Here are some tips to help you buy the right treadmill for you:

- There are many good treadmills available on the market today ranging from those that cost a few hundred dollars to those that cost a few thousand dollars, so it is a good idea to do some research on treadmill prices. You can check prices at the fitness store or you can also surf the net for further price information. Keep in mind that a high-performance treadmill doesn’t have to be expensive.

- Study the treadmill options such as programming, heart monitor, pulse rate and speed meter etc so that you choose a treadmill with only the features you want. Pick the treadmill that fits your exercise needs and fitness goals.

- Once you decide on the treadmill that you think most fits your needs, make sure to test it out. Do not go for a treadmill that looks good but doesn’t work well.

- The treadmill should run smoothly and should not give you knee pain.

Here are some further questions to help you make your purchase decision:

- How much do I want to spend?

Treadmills can cost a good deal of money. Before purchasing your treadmill you need to decide on your budget as your budget determines the quality of the treadmill you purchase.

A lower-priced treadmill could cost around $1000 and a better-quality treadmill around $2500 up to $4500. You could also look into used treadmills as they are much cheaper compared to brand new treadmills.

- What kind of motor do you want?

Most treadmills have two motor controls: the first motor drives the belt and the other one raises and lowers the bed for inclines.

Make sure the belt motor is a continuous duty motor with a speed of at least 1.7 horsepower. But if the motor is not continuous you will have to exert more effort and time when exercising on the treadmill.

Also, make sure that the treadmill does not shake especially when running.

Treadmills can be one of the most expensive pieces of fitness equipment in any home gym. Before you even start to think about what model or brand to buy there are several key factors that you should think about before you make your purchasing decision. That way you are insured to buy the best home treadmill you can for your budget.
1. How much space do you have for the treadmill?
When your using your treadmill you want to make sure that you have plenty of empty space behind you. I’ve heard many stories of people dropping an ipod onto the belt while running or walking. They stop to pick it up only to be propelled off the back of the machine. By making sure that you have enough clearance behind you will not only prevent you from breaking other furnishing, but will also reduce your chance of injury.
2. Where will you store your treadmill when it’s not being used?
If you don’t have a lot of space available, you might want to consider purchasing a folding treadmill that can be folded up and rolled away to store. Just keep in mind how heavy some treadmill mills are and how easily that is going to be accomplished. Also consider the type of flooring under the treadmill. If you have hard wood floors you might not want to scratch them up moving the treadmill around. When you have a storage area picked out, measure this area and have the figures with you when you go to purchase your treadmill. That way you can make sure it will fit.
3. Do you plan on using your treadmill for running or walking?
Walking or running on a treadmill actually puts different demands on the treadmill. When you walk on a treadmill you put more pressure on the treadmill’s belt then when you run. This is because your feet are on the belt more when you walk. This makes the treadmill’s motor work harder. When shopping for a treadmill you need to look at the continuous duty rating for the motor. Make sure that this figure falls somewhere between 1.5 to 2.5 horsepower.
If you are planning to use your treadmill mostly for running, you’ll want to make sure that the length of the treadmill’s running deck is long enough to accommodate your running stride. You should feel comfortable and secure that you have enough room. You’ll want to bring a friend along with you when you go to the store. Have them stand behind you as you run to see if there is enough free space between you and the end of the belt.
4. Decide on your budget before you go to the store.
This way you wouldn’t have to worry about being pressured into buying a treadmill that is out of your range. It also might help to determine the store that you go to. Treadmill prices generally break down into three price ranges. Budget models usually fall somewhere between $500 and $1,500. For midrange models you can expect to pay anywhere from $1,500 to up to $3,000. High quality machines for the elite athlete can be purchase for $3,000 and above. Treadmills come in a wide range of prices. You’ll want to find the best home treadmill for you that falls within your budget range.
5. Be prepared to shop around.
I would strongly recommend that you go to a physical store and try out every model that you are considering. Don’t forget to bring your tape measure with you to check the size of the machine open and folded to make sure it will fit in the space you’ve planned in step one. After you have narrowed it down to 2 or 3 specific machines, shop online. Treadmills are the purchase where it doesn’t matter if you buy from a store or online because the cost of home delivery or shipping from an online dealer cancels each other out. This way you can make sure that you are paying the lowest price for the best machine that you can find.

Most people looking to buy a treadmill are interested in getting a discount.  We all want to save money and get a higher quality product right?

So where can you go to find huge discounts on brand name treadmills?  There are several legitimate ways to get a discount treadmill which I’ll outline in this article.

Please note however that I’m not saying: ‘buy a cheap treadmill’.  With treadmills, you definitely don’t want to skimp on quality. 

A cheap, unstable treadmill with improper cushioning and low quality parts will not only cost you in repairs but in health. You can ruin your joints and cause long term health damage.

So I’m not saying ‘Go cheap’ with your treadmill.  What I am saying is that there ARE several ways to get a high quality treadmill for a discount price. Here they are:

#1) Buy From An Online Fitness Store

There are several online fitness stores that sell a large variety of brand name treadmills directly to you.  Because they are not paying the overhead costs of a store, these savings get passed on to you and you can often save hundreds of dollars on a brand name treadmill.

Plus, most of these stores will give you free shipping (which can save you up to $150).  And you can even save on sales tax in some areas.

One note of caution: Not all fitness stores are alike.  Make sure you buy from an online store that offers proven experience shipping treadmills, secure online ordering and a solid money-back guarantee (a 30 – 60 day money back guarantee is standard with treadmills).

#2) Buy Directly From The Treadmill Manufacturer

Some treadmill manufacturers will sell their treadmills directly to the consumer.  By skipping the middleman (the store) you also save on the mark up price that the store has to add to make a profit.

This can, again, save you hundreds of dollars and get you a brand name treadmill for a discount price.  Like online stores, when you buy directly online from the treadmill manufacturer, you also can usually get free shipping and even save on sales tax.

Again, remember to buy from a manufacturer that offers secure ordering and a 30 – 60 day money back guarantee.

#3) Buy A Used Treadmill

While I don’t really recommend this, some people save money by purchasing a used treadmill.

The main drawback to this option is that there is no warranty to protect your investment.  If your treadmill breaks down you’re either out the money to fix it or out the money you spent to buy it (if you choose not to repair the treadmill).

If you do decide to go this route, make sure you know the make and model of the treadmill and that you’ve checked the store price of the treadmill. This will give you more bargaining power and ensure you don’t overpay for the treadmill.

So those are several ways to get a legitimate discount on your treadmill.  For a list of treadmill manufacturers visit:

http://www.treadmillreview.net/TreadmillStores.html

Enjoy and have fun!

Buying a treadmill? Chances are you’ll want to comparison shop to find the best deal for you. Looking at all of the options available can often save you hundreds of dollars.

But where can you look?

There are in general 3 places you can buy your tread mill. This article will outline what you should know about each. You’ll learn the advantages and disadvantages – to help you find the best treadmill buy.

#1 Department Stores

Department stores like Walmart, Sears, and Target sell a variety of name brand treadmills in their sports and fitness departments.

What you should know: Although these stores may appear to offer several different brand names they are almost always produced by one manufacturer – Icon Health and Fitness.

Icon is one of the largest treadmill manufacturers on the market today and produces such brands as Proform, Weslo, Epic, Image, Nordic Track, Free Spirit and Reebok.

These treadmills have lots of neat gadgets like CD players, TV’s, iFit compatibility and more. However, they are not necessarily known for high quality cushioning, stability or durability.

They also typically offer short warranties. For many of the cheaper treadmills, 90 days on parts and labor is all you get. If you want a longer warranty you’ll have to pay extra for it.

Salespeople at these department stores are often not very knowledgeable about treadmills, fitness or how to choose the right treadmill based on your personal needs. So if you need to buy from a department store make sure you do your homework before you go.

Also, at a department store, you’ll usually have to pay extra for shipping and delivery of your treadmill (around $150 – $200) so that’s also an extra cost to consider.

#2 Specialty Sports and Fitness Stores

These are stores like Fitness Depot, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Sport Chalet etc.

What you should know: These stores typically offer you higher end treadmill brands like Precor, Landice, Trimline, Star Trac, Keys and more.

You technically get a larger selection at these stores because the treadmill brands are made by more than 1 giant treadmill manufacturing company.

Sales people are typically more knowledgeable at these stores and can tell you more about the treadmill models, what you need, etc. However be careful as these salespeople are often on commission and may try to pressure you into buying a higher priced machine than you actually need.

You’ll also typically have to pay for shipping and delivery of your treadmill when you buy at one of these stores (which could cost you $150-200 depending on the size of your treadmill). However if you hit these stores on a sale, you may be able to get a discount or free shipping.

#3 Online – Direct From the Manufacturer

Buying a treadmill online is an option that is growing in popularity with buyers. There are both online fitness stores and online treadmill manufacturers.

What you should know: Online manufacturers sell direct to the consumer, in effect skipping the middleman of the store. Consequently customers can save up to $800 on a brand name treadmill.

Buying online is also easy and convenient since you can research treadmill brands and prices from the comfort of your living room. You have a much larger selection of treadmill brands than either option above and can thus make a better buying decision.

Another bonus is that online distributors typically offer free shipping which can also save you a couple hundred dollars. There are no pushy salespeople to deal with so you can take your time to decide without any pressure.

The downside of buying a treadmill online is that you don’t get to walk on the treadmill first. Many people get around this by trying them out at stores first and then buying the treadmill online (if possible).

Or you could do the research and invest in a high end treadmill brand with high ratings from experts and users. (Several treadmill websites will list any expert awards or user reviews for you to read.)

So those are 3 main places to buy your treadmill. Regardless of where you buy your tread mill, remember to take your time, have fun and consider your own personal workout needs before buying.

With surge in number of obese and cholesterol stricken people, treadmills are high in demand. In fact those who are neither obese nor suffering from high fat deposition prefer working out on treadmills for treadmills today are accepted as one of the best equipments to keep fit.
Henceforth, if you are the one looking for an exercise equipment to keep yourself in good shape, you can safely zoom in on a home treadmill. But then spending money on a home treadmill is more like an investment. A good treadmill won’t come in less than thousand dollars, so before spending your money you should get yourself informed of all essential aspects of treadmill buying. These different aspects could be discussed as:
Varying prices of treadmill models
Treadmills come with a wide range of models that are offered with great disparity of prices. If you don’t know the reason behind these varying prices, you might get confused while buying a treadmill.
Basically pricing is done on availability of various features in a treadmill. There are brands offering superior quality models, middle range models as well as cheaper models. A cheaper model could be bought in less than thousand dollars. You can buy a mid range treadmill by spending in between thousand to fifteen hundred dollar. A superior model would cost you above two thousand. It comes with added features and a good number of preprogrammed workouts.
Efficiency of motor
Motor is most important part of a treadmill. It is often termed as heart of a treadmill. Before buying a treadmill you need to look into capacity of this vital component to provide you exercises of varying range. A motor’s capacity is measured in terms of horsepower. Horsepower counts are measured separately for peak duty and continuous duty. Usually retailers bluff a naive folk by a showing a good peak duty horsepower. However actual depicter of a motor’s efficiency is its continuous duty horsepower. A treadmill with its continuous motor HP of two and above is considered good.
Proper cushioning and stability of a treadmill
You are also needed to look into cushioning of deck. If your treadmill doesn’t possess a jerk free cushioning system you may end up damaging your joints and back muscles while exercising on it. In order to check cushioning you should better go for a trial exercise.
You should also check treadmills against stability. For that you are needed to examine quality of belt and smoothness of workout.
Extended warranty period
A good warranty period suggests that a treadmill counts high on durability. All leading brands offer an extended warranty period on their treadmill models. Models that come with a warranty period of five years and more are considered stable. So always look for an extended warranty while buying a home treadmill.
Number of features available in a model
You must also check the model on which you have zoomed in against number of possible preprogrammed workouts. A good number of possible workouts on treadmill would ensure that you get variety of inclines and speed. It would keep your workout session away from monotony and would also result in quick weight shedding.
Apart from above mentioned aspects you should also look into noise level and length and width of belt. Don’t overlook other parts of treadmill.
Keeping all the above mentioned aspects clearly in your mind, you are most likely to strike a better treadmill deal. All the best!