Elliptical trainers buying guide
Ellipticals are odd-looking contraptions, a fusion of stair climber and cross-country ski machine that you stand on and pedal.
Your feet move in an elliptical pattern, and a flywheel with resistance you can vary controls the difficulty of the workout.
- Getting started
- Types
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Brands
You can compare ellipticals by brand. If you don’t see a model in our Ratings (available to subscribers), these profiles can help you learn about a manufacturer and what it offers (listed below in alphabetical order).
Diamondback | Fitness Quest | Horizon Fitness | Icon Health & Fitness | Keys Fitness | LifeFitness | Nautilus | Octane Fitness | Precor | Spirit | Schwinn | Vision Fitness
Diamondback
The company is the manufacturer of Diamondback and Raleigh bicycles. It offers a full line of cardio-fitness equipment, including treadmills, ellipticals, recumbent and upright bikes, and steppers. Diamondback sells ellipticals for $2,500 and under. Available in specialty fitness stores.
Fitness Quest
Fitness Quest manufactures New Balance treadmills and offers a wide range of home exercise and fitness products, including a number of models sold through infomercials. It sells ellipticals priced at $1,000 or less.Horizon Fitness
Horizon Fitness was a distant second to the Icon Fitness models in dollar sales last year, with 17 percent. Horizon’s models sell for $2,500 or less.Icon Health & Fitness
Icon Health & Fitness manufactures and distributes ellipticals under the Nordic Track, Proform, and Reebok brands. Icon dominates the elliptical-trainer market. Its range of budget-priced machines accounted for 70 percent of the dollars spent on treadmills last year. Most Icon models are priced at $1,000 or less.Keys Fitness
Based in Dallas, Keys Fitness also produces ellipticals under the Ironman brand. Keys models sell for $3,000 or less.LifeFitness
LifeFitness home ellipticals are available at specialty fitness retailers and through its online store. It sells models priced from $1,800 to $4,200.Nautilus
Nautilus manufactures fitness equipment under the brand names Bowflex, Schwinn Fitness, StairMaster, and Universal. It sells models for $2,300 to $3,300.Octane Fitness
Octane Fitness is a relatively new company that makes only elliptical exercisers. Octane sells models for $2,000 to $4,200.Precor
Precor, one of the leading manufacturers of elliptical exercisers, produces high-end home equipment. It sells models in for $2,500 to $5,000.Spirit
Spirit has been in business for more than 25 years. Its ellipticals are sold nationwide in specialty fitness stores and sell for $2,500 or less.Schwinn
Schwinn’s budget ellipticals are manufactured by Nautilus and are available at specialty fitness stores and online. Schwinn sells models for $1,300 or less.Vision Fitness
Vision Fitness was started in 1993 and is based in Wisconsin. Its models are available at specialty fitness stores and online, and they are priced at $1,000 to $3,500.
