How much do you plan on spending?

Establishing a budget is a great starting point but understand that in order to buy the right treadmill for you and your family you might need to be flexible. While the majority of first time treadmill buyers will make use out of an entry-level treadmill such as the TR1200i folding treadmill, a long-time treadmill owner might be better suited by a more robust model. Quality treadmills are expensive and it's easy to be drawn in by the lowest price- keep your options open and don't short-change yourself. No one wants to invest in a new treadmill only to have to replace it two years later because they used it more frequently than anticipated.

How heavy is the heaviest user?

As a general rule of thumb, if you want to compare treadmills, it's a good idea to choose a treadmill with a maximum user weight of 50 lbs. greater than the heaviest user. This will help you get the most out of your purchase.

How many hours per week do you plan on using the treadmill?

When calculating the total hours per week, add up the total minutes of each family member's projected use. For example, if family member #1 plans on using the treadmill for 60 minutes per workout/ 4 workouts per week and family member #2 plans on using the treadmill 20 minutes per workout/ 3 workouts per week, you'd calculate a total of 5 hours of use per week. Of course, it might be a good idea to add an hour or two to your total to allow for personal improvements.

What kind of activity are you planning on?

Walking, jogging, and running are basic types of exercise. What does that mean exactly? Some treadmills are intended for a specific task. Walking treadmills that are found under a standing desk have high torque at low speeds and shorter, more compact decks. Treadmills that are meant for running are built to handle running. They use motors geared for high speeds and usually have longer decks to accommodate long strides. Our treadmill comparison table above lists the intended design for each LifeSpan treadmill.

How much space do you have for a treadmill?

Do you have a dedicated area for the treadmill (home gym) or is it going to be taking up valuable space in your living room or bedroom? If your workout area is limited, a folding treadmill can free up some space when not in use. The TR1200i and TR3000i are folding treadmills to consider here. Each is compact in comparison to competitor treadmills. If you're in the market for a folding treadmill and you'd rather the treadmill do all the lifting, the TR2000e and TR3000e are LifeSpan's electric folding options. If you have a dedicated workout area, the TR4000i and TR5500i, with their longer running decks, are worth considering as well.

What do I get when I spend more money on a better model?

As you move up in price, you get a better quality machine. The more we can spend in manufacturing, the better the components we can use and the longer it will last. It can handle more use with less wear and tear. At LifeSpan, our primary focus is on the quality of the machine. Whatever money we have left over after picking quality parts and electronics go into extra features such as fans, larger console screens, and more program buttons. We will never put touch screen monitors on our consoles if that cost takes away from the quality of the parts. That's our promise to you.