Treadmills Under $1000: 2020 Buyers Guide

Best Overall

Horizon Fitness 7.0 Advanced Training Smart Treadmill

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The Horizon Fitness 7.0 Advanced Training Smart Treadmill is a fantastic all-rounder. It has great specs, power, weight support, and features. Here’s a rundown on why this is one of the best treadmills under $1000.

Performance: The Horizon Fitness 7.0 Advanced Training Smart Treadmill is fitted with a powerful 3.0 constant horsepower motor. This motor is capable of driving the belt at speeds up to 12 mph, which is the top end of the spectrum for treadmills under $1000.

The Deck: The sturdy, cushioned deck is equipped with a 60 inch by 20 inch belt. This is the perfect length for long running strides. A little shorter, and those with longer legs will have trouble maintaining their stride. Again, this is the top end of the spectrum for treadmills in this price range.

The deck is built with a 3-zone cushioned system. Spacers at different intervals ensure that your joints have the ideal cushioning and support for all phases of your running and jogging strides.

The maximum supported weight for this treadmill is 350 pounds. For treadmills under $1000, you would have a difficult time finding an option with a higher supported weight.

Incline: This treadmill features automatically motorized incline reaching up to a 15% grade. This is controlled via buttons on the console, and is helpful for simulating hill training. Similarly, 15% is the highest grade incline you’ll find at this price range.

Foldability: The Horizon Fitness 7.0 Advanced Training Smart Treadmill can be easily folded up after your workout to preserve space. The underside of the deck is equipped with a one-step hydraulic mechanism that assists with lifting and lowering the foldable deck. This can help with preserving not only your flooring, but also your own back.

The Console: The console on this Horizon Fitness treadmill is fairly standard. It features all your usual controls, with LCD and LED displays to monitor time, speed, distance, and more.

What sets this console apart from other treadmills under $1000 is the convenient incline and speed controls on the handlebars. It can be tricky to steady your hand enough to push tiny buttons while jogging. The thumb-controlled buttons on the handlebars solve this problem.

Bonus Features: This treadmill is built with some of the best Bluetooth connectivity you’ll find in treadmills under $1000. Per Horizon Fitness, the treadmill can connect to multiple devices to stream media, track heart rate, and sync your workout data with fitness apps.

By connecting a device via Bluetooth, you can listen to music or watch media on your device using the built-in tablet stand. The two-front facing stereo speakers stream crisp, clear audio from you device. You can also charge up using the rapid-charge USB port near the tablet stand.

Using compatible training apps, Bluetooth can be used to push data from the treadmill to your device. This can help with customizing workouts and tracking your fitness progress.

And as with most Bluetooth-capable treadmills, you can monitor your heart rate. Simply connect a compatible Bluetooth-enabled heart rate monitor to sync up. Alternatively, you can place your hands on the built-in heart rate sensors on either side of the built-in fan.

Warranty Details: For this treadmill, Horizon Fitness offers a pretty extensive warranty. The sturdy frame and motor have a lifetime warranty. The deck cushioning and other parts have a 3-year warranty, while the labor has a 1-year warranty.

Runner-Up

ProForm 905 CST Treadmill

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The ProForm CST Treadmill was a close runner-up for the title of best treadmill under $1000. Here’s why.

Performance: The sturdy 3.0 constant horsepower engine can drive the belt at speeds up to 12 mph. As mentioned above, this is toward the top end of the spectrum for treadmills under $1000. Most other models only reach up to 10 mph.

The Deck: The deck is equipped with a 20 inch by 60 inch belt, perfect for even the longest running strides. While most people can get away with 55 inches, it’s nice to have a few inches of extra length in case you need it.

The deck itself is build with ProForm’s ProShox cushioning technology. It’s an impact dampening system that absorbs some of the force from each step to make your experience smoother and easier on the joints.

Incline: This treadmill is built with automatically adjustable incline up to a 12% grade. At that level you can take the speed up to 10 or 12 mph to simulate hill sprints, or stick with a lower speed to simulate gentler hill training.

Foldability: Like all other picks in this list of the best treadmills under $1000, this one is foldable. When you’re done using it, you can fold up and lock the deck for extra space in your home gym, garage, or living area. Its only downside is that it is not hydraulically assisted.

The Console: The ProForm 905 CST comes equipped with your run-of-the-mill console. It features a 5 inch backlit display that can show you all your standard stats: time, speed, distance, estimated calories burned, and so on. Buttons on the console can be used to adjust speed and incline, as well as select one of 30 built-in workout programs.

Bonus Features: This treadmill comes with a whole slew of extra goodies. First off, if you choose to use an iFit membership, the treadmill can connect with a device via Bluetooth to stream your workouts and sync your fitness data.

Bluetooth can also be used to connect to a compatible heart rate monitor. The treadmill comes with a heart rate monitor chest strap included. And if you don’t want to wear one, there are EKG grip pulse sensors in the handles below the console to monitor your heart rate.

Bluetooth can’t be used to stream your own media through the two front-facing speakers. However, you can plug your device into the auxiliary port on the front of the console to listen to music or streamed content. Just below the speakers you’ll also find a CoolAire fan to keep you chill during your workouts.

Warranty Details: ProForm offers a fairly standard warranty for this treadmill. The frame and motor have a lifetime warranty, the parts have a 3-year warranty, and labor has a 1-year warranty.

How to Skip iFit Setup: Hold the iFit Sync button for 30 seconds to bypass setup.

This treadmill may come with documentation indicating it requires online activation with iFit. This is not accurate. Using the above method, you can skip the online activation.

Budget Pick

ProForm 505 CST Treadmill

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Max Load: 325 lb / 147 kg

Max Speed: 10 mph / 16 kmh

Horsepower: 2.5 CHP

Belt Size: 20 x 55 inches

Max Incline: 10%

Foldable: Yes

Bluetooth: iFit only

Warranty: Lifetime, 1-25 years

The ProForm 505 CST is the older, slightly downgraded version of the ProForm 905 CST. However, it’s also one of the most inexpensive treadmills under $1000. Here’s a breakdown on its specs and features.

Performance: The ProForm 505 CST is equipped with a 2.5 constant horsepower motor capable of driving the belt at speeds up to 10 mph. This is slightly lower than the absolute best treadmills under $1000, but 10 mph is fast enough for most people’s needs.

The Deck: The belt has a running surface area of 20 inches by 55 inches. For most people, 55 inches is long enough to support a full running stride. Some higher-end treadmills do get up to 60 inches in length, though.

This treadmill’s deck is rated to support up to 325 pounds of user weight. This is slightly higher than average for treadmills under $1000, and should be enough for most people.

In addition, the deck is equipped with ProForm’s ProShox cushioning system. This helps to absorb and dampen some of the force from each step of your stride to support and protect your joints.

Incline: This treadmill can be automatically adjusted up to a 10% grade incline. While some treadmills go up to a 12% or 15% grade, 10% should be enough for most people. You can use the incline to simulate gentle hill training.

Foldability: To help save space in between workouts, the ProForm 505 CST’s deck can be folded up out of the way. Unlike most other treadmills under $1000, this one does not feature a hydraulic softdrop system. However, this is also one of the most inexpensive treadmills on this list.

The Console: The console on the ProForm 505 CST is practically identical to that of the 905 CST. It has a 5-inch backlit display to monitor your workout time, speed, distance, and more. The buttons on the console can be used to select one of the 18 built-in workout programs and to adjust the speed and incline.

Bonus Features: The ProForm 505 CST is compatible with iFit. You can use Bluetooth to connect a smart device to the treadmill and sync your workouts. Just place your phone or tablet in the dedicated tablet holder to follow along with the workout of your choice.

When connected via Bluetooth, iFit workout audio is directed through the two front-facing speakers. Unfortunately, Bluetooth cannot be used for streaming your own audio. However, the console does feature an auxiliary port. Plug in an aux cable to listen to music or stream audio from a movie or TV show.

This treadmill does not support syncing chest strap heart rate monitors via Bluetooth. However, two EKG grip pulse sensors below the console can be used to monitor your heart rate.

Warranty Details: This treadmill comes with a fairly standard warranty. There’s a lifetime warranty for the frame, 25-year warranty for the motor, and 1-year warranty for parts and labor.

How to Skip iFit Setup: Hold the iFit Sync button for 30 seconds to bypass setup.

This treadmill may come with documentation indicating it requires online activation with iFit. This is not accurate. Using the above method, you can skip the online activation.

BOTTOM LINE

This is a great budget pick for a treadmill under $1000. It meets all of the requirements of a reliable treadmill without breaking the bank.

Pros

• Good horsepower, speed, and belt size
• High-quality shock-absorptive deck
• Foldable
• Font-facing speakers for music (via aux cable)
• Lifetime warranty on frame
• 18 built-in workout programs (even without iFit)

Cons

• If you don’t want iFit, you have to bypass its setup
• Can’t stream audio via Bluetooth (only aux cable)
• No hydraulic assistance for folding

Budget Runner-Up

Horizon Fitness T101 Treadmill

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Max Load: 325 lb / 147 kg

Max Speed: 10 mph / 16 kmh

Horsepower: 2.5 CHP

Belt Size: 55 x 20 inches

Max Incline: 10%

Foldable: Yes

Bluetooth: Media

Warranty: Lifetime, 1 year

The Horizon Fitness T101 Treadmill is similar to the 7.0 Advanced Training Smart Treadmill, with only slight downgrades. As such, it’s a comparable but more budget-friendly option for treadmills under $1000.

Performance: On this treadmill, the belt is run by a respectable 2.5 constant horsepower motor. Per Horizon Fitness, the motor runs at lower RPMs to help minimize noise and increase efficiency.

The motor can run the belt at speeds up to 10 mph. Although this isn’t top-of-the-line for treadmills under $1000, it’s suitable for most people.

The Deck: The sturdy deck features a running area of 55 inches by 20 inches. Although 60 inches is ideal for longer running strides, 55 inches will work just fine for most people.

The T101 treadmill also features Horizon Fitness’ standard 3-zone variable response cushioning. Different points on the deck are built with different levels of impact dampening. This helps to ensure that your joints are more properly protected at all phases of your stride.

Finally, this deck is rated for a maximum user weight of 325 pounds. This is actually fairly high for treadmills under $1000, as most options cap out at 300 pounds.

Incline: This deck can be automatically raised up to an incline of 10%. Some treadmills under $1000 do go up to 12% or even 15%, but 10% is fairly standard. It’s useful for mild hill training simulation.

Foldability: The T101 treadmill is built with Horizon Fitness’ feather light folding mechanism. A hydraulic piston helps with easily raising the deck for compact storage after your workout. It also helps with safely and slowly lowering the deck to the ground.

The Console: This treadmill comes equipped with your standard console. It features a simple display for monitoring time, speed, distance, and more. Simple one-touch buttons are used to select workout options and adjust speed and incline.

Just below the console, there’s a crossbar with sensors for monitoring heart rate. After gripping the sensors, your heart can also be displayed up on console.

Bonus Features: Despite its lower price tag, the Horizon Fitness T101 has some great bonus features. Here’s a rundown:

The treadmill features Bluetooth connectivity. Although it doesn’t support Bluetooth heart rate monitors or pushing fitness data to apps, it does allow you to stream audio from your device. This lets you listen to music or watch movies, TV shows, or workout programs via your own device on the built-in tablet stand. You can also charge your device with the built-in USB port.

Audio is streamed out to two crisp stereo speakers near the console. For those who aren’t a fan of working out with earphones or headphones, this a great option.

Speaking of fans, this treadmill has one! The front-facing fan can be used to keep cool during your workouts.

Warranty Details: For the T101, Horizon Fitness offers a lifetime warranty on the treadmill’s frame and motor. For the cushioning, parts, and labor, there is a 1-year warranty period.

BOTTOM LINE

With slightly downgraded (but still respectable) specs, this is a great option for a more inexpensive treadmill under $1000.

Pros

• Good horsepower, speed, and belt size
• High-quality cushioned deck
• Above average max weight (325 lb)
• Foldable, with hydraulic support
• Tablet stand with USB port
• Excellent front-facing speakers for media
• Bluetooth connectivity for media
• Font-facing cooling fan
• Lifetime warranty on frame and motor

Cons

• Bluetooth connectivity doesn’t connect to hear rate monitors
• No syncing workout data via Bluetooth
• Fan is a little weak

Best Brand

Nautilus T616 Treadmill

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Max Load: 300 lb / 136 kg

Max Speed: 12 mph / 19 kmh

Horsepower: 3.0 CHP

Belt Size: 60 x 20 inches

Max Incline: 15%

Foldable: Yes

Bluetooth: Apps, heart rate

Warranty: 1-10 years

The Nautilus brand is known for high-quality, high-performance products. The T616 treadmill, one of the best treadmills under $1000, absolutely fits the mold. It’s a solid option with very few downsides.

Performance: This treadmill is equipped with a 3.0 constant horsepower motor capable of driving the belt up to 12 miles per hour. As discussed above, this is the top end of the spectrum when it comes to treadmills under $1000.

The Deck: The Nautilus T616 treadmill features a 60 inch by 20 inch running surface, perfect for even the longest strides. This is supported by Nautilus’ StrikeZone cushioning, which provides the entire deck with suspension used to dampen impacts. This can help tremendously with joint support.

The maximum weight for this treadmill is 300 pounds. This is fairly standard at this price range. Nautilus clarifies in their warranty terms that any damage related to heavier use of the treadmill will void the warranty.

Incline: The deck is equipped with motorized incline up to a respectable 15% grade. Many treadmills under $1000 only go up to 12%, so this is notable. The 15% grade can be used to simulate more intense hill training.

Foldability: This treadmill comes equipped with a softdrop hydraulic mechanism to make folding and unfolding a piece of cake. The mechanism assists with lifting up the deck for storage, and slowly lowers the deck to the ground when it’s time to work out.

The Console: The T616 console is fairly standard, with a few more bells and whistles than your average budget treadmill. As expected, the LCD display can be used to monitor time, distance, speed, estimated calories burned, workout intensity, and more.

Although this treadmill doesn’t feature a full-color screen, it is built with a stand for your tablet, book, or other devices. You can set up your tablet to watch a movie or display a workout via the Nautilus Trainer 2 App or RunSocial App. There’s even a USB port to keep your device charged.

Bonus Features: This treadmill also features a few bonus goodies. Most notably, the Nautilus T616 is equipped with Bluetooth connectivity so you can sync your device with the Nautilus Trainer 2 App and RunSocial App. You can use these to follow customized workouts and sync fitness data.

Even without using any Bluetooth-syncing apps, the treadmill has a lot of workout features. It comes programmed with 26 different workout programs, ranging from interval training to heart health.

Speaking of heart health, the Bluetooth connectivity can also be used to sync compatible heart rate monitors. The treadmill even comes with its own chest strap. If you don’t have a telemetry heart rate monitor, you can also use the contact sensors placed conveniently below the console.

Bluetooth connectivity can’t be used for music, but the console does feature an auxiliary port for your device. When plugged in, you can listen to music through the two front-facing speakers. And with or without music, the console’s front-facing 3-speed fan can be used to keep cooler during even the most intense workouts.

Warranty Details: Nautlius offers a 10-year warranty on the frame and drive motor. The warranty for the other mechanical parts and electronics is 3 years, and labor is 1 year. There are certain stipulations, however. For example, treadmills set up in a commercial setting (such as a gym) aren’t covered due to heavier usage. You can refer to the treadmill’s documentation for more details.

BOTTOM LINE

This is an excellent, high-performance treadmill from a very reputable brand. Lots of pros, very few cons.

Pros

• Excellent horsepower, speed, and belt size
• High-quality shock-absorptive deck
• Foldable, with hydraulic support
• Tablet stand with USB port
• Good front-facing speakers for music
• Bluetooth connectivity for apps
• Font-facing cooling fan
• 26 built-in workout programs

Cons

• Bluetooth can’t be used for music

Great All-Rounder

NordicTrack T 6.5 Si

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NordicTrack’s T Series 6.5 Si treadmill is one of the best treadmills under $1000. It meets all the standards of build quality and performance, and it’s filled to the brim with bonus features.

Performance: First, the most important specs. This treadmill is built with a powerful motor that delivers 2.6 constant horsepower. This drives the 55 by 20 inch belt at speeds up to 10 mph.

Some people prefer a maximum speed of 12 mph. However, very few people actually use treadmills at speeds above 10 mph. NordicTrack seems to have taken this into account when balancing all the other features of this treadmill under $1000.

The Deck: The sturdy deck featured on this treadmill under $1000 is rated to support up to 300 pounds. The deck itself features adjustable dampeners. Per NordicTrack, you can adjust the cushioning level of these dampeners to get a cushier run or simulate a solid road. This is a great option for going easy on your joints.

Incline: The level of incline can also be adjusted, even while running on the treadmill. Using the treadmill’s console, the incline can automatically be adjusted between a 0% and 10% grade. Although 10% is toward the bottom of the spectrum when it comes to treadmills under $1000, it does the job for most people.

Foldability: The deck is also foldable! It lifts up to meet a much smaller form factor. A hydraulic mechanism will slowly lower the deck to the floor, helping to protect your back and your flooring. The mechanism also assists with more easily lifting the deck up after use.

The Console: The console up front features a 10-inch, full color capacitive touch display. If you opt for an iFit subscription, you can follow along with a workout trainer on the screen. However, you aren’t able to watch your own media on it.

The display also shows an array of useful data. You can track your total time, distance, pace, estimated calories burned, and more.

Bonus Features: This treadmill comes equipped with EKG pulse sensor to monitor your heart rate. Using the sensors in the handles, you can watch your heart rate on the display. If you have a compatible Bluetooth heart rate monitor, the treadmill can also connect to it directly.

If you like to listen to music while on your treadmill, NordicTrack has you covered. Using the auxiliary port on the front of the console, you can have your own music play back on the front-facing speakers. Bluetooth connectivity can’t be used for music, though.

Warranty Details: NordicTrack offers a lifetime warranty on the frame and motor of this treadmill. For parts and labor, they offer a one year warranty. This is fairly standard for a treadmill under $1000.

How to Skip iFit Setup: Hold the iFit Sync button for 30 seconds to bypass setup.

This treadmill may come with documentation indicating it requires online activation with iFit. This is not accurate. Using the above method, you can skip the online activation.

Most Versatile

NordicTrack T 7.5 S

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The Nordic Track T 7.5 S is essentially the performance version of the NordicTrack T 6.5 Si featured above. There’s a little more focus on the driving performance factors, like speed a belt size, and a little less focus on the console.

Performance: The NordicTrack T 7.5 S is equipped with a 3.0 constant horsepower motor capable of driving speeds up to 12 mph. When comparing treadmills under $1000, 12 mph is likely the maximum speed you’ll see. As such, this treadmill is in the top category in that respect.

The Deck: Just like the NordicTrack T 6.5 Si, this treadmill’s deck is built with adaptive dampeners. You can adjust the level of cushion to go easy on your joints or simulate running on a real road on the fly. This feature is particularly helpful for those with joint pain.

The surface area of the belt is 60 by 20 inches, making this a little longer than the T 6.5 Si. Those extra few inches can be really helpful for taking longer strides, particularly when running at a higher maximum speed of 12 mph.

Incline: The T 7.5 S is also equipped with better incline control than the T 6.5 Si. Using the controls on the console, the incline can be adjusted between 0 and 12% on the fly. This is great for simulating hill training.

Foldability: To save some space in your home, this treadmill is equipped a hydraulic mechanism to make folding up the deck as easy as possible. The mechanism assists in lifting the deck, making it feel nice and light. When it’s time to lower it back down, the mechanism ensures the release is slow and steady.

The Console: The T 7.5 S features a full-color capacitive touch display measuring 7 inches—a little smaller than the T 6.5 Si. However, just as with other NordicTrack treadmills, the screen can only be used to watch iFit workout programs and monitor workout stats. You can’t watch your own media.

The console also features some fairly powerful front-facing speakers. You can listen to your own music using the auxiliary port on the front console. And, unlike the T 6.5 Si, this treadmill does support listening to music via Bluetooth. This means you can sync your phone with the treadmill to listen to your tunes without the tangle of cables.

Also unlike the T 6.5 Si, the T 7.5 S is equipped with a front-facing fan. Of course, it’s not a large, powerful fan. But it does provide enough airflow to keep you a little cooler during your cardio workouts.

Bonus Features: As is standard in treadmills under $1000, this treadmill comes equipped with EKG heart rates sensors. By placing your hands on the sensors in the handlebars, you can monitor your heart rate on the console screen.

This treadmill also features Bluetooth connectivity for heart rate monitors. By syncing your heart rate monitor chest strap to the treadmill, you can see your heart rate on the console.

As a bonus, even without the iFit subscription, the treadmill comes with 50 built-in workout programs that you can select using the console screen. These programs feature workouts like speed training, interval training, hill climbing, and more.

Warranty Details: This treadmill comes with a lifetime warranty for the frame and motor. If either of these fail over time, NordicTrack’s warranty covers them. They also offer a 3-year warranty on other parts and a 1-year warranty on labor. This is standard for treadmills under $1000.

How to Skip iFit Setup: Hold the iFit Sync button for 30 seconds to bypass setup.

This treadmill may come with documentation indicating it requires online activation with iFit. This is not accurate. Using the above method, you can skip the online activation.

Most Compact

Sunny Health & Fitness Asuna Space Saving Treadmill

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Available in gold and silver, this super compact, super portable treadmill is a great pick for saving space in your home. While its performance specs don’t beat some of the larger and more expensive treadmills on this list, it’s still a respectable option.

Performance: The smaller form factor of this treadmill means it doesn’t have as much power, but it’s still respectable. The 1.25 continuous horsepower motor (2.5 peak horsepower) is capable of driving the belt at speeds up to 8 mph. While this is on the lower spectrum for treadmills under $1000, most people don’t continuously run at speeds above 8 mph anyway.

The Deck: Despite the slightly smaller form factor, this is still a high-quality deck. The 49 inch by 17.7 inch running area is support by a shock-absorptive dampening system. The deck absorbs some of the energy from each strike of your foot while walking or running, helping to protect your joints.

Foldability & Portability: Here’s where this treadmill really shines. The Asuna Space Saving Treadmill is capable of folding down into a super compact form factor. When folded flat, it’s only 4.5 inches tall. This means it can easily be tucked underneath certain pieces of furniture. (Bear in mind that its total length is 64 inches and width is 30.5 inches.)

When folded, this treadmill is super portable. And array of wheels on the bottom of the deck allow the treadmill to be rolled in all four directions while folded. No need to do an awkward shuffle to get it where you want it.

The weight of the entire treadmill is only 95 pounds (43 kg). This is less than half the weight of most other treadmills under $1000. This helps make the treadmill super portable. And it does all this without compromising on sturdiness and build quality.

The Console: This treadmill features a minimalist console that shows you the essentials at all times. There are individual displays for time, distance, speed, and estimated calories burned. The top of the console features a tablet holder so you can watch a movie, TV show, or workout program.

Bonus Features: The bottom of the console features an auxiliary cable for your device. Plug in your phone or tablet to listen to music or stream audio from a video via the console’s built-in speakers.

Warranty Details: The structural frame has a warranty period of 5 years. All other parts have a warranty period of 6 months.