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Not every living space or home gym is conducive to the large footprints taken up by some of the best treadmills on the market. Spouses, kids, and roommates, after all, won’t be thrilled to see a hulking cardio machine taking residence in front of the TV. Thankfully, there are plenty of options that, through a combination of lightweight...
The post The 8 Best Portable Treadmills for 2024 appeared first on BarBend.
Not every living space or home gym is conducive to the large footprints taken up by some of the best treadmills on the market. Spouses, kids, and roommates, after all, won’t be thrilled to see a hulking cardio machine taking residence in front of the TV. Thankfully, there are plenty of options that, through a combination of lightweight frames, foldability, and transport features, make them easier to get out of the way when not in use.
We rounded up some of the best portable treadmills available that can allow you to navigate hallways, doorways, furniture, and toys on the floor. That involved looking into each machine’s weight, folded and unfolded dimensions, and whether or not it contained transport wheels and handles. Check out our top picks for treadmills that can make themselves scarce when not in use.
The Best Portable Treadmills
About Our Expert:
This article has been reviewed by Amanda Capritto, CPT, CF-L1, CES, CSNC a certified personal trainer, certified nutrition coach, and CrossFit Level-1 Trainer. She reviewed the research we cite to help ensure we’re providing helpful, accurate descriptions and recommendations.
How We Tested and Chose the Best Portable Treadmills
Treadmills that are compact and portable can deliver the benefits of cardio as well as high-end machines. Our certified personal trainers, nutrition coaches, and CrossFit trainers have spent years folding, moving, rolling, and sliding over 40 treadmills to help point you toward the best portable treadmill to suit your needs and circumstances.
We assigned each of the 13 categories in our testing methodology — areas like footprint and portability, adjustability, and ease of assembly — a rating of 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest) to provide a reference for you during your search. Whether you need a treadmill to train for a half-marathon — or just want to increase your daily step count — we put together our picks for the best portable treadmills out there.
Mobility
All the treadmills that earned a spot on our list include built-in wheels because — impressive as it may be — we don’t recommend lifting your new treadmill up over your head. On top of that, all of these options either fold upright or completely flat.
Our BarBend product tester using the wheels to relocate the NordicTrack EXP 7i.
Our picks include many standard features — 12-percent incline, 60-inch belt deck, fitness app integration, 12 miles per hour max speed — while some smaller picks are designed specifically with mobility and storage in mind. As the size, weight, and price of the treadmills go down, inclusion of these features become less likely. Regardless, we didn’t include any treadmill on this list that we don’t think one to two people could easily move around their home.
Footprint
If you plan to use your treadmill in a shared or multi-purpose area, the amount of floor space it occupies can be a deciding factor. The options on our list range from 9.64 to 18.72 square feet. For reference, your average two-seater sofa takes up around 16 or 17 square feet. (1) Larger machines are more difficult to move, but we still included a few in our list. Although they are less portable than smaller treadmills, their upright folding and built-in wheels may ease the burden of transport.
Type of Training
While the size and weight of a machine relate to its portability, they also impact the type of training that it can support. Some of our picks support running, jogging, and walking workouts, while some are more suited for light jogs and brisk walks.
As such, you’ll see picks that meet our criteria for the best running treadmills: minimum motor size of 2.75 CHP, 10- to 12-percent max incline, and top speeds of 10 to 12 miles per hour. Of course, the more hardware a treadmill has, the less portable it becomes, so we rounded out our picks with smaller and more lightweight options that lack the speed and durability of running treadmills, but can still help you stay active.
Best Overall Portable Treadmill: NordicTrack EXP 7i
NordicTrack EXP 7i Treadmill
NordicTrack EXP 7i Treadmill
This tread still goes all the way up to 12 percent incline and 12mph in speed, plus it comes with a free one-month iFit membership (a $39 value). The adjustable cushioning can also help lower the impact on your joints, or mimic the feel of a road race if you are training for something on rougher terrain.
Shop NordicTrack
Specs
Pros
Cons
The NordicTrack EXP 7i is our best overall pick because it pairs portability — EasyAssist hydraulic folding and built-in transport wheels — with the kind of tech you don’t often see on portable machines. That includes a 7-inch swiveling touchscreen, on which you can access the iFIT app’s vast library of more than 16,000 classes. The EXP 7i’s durability, adjustability, ergonomics, and customizations all earned a rating of 4 out of 5 from our tester.
Our BarBend product tester using the incline on the NordicTrack EXP 7i.
At 228 pounds, it may be heavy for one person to move, but it’s at the lower end of the average 200-to-300 pound range for mid-range treadmills. Our tester, a CrossFit Level-1 trainer, rated its footprint and portability 4 out 5, noting that it occupies just 17.16 square feet, around the size of a two-seater sofa. (1) “I thought the hydraulic folding was great for saving some floor space, and the wheels were a big help when moving it around my gym,” they said.
[Related: iFIT Review – Is Virtual Coaching The New Normal?]
BarBend’s expert product tester, Jake Herod, agreed. “It’s going to be great for anybody who’s tight on space,” he said. “The wheels make it super easy to move around.” In the below video review, he also shouts out its 7-inch touchscreen, SmartAdjust compatibility, and hydraulic folding mechanism.
NordicTrack's BEST Valued Treadmill?? — NordicTrack EXP 7i Treadmill Review (2023) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78KGDZi_mow&feature=youtu.be)
Herod did, however, take a slight issue with its running belt, because, at 55 inches long, it’s at the low end of our recommended 55- to 60-inch range. “The actual deck — the running surface — is a little bit small,” he explained. “Somebody who has a long stride will probably want to target a different model.”
While it requires a $39.99 per month subscription, the iFIT integration makes it stand out among portable treadmills. If you tend to get distracted or disengage during exercise, Amanda Capritto, certified personal trainer, thinks an interactive app like iFIT can help. “iFIT is some of the best interactive programming out there and really helps prevent boredom,” she explained.
Read our full NordicTrack EXP 7i Review.
Best Portable Treadmill for Walking: Sole F63
Sole F63 Treadmill
Sole F63 Treadmill
The Sole F63 is a high-quality, no-frills treadmill. The 3.0 HP motor can support up to 325 pounds, and the foldability is ideal for those tight on space.
Shop SOLE
Specs
Pros
Cons
The Sole F63 is our pick for the best portable treadmill for walking because its 15-percent incline range — 3 percent higher than average — and spacious, cushioned deck provide the joint support and workout variety we look for in any walking treadmill.
With a footprint of 18.72 square feet, it’s a good 5 square feet smaller than your typical three-seater sofa. (1) Its 224-pound overall weight, meanwhile, is at the low end of the average 200- to 300-pound range of mid-range treadmills, and its hydraulic folding mechanism and built-in transport wheels can lighten the load when moving it.
Certified personal trainer and BarBend editorial member Kate Meier used the F63 for multiple workouts and rated its footprint and portability 4 out 5. “I was fine moving it around, but I wouldn’t say it was incredibly easy given the weight,” she explained.
Our tester walking on the Sole F63.
Certified personal trainer Amanda Capritto highlighted two of the F63’s standout features — its 3.0 CHP motor and hydraulic folding — when she assessed the best walking treadmills for BarBend. “Higher-end walking treadmills will cost more, but have additional perks, including a folding frame to save space when not in use and a more powerful motor that supports additional workout types, should you want to occasionally run.”
When Sole first launched its companion Sole+ app, it was a paid add-on to their cardio machines. Now, it’s free, giving you free access to more than 1,400 treadmill workouts. However, to access them on the tread you’ll need to set your phone or tablet on the console’s device holder. When synced with the machine, the Sole+ app can also provide your stats and workout history, though the 6.5-inch LCD display also provides basic stats.
Read our full Sole F63 Treadmill Review.
Best Portable Treadmill for Running: ProForm Carbon TLX
ProForm Carbon TLX
ProForm Carbon TLX
Adjusts up to a 12% grade so that you can feel like you're hitting real hills. With an iFIT subscription you can hit trails around the world from the comfort of your own home.
Shop ProForm
Specs
Pros
Cons
With a 60-inch long running deck, top speed of 10 miles per hour, and 12-percent incline, the ProForm Carbon TLX is our choice for the best portable treadmill for running. While not as compact as other options on this list, its 74.3-inch length is still roughly 5 to 6 inches shorter than the average running treadmill.
Along with the 60-inch running surface, its 3.0 CHP motor and ProShox deck cushioning are in line with what Amanda Capritto, certified personal trainer, recommends for running treadmills. “Ideally, a running treadmill will have a powerful motor with at least 3.0 CHP. The best (and usually most expensive) models have a CHP of up to 4.0,” she explains. “A padded deck can help offset some of the impact on your ankles, knees, and hips by absorbing a lot of the shock.”
[Related: The 10 Best Cushioned Treadmills for 2024]
The TLX has a similar footprint to older ProForm Carbon series models we have personally tested — the T10 and T14 — and both our testers, one a certified personal trainer and the other a CrossFit Level-1 trainer, rated the footprint and portability of those machines a 4 out of 5.
BarBend product tester and certified nutrition coach, Jake Herod, did note the roller size — 0.35 inches smaller than we like to see in running treadmills. “The size of the rollers in any treadmill determine how fast they spin to keep up with the motor,” said Herod, our expert tester. “For really serious runners, I’d like to see rollers of at least 2.25 inches to avoid some long-term wear and tear.”
This treadmill is also compatible with iFIT, a fitness app with more than 16,000 on-demand classes. The TLX lacks a touchscreen of its own, but you can access iFIT on a mobile device and link it up with the TLX, which can also take advantage of the automatic adjustments iFIT can make to your speed and incline during workouts.
Best Folding Portable Treadmill: Echelon Stride-6
Echelon Stride-6 Treadmill
Echelon Stride-6 Treadmill
This tread folds flat to just 10 inches tall. Its max speed is 12 miles per hour, and you get a free 30-day Echelon Premier membership with your purchase, which provides access to over 3,000 live and on-demand classes.
Shop Echelon
Specs
Pros
Cons
Our pick for the best folding portable treadmill is the Echelon Stride-6, which can fold completely in half thanks to Echelon’s AutoFold hydraulic system. In the upright position, its 57-inch height is in line with average portable treadmills, but in the flat position, that height shrinks to just 10 inches. Along with sets of both horizontal and vertical wheels, this treadmill is a breeze to move and tuck away when not in use.
Kate Meier, BarBend editorial member and certified personal trainer, walking on her Echelon Stride.
This increased portability was not lost on Kate Meier, a certified personal trainer and BarBend editorial member who owns the similar, older model, the Stride. Its ability to fold flat is unique even among the best folding treadmills, and, along with the transport wheels, earned the Stride a rating of 5 out of 5 for footprint and portability. “Having the capacity to fold flat will make owning a treadmill easier for a lot of people who are short on space,” she said. “It can be stowed away under a bed or just stashed in a...
Click here to view the article.
The post The 8 Best Portable Treadmills for 2024 appeared first on BarBend.
Not every living space or home gym is conducive to the large footprints taken up by some of the best treadmills on the market. Spouses, kids, and roommates, after all, won’t be thrilled to see a hulking cardio machine taking residence in front of the TV. Thankfully, there are plenty of options that, through a combination of lightweight frames, foldability, and transport features, make them easier to get out of the way when not in use.
We rounded up some of the best portable treadmills available that can allow you to navigate hallways, doorways, furniture, and toys on the floor. That involved looking into each machine’s weight, folded and unfolded dimensions, and whether or not it contained transport wheels and handles. Check out our top picks for treadmills that can make themselves scarce when not in use.
The Best Portable Treadmills
- Best Overall Portable Treadmill: NordicTrack EXP 7i
- Best Portable Walking Treadmill: Sole F63
- Best Portable Treadmill for Running: ProForm Carbon TLX
- Best Folding Portable Treadmill: Echelon Stride-6
- Best Portable Treadmill with Incline: Horizon T101
- Best Lightweight Portable Treadmill: Urevo 2 in 1 Under Desk Treadmill
- Best Portable Treadmill Under $500: XTERRA Fitness TR150 Treadmill
- Best Budget Portable Treadmill: Goplus 2-in-1 Folding Treadmill
About Our Expert:
This article has been reviewed by Amanda Capritto, CPT, CF-L1, CES, CSNC a certified personal trainer, certified nutrition coach, and CrossFit Level-1 Trainer. She reviewed the research we cite to help ensure we’re providing helpful, accurate descriptions and recommendations.
How We Tested and Chose the Best Portable Treadmills
Treadmills that are compact and portable can deliver the benefits of cardio as well as high-end machines. Our certified personal trainers, nutrition coaches, and CrossFit trainers have spent years folding, moving, rolling, and sliding over 40 treadmills to help point you toward the best portable treadmill to suit your needs and circumstances.
We assigned each of the 13 categories in our testing methodology — areas like footprint and portability, adjustability, and ease of assembly — a rating of 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest) to provide a reference for you during your search. Whether you need a treadmill to train for a half-marathon — or just want to increase your daily step count — we put together our picks for the best portable treadmills out there.
Mobility
All the treadmills that earned a spot on our list include built-in wheels because — impressive as it may be — we don’t recommend lifting your new treadmill up over your head. On top of that, all of these options either fold upright or completely flat.
Our picks include many standard features — 12-percent incline, 60-inch belt deck, fitness app integration, 12 miles per hour max speed — while some smaller picks are designed specifically with mobility and storage in mind. As the size, weight, and price of the treadmills go down, inclusion of these features become less likely. Regardless, we didn’t include any treadmill on this list that we don’t think one to two people could easily move around their home.
Footprint
If you plan to use your treadmill in a shared or multi-purpose area, the amount of floor space it occupies can be a deciding factor. The options on our list range from 9.64 to 18.72 square feet. For reference, your average two-seater sofa takes up around 16 or 17 square feet. (1) Larger machines are more difficult to move, but we still included a few in our list. Although they are less portable than smaller treadmills, their upright folding and built-in wheels may ease the burden of transport.
Type of Training
While the size and weight of a machine relate to its portability, they also impact the type of training that it can support. Some of our picks support running, jogging, and walking workouts, while some are more suited for light jogs and brisk walks.
As such, you’ll see picks that meet our criteria for the best running treadmills: minimum motor size of 2.75 CHP, 10- to 12-percent max incline, and top speeds of 10 to 12 miles per hour. Of course, the more hardware a treadmill has, the less portable it becomes, so we rounded out our picks with smaller and more lightweight options that lack the speed and durability of running treadmills, but can still help you stay active.
Best Overall Portable Treadmill: NordicTrack EXP 7i
NordicTrack EXP 7i Treadmill
NordicTrack EXP 7i Treadmill
This tread still goes all the way up to 12 percent incline and 12mph in speed, plus it comes with a free one-month iFit membership (a $39 value). The adjustable cushioning can also help lower the impact on your joints, or mimic the feel of a road race if you are training for something on rougher terrain.
Shop NordicTrack
Specs
- Price: $1,299
- Dimensions: 59.7” H x 70.8” L x 34.9” W
- Weight: 228lbs
- Weight Capacity: 300lbs
- Incline Range: 0%-12%
- Max Speed: 10mph
Pros
- NordicTrack’s EasyLift Assist hydraulic folding system and built-in wheels make for easy folding and transport.
- Integrated iFIT workouts can be accessed on the swiveling 7-inch HD touchscreen.
- It features a 12-percent incline range.
Cons
- At 228 pounds, this treadmill may require an extra set of hands during transport.
- Taller users with longer strides may find the 55-inch running deck too short for sprints and high-intensity runs.
The NordicTrack EXP 7i is our best overall pick because it pairs portability — EasyAssist hydraulic folding and built-in transport wheels — with the kind of tech you don’t often see on portable machines. That includes a 7-inch swiveling touchscreen, on which you can access the iFIT app’s vast library of more than 16,000 classes. The EXP 7i’s durability, adjustability, ergonomics, and customizations all earned a rating of 4 out of 5 from our tester.
At 228 pounds, it may be heavy for one person to move, but it’s at the lower end of the average 200-to-300 pound range for mid-range treadmills. Our tester, a CrossFit Level-1 trainer, rated its footprint and portability 4 out 5, noting that it occupies just 17.16 square feet, around the size of a two-seater sofa. (1) “I thought the hydraulic folding was great for saving some floor space, and the wheels were a big help when moving it around my gym,” they said.
[Related: iFIT Review – Is Virtual Coaching The New Normal?]
BarBend’s expert product tester, Jake Herod, agreed. “It’s going to be great for anybody who’s tight on space,” he said. “The wheels make it super easy to move around.” In the below video review, he also shouts out its 7-inch touchscreen, SmartAdjust compatibility, and hydraulic folding mechanism.
NordicTrack's BEST Valued Treadmill?? — NordicTrack EXP 7i Treadmill Review (2023) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78KGDZi_mow&feature=youtu.be)
Herod did, however, take a slight issue with its running belt, because, at 55 inches long, it’s at the low end of our recommended 55- to 60-inch range. “The actual deck — the running surface — is a little bit small,” he explained. “Somebody who has a long stride will probably want to target a different model.”
While it requires a $39.99 per month subscription, the iFIT integration makes it stand out among portable treadmills. If you tend to get distracted or disengage during exercise, Amanda Capritto, certified personal trainer, thinks an interactive app like iFIT can help. “iFIT is some of the best interactive programming out there and really helps prevent boredom,” she explained.
Read our full NordicTrack EXP 7i Review.
Best Portable Treadmill for Walking: Sole F63
Sole F63 Treadmill
Sole F63 Treadmill
The Sole F63 is a high-quality, no-frills treadmill. The 3.0 HP motor can support up to 325 pounds, and the foldability is ideal for those tight on space.
Shop SOLE
Specs
- Price: $1,199
- Dimensions: 67? H x 77? L x 35? W
- Weight: 224lbs
- Weight Capacity: 325lbs
- Incline Range: 0%-15%
- Max Speed: 12mph
Pros
- The 15-percent incline range is 3 percent higher than most treadmills in this price range, helping to intensify walking workouts.
- Its roomy 60-inch by 20-inch cushioned belt deck is the ideal size for walking treadmills.
- Its hydraulic folding mechanism and built-in wheels can aid with transport.
Cons
- It weighs 224 pounds, so it may require an extra hand when moving it.
- The 6.5-inch LCD display can only track basic stats.
The Sole F63 is our pick for the best portable treadmill for walking because its 15-percent incline range — 3 percent higher than average — and spacious, cushioned deck provide the joint support and workout variety we look for in any walking treadmill.
With a footprint of 18.72 square feet, it’s a good 5 square feet smaller than your typical three-seater sofa. (1) Its 224-pound overall weight, meanwhile, is at the low end of the average 200- to 300-pound range of mid-range treadmills, and its hydraulic folding mechanism and built-in transport wheels can lighten the load when moving it.
Certified personal trainer and BarBend editorial member Kate Meier used the F63 for multiple workouts and rated its footprint and portability 4 out 5. “I was fine moving it around, but I wouldn’t say it was incredibly easy given the weight,” she explained.
Certified personal trainer Amanda Capritto highlighted two of the F63’s standout features — its 3.0 CHP motor and hydraulic folding — when she assessed the best walking treadmills for BarBend. “Higher-end walking treadmills will cost more, but have additional perks, including a folding frame to save space when not in use and a more powerful motor that supports additional workout types, should you want to occasionally run.”
When Sole first launched its companion Sole+ app, it was a paid add-on to their cardio machines. Now, it’s free, giving you free access to more than 1,400 treadmill workouts. However, to access them on the tread you’ll need to set your phone or tablet on the console’s device holder. When synced with the machine, the Sole+ app can also provide your stats and workout history, though the 6.5-inch LCD display also provides basic stats.
Read our full Sole F63 Treadmill Review.
Best Portable Treadmill for Running: ProForm Carbon TLX
ProForm Carbon TLX
ProForm Carbon TLX
Adjusts up to a 12% grade so that you can feel like you're hitting real hills. With an iFIT subscription you can hit trails around the world from the comfort of your own home.
Shop ProForm
Specs
- Price: $999
- Dimensions: 59.1” H x 74.3” L x 35.1” W
- Weight: 249lbs
- Weight Capacity: 300lbs
- Incline Range: 0%-12%
- Max Speed: 10mph
Pros
- Runners will like this treadmill’s cushioned 60-inch belt deck and 3.0 CHP motor.
- iFIT integration allows access to over 16,000 live and on-demand classes.
- Follow your stats, like distance and calories burned, on the 7-inch multi-color display.
Cons
- Its 1.9-inch rollers are smaller than the 2.25-inch rollers we like to see on running treadmills.
- Access to iFIT costs an additional $39.99 per month.
With a 60-inch long running deck, top speed of 10 miles per hour, and 12-percent incline, the ProForm Carbon TLX is our choice for the best portable treadmill for running. While not as compact as other options on this list, its 74.3-inch length is still roughly 5 to 6 inches shorter than the average running treadmill.
Along with the 60-inch running surface, its 3.0 CHP motor and ProShox deck cushioning are in line with what Amanda Capritto, certified personal trainer, recommends for running treadmills. “Ideally, a running treadmill will have a powerful motor with at least 3.0 CHP. The best (and usually most expensive) models have a CHP of up to 4.0,” she explains. “A padded deck can help offset some of the impact on your ankles, knees, and hips by absorbing a lot of the shock.”
[Related: The 10 Best Cushioned Treadmills for 2024]
The TLX has a similar footprint to older ProForm Carbon series models we have personally tested — the T10 and T14 — and both our testers, one a certified personal trainer and the other a CrossFit Level-1 trainer, rated the footprint and portability of those machines a 4 out of 5.
BarBend product tester and certified nutrition coach, Jake Herod, did note the roller size — 0.35 inches smaller than we like to see in running treadmills. “The size of the rollers in any treadmill determine how fast they spin to keep up with the motor,” said Herod, our expert tester. “For really serious runners, I’d like to see rollers of at least 2.25 inches to avoid some long-term wear and tear.”
This treadmill is also compatible with iFIT, a fitness app with more than 16,000 on-demand classes. The TLX lacks a touchscreen of its own, but you can access iFIT on a mobile device and link it up with the TLX, which can also take advantage of the automatic adjustments iFIT can make to your speed and incline during workouts.
Best Folding Portable Treadmill: Echelon Stride-6
Echelon Stride-6 Treadmill
Echelon Stride-6 Treadmill
This tread folds flat to just 10 inches tall. Its max speed is 12 miles per hour, and you get a free 30-day Echelon Premier membership with your purchase, which provides access to over 3,000 live and on-demand classes.
Shop Echelon
Specs
- Price: $1,699
- Dimensions: 57” H x 64.8” L x 32.4” W
- Weight: 182.35lbs
- Weight Capacity: 300lbs
- Incline Range: 0%-12%
- Max Speed: 12.4mph
Pros
- Echelon’s Auto-Fold hydraulic system allows the Stride-6 to fold completely in half.
- The built-in horizontal and vertical wheels make transport that much easier.
- Despite its compact design, it features a 12-percent incline range.
- Its cushioned 60-inch long belt deck should accommodate most runners.
Cons
- There is no screen or display, only a large tablet holder.
- Non-Echelon Premier members only receive a one-year warranty.
Our pick for the best folding portable treadmill is the Echelon Stride-6, which can fold completely in half thanks to Echelon’s AutoFold hydraulic system. In the upright position, its 57-inch height is in line with average portable treadmills, but in the flat position, that height shrinks to just 10 inches. Along with sets of both horizontal and vertical wheels, this treadmill is a breeze to move and tuck away when not in use.
This increased portability was not lost on Kate Meier, a certified personal trainer and BarBend editorial member who owns the similar, older model, the Stride. Its ability to fold flat is unique even among the best folding treadmills, and, along with the transport wheels, earned the Stride a rating of 5 out of 5 for footprint and portability. “Having the capacity to fold flat will make owning a treadmill easier for a lot of people who are short on space,” she said. “It can be stowed away under a bed or just stashed in a...
Click here to view the article.
