The treadmills from the leading manufacturer Smooth Fitness are high quality fitness equipments designed for maximum comfort. As the name stands, it offers a smooth workout with minimum stress on joints. These fitness machines are mid price range products manufactured to the demanding fitness standards and offer the consumer life time warranty on frame and motor. They have many innovative features like Hydra Suspension and patented Motion Control system. The company offers a 30 day money back guarantee on all its fitness equipments.

Many of its treadmills have powerful motors with life time warranty. The welded steel fame is durable for years. The running surface is wide on many models which accommodate all types of people. It offers both folding and non folding type treadmills keeping the space requirements of different customers. The brands like Smooth Fitness 6.45 M model have music kits to keep you motivated during your workout. The latest model 9.45 TV treadmill have LCD TV with coaxial and RCA connections. The power folding mechanism is offered in the brand Smooth Fitness 7.6 HR power folding treadmill. In this model one switch elevates the machine’s deck into the upright position to free the space.

This exercise equipment brands have received a number of very good testimonials from consumers and treadmill reviewers alike. The ‘Prevention Magazine’ has rated the Smooth 5.45 treadmill model as a model with “Best Bargain and Control Panel.”The 9.45 ST Treadmill received the “Smoothest and Sturdiest Ride,”rating.Its treadmills are one of the top 10 treadmills as rated by ‘Runner’s World’. The ‘Consumer Guide’ rated the 7.1 HR Pro treadmill as, “few manufacturers pack as much innovation into this price range.”There are a large number of satisfied customers who speak well about the quality, ease of installation and service of smooth fitness treadmills.

The company sells all its exercise equipments online and they are not available in fitness equipment stores. Since the machines are offered direct from the company, added overhead cost of retail sales is nil and therefore their machines are 40 to 50% less than comparable machines sold in stores. In fact it is one of the largest e commerce sites in the United States. The company has a full fledged service center for servicing different exercise equipments. The company has been in the fitness equipments industry for the last 25 years.

If your goal is perfect body fitness, then the treadmill from Smooth Fitness is best for you. It offers you the maximum benefit for the money spent whether you are a new fitness enthusiast or a serious runner who look for demanding standards.

By: Jerry Stevens

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Treadmill Reviews

Purchasing a treadmill is a big deal because it will likely cost you a lot of money. When you have made the decision to purchase a treadmill, it is important that you read all of the reviews, both customer and expert, that you can find on the model you have chosen. Doing an online search will yield the most results and there are several websites where customer comments are recorded. Five of the better sites to check are listed here…

TreadmillDoctor.com

http://www.treadmilldoctor.com

This site outlines the best buys for your money. For instance, if you want to spend no more than a thousand dollars on a machine, you can come to this site to check out the best buys with a price range of $500 to $1000.

Each category offers information about four different machines – the best buy and the runners up – in order to give you a few choices. Additional categories include “Best Folding Treadmill” and “Best New Product.” Thus a treadmill rating is based on considerations such as strengths, weaknesses, power, cushioning, noise level, and so on.

Prevention Magazine

[http://www.prevention.com/pdf/treadmills.pdf]

This is a website where the editors of prevention magazine offer their comments and reviews regarding eighteen different models of treadmills. They then choose the seven best treadmills based upon predetermined criteria. Some of the categories are size, warranty, and the special features of each machine. The editors also add their own personal choice for treadmill and reviews for it.

Treadmill Rating and Reviews

http://www.treadmill-ratings-reviews.com/

This site is one where you will find the most information. You will find nearly one hundred different model reviews placed by both experts and consumers. If you have not made a decision on which model is best for you, this site can assist you in your decision. It has a buyer’s guide that advises you of what to look for when choosing a treadmill that is right for you. This is a comprehensive site that covers all aspects of buying a treadmill. The reviews that are placed are from both experts and consumers who have tried each treadmill.

Treadmills – 101.com

http://www.treadmills-101.com/treadmill-reviews.htm

Treadmills – 101 offers reviews and comments from consumers on the top ten treadmills. This is strictly a consumer-based site. Each one has a link that you click to find reviews on the treadmill you are interested in and also its accessories. This site is does not offer as many choices as other sites, however, you will find the best of the best for treadmills and reviews without having to do a lot of research. This can save you a lot of time.

Epinions.com

http://www.epinions.com/sprt-All-Exercise_Equipment-Treadmills

Epinions is a website where consumers who wish to inform other consumers can post their own reviews of products. Because these reviews are written by regular people rather than professional writers and editors, some of the writing may seem a little rough. If you can forgive that, however, you’ll find some valuable information and an honest treadmill rating on this site. At last count, over three hundred treadmills have been reviewed by Epinions users.

To potentially save yourself time and money, check out one of these sites or one similar to them before purchasing a new treadmill. There a lot of options on the market, each with their own pros and cons. With a bit of research, you’re more likely to find the treadmill that suits you the best.

By: Christopher W Smith

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Treadmill Reviews

Treadmills are one of the best ways to get yourself on the road to cardiovascular health and achieve and maintain a healthy weight. While they come with a variety of prices and features, they are definitely NOT all created equal.

Buying a treadmill is a fairly big investment, so it is important to know what you want, how that particular product has been reviewed by consumers who have purchased it, how much you are willing to pay, and what type of quality and features you are looking for.

There are several factors you should consider when shopping online or in-store for a treadmill. There are also several brands that make treadmills. Reebok, ProForm, Horizon, New Balance and others are some of the top brands on the market today, and they usually can be counted on for quality and durability. For the sake of simplicity, I’ll list the features to consider when shopping for a treadmill and briefly discuss their importance.

Treadmill Features

1.) Motor – Preferably a 2.5 horsepower or more. Any less than this quite frankly will be a disappointment as far as performance and product lastability.

2.) Space saving option. In other words, does it fold up for easy storage if this is what you want?

3.) Console display features.

4.) Speed control. Can you go up in speed in increments, or little by little. If it’s the latter, this can be frustrating.

5.) Magazine or book holder for easy reading while you’re walking or running.

6.) Non-slip belt.

7.) Belt padding, otherwise known as shock absorption. This is very important, as it will protect your joints and help to avoid soreness and muscle fatigue. It reduces the risk of injury in runners as well.

8.) Incline position control.

9.) Noise control. No one wants a noisy machine. It’s distracting and annoying.

10.) Additional statistical data such as heart rate, calories burned and special interactive fitness programs.

11.) Good warranty.

12.) Spacious walking surface.

13.) Helpful hint: If you spend $200 or less, chances are you may be disappointed in the product’s performance and sturdiness. Most reviews of the cheaper treadmills are very negative, and most consumers state they wish they’d invested a little more to get a higher quality product. The phrase “you get what you pay for” is definitely applicable in the purchase of a treadmill.

As you can see, there are quite a few considerations in purchasing a treadmill. If you cannot find exactly what you want in the stores, try shopping online. There are usually some great prices and selections on the internet that you may not be able to find in stores. Take advantage of any customer reviews on these products as well. It’s an excellent way to see how well you will like the product if you choose to purchase it.

A quality treadmill will be built to last and made of extremely durable material and quality parts – especially the motor, which is a key component to a treadmill’s lifespan. This is truly a product that you will want to invest some time and extra cash on to get what you really want, and make it last.

By: Danna Schneider

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Reviews of Best Treadmills

Image treadmills are a well known brand, being made by the world recognized company, Icon Health and Fitness. Icon produce a number of high quality brands including Proform, Weslo and Healthrider as well as licenses to the popular Golds Gym and Reebok brands. However despite this proud family of fitness equipment I believe the Image treadmill range is the runt of the litter!

Don’t get me wrong…Image treadmills have there place in the market but if you are serious about exercising at home for the long run (excuse the pun) then you should look at better quality machines.

The first thing that makes me suspicious is…the price. The treadmills range from between $400 to $1700. If you expect to spend $500 and buy a good quality treadmill that will last for years and years then you’re kidding yourself. This might also reflect on why they are the least popular of the Icon range of fitness equipment.

Also the warranty on the machines is only 90 days. This is very low and probably a reflection of their quality. Most decent treadmills have at least a 6 month warranty so this in itself would put me off the range.

However…if you really are on a budget the only image treadmill I would recommend is the Image 10.0 treadmill.

Advantages

Image treadmills belong to the low to mid price category with treadmills priced from as low as $400 to some as high as $1,700 however most are less than $1000. They have a good range of features including heart rate monitors and impact absorption. The Image 10.0 treadmill is the best model.

Disadvantages

Being in a low price range makes you question their quality and durability. The 90 day warranty is further proof that this is a budget range. It is the least popular brand in the Icon range which suggests that customer testimonials and experience is quite average.

Recommendation

In conclusion, I don’t recommend buying Image treadmills due to their poor quality and warranty. Don’t expect their treadmills to be problem free for long. If however you really are on a tight budget then the Image 10.0 treadmill is a budget treadmill to consider.

By: Steve Mathews

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Reviews of Best Treadmills

Buying a treadmill? You’ll probably want to research before you buy – including reading treadmill consumer reviews.

Consumer reviews are very popular on the Internet at places like opinions and Amazon. And they can give you an overall idea of the strengths and weaknesses of certain products.

But there are some major pitfalls to them that most people don’t realize.

This article will outline some of the major problems with treadmill consumer reviews – and some other features you can look at to find the best treadmill for you.

So what’s the problem with Treadmill Consumer Reviews?

First of all, the numbers can give you the wrong idea.

Most people read reviews of several different units before buying. They may notice that one has more negative feedback than another.

Logically they assume that the one with less negative feedback is better than the one with more negative feedback. That’s where the mistake is made.

Here’s the thing. In the fitness equipment business, certain brands or manufacturers are larger than others. They make and distribute more machines than the smaller brands. This will skew the results that you see with consumer reviews.

For example, let’s say you’re trying to decide between Treadmill A or B.

Treadmill A is made by a large company which sells 10,000 units per month.

No machine is perfect and all treadmills will have some level of customer dissatisfaction. A high quality machine will have lower level of customer dissatisfaction than a poor quality one.

Let’s assume that Treadmill A is a high quality machine with a very low rate of dissatisfaction of 1%. That means that out of 10,000 machines, only 100 customers will be unhappy and will leave negative reviews.

Now take Treadmill B. It’s made by a smaller company and only sells 1,000 units per month.

But Treadmill B is not as high quality and has a much higher customer dissatisfaction rate of 5%. 1000 treadmills x 5% = 50. So 50 people are not going to be happy with their purchase. So you’ll see 50 negative reviews.

Result?

Machine A – 100 Negative Consumer Reviews

Machine B – 50 Negative Consumer Reviews

So you, as a discerning buyer, logically assume that Treadmill B is better since it has less negative feedback.

However in actuality, B has a 500 times higher customer dissatisfaction rate than A. So it’s actually the worse machine.

That’s an example of how the numbers of negative versus positive reviews can be skewed – and how many buyers can easily choose the worse treadmill.

There are a couple of other things to know when reading consumer treadmill reviews:

#1 – Reviews can be written by people working for that company – or even the competition. Trust me – it happens – more often than you think.

#2 – People are much more likely to complain than praise. It’s a shame but it’s human nature.

This again skews the results. So you may have a treadmill that gets 10 negative reviews. But there are 10,000 people who are perfectly happy with their machine and they never leave a review.

So while there’s nothing wrong with reading consumer treadmill reviews as part of the overall picture before you buy, you really can’t judge the quality of a machine solely based on consumer reviews.

So how can you find a high quality treadmill? Here are 3 key factors to look at:

1) Price – The market is so competitive that manufacturers don’t have a lot of margin to play around with their prices.

Because of this high competition, the market is really very efficient. This is actually a good thing because it means prices are coming down to the lowest levels in years. Manufacturers are squeezing their margins in order to compete.

However it also means that in general, you get what you pay for. A $600 treadmill is just not going to have the same quality of construction as a $1600 unit.

If you want a higher quality machine, built to withstand heavier use, be prepared to spend a bit more. It may actually be worth it in the long run, when you consider the cost of repairing the cheaper unit.

2) Warranty Coverage – The warranty coverage is a huge indicator of the quality of construction. Servicing warranties cost money. Manufacturers know this.

So when they give a long warranty, it’s because they don’t think they’ll have to repair those units during that time frame. When they know that a certain treadmill is not built well – they don’t want to pay for servicing them. So they slap a short warranty on them.

3) Details of construction – If you want a great treadmill, examine the details of construction.

For example, Treadmill A may have a 1 ply treadbelt whereas Treadmill B may have a 2 ply treadbelt. It isn’t hard to figure up which one will last longer.

Treadmill C may have a 2.5 HP motor and Treadmill D may have a 1.25 HP motor. Again – not hard to decide which is the better machine. By looking at certain details of construction, you can often see which is the stronger machine.

So those are 3 effective ways to find your best treadmill. Again, consumer reviews are not bad – they can actually be very informative.

Just don’t make your final decision based solely on these reviews. Remember that the numbers can be skewed – and may lead you to the wrong conclusion.

By: Vienna Miller

About the Author:

Reviews of Best Treadmills

Choosing the best home treadmill can be confusing as you sift through all of the options, new models, and brand name ‘deals’. Too often, people get caught up in all the ‘Goodies’ a treadmill offers them that they miss the fact that the treadmill doesn’t have the basic essentials of a quality unit.

By knowing the 4 basic essentials of a quality home treadmill, you’ll be able to quickly sift through the treadmill deals and choose the best home treadmill for you.

The 4 basic essentials to a quality treadmill are:

#1 – High Powered, Well Built Motor

Since the motor is the most expensive part of the treadmill to fix, a good motor is essential to your treadmill. Try to find at least a motor power of 2.0 HP, preferably higher.

Remember that a 1.5 HP motor has to work twice as hard as a 3.0 HP motor – so it will burn out long before the 3.0 HP motor.

Also, not all motors are built with the same quality parts. Look for a good brand name and a long motor warranty to give you clues as to the quality of the motor.

#2 – Excellent Cushioning

There’s not enough said about cushioning and it is so important in a home treadmill. A good cushioning system protects your joints, ligaments and back. A poor cushioning system can result in injury and pain.

I know of one woman who bought a cheaper brand of treadmill and then ran on it. Within 6 months, she had damaged her hips so badly that it hurt her to even walk on the treadmill. You definitely don’t want that!

Make sure your treadmill offers an excellent cushioning system – especially if you’ll be running!

#3 – Extensive Warranty

You want to protect your investment so a solid treadmill warranty is a must. A good treadmill warranty will cover the frame for at least 30 years, the motor for at least 5 years and other parts and labor for about 1 year. Anything above that and you’ve got an excellent warranty.

But a warranty isn’t just to protect your investment – a good warranty lets you know about the quality of the treadmill parts.

Treadmill companies do not include warranties because they think they’ll have to fix the treadmill within that time frame. They know that they WON’T have to fix them within that time frame because the quality of parts used are high. So if you find a treadmill with a 10 year motor warranty, you KNOW it’s a quality built motor. If the motor warranty is only 90 days however…that tells you something.

#4 – Quality Brand Name

Certain brand names have a reputation for building a high quality home treadmill. Other brand names may be well-known but they don’t necessarily have a good reputation.

Choose a treadmill that has a solid, trusted brand name. Not sure which brands are good? Check out expert ratings and ‘Best Buys’ on various treadmill review sites and/or magazines. You’ll start to see a trend where certain brand names come up frequently. These brands are the quality treadmill manufacturers.

So those are 4 basic essentials of a good home treadmill:

- High Powered, Well Built Motor
- Excellent Cushioning
- Extensive Warranty
- Quality Brand Name

Knowing these, you can sift through the treadmills available and easily locate the best treadmill for your home.

By: Kathryn ONeill

About the Author:

Reviews of Best Treadmills

With the advent of winter many people are starting to consider alternatives to exercising outdoors. One option, that is growing in popularity, is having your own home gym. And the most popular fitness equipment for your home is a treadmill. With your own treadmill you have the following benefits:

Avoid Adverse Weather – With a treadmill you are in a controlled environment, no matter how miserable the weather is outdoors. And exercising in the comfort of your home gives you one less excuse not to exercise.

Avoid Pollution – Running or walking outdoors on a high ozone day can make you feel like you’ve been beat up. With your own treadmill you avoid the dangerous conditions of pollution.

Injury Prevention – Most quality treadmills have shock absorbing designs. In addition, the belts and cushion your impact and the deck absorbs shock. Even more important is the fact that the surface of a treadmill is very stable. There are no cracks or obstructions for you to twist an ankle.

Challenging Programs – Treadmills offer a variety of challenging programs that can make your workout a pleasure and will encourage your to lose weight, burn calories and get into shape. With interval training you can maximize your exercising by simulating hills running or walking.

If we agree that a treadmill makes sense, the challenge is selecting the right brand that will give you the best value. There are countless models ranging in price from $200 to $7,000. Some are built to self destruct in a short period of time, while others are built like tanks to withstand commercial use.

In regards to home treadmills, it is important to look at not only the product, but the company that backs it up. One company you may want to consider is Smooth Fitness. They were one of the first to sell fitness equipment online, including treadmills. They not only sell treadmills, but they are also responsible for servicing them. There are number of online retailers that simply sell the treadmill and then turn over the customer service to the manufacturer. Getting repairs can be a nightmare.

It is important to consider the entire package and not just the lowest price. Because if you have a problem or issue with your treadmill, you want to make sure that you purchase from a company that stands behind their product.

Smooth Fitness has a good service record. In addition to having a 30 day return policy, if your treadmill has a service problem within a year they will send a repair professional to your home.

Their models start at $1,000, which includes delivery. For some that may seem expensive, but the reality is anything below that price and you start getting questionable quality. In fact, we recommend for a walking treadmill you spend a minimum of $1,000 to ensure that you get a machine that will hold up.

Currently Smooth sells their 5.25 for $999. This is a folding treadmill with a 20″ wide belt and a powerful 2.5 HP continuous duty motor. It has decent electronics and is a sturdy 195 lbs. Their other treadmills include the 7.1, which was designated a “Best Buy” from Treadmill Doctor. And at the top end they have the 9.25 models, built for serious runners.

The Smooth Fitness treadmills have received numerous ratings and reviews. Below is a partial list of independent groups and businesses that have reviewed Smooth Treadmills.

Runner’s World – Ranked as Top Ten TreadmillTreadmill Doctor – “Best Buy” ratingPrevention Magazine – Called “Best Bargain”Epinions.com – Average 4-5 star rating (5 is the highest)Bizrate.com – Ranked “Positive” in all categories of service and product quality.ConsumerGuide.com – “Best Buy” ratingAbout.com – “Top Pick” – budget treadmilland mid-rangeConsumerSearch.com – “Best Treadmills”

When you purchase any treadmill online, it is important to check out third party reviews, customer testimonials, and if available shopping comparisons. I particularly like Bizrate.com, which provides actually customer reviews. For the most part, customers were reasonably satisfied with their Smooth Treadmills. As with any company selling and delivery large items like a treadmill there are some glitches, particularly with fulfillment, but overall Smooth has a good track record. For example they received smiley faces from all the categories on Bizrate.

We also suggest that you check out Sole, Spirit, Keys and Horizon treadmill. Compare both features and company reputation before you purchase any treadmill.

By: Fred Waters

About the Author:

Treadmill Reviews

Consumer reports treadmills can save you money and take away the potential headache associated with buying the right treadmill for you and you family. Understanding what issues and benefits are found by other treadmill buyers can answer the important questions that you may have when in the market to buy. A little homework on your part can make your treadmill shopping and eventual ownership a pleasant experience.

Quality Treadmills can go from $500 to $5000 in most cases, so finding the necessary answers before its too late just makes sense. Consumer reports treadmills are generally seen as reviews by website owners and product manufactures to promote their own sales, but if you find the right reviews that have actual reviews by product owners, you can gain a whack of crucial information. A great place to start is treadmill forums, if you want honesty, that’s where you’ll find it. Most people that are having issues will hit the treadmill forums and post their issues and others will follow with comments on the same issues or even more that they have found. By the same token, if someone has had a pleasant experience with their treadmill, you’ll also find them here.

Another very important review would be from an impartial product review company that takes each treadmill and tests them as if they were the ones making the products and testing them for the high end market. A good consumer reports treadmills that you can rely on is from ConsumerReports.org. They have gone through extensive testing with over 29 treadmills, and I mean they didn’t just go through the motions they really tested them for ware and tare that a heavy user would have a hard time experiencing during a year in the life of their treadmill.

Now you might just find that out of 5 consumer reports treadmills that you read, all 5 have different models as their top picks. No one said it was going to be easy, but all reviews are based on certain criteria in the reviewer’s opinion or the testing methods they create. This is where you have to identify what features you require, to provide you the best home treadmill situation. Take into account the size of space you have, your training level, your training goals and whether you need a stationary or folding treadmill. Take the pieces of information that will work for you and see what treadmill, hopefully, has all the components that you need and that fits your specific personal criteria.

If you want to compliment your outdoor running or just want to keep fit with running indoors on a treadmill, using these consumer reports treadmills will help you find the machine that’s right for you. But more importantly, it will help you find the best fit for you, the first time, without the costly or inconvenient problems that most treadmill buyers run into with their first treadmill purchase.

By: Neil Teasdale

About the Author:

Treadmill Machine Reviews