and Beer Geek is 6 feet tall. A couple of treadmills we considered stood up too high, even without incline. This time we need to look at length as we are turning the playroom into a workout room, but the room is not very wide.
4. Read some reviews. I’ve looked at TreadmillDoctor and TreadmillReviews.net, in addition to Consumer Reports. There was also a link up recently on NYCRunningMama of blogger reviews of their treadmills.
5. Run on the ones you are considering. Different brands feel a bit different. What fits one person, might not make another person happy. I’ve run on a bunch of different treadmills at hotels plus mine and my dad’s and various friends and, while I am able to run on pretty much anything, I definitely liked some more than others.
Our purchase is fairly imminent. Part of the reason I’ve been running outside in the crazy cold is that our belt is starting to “catch” a little bit and I’m afraid it’s either about to die or something’s gonna break and I’m going to go flying. Of course, if I can just make it a another month or so, I can put off the purchase until it truly stops (Beer Geek walks on it each day) or until next January. And the longer I wait, the more money I can save up.
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I would definitely have to rely on the feedback of others. I guess I know what I WOULD want it to include, but I wouldn’t know anything about brands vs. reliability.
Pavement Runner recently posted…3 Things to Consider For Your Next Race
Certain brands seem to get the best reviews – in the high end, you have Landice, Smooth, True, in the mid-range, it’s Sole, Nordictrack, and Proform. I wish I was in the higher range, but not at the moment…
oh oh oh here it is all about that space bout that SPACE 🙂
I was given a HUUUUGE NICE ONE for free but the footprint? TOO BIG.
CARLA recently posted…#wycwyc is not about excuses.
Yeah, space in our teeny tiny DC area house is a premium.
I’d go for reliability over bells and whistles. Unless money is no object, that is. My treadmill is a 17 year old work horse. Gets the job done.
Wendy@Taking the Long Way Home recently posted…Treadmill survival skills
Workhorse = good. I’d like this one to last until we sell our house when the younger kid is out of college LOL.
For me, some bells and whistles are worth it to counteract the treadmill tedium. I am with you on the decimal place! I can’t wait to see what you end up buying.
Coco recently posted…Which Vacation Are You?
I don’t really need bells and whistles – just reliable. But we’ll see, I’m tempted by some machines that are out of my planned budget – gotta see what I can convince the hubby to spend LOL.
These are great tips to keep in mind if I decide to get a treadmill at some point. I didn’t realize that some only give .1 intervals! That would be so annoying! I think I would like running on the treadmill more if I had my own at home and didn’t have to go to the gym to use it. It probably won’t happen right away but maybe in the next couple of years!
Lisa @ Running Out Of Wine recently posted…Adventures in Physical Therapy Week 2: Hip Exercises and Simple Running Drills
It’s so nice having one in the house. You never have an excuse not to work out…
My mill is a teenager now and knock wood, going strong, seemingly. We got it at a store that only sold fitness equipment. The sales person was very helpful with things like motor size appropriate for usage. It’s definitely an important purchase if you’re really going to use it. Can’t wait to see what you decide on.
Marcia recently posted…Run Big Miles on the Mill Without Losing Your Mind
Ours is 9 and it’s motor is way smaller than the new ones. I could probably fix it for $300-400, but I know something else will go wrong before too many years are up, so I’d rather just start over with a more powerful one.
this is a great list! my husband and I are considering buying one for our home and I’ll definitely keep these in mind!
Sarah @ Sarah’s on the Run recently posted…TOTR
Having a treadmill in our house is nonnegotiable. It totally saves me on those days when I just don’t feel like braving the weather. It’s really wearing on me to not be able to use it, but having a slightly bigger budget excites me too LOL.
Great tips. I definitely did my research before buying my treadmill. It is a big purchase that you are going to have for a long time. It is important to get what you want. I Remer he bone my parents had did not have an inclineffect. I knew that was a must for me. As well as a lip on top to place your iPad on comfortable.
lacey@fairytalesandfitness.com recently posted…Where in the World to get race merchandise engraved and embroidered
What did you end up buying? Are you still loving it?
A lot of the stores will also sell floor models at a big discount and that’s a great way to get a better model. Good tips! Enjoy your snow day 🙂
Deborah Brooks @ Confessions of a Mother Runner recently posted…Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie-Meatless Monday
Any suggestion on local stores to try that with?
The gym source at Tysons does it and they have high end really nice stuff.
Deborah Brooks @ Confessions of a Mother Runner recently posted…Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie-Meatless Monday
Losing my treadmill would be the day my nightmares are made of !!!
And I possibly would just go to Costco and buy whatever they have because I don’t want to spend time and effort to research it. But a downhill treadmill would be great!
Smitha @ FauxRunner recently posted…Treadmill Running: Mental Tips
Ha! I’m a research librarian by profession. I have to research things. ;o)
This is a perfect topic for me right now. My treadmill has a funny dip in the middle of the belt and sometimes makes a funny noise and I am also waiting for it to suddenly stop and send me shooting right over the top of it. I just really, really need it to last until the temperature is above 40 degrees.
Stimey recently posted…One of Seven, RIP
I know, I’m begging mine to last. And I don’t know if I can squeak 15 miles out of it tomorrow. Or if I should just go run in circles at the community center.
Great tips! I wouldn’t even know where to start when it comes to buying my own treadmill, although I’m definitely in the market for one. I’m absolutely going to keep in mind the features I want – like you, I need to see my progress frequently or I’ll go crazy! 🙂
Shannon recently posted…How Treadmill Running Helped Me Get My Groove Back
I didn’t even think about it until I ran on one on vacation that didn’t have the .01 and then one at the store that was a different brand, but same thing. I sometimes like to run intervals, so I need that.
Great tips! One tip I would add: consider buying used. Lots of people buy treadmills and hardly use them, which then make their way to used sports equipment stores, which can save you some money. Or, you can buy a nicer treadmill for the same amount of money. My husband bought my treadmill used with an extended warranty, just in case something happened to it. It needed a fix while under warranty but has been running really well ever since!
Beth @ Running with the Sunrise recently posted…Speedwork for Beginning Runners
Where did you buy it? I’m afraid to buy from “joe down the street” and then have it crap out right away…
I hate it when a treadmill belt catches and slips! I am not sure I’ll every buy one again because I’m lucky enough to have a gym in the basement at work with a couple that are usually available (if I can convince myself to get on one of them). Great tips though, especially the one about REALLY being sure of the height and length. Good luck on your purchase!
We didn’t buy one until I became a stay at home mom and now we both use it, so we’ll totally be replacing it.
Thanks for this. I’ve never bought a treadmill before and we may be in the market very soon if we can agree on a place it will go! These will come in handy!
Sue @ This Mama Runs for Cupcakes recently posted…Paris Marathon Training Recap: Week 5
I’m still trying to figure out my budget. My last one was a mid-range price and it lasted 10 years – wondering if spending a bit more would mean more years…
When I was buying a treadmill, I did all the stuff above except for run on it. I was using Amazon, so I waited until they had a sale on them that I could afford. Since I started so early, I was able to get a great deal on one that was out of my price range most of the time. I’d suggest that to anyone.
Though I did have to put it together myself, which made for a pretty fun time. :/
Geek Fitness Beej recently posted…Why I Run: To Eat
These are great tips! I live in an apartment so a treadmill purchase isn’t in the books for me for quite some time!
Janelle @ Run With No Regrets recently posted…Cherry Blossom Training: Week 3 Recap
I would add that if you are over 250 pounds you should check if it has a weight limit. The cheaper models have weight limits and it could decrease the lifespan of your treadmill if it will be used frequently. Nice tips. #wowlinkup
The Frugal Exerciser recently posted…Workout Wednesday – WOW! #67
I can’t run on the treadmill 🙁 I get dizzy…really dizzy. I haven’t tried it in a while because my last experience wasn’t so great. The tips you shared were great though…if I ever get to the point where I can use one I will keep these things in mind.
LeAnne @ Thisismyfaster recently posted…Wednesday’s randomness
Since my husband works in retail shopping centers, we got a tip and got lucky purchasing a treadmill off of a gym that was going out of business. It’s a treadmill that can withstand multiple users, and it was only about a year or two old when we got it. It’s worth looking into those kinds of opportunities!! Good luck!
Ashley @ TwynMawrMom recently posted…I’m glad I’m sore: Philly half marathon report
We recently replaced ours after our beloved machine died after (wait for it) almost 13 years! Our new one was cheeper but isn’t as good. It seemed like the price points now are $1000 and under and then $3K and up – didn’t find a lot good in between. I also hate that our new one doesn’t allow us to go up or down 1 mph (our old one had a designated button for this). BUT our new one has a track graphic and I do like that for speed work. Good luck on finding your new one!!
When our belt and 14-year old treadmill died I was back in the market. After much searching and trial and error and testing out treadmills I realized there were some must-haves that I was not going to do without such as a wide, roomy base. I want to feel like I have room to run without risking bumping my arms on the side bars. I also had to have a built in FAN!!!! #wowlinkup
Diatta @ Femme Fitale Fit Club recently posted…#FitnessFriday – Staying Warm
Get a Nordictrack from Sears!!! Ours is 13 years old (so far). Sears has great sales at certain times of the year, and the very few times we had to have service, well, I just can’t say enough good things about the service. We bought the service plan just in case, and also used their service after the plan ran out. (Sears service – not Icon/Nordictrack – those folks have terrible customer service).
My other advice is to get the biggest motor you can afford. That makes all the difference. My hubbie is 6′ 7″ so we learned about the importance of the motor after first trying one we bought based mostly on price. Be sure to oil the belt periodically if yours requires that – really helps.
And an inexpensive box fan on the floor does the trick for us.
Thanks for the great tips!