To understand how treadmills can and can’t help with exercise and training, we consulted running coaches, sports researchers, and industry insiders.

Seth Berkman, a staff writer covering fitness for Wirecutter, has been exercising on treadmills for over 20 years. Seth is an author of Wirecutter’s guide to running shoes and the writer of our guide to insoles for running and walking.

Treadmills offer an easy and efficient way to exercise. But it’s all too easy for a treadmill to become an expensive coat rack. According to one estimate, 40% of home gym equipment isn’t used as often as the buyer expected.

“Anyone looking to purchase a treadmill should consider the cost in relation to how much they think they will use it,” said Nicole Hagobian, a running coach and a sport and exercise scientist at California Polytechnic State University.

For a fee, subscription services on some machines allow you to join trainer-led classes or simulated workouts in locations around the world. Before shelling out for a subscription, know the kinds of workouts you want.

“It’s a good idea to vary the speed and incline periodically if you are stuck inside running on a treadmill for an extended period,” said Rich Willy, associate professor at the school of physical therapy and rehabilitation science at the University of Montana.

If you have small kids or pets, make sure that you have space for your treadmill in a separate room or a sectioned-off area so that they can’t injure themselves while the machine is running. Common advice is to keep a treadmill behind a locked door if possible.

This review covers treadmills specifically for running and walking. See Wirecutter’s review of under-desk treadmills, sometimes called walking pads, for more about that category.

We looked at both home treadmills and commercial models intended for use in gyms, the latter of which are generally more expensive, with ultra-sturdy frames to handle daily use. Home versions tend to have a softer frame with a lot of plastic, said Harry Pino, manager for exercise physiology at the Princeton Longevity Center.

Here are the features we focused on.

• Belt length: We preferred treadmills with an advertised belt length of at least 60 inches.
• Speed: Most of the treadmills we tested go up to 12 mph (a five-minute mile), speeds helpful for serious track and interval-based workouts but not necessary for most runners.
• Incline: These settings mimic the stress of running on hilly terrain and allow you to do interval work. Some treadmills can also decline, which simulates going downhill.
• Horsepower: Most treadmill motors are measured in continuous horsepower, an industry term for the power that a motor can sustain over time. In theory, more horsepower equals faster switches between speeds and inclines. It doesn’t always correlate with a smoother run, though. Pino recommends a motor of 3 horsepower or more.
• Deck: Decks vary in springiness. Terms such as “flex” or “cushioning” indicate that a treadmill is on the bouncier side. “There should be some give so it doesn’t feel like someone’s excessively stomping each stride,” said Adam Tenforde, MD, director of running medicine at the Spaulding National Running Center.
• Weight capacity: At-home treadmills and entry-level commercial models typically hold at least 300 pounds, as did all the treadmills we tested.
• Accessories: Ideally, we wanted large, secure water-bottle holders, a few small bins for storage, and perhaps a tablet holder.
• Folding mechanism: The decks of most treadmills allow you to position them vertically when you aren’t using them. If you have trouble lifting a heavy box of books onto a shoulder-high shelf, you may have trouble folding a treadmill.

Since 2017, we’ve had 75 total testers of varying skill levels try 34 treadmills. For our most recent testing, in early 2024, 35 testers walked and ran on five treadmills, plus a discontinued version of our pick (to directly compare it with a superseding model). Seth logged at least 20 miles on each machine over the course of three weeks, testing the maximum speed, incline, and other features.

Our testers noted whether the treadmills felt hard or had more bounce. Some machines shook at different speeds or inclines.

We paid significant attention to operating noise. The consoles and screens were of varying quality, and testers took note of their ease of use.

Many treadmills have built-in fans, and we tested those at full blast for noise and the quality of the air placement.

The NordicTrack Commercial 1750 treadmill has a sleek frame and an engine that makes quick adjustments, and it proved to be very durable in our tests. The biggest change in this 2023 version of our longtime pick is the deck, which from the first run was noticeably softer and bouncier for us than the now-discontinued previous version of the Commercial 1750 (we placed the two treadmills side by side so that our testers could compare the two). Many of our testers enjoyed the newer model’s cushier deck, noting that it felt “like a pillow” when they ran at a steady pace or walked along with one of the tons of workouts available through the subscription-based iFit platform ($39 per month or $396 per year for a family plan). The iFit guided programs stream on a 14-inch touchscreen that seemed to be a tick quicker in responsiveness than the previous version’s similarly sized screen, creating an interactive experience flush with vibrant colors and no obvious pixels.

The new model offers a smoother and quieter ride. Besides having a cushier deck, the new Commercial 1750 has a belt that feels smoother than previous versions and makes less noise, even though the motor runs at the same horsepower (3.5 continuous horsepower).

It has improved accoutrements. A common complaint that testers had about the old Commercial 1750 was the fan placement; on that model the fan was located above the Start/Stop buttons and other controls on a front panel. Now the fan is located below the buttons and thus no longer blows directly into many runners’ mouths. The panel also includes two water-bottle holders that didn’t rattle much during our runs.

It has an easy-to-use interface. Clear, bright, and responsive, the 14-inch color touchscreen can also adjust to various angles; you just manually tilt it. In manual mode, the screen displays each run or walk as quarter-mile lap progressions with large numbers keeping track of your metrics. You can’t access the HD interactive workouts without a subscription. This model also has a small camera at the top of the screen, which a NordicTrack spokesperson said is nonfunctional “at this time.”

It’s stable and simple to use. Whereas most treadmills produce some shaking at higher speeds, both the frame and screen of the Commercial 1750 had less wobbliness in comparison with those of other models in our tests. To save some space, the deck lifts easily with hydraulic assistance.

The optional subscription content enhances the experience. This treadmill comes with a 30-day trial subscription to iFit ($39 per month for a family plan), the workout-streaming platform owned by NordicTrack’s parent company, iFit Health & Fitness. As your interactive workout progresses, the Commercial 1750 automatically adjusts speed and incline; you can also override the suggested numbers to your preferences. You can use the treadmill in manual mode without Wi-Fi.

NordicTrack’s warranty covers the Commercial 1750’s frame for 10 years, its parts for two years, and labor for a year.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

We previously recommended an older version of the Commercial 1750; NordicTrack began phasing out that version in 2023. While the deck is the most noticeable change in the new version, about one in five runners in our tests preferred the harder deck on the older model, which some said was more stable underfoot. One tester said the new model’s deck was “way too bouncy.”

Although the fan placement has changed for the better, the new Commercial 1750 still has an obtrusive bar in front of the panel that can make accessing some controls more difficult than it should be. Amby Burfoot, author of several books about running and winner of the 1968 Boston Marathon, told us that you shouldn’t have to look down to see a treadmill’s panels and controls, because that “could cause loss of balance.”

The Commercial 1750 doesn’t have a rest for a tablet or phone, though you can store a phone in either of the two water-bottle holders.

While most of the testers who tried the interactive iFit workouts enjoyed traversing the alleyways of Shinjuku or the cobbled streets of Vienna, a tester with limited mobility made a note about the programming content. “I feel the trainers should refrain from using words like ‘easy’ and implying that the particular workout they are leading won’t be difficult,” our tester said. “Without knowing the abilities or fitness levels of the people on the other side of the screen, those judgements of the workout feel presumptive and can be disheartening.”

“It looks like something Darth Vader would use,” one tester observed of the BowFlex Treadmill 10. Yes, it’s large and aesthetically daunting, but it offers a good workout experience even if you’re not set on ruling the galaxy. However, it has a much smaller and less responsive screen than our top pick, and even when folded up it still takes a lot more space.

It changes speed and incline fast, giving you ample options for doing so. BowFlex does not provide motor-horsepower details, but in our tests we were able to change this treadmill’s speed, incline, and decline at rates similar to those of our other picks. The Treadmill 10 has two handles in the front of the machine and switches on the left and right side rails, providing more options for changing those settings than on our top pick. This model is not too noisy, although it is somewhat louder than our top pick.

It’s a roomy-feeling machine. A majority of testers praised the various roomy storage slots on the console, as well as the cushiony deck and the quietness of the ride. The fan placement hit the sweet spot at the neck/chest area, and our taller testers said they liked how the rails were high enough to accommodate runners with larger frames.

It offers a lot of different workout options. Like our top pick from NordicTrack, this BowFlex model has a decline feature and comes equipped with interactive workouts (available through BowFlex’s Jrny platform for $20 per month or $149 per year after a free two-month trial). You can also choose to do a manual run, for which the 10-inch touchscreen displays regular statistics such as time, speed, and calories.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

Because this treadmill is so big, its size sometimes causes problems mid-workout. For example, a few runners in our tests repeatedly hit their hands on the handles, which curve inward at the front of the machine. Another hindrance for some testers was their tendency to hit the kickplate at the front of the belt. Also, the buttons on the rails regularly took a few nudges for us to adjust the speed or incline, not something you want to deal with during an intense run.

A few testers noted that the numbers on the screen were hard to read, and on more than one occasion the calorie counter seemed to be way off.

A Wi-Fi connection is required for the Jrny streaming classes, but as with our top pick, you don’t need one for this treadmill’s manual mode.

The BowFlex Treadmill 10 has an expansive warranty covering 15 years for the frame and motor, five years for the mechanical parts, two years for labor, and one year for the electronics.

If you’re looking for a smaller treadmill with fewer frills and prefer running without a large screen, the NordicTrack EXP 7i is a reliable option. It houses a smaller continuous-horsepower motor than our top pick, though we didn’t notice a marked difference in performance. It also has a lower top speed of 10 mph, with the same maximum incline of 12% but no decline capability. In our tests, the EXP 7i’s deck felt less bouncy than that of the Commercial 1750, but overall this machine is pleasantly stable for a treadmill with a smaller footprint. It does have the smallest belt length of our picks, which can make running seem a bit tighter.

It matches its sturdy construction with a minimal size. Despite having the smallest footprint of the treadmills we tested in 2024, the EXP 7i didn’t feel flimsy in any respect. The deck was as consistently stable as that of our top pick, and we encountered minimal shaking at top speeds. “It feels like a good-quality, no-frills treadmill good for small spaces,” one tester remarked. The EXP 7i also folds easily, in the same manner as the Commercial 1750.

It’s a treadmill strictly for training. This is not the best treadmill if you seek interactive workouts. Although they’re provided with the console through iFit, the 7-inch screen makes guided workouts a bit hard to see. But if you’re solely looking to train or just run without distraction, the EXP 7i is a good choice. It’s fairly quiet, and it changes speeds and inclines quickly. In our tests, because some runners weren’t focused on the screen, they were able to concentrate more on breathing and pacing, which one tester said “is essential if I’m training for something.” Like our top pick, the EXP 7i has a small camera on the screen, which the company told us has no functionality “at this time.”

This treadmill comes with a free 30-day subscription to iFit, and its warranty is the same as that of our top pick.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

NordicTrack recently remodeled the EXP 7i, and it no longer has a fan, which disappointed some testers. The cup holders are smaller than those on the Commercial 1750 and might not accommodate larger water bottles.

As on our top pick, the screen has numbers on both sides that you can press to change the speed or incline in increments of one. When we first started running on the EXP 7i, the 5 button for speed was unresponsive—we had to make several hard presses before it changed to 5 mph. It was more responsive after that, but on occasion we still had to press the 5 button multiple times to change the speed.

If you want the most immersive Peloton experience: The Peloton Tread+ has an extensive library of on-demand and live classes, all broadcast on a giant, 32-inch color touchscreen that resembles an iMac monitor. (It also has a 5-megapixel front-facing camera; a Peloton spokesperson said that its only function is to take your user-profile photo.) A 20-watt, built-in soundbar produces crisp sound, and during classes you can adjust the volume to emphasize the voice of the trainer or the background music. The Tread+ also offers a Just Run setting, which allows you to, well, just run—with or without a subscription—and a Free Mode, which simulates a manual treadmill experience without the use of a motor.

At $6,000, the Tread+ is the most expensive treadmill we’ve tested to date. It was a near-unanimous favorite among our testers, who rated it as the most steady model, with the best controls, top-notch responsiveness, and a superlative interactive experience. As one tester said, “This machine felt like a different class to me.”

Peloton’s all-access subscription membership fee, on top of your purchase of the treadmill, is $44 per month. One tester noted that the size of the screen makes interactive workouts “feel really immersive but also forces you to pay attention to it.” (The Just Run mode displays only running metrics such as time and speed on the screen, which can be less distracting.)

The belt consists of rubberized slats that are supposed to absorb shock better than a traditional non-slatted belt, a style made popular by Woodway treadmills. These belts are intended to last longer and mimic an outdoor running experience better than belts found on most treadmills.

After a 2021 safety recall of the Tread+, following scores of injuries and one child’s death due to being pulled under the machine as the belt was running, Peloton equipped the treadmill with new safety mechanisms. The Tread Lock feature requires the use of a four-digit digital passcode to unlock the treadmill’s belt. The Tread+ also has a rear safety guard that is intended to break away, decelerate the belt, and shut off the treadmill when it makes contact with an object.

To test this new rear-guard feature, we wanted to simulate a small hand near the device, so we dropped a ballpoint pen and a similarly sized silicone teething toy in between the belt and rear guard. The pen immediately shut down the device, while the silicone teether did not (it fell beneath the belt).

We reached out to Peloton to ask why the pen triggered automatic stoppage and dropped the rear guard to the floor, while the silicone teether did not. A Peloton spokesperson said that the Tread+ guard “worked exactly as intended.” It opened with the dropped pen “because the rigidity of the pen triggered the guard.” The representative continued, “Because the silicone teether was softer and more compressible, it did not pose a risk, so it safely passed through the guard without it opening unnecessarily.” (The US Consumer Product Safety Commission declined to provide comment on our videos.)

Existing Tread+ owners should have been contacted by the company to have the rear safety guard installed on their machine.

The Tread+ has a 2.0-horsepower alternating-current (AC) motor, which is supposed to last longer than the direct-current (DC) motors found in most home treadmills, and hits a top speed of 12.5 mph. Its maximum incline is 15%, the highest of the treadmills we tested, and it allows you to adjust the incline by both half and whole grades. The belt measures 67 inches long and 20 inches wide, providing the roomiest ride of the machines we tested, and it runs smoothly. The deck is solid and comfortable, if a bit firm, and may take some getting used to because the belt has individual rubber slats.

The Tread+ changed speeds and inclines faster than any other treadmill we tested, though its huge screen shook a lot at higher inclines.

Instead of offering traditional buttons, the Tread+ provides two adjustment knobs, for incline and speed, that allow you to make quick adjustments (you can also change speed and incline on the touchscreen). A few testers noted that they’d prefer the knobs to have a definitive click for each increment. Two round water-bottle holders and a long tray hold personal items securely. Unlike our picks, the Tread+ doesn’t fold up.

Peloton’s warranty is one of the least comprehensive that we’ve come across in this category: 12-month limited coverage for the touchscreen and “most” components, with five years of coverage for the frame and five years for the motor, belt, and rear guard.

If you want a pared-down Peloton experience: The Peloton Tread offers the same extensive library of on-demand and live classes on a 23.8-inch touchscreen.

The Tread’s belt, which is not slatted like the Tread+’s belt, measures 59 inches long (8 inches shorter than the Tread+’s) and 20 inches wide and runs smoothly. The deck is solid and comfortable, though a bit firm. Testers who ran on both Peloton models preferred the Tread+’s running surface, also noting that the pricier machine seemed to adjust speeds and inclines quicker.

The Tread has a 3.0-horsepower direct-current motor and hits a top speed of 12.5 mph (the Tread+ uses an alternating-current motor, which is usually the more durable type). Its maximum incline is 12.5%, which is less than the 15% max on the Tread+, but like the Tread+ this model allows you to adjust the incline by both half and whole grades. Free Mode, Peloton’s manual-treadmill experience, is available only on the Tread+. The Tread+’s larger touchscreen is also easier to read and access than the touchscreen on the Tread, which sits lower on the machine.

The Peloton Tread also has the Tread Lock safety feature. The Tread is $3,000 less than the Tread+ but still costs more than our picks. Its warranty is similar to that of the Tread+ but lasts for only three years on the motor and belt.

If you prefer to stream classes on a device of your own and require quick adjustments: You might like the Horizon Fitness 7.0 AT. Along with traditional buttons, the 7.0 AT provides two QuickDial controls (one for speed, one for incline) on what look like video-game joysticks. They allow you to flick between speeds and inclines during intervals swiftly and fairly precisely. The console, which has a tablet holder for streaming workouts from your own device, houses a 7-inch LCD.

The 7.0 AT has a top speed of 12 mph and a maximum incline of 15%. Using the dials, you can adjust the incline in increments of 0.5. The treadmill is meant to work well with a variety of workout apps, and it pairs with Zwift for interactive workouts.

We found the platforms for water bottles and other items to be too flat to keep items steady. Though the 7.0 AT folds, it returns to the ground with a harder landing in comparison with other foldable treadmills we’ve tried. The warranty is strong: lifetime for the frame and motor, three years for the parts, and one year for labor.

When you’re contemplating where to put a treadmill, consider the uniformity of your flooring, as even surfaces work best. You can also do a few things to take care of your machine and reduce the likelihood of major maintenance.

If your treadmill stops moving when you step on the belt with all your weight: It needs more lubrication. Some treadmills come pre-lubed, and their makers advise not adding more lubricant. Other models may require adding some lubricant occasionally; the manual will tell you exactly how often. Most treadmills come with a bottle.

If your treadmill’s belt moves back and forth horizontally: You likely need to tighten it. A bolt on either side of the back of the deck controls the tightness.

If you find the screen measurements to be off: Calibrate the treadmill by following the instructions in the manual.

If you have an animal that enjoys hanging out around your treadmill (when the machine is off, of course): Hand-vacuum or wipe down the belt regularly. These machines can get gummed up with pet hair.

Most of the treadmills we’ve tested over the years have since been discontinued or replaced by newer versions. The following treadmills are still available.

The Sole F80, formerly an also-great pick in this guide, was updated in 2023. It now includes a 10.1-inch touchscreen (which replaces a black-and-white LCD), a slightly wider belt, and redesigned side handles. We enjoyed this model’s tactile controls for speed and incline, as well as the handy wireless-charging station on its ample item-storage area. Some testers with balance issues appreciated how the belt started and stopped slowly. But a majority of our testers did not like the placement of the front kickplate, as many repeatedly hit their feet against it during their runs; this prompted some testers to run closer to the edge of the belt than they preferred. Because the screen is angled away from the runner and is not adjustable, many testers had to reach forward to use the touchscreen and other controls—and this also led to more kicking of the front plate. “If I’m not running fast enough, or if I try to touch the console while I’m running, it feels like a tripping hazard,” one tester said. The Sole F80 also has a tablet holder on top of the touchscreen, but testers found that if they went over 5 mph, it shook to a point where their devices didn’t seem to be secure. Several testers also noted that the fan felt like it barely blew any air.

The ProForm Carbon TLX is a budget treadmill with good reviews, but during our testing in early 2024, we found that it shook far too much. One tester said: “I think I would rather run around my apartment in circles than run on this. It’s so unsteady, my phone fell off and my Stanley was rattling as though it were in an earthquake.” Some testers with stability issues appreciated the sturdy bar across the front of the machine and found that the treadmill adjusted speeds nicely. But the fan was not ideally placed for shorter testers (5-foot-5 and below), with the air hitting those runners right in their face. This model has no fancy screen, just a basic digital readout indicating the time, pace, speed, and other metrics, but you can connect a device to the treadmill to access iFit workouts (with a subscription).

The Sole F63 is also well reviewed on other sites, but it disappointed us with a confusing display and slow responsiveness. The deck made a disquieting, off-and-on-again cracking noise while we ran, and the belt—two-ply, in contrast to the three-ply belts on most competitors—felt the hardest of the bunch. As on the Sole F80, the front kickplate seemed to be oddly positioned, and we kept kicking it during our runs.

Although the Spirit XT485 has a 4.0-horsepower motor, in our tests it took longer than we expected to reach higher speeds. Hitting the kickplate was common on this model, and its phone/tablet holder is inconveniently placed such that most devices cover up a good portion of the console’s screen, blocking the readouts. But the belt was smooth and provided an enjoyable ride, feeling solid underfoot.

The Horizon Fitness T202 showed promise early on, with testers enjoying its belt, which had little to no give but wasn’t too soft, either. The main dealbreaker was that after three weeks of use, this machine’s belt became noticeably squeaky to a point that it distracted several runners. (A Horizon spokesperson said that if a customer is covered under the product warranty, the company will send out a service provider to fix this kind of issue on any of its treadmills.) Also, two testers felt electrical shocks when touching the handles while running.

Life Fitness treadmills are ubiquitous in gyms and hotel exercise rooms. We like the size, the easy-to-use features, and the strong warranty coverage of the Life Fitness T3. In our performance tests, however, it started out feeling sturdy but became more wobbly after repeated use over several weeks. The 3.0-horsepower motor took a while to ramp up to top speeds, and some testers reported more shaking the faster the belt went.

The NordicTrack Commercial X22i incline trainer is extreme in every way, as it inclines to a whopping 40%, declines to -6%, and sports a 22-inch color touchscreen that, though large and lovely to look at, was wobbly in our tests. We also found this treadmill to be loud: During testing, a colleague remarked from across the room that the Commercial X22i was significantly noisier than a different model he had heard a few minutes earlier. In addition, we noticed that its sled grips, which extend up from the arms and in toward the screen, block access to its water-bottle holders and platforms for holding a phone. (One tester wrote: “It felt like a Game of Thrones–style torture device with a space-age immersion screen.”) The deck was springy and felt as if we were wearing especially responsive running shoes. All in all, it’s a lot.

Even though the Sunny Health and Fitness SF-T4400 Folding Treadmill is small, with a belt length of just 49 inches, we saw it listed in various treadmill roundups for runners. We tried it and found that it’s much too small for serious running. The belt is 4.25 inches narrower than the narrowest belt among our picks (20 inches), the maximum speed is 9 mph, and the incline requires manual adjustment. The SF-T4400 was quite sturdy and would possibly work for low-key walking, particularly for a smaller person. But its motor (2.2 continuous horsepower) was the smallest of the machines we tested, and its overall Lilliputian proportions knocked it out of contention.

Shannon Palus and Ingrid Skjong contributed reporting. This article was edited by Tracy Vence and Kalee Thompson.