If You’re Looking for a New Treadmill, Start Here

Training for a race? Looking to get some steps in as you listen to a podcast or audiobook? No matter your fitness goals, the best treadmills can help you get moving, even when the weather outside is less than ideal (read: cold, rainy, snowy, or icy). “I’m a strong proponent of using the tools that you have to best get your workouts in [safely],” Katherine Wuestenfeld, a NASM-certified personal trainer and RRCA-certified run coach in Chicago, tells SELF.

Having a treadmill at home also helps nip any “I’ll just do it tomorrow” excuses in the bud: As Allison Gruber, PhD, an associate professor of kinesiology at Indiana University Bloomington who uses her treadmill to work out safely before sunrise, previously told SELF, “whatever can keep you running, do it.”

Knowing which one to buy, however, isn’t always easy. To help you navigate a sea of seemingly similar options, we’re here with expert tips and insights from SELF testers. Shop our favorite treadmills for almost any space and fitness goals below.

Our top picks

1. Best Overall: NordicTrack Commercial 1750
2. Best Folding: Echelon Stride-6
3. Best Cushioned: Horizon 7.0 AT
4. Best Compact: ProForm Carbon TLX
5. Best Budget: Sunny Health & Fitness Compact Motorized Smart Treadmill
6. Best with Classes: Peloton Tread+
7. Best Under-Desk Treadmill: Walking Pad C2

Is using a treadmill as effective as running outside?

Running offers a ton of benefits—like improving your heart health, boosting your mood, helping you sleep, and more—and using a treadmill can help you access all of them safely. “When I trained for the 2019 Boston Marathon, we had a really snowy and icy winter in the months leading up to the race,” Wuestenfeld says, noting the conditions forced her to do a lot of her training indoors on a treadmill. “I ended up still setting a PR at the race, so I think that’s a testament to the power of treadmill training and how effective it can be.” She also likes training for long runs on a treadmill so she can practice effectively fueling herself—staying indoors offers easy access to water and gels, she says.

Treadmills can help you brush up on specific skills too. A machine with incline and decline settings will allow you to practice running up and down hills if you live in a flat area, while speed controls take the guesswork out of sprints or interval runs.

The pros add that you’ll see the most benefits if you use your treadmill regularly. “If you’re running consistently on a treadmill, it’s absolutely effective,” Erin Molloy, an RRCA-certified run coach in Brooklyn, tells SELF. “It’s all about what keeps you motivated and moving.”

What features should you look for in a treadmill for your home gym?

As you sift through our top picks, here’s what to keep in mind to help you pick the right treadmill for your space.

How we picked the best treadmills

We sourced our winners by scouring thousands of reviews online and asking fitness experts for their shopping advice and personal favorites. We also kept important details in mind as we built this list, including size, speed range, programming capability, and price. SELF staffers even tested some of these treadmills themselves, as part of our Fitness Awards. Whether you’re training for a marathon or walking at a standing desk while you work, we have you covered with reliable options from brands like NordicTrack, Peloton, Echelon, and more.

Shop the best treadmills

Best Overall: NordicTrack Commercial 1750

Pros

• Large touchscreen pivots for off-tread workouts
• Can incline and decline
• High weight capacity
• Features SmartAdjust capabilities, so you can focus on your workout
• Cushioned running deck is designed to absorb impact

Cons

• iFit workouts require a separate membership
• A pricier option

This 2024 SELF Home Fitness Award winner takes the gold for best treadmill overall because it’s high-tech, but still user-friendly. For $39 per month, you can stream more than 10,000 classes from iFit, a fitness coaching platform, on its large touchscreen (although you can also use it in manual mode, no membership required). During these workouts, the machine will automatically adjust your speed and incline to follow the instructor—no more fiddling with buttons mid-sweat session. And because the screen pivots, you can use it to follow off-tread yoga or strength training workouts too.

The 1750 also earns points for its cushioned running deck, strong 4.25 CHP motor, and auto-adjusting fan that speeds up or slows down to match the intensity of your workout. Although it’s pricey, we think it’s well worth the investment (especially if you sign up for iFit): You definitely “get what you pay for,” our tester, a marathon runner, confirmed.

Best Folding: Echelon Stride-6

Pros

• Has quick-adjustment wheels on the handlebar
• You can charge devices on the console
• Echelon reviewers say the cushioned running deck is comfortable

Cons

• No built-in screen
• You’ll have to pay $40 per month to take trainer-led classes through the Echelon App

Short on space, but still trying to set a new PR? The Echelon Stride-6 has a smaller footprint than other options on this list, but doesn’t compromise on the size of its running deck, speed, or incline settings. Our favorite feature, though, is how small it folds up, thanks to Echelon’s design that allows you to collapse the monitor, console, and arms down flat on top of the running deck.

From there, you can lift the machine vertically and use its transport wheels to tuck it up against a wall. Just a heads up: Echelon reviewers say that lifting the machine upright might be a two-person job.

Best Cushioned: Horizon 7.0 AT

Pros

• Syncs with Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch to track your stats
• Lifetime warranty on the frame and motor
• Tied for steepest incline setting on this list

Cons

• Horizon reviewers say assembly might be a two-person job

With three zones of cushioning in the running deck, the Horizon 7.0 AT is a great choice for runners looking to save their joints. As Kelly Bernadyn, CPT, a Michigan-based group fitness instructor at Life Time clubs previously told SELF, treadmills with cushioned running decks make workouts a little easier on your body by offering extra shock absorption; it’s like wearing an über-cushy sneaker. Gregory Moy, DPT, a physical therapist in California, also told SELF that cushioned treadmills can be helpful for people with foot problems or “marathoners [and] ultramarathoners who are running 70 to 100 miles a week and need some time off from the hard pavement.”

Beyond cushioning, the Horizon 7.0 AT offers a broad range of incline settings; a dial to help you adjust your speed and incline quickly; and Bluetooth, Apple, and Samsung Galaxy connectivity.

Best Compact: ProForm Carbon TLX

Pros

• Folds up and can be stored vertically when you’re not using it
• Frame has a 10-year warranty
• Built-in fan

Cons

• You’ll need an iFit subscription to access classes

Another Home Fitness Award winner, the ProForm Carbon TLX has a small footprint and can be stored vertically when you’re not using it. Designed with shock-absorbing cushioning in the deck that aims to reduce the impact on your body, you can expect to feel great during and after your workouts. Just know that if you’d like to take iFit classes on this one, you’ll need to spend an extra $39 each month on a subscription; if not, you’ll only be able to use the machine in manual mode.

Best Budget: Sunny Health Compact Motorized Smart Treadmill

Pros

• Folds up and has wheels for easy storage
• Much lighter than some other picks on this list
• Amazon shoppers say it’s pretty quiet

Cons

• Low weight capacity
• Can’t incline or decline
• Top speed and horsepower are pretty low

For a fraction of the price of some of our other top picks, this treadmill is a little bare bones (but still works great). While it can’t incline or decline, it’s very compact, with wheels and a folding mechanism to help you tuck it out of the way. Weighing around 70 pounds, it’s also easier to move around by yourself.

Amazon shoppers confirm that, even though it’s budget-friendly, it’s still well-made: “I bought this thinking it probably wouldn’t be very sturdy for its price,” one wrote. “I have been pleasantly surprised: Not only is it sturdy, but it’s extremely quiet.”

Best With Classes: Peloton Tread+

Pros

• Longest running belt on this list
• Huge touchscreen that tilts
• Vast, constantly growing library of live and recorded classes
• Use it with or without the motor

Cons

• Expensive
• Doesn’t fold up
• All-access membership costs an extra $44 per month

World-class programming, including a large, growing collection of live and pre-recorded trainer-led classes, give the Peloton Tread+ a special edge. “I really like the classes on my Peloton, as they provide a nice distraction from being inside and make my runs go by faster than if I was just staring at a blank screen,” says Wuestenfeld.

Classes aside, Wuestenfeld says the Tread+ also feels very well-made. “On other treadmills I’ve tried, when the speed gets below a seven-minute-mile pace, things get shaky, don’t feel as smooth, and it doesn’t always feel like a safe surface for running fast,” she says. “The Tread+ feels smooth on the slatted belt, even at faster speeds. The slatted belt is also a lot more cushioned than some of the really hard landing surfaces of other treadmills I’ve been on.”