elliptical machine reviews

Living in a world jam-packed with unhealthy choices makes it really difficult for many people to commit with their healthy lifestyle regimen. Moreover, with the fast pacing hectic time we have today, we find it even harder to be consistent in our fitness workout. Making sure we allocate time for our fitness routine will not merely change our present lives but will as well improve our health quality for the rest of our lives. Thankfully, we can now find a variety of fitness machines that we can use in our workout. A good example of this would be the Sole Fitness E25 Elliptical Machine.

Technical Specifications

• Stride Length: 22-inch
• Fly Wheel: 25 lbs
• Resistance: 20 Levels
• Programs: 10
• Weight Capacity: 350 lbs
• Machine weight: 189 lbs
• Warranty: Frame: Lifetime/ Electronics &Parts: 5- year/Labor: 2- year

Structure

You can efficiently enjoy a full-body fitness workout right from the comfort of your home using elliptical machines like the Octane Fitness Q35c elliptical Cross Trainer and the Sole Fitness E25. Both of them are designed to help users gain the most out of their cardio workout. It provides a good result in strengthening the quads, tightening the core and in shredding extra calories.

Sole Fitness E25 Elliptical trainer is equipped with a combination of heavy flywheel that weighs as much as25 pounds and a high gear ratio that equates to an exceptionally smoother mobility feel. This specific type of flywheels is specially designed for E25 and are usually cannot be found in most of the comparable trainer models.

The E25 machine measures 27 by 58 by 71 inches. It weighs around 189 pounds and is capable of supporting up to 350 pounds user weight.

Once you purchase an E25 fitness trainer, you will as well be entitled with a lifetime warranty for its frame. The electronics and the parts defects of the trainer have also a manufacturer’s warranty of three years. You may as well enjoy a one whole year labor warranty for repair services and workmanship defects of the item.

Parts

The Sole E25 Elliptical trainer features two handlebars- the moving handlebars and the stationary handlebars. The moving handlebars are designed to be adjustable in order to cater different comfort zones of the different users. The stationary handlebars, on the other hand, are equipped with an advanced sensor system. This sensor system features built in pulse sensors that are specially added to help users monitor their heart rate when doing the workout.

Sole Fitness E25 features an in-built cooling fan and an in-built sound system that can be used for iPod, MP3 player and the like. It has also a console for water bottle holder.

Sole E25 is furnished with a LCD console with 6.5 inchees screen supported by blue backlit LCD displaywhich can help you keep track of the essential data you need in your workout training. Having this display at hand, it will be much easier to monitor your workout progress.

Stride and Footplates

In order to further encourage a comfortable fitness workout, the Sole engineers incorporated oversized pedals that extend to as much as 15 inches with an inward slope of 2 degree. This specific custom foot pedalsfeature is well designed to help avoid users from getting ankle and knee stress or injuries which are common in many other elliptical machines.

The Sole Fitness E25 trainer is also specifically designed with a power adjustable stride that extends from 20 to 22 inches in length. The foot beds are likewise customized to provide users with optimal level of comfort and performance.

Operation and Programs

The Sole Fitness E25 Elliptical machine is a very nifty, non-weight bearing workout machine that can provide users with challenging cardio exercises. Aside from the two heart rate programs included in its list of amenities, it also features four rear wheels built on heavy-duty rails. These rear wheels are meant to ensure a more stable and a smoother feel. They also help in reducing the side to side foot pedal movements.

Keeping track with your workout routine is made easy in Sole Fitness E25 Elliptical trainer. With its six standard programs and two custom programs you will surely have a variety of options to choose from.

It also includes a power incline feature with an added ECB resistance and changeable positions. With simply just a touch of a button, you can easily and quickly change the incline ramp to your desired position giving you a diversified and a more challenging cardio fitness workout. You can have the ramp adjusted from 0 to 30 degrees angle depending on what part of your body or your core muscle groups you want to target on your workout.

Comfort

The natural, sinuous and smooth mobility function of the E25 trainer can be attributable to its whisper quiet drive system feature. This makes the machine functions flawlessly in both forward and backward motion.

The Sole E25 Elliptical is considered one of the best rated fitness trainers in many of the detailed reviews. The tremendously fluid performance as well as the various high end resistance options make Sole E25 machine work better than the more expensive elliptical trainers available in the mainstream market today.

Pros

The trainer features an advanced sensor systems and includes a pulse grip and a heart rate chest strap that are efficient for monitoring user’s ongoing pulse rate. It also includes a heart rate interactive programs that are helpful for people who are keeping a close track on their heart.

Cons

Elliptical machines like the Sole Fitness E25 really work well in burning calories and in keeping the heart stronger. However, it does not include features that help tone or build upper body muscles like in the abdominal area.

Conclusion

Elliptical machines just like the Sole Fitness E25 Elliptical Machine are undeniably becoming one of the hottest and the most convenient fitness devices available in the market today. Not only that it provides you with a challenging cardio workout but it as well help you burn calories while helping you build your stamina.

Often considered the big brother of the Sole Fitness E35 Elliptical Machine, the Sole Fitness E95 Elliptical Machine is not just an upgrade on the E35, but brings with it some significant new features which can justify the fact that its price is somewhat on the higher side as far as home elliptical machines re concerned. In the process of integrating new features, this elliptical machine has been endowed with a few specifications which are truly record breaking, such as the ramp incline and the flywheel weight, while keeping the overall machine weight within reasonable limits. These tend to make it superior to the competition in this price range.

Technical Specifications

Structure

Like the Sole E35, the Sole Fitness E95 Elliptical Machine comes with a sturdy frame made of heavy duty steel tubing that has been moulded along ergonomic lines to ensure balance and maximization of elliptical machine benefits. What really sets this machine head and shoulders above the competition is the incline of the ramp. At 30 degrees, it is the highest available for any elliptical machine in this price range (and any price range for that matter). This record setting incline coupled with the motorized ramp angle alignment that is the hallmark of the higher end Sole machines, makes the Sole Fitness E95 Elliptical Machine one of the most versatile exercise machines available. This is because steeper the ramp angle, more the muscle groups involved and more the calories burnt. On the other hand, those with weak muscles or injuries can opt for a simpler exercise as well.

Despite this unique feature (as well as a heavy flywheel which is discussed later), the Sole Fitness E95 Elliptical Machine weighs the same as the E35 – 215 pounds. As we mentioned in the E35′s review, this is slightly on the higher side, but not intolerably so, and this added weight in fact improves the balance and stability of the machine. With dimensions of  27 by 62 by 83 inches (WxHxD), this elliptical machine is not one that will take up too much floor space.

On the other hand, this machine boasts of a whopping 400 pounds user weight capacity, which easily beats other machines. Add to this the magnetic eddy current braking system of the 20 resistance levels available on this machine, and you have a machine that boasts of both capacity and variety.

As always, Sole provides you with a lifetime warranty on the frame itself, and five year warranties on electrical and mechanical parts. Labor warranty is also a industry beating two years.

Parts

The Sole Fitness E95 Elliptical Machine provides the two pairs of handlebars – one static and the other moving – as is expected in this price range. Like all of Sole’s products, the quality of the build is premium and design is ergonomic for maximization of workout benefits. Like the E35 elliptical machine, there are pulse rate monitors in the static handlebars.

Most elliptical machines in this price range have a great sound system for playing music from iPads, etc. and the Sole Fitness E95 Elliptical Machine is no exception to this rule. A powerful but quiet fan has been provided to cool you down when you’re sweating away during a workout.

Most importantly, however, the elliptical trainer comes with a 34lb flywheel, which is amongst the highest available in the industry, and possibly the highest available in any price bracket for home elliptical machines. As we know, the higher the weight of the flywheel, the better the stability and smoothness, because the weight adds to the inertia and prevents instability.

Stride and Footplates

Like most good elliptical machines, the Sole Fitness E95 Elliptical Machine has a 20-22 inch stride length, which should be sufficient for all but the tallest of people. Like the E35, the E95 has specially designed footplates to ensure a good workout without overstraining vital ligaments and muscles or putting excess pressure on Achilles heel nerve endings. Indeed, Sole Fitness has collaborated with top fitness specialists to create footplates that have a two degree angle and over ten different positions, thus allowing the machine to be used by people with virtually any foot shape and size.

Operation and Programs

The Sole Fitness E95 Elliptical Machine has a 9 inch LCD monitor with blue backlighting to ensure that the data is visible clearly at all times. In fact, a 9 inch display is extremely rare even amongst higher end commercial elliptical machines.

Available programs is probably the only area where this elliptical machine falls short of expectations. Considering the price range, it gives only six automated programs and three user defined ones. In comparison, the E35 gives 25 programs. However, the few programs offered by Sole include the heart rate monitoring system, with the wireless chest strap being provided in case the user prefers not to use the fixed handlebars.

Comfort

An ergonomic design, coupled with padding on the handlebars and the footplates ensures that workouts are never an uncomfortable experience with the Sole Fitness E95 Elliptical Machine. Further, the magnetic resistances and heavy flywheel ensure smoothness, thus improving the comfort significantly.

Pros

Cons

Sole Fitness E95 Demo

Conclusion

Though the price tag may appear slightly on the higher side, the Sole Fitness E95 Elliptical Machine more than justifies itself as the flagship product of Sole Fitness by providing record-breaking specifications inflywheel weight, ramp incline, monitor size and user weight capacity. Indeed, it is truly hard to find an elliptical machine with so many good features combined together. Together with excellent build and sufficient warranty, the features can provide great value for money to any user who is seeking a premium home elliptical machine with top of the range specifications.

Unlike other elliptical machines in our best elliptical machines list, the Proform Hybrid Trainer is, as the name suggests, an elliptical machine that has been merged with another exercise machine, in this case a recumbent bike. As fitness enthusiasts wold be well aware, recumbent bikes make for excellent cardio workout systems, and when combined with the elliptical machine benefits, you get the best of both worlds. With the particular machine, Proform has put in its very best in terms of design, features and of course, pricing, making it the ideal workout machine for a wide range of people.

Technical Specifications

Structure

Proform maintains the standards expected of premium exercise equipment by providing an ergonomically designed and very durable frame. The confidence of the manufacturer in the durability of this machine can be gauged from the fact that it comes with a 5 year warranty on the frame. There is also a 90 day warranty on parts and labor. This may seem rather less at first sight, but you must remember that the price of the  Proform Hybrid Trainer is a fraction of what the high end machines from Schwinn or Sole Fitness demand. At this price range, this warranty is standard across the industry.

Furthermore, despite having all the features of a recumbent bike, the weight of the machine is substantially lower than that of other top elliptical machines at just 149 pounds. Transport wheels have been provided at the lower end for easily moving it once workout is over.

Even with such a low machine weight however,  it supports users up to 350 lbs in weight. For comparison, only the machines from Sole Fitness, Sole Fitness E95 elliptical machine comes with 400 pounds capacity, beat this, and that too not by a large margin.

There are 14 digital resistance levels, which is again great considering the price and should be able to serve most average family members without much difficulty. Using SMR (Silent Magnetic Resistance) Technology, they ensure that the working of the machine is extremely smooth and quiet, just as you would expect from high end machines.

Parts

Like all good elliptical machines, the  Proform Hybrid Trainer comes with two sets of handlebars – one static and one movable. The static handlebars have heart rate monitors to supply relevant data to you through the control panel. Both sets of handlebars are ergonomically designed to ensure that you do not suffer any pressure on your hands.

Since this machine also includes a recumbent bike, it is provided with an adjustable seat. Below the seat you have the pedals which can be used during a recumbent bike workout. Both of these have been seamlessly integrated with the elliptical machine parts, so as to ensure that you do not have to carry out major adjustments when shifting from one type of exercise machine to another.

The other major part of the elliptical machine is the flywheel, whose weight determines the smoothness and stability of the elliptical trainer. Proform has provided this hybrid trainer with a inertia-weighted heavy duty flywheel to ensure this very stability and smoothness. To these can be added a pair of levelling feet, which ensure that no matter how uneven the surface is, your workout is not affected due to machine instability.

Those comparing this machine with our other top elliptical machines would note the absence of a cooling fan and speaker. However, such amenities are not available in this price range, and the Proform Hybrid Elliptical machine merely confirms this.

Stride and Footplates

This trainer provides a stride length of 15 inches, which is sufficient for all but those with the largest legs. The footplates are oversized to ensure that those with large feet can work on this machine with ease. Furthermore, the footplates are adjustable so when you are working on the recumbent cycle, there are no problems with adjustment.

Operation and Programs

Proform has provided this device with a large LCD display that is capable of simultaneously displaying many vital metrics such as distance traveled, calories burnt and most important of all, the heart rate. Using theEKG Heart Rate Monitor, it uses the dual grips of the fixed handlebars to monitor the heart rate, which are then fed into the heart rate program to measure the heartbeat, rate of recovery, etc.

Moreover, fourteen apps have been provided to allow you to workout according to regimes designed by a Certified Personal Trainer. Furthermore, a target pacer has been provided to monitor your cardio goals. A light blinks to tell you whether you need to speed up or slow down to reach your cardio goals in time.

Comfort

The  Proform Hybrid Trainer comes with padded handlbars, cushioned footplates and an equally well padded seat. This, added to the stability provided by the weighted flywheel and the levelling legs underneath the machine, allows you to enjoy a smooth and comfortable exercise every time.

Pros

Cons

Conclusion

Although it lacks some of the special features found on high-end machines, it more than makes up for it by providing the recumbent cycle and elliptical machine benefits in one machine. Added to this are the extremely lightweight but well built structure and the excellent features (like Silent Magnetic Resistance) that are on offer. When considered as a complete package, these tend to make the Proform Hybrid Trainerfar more value for money than any of the elliptical machines available today in the lowest of the price brackets. Click here to see more cardio machines.

Do you want a low-impact workout without willing to step out of your house and are tired of trying other machines to strengthen your muscles and get yourself in shape? Do you want an elliptical machine that could fit in a small space at your place and would not disturb others with its noise? Do you want to make fewer efforts and get results?

For any of these questions if you have answered yes, then the Best Fitness E1 Elliptical Trainer by Body Solid is the right choice for you. This machine has all the features that one would look for while shopping a best elliptical machine for himself.

Technical Specifications

Structure

The Best Fitness E1 Elliptical Trainer by Body Solid has a powder coated steel frame and is known to be one of the strongest machines available in market. The machine is 48 inches in length, 30 inches by width and has 66 inches of height. It has a weight similar to the weight of Sole Fitness E35 Elliptical Machine which is 215 pounds. It is quite durable and is capable of carrying a user weight up to 275 pounds as opposed to Sole E35’s capacity of 375 pounds user weight.

Apart from this, the machine has 17 resistance levels meaning that you can set your desired workout and set a challenging level for yourself. Like Sole Fitness E35 Elliptical Machine, the E1 also includes a heart rate monitoring system to help you monitor exertion level of your workout. The center drive designand low center of gravity gives you a perfect balance for your workout.

The purchase of this elliptical machine is for sure a safe buy as Best Fitness offers following warranties on different parts of this machine: Frame – 15 years, Motor – 10 years, Electronics – 2 years, Labor – 1 year, and wear parts – 6 months.

If the machine is cleaned and greased on regular basis, most likely it will not require any warranty claims.

Parts

This machine is appointed with moving arms and this makes upper and lower body workout easier. The moveable arms helps in maximizing your cardio muscular exercise. The dual action of moving arms makes upper and lower body workout simpler. With the machine having a heart beat monitor installed there is no need to buy a standalone monitor. Also it has static bars where you can rest your arms during workout.The handlebars and pedals are cushioned for comfortable workout.

A bottle holder is given at the front towards the right of the machine so that you can re-energize yourself during workout.

The Best Fitness E1 Elliptical Trainer by Body Solid is easy to move from one place to another and easy for storage. The design of the machine is compact that saves your space and is thus a perfect one for home users. A pair of wheels towards the front makes it easier to move and the handle bar towards the rear part makes it easier to pull out machine for use.

Stride and Footplates

The stride of the Best Fitness E1 Elliptical Trainer by Body Solid is designed for complete comfort with length of 21 inches similar to that of Sole Fitness E35 Elliptical Machine (20-22 inches). You will be in a state of complete equilibrium while your workout. You can enjoy comfort of having normal steps during walking, running or jogging on this machine.

The footplates are designed to decrease exhaustion during workout around your hips. The pedals of this elliptical machine are placed close to each other and this design gives a compact feel of the machine. The pedals are of good size and this eliminates the need of adjustable pedals. The machine also has a step-up height option which makes getting on and off quite easy. This option is designed for safety and comfort.

Operations and Programs

The LCD design of Best Fitness E1 Elliptical Trainer by Body Solid is a blue back-lit console of Liquid Crystal Display. Reading is made easier with the use of some white letters. You can get many details of your workout over this LCD including information like: Time, Speed, Distance, Calories, and Pulse, etc.

The machine has 12 different preset exercising programs and these can be accessed through touch of a button. You can also set your own program on user mode according to your individual requirements. You can easily switch between various programs from P01 to P12 through up and down buttons in training mode.

Comfort

One of the main reasons why the Best Fitness E1 Elliptical Trainer by Body Solid is considered to be the best elliptical machine is the level of comfort it offers while use. As far as the noise level is concerned, this machine has a quiet operation for the following reasons:

Pros

Cons

Conclusion

For all those who are planning to invest their money in one of the best elliptical machines suitable for use at home, the Best Fitness E1 Elliptical Trainer by Body Solid is a great choice for you. This mid-range elliptical machine is easy to assemble and simple to use machine with smooth and quiet operation. It is appropriate for fitting, transport and storage in small space.

When one hears of elliptical machines with motorized strides and 25 resistance levels, one immediately fears a massive price tag. However, Schwinn has managed to pack in these features, along with a number of other useful and value-adding ones, to the Schwinn 470 Elliptical Machine. Though slightly costlier than the Schwinn 430, this elliptical machine boasts of updated technology and more features at a price tag which is far better than that of its competition.

Technical Specifications

Structure

Keeping up Schwinn’s reputation for excellent quality elliptical machines, the Schwinn 470 comes with an ergonomically designed frame similar to the one found on the Schwinn 430 elliptical machine. However, the10 degrees ramp on the Schwinn 470 elliptical machine is motorized, as opposed to the manual ramp on the 430. This allows the ramp incline to be changed using five quick keys on the elliptical machine. This makes adjustment of the incline far smoother than what it is on the Schwinn 430.

Like other Schwinn machines, the 470 also comes with mechanisms which improve the balancing of the machine during heavy workout. These mechanisms include two integrated levellers and a central crossbar support. Interestingly, Schwinn has also provided the elliptical machine with oversized crossbar tubing for increased support and stability.

Like the Schwinn 430, the Schwinn 470 comes with a 10 year warranty on the frame which is decent for the price range, though perhaps not as decent as the same warranty in the Schwinn 430′s price point. Warranty for the electrical parts is 1 year, while that for the mechanical parts is an equally good two years. The 90 days warranty on labor may appear slightly on the low side at first sight, but we should remember that Schwinn offers the same warranty on most of its products.

Finally, the Schwinn 470′s structure includes 25 resistance levels, which can be changed using five dedicated buttons. Not only does this compare favorably with the 20 resistance levels available on the Schwinn 430, but it is in fact one of the best in its price range, and tends to justify the slightly higher price point of the machine. Further, the resistance is created using magnetic eddy currents, which ensures that workouts are smooth and virtually noiseless.

User weight capacity on the Schwinn 470 elliptical machine is a good 300 pounds, which is the best offered by an elliptical machine in this price range. The machine weight, on the other hand, is 231 pounds, which is slightly higher than that of the Schwinn 430. However, the higher weight can perhaps be explained by the fact that while the Schwinn 470 elliptical machine has a motorized ramp, the 430 has a manual ramp. In practical terms, however, the difference should not be a major one since the Schwinn 470 also comes with wheels underneath it which can be used to stow away the machine safely once it the exercise is complete.

Parts

One of the most important parts of an elliptical machine are the handlebars, since they provide the much needed balance and stability to you when you are exercising. Schwinn provides both moving and static handlebars which have grip heart rate monitors. This means that your grip itself is the measure of your heart rate and you do not need to use any other specialized equipments to measure it. Further, like the Schwinn 430 and 470 models, a technology called BioFit has been used, which ensures that the handlebars are ergonomically designed for ease and comfort. This is especially noticeable in the moving handlebars which have an angled design for an easier grip.

The other parts of the Schwinn 470 elliptical machine are the flywheel, the speakers and the fan. Thespeakers are quite loud, thanks to the acoustic system found in Schwinn’s machines. The three speed fan is the standard provided in Schinn’s machines, and is quite efficient without being too loud. The elliptical machine has a perimeter weighted high inertia high speed flywheel that combines the best of stability and speed to provide you a smooth and hassle free workout.

Stride and Footplates

The elliptical machine comes with a 20 inch stride which is more than sufficient for most exercise enthusiasts. Add to fact that the ramp is motorized and you realize that this elliptical machine has one of the finest.

The footplates of the Schwinn 470 elliptical machine are quite large, which allow them to maintain the most essential feature of any elliptical machine – the contact of the feet with the surface while working out.

Operation and Programs

Like the Schwinn 430 elliptical machine, the Schwinn 470 elliptical machine offers a dual LCD display, which can provide up to 13 different exercise metrics at the same time without reducing the size of the display size to atomic levels. Sweetening the deal further, Schwinn has provided the dual LCD displays of the Schwinn 470 with blue backlighting, so you can see the metrics clearly even when it is dark.

Further, the control panel has 29 programs, which makes it the best elliptical machine in this price range when considered in terms of the number of programs available. Even better, it offers four user defined profiles, which is double the number offered on the Schwinn 430 elliptical machine.

Schwinn also offers the SchwinnConnect feature with the Schwinn 470 elliptical machine. SchwinnConnect allows you to export your data or upload it to myfitnesspal.com. Either way, this helps you keep track of your fitness goals wherever you go, and allows you to continue pursuing your goals on a different Schwinn machine.

Comfort

Schwinn is well known for taking good care of its customers, and the 470 is no exception. It offers cushioned footplates and handlebars to ensure that your arms and legs don’t feel uncomfortable when working out for long hours. Add to these the stability offered by the twin levellers and large flywheel and you can appreciate why Schwinn 470 elliptical machine is rapidly gaining popularity.

Pros

Cons

Conclusion

Schwinn 470 Elliptical Machine knows that a higher price demands more features, and therefore, it has improved the feature list by including a motorized ramp, more programs, blue backlit feature on display and double the number of user profiles. These more than justify the price difference with the Schwinn 430, and tend to make it one of the best elliptical machines in the below $1,000 price range.