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How to Buy A Treadmill - A Buying Guide
Picture this: You head out to buy a treadmill in a bid to amp up your fitness journey. You look through an assortment of this machinery and cannot wait to take one to your home gym. But which one should you pick?
It goes without saying that you’d wish to buy the best treadmill for home use by all means. However, the diverse range of treadmills can be quick to overwhelm you. And, reaching a decision can be, more often than not, rather tricky.
Therefore, take a look at this treadmill buying guide India for some superb tips and hacks for purchasing the right equipment.
Let’s get started!
How to Buy the Best Treadmill?
Part one: Warm Up for the Purchase
Getting geared up for the purchase can help you in two ways: you can easily narrow down your options as well as avoid a brain sprain! So, here’s how you can go about this process:
1. Evaluate Workout Space and Treadmill Size
First things first – where are you going to store your treadmill, and how much room will it take up? Therefore, before you shop, make sure you bring out a tape measure and estimate the length and width of the space. Based on these figures, you can then chalk out the ideal treadmill size.
(Suggested image to show a type of space for use)
Now, let’s delve into some numbers, shall we? Treadmills with a 22-inch wide belt are ideal for runners. On the other hand, if you like to take brisk walks, we suggest you go for a 20-inch belt. With these out of the way, you can start thinking about the treadmill size. Typically, a home treadmill is about 7-feet long and 3-feet wide.
Running short on floor space? Be at ease – there are variants of this equipment for you. In this case, you can opt for a foldable treadmill. If you are planning on buying a folding treadmill, remember to also measure the height of the space, along with its length and width. Or, you can choose a desk treadmill. These work just as standard treadmills, whilst providing desk space so that you enjoy your work and workouts at the same time.
2. Plan Your Treadmill Workouts
How do you envision your workouts? Do you see yourself taking relaxing walks, or an intense running session? Whether you prefer the former, latter, or something in between, it is best to plan on it beforehand.The heavier your workout session, the higher motor power your treadmill requires. Furthermore, your answer to these questions will also help you select the best track size for your workout. We’ll get into the details of motor power and track size later in this blog; after all, haste makes waste.
3. Set a Price
A treadmill’s features and durability can vary depending upon its price tag. In India, buying a treadmill can cost you anywhere between Rs.25,000 and Rs.1,00,000.
For ease of understanding, let’s split up the available varieties of treadmills into the following price bands:
Budget: Although products in this range reflect a high discount, we suggest you proceed with caution. Treadmills in this price range tend to come with warranties that are often void after 90 days.
On the brighter side, you can rely on these treads for occasional jogs or walks. However, if you use them on a daily basis or intensely, they can give out within a few months.
Furthermore, products in this range often have some common shortcomings, such as noisy belts, smaller workout areas, flickering data screens, and wobbly frames.
However, this certainly doesn’t imply that a budget equipment is not worth the purchase. You just need to know where to look.
Mid-range: Compared to budget treadmills, these are higher powered and more dependable.
These treadmills are also equipped with superior features, such as larger display screens, steeper power inclines, and intense workout programs.
You can also expect a treadmill in this price band to sport speakers with AUX connectivity, so that your workout sessions do not feel dull anymore!
4. Read Reviews
Before you purchase a treadmill, it is important that you take an in-store test run. However, we understand that a test run is often not feasible. And, this is where the World Wide Web can be of immense help!
When deciding upon a product, make sure you read its reviews online. That being said, you must also ensure that these reviews are genuine. So, do not shy away from scouring the internet to find honest reviews comprising proper feedback from real customers.
Part Two: Scan Through the Specs
1. Motor
A tread’s motor powers its track. It is specified in terms of continuous horsepower (CHP) and/or horsepower (HP). Here, you must take the CHP into consideration as it indicates how much continuous power a motor can deliver versus just at the peak. Most of the best treadmill brands India offer products with a 1.5CHP to 5.0CHP motor.
But how much motor power do you need? Well, that depends upon your body weight and the kind of workout you plan to undertake. For those weighing up to 90 kilograms, here are is the recommended motor power:
Running: At least 3.0 CHP
Jogging: 2.5 CHP or higher
Walking: 2.0 CHP or higher
Moreover, when a motor runs at nearly full capacity, it wears out faster. Therefore, if you weigh over 90 kilograms, we suggest you add another 0.5 CHP so that your treadmill has more power to spare.
2. Track Size
Track size is of more importance for runners as compared to petite walkers. So, if you like longer strides on your treadmill, consider opting for an equipment with about 58-inch to 60-inch track size.
Additionally, you can also go for a 63-inch long track, as offered by some of the best treadmill brands for home use. As for walkers, a treadmill track of 55-inch should suffice.
And lastly, walkers can also save money by choosing a shorter treadmill track. On the contrary, runners, especially taller ones, will require more room to stretch out.
3. Tread Belt
When it comes to the treadmill belt, there are three factors to consider: thickness, lubrication, and metal rollers.
-Thickness: Here, a two-ply or four-ply belt is considerably more durable, as opposed to one with just a single layer. Thicker tread belts also tend to be less noisy during use. Furthermore, most budget-priced treadmills come with one-ply tracks.
- Lubrication: Treadmill belts, like any machinery, call for adequate lubrication to ensure smoother operations. Ideally, the best treadmill for home use should come equipped with a maintenance-free track, infused with silicone or any other kind of lubricant.
- Metal rollers: Metal rollers propel a track. Therefore, rollers with larger diameters exert less pressure on the motor, thus extending its lifespan. For home treadmills, a roller diameter of about 2.5-feet should be adequate.
4. Incline
(Suggested image showing the use of a treadmill in incline)
Boost your workouts with a treadmill incline. Alongside burning more calories, an incline also targets different muscles in your body. As a result, you can effectively gain more muscle mass. Furthermore, it also reduces stress on your joints and ankles, thereby protecting you from injuries.
Most treadmills can be inclined up to 20%. Moreover, the type of inclination varies within the price band of treadmills. Equipment on the lower end of the price spectrum generally offers manual inclination, while others are motorized.
5. Track Speed
Treadmills that support up to 10mph are enough for most walkers. But if you are someone who takes longer strides on the tread, you’d want to go for higher top speeds, such as 12mph.
6. Pre-set Programs
A majority of the best treadmill brands for home use offer products that come geared up with pre-loaded workout programs. Whether your fitness goal is weight loss or endurance training, these programs have certainly got your back. They automatically control a treadmill’s speed as well as its incline.
Furthermore, many treadmills also feature immersive workouts programs with iFit or Virtual Active technology. iFit offers an unlimited and interactive Google Maps integration into your exercise, along with a host of other benefits. On the other hand, a Virtual Active treadmill shows scenic visuals on your TV, while automatically adjusting the intensity and speed of your workout.
7. Warranty
A treadmill’s warranty offers cues from its manufacturer on its durability. A typical warranty on treadmills includes four aspects: motor, frame, labour, and parts.
- Motor: The best treadmill for home use should have a lifetime guarantee on its motors. However, some manufacturers offer shorter warranties, which tend to range between 2 and 25 years.
- Frame: Most treadmills across the existing price bracket come with a lifetime warranty on their frames.
- Labour: This refers to post-sale assistance on a treadmill. Most budget treadmills do not extend labour, while others offer 1 or 2 years of free labour. Furthermore, the quality of labour also varies with every brand. Some of the best treadmill brands for home use may offer free labour at your residence or require you to make partial payment for repairs.
- Parts: A reliable brand is most likely to offer a 1-year warranty on its parts and electronics. In fact, brands that offer some of the best treadmills for home use provide at least 5 years’ parts warranties, if not a lifetime warranty.
8. Weight Capacity
Most treadmills can support a user weight of 100 to 150 kilograms, on average.However, if you weigh above this scale, it is better that you invest in a higher-end treadmill.
We also recommend that you choose a treadmill that can bear at least 20 kilograms more than your body weight. This buffer will ensure that the motor does not get strained.
9. Storage and Portability
You will find foldable treadmills in every price category.With these, you can easily fold the deck upwards after your workout is complete. To make the process less cumbersome, some of these treadmills use power-assist technology that eliminates manual-folding.
Some treadmills are also portable, sporting a lightweight design and wheels for transportation.
10. Extra Features
Although they call for some extra investment, these features include water bottle holders, console fans, Bluetooth speakers, auto-stop, and LCD screens.But if these features motivate you to work out regularly, we say it is worth the additional investment, isn’t it?
We hope this treadmill buying guide for treadmills in India helped you understand the ins and outs of the machinery, and more importantly, how to plan your purchase.
With this information on hand, you can work out your general requirements and preferences. And based upon these assessments, you can easily buy not only the best treadmill for home use, but a product that suits you the best.
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