1. The quick list ↴
2. Best home treadmill: BowFlex Treadmill 10
3. Best value: JTX Sprint-7
4. Best for guided workouts: Peloton Tread
5. Best connected treadmill: Technogym MyRun
6. Best folding treadmill: DKN EnduRun
7. Best for small spaces: Echelon Stride
8. Best high end treadmill: Technogym Run
9. Compare treadmill specs
10. Treadmill buyer's guide
11. Treadmill FAQs
Whether you’re already a keen runner or are looking to exercise more regularly, having access to your own treadmill makes it easier to establish a routine. And there are plenty of treadmill workouts you can use to keep your training interesting.
Treadmills are also part of the connected fitness revolution and Peloton has released its own treadmill, although that’s not the only option. Many of the best workout apps, such as Fiit and Apple Fitness+, include treadmill sessions, while Zwift for runners lets you race and train in a virtual world.
Below you’ll find a range of great treadmills to suit every runner and walker, whether you’re looking for a budget machine or have thousands to splash out on a gym-standard unit. You’ll also find a buyer’s guide with info on how to pick the right treadmill for you.
How I Choose The Best Treadmills
You can trust Coach We give honest reviews and recommendations based on in-depth knowledge and real-world experience. Find out more about how we review and recommend products.
I spend two to three months with each treadmill
My recommendations are based on hands-on experience with treadmills as a committed amateur runner with a marathon time of 2hr 28min. I began reviewing treadmills in April 2020 and have been working through as many as possible since then. I have reviewed all the treadmills below and more, giving me the experience to compare and contrast machines. I spend two to three months with each treadmill, integrating it into my training schedule.
The Quick List
Here you can see at a glance my pick of the stand-out treadmills in the most popular categories, with a quick explanation of why I rate them so highly. Click on the links to jump to my full review in the main buying guide further down the page, where you’ll also find some other top options.
Best home treadmill
The Bowflex 10 is a gym-standard machine with a spacious running belt and a speed and incline range that will satisfy all runners. The built-in screen shows the JRNY app, which is full of guided workouts and scenic runs, and can also show streaming services like Netflix.
Best value
You get a lot of bang for your buck with this treadmill, which runs smoothly even at its top speed of 12mph (20km/h) and can connect to Zwift directly, which you then view on a tablet placed in the stand on the console.
Best for guided workouts
Peloton’s guided workouts are the best available thanks to the engaging instructors and the huge 23.8in built-in screen. The open design of the Peloton Tread also makes it feel more spacious than any other machine I’ve tested.
Best connected treadmill
An excellent treadmill that takes up less space than most top-end machines. The Technogym Live app contains enough content to entertain you through a lifetime of use, including guided workouts, streaming services like Netflix, and scenic runs.
Best folding treadmill
The EnduRun offers great value given its impressive hardware, with a powerful motor and a speed range that tops out at 13.7mph (22km/h). It folds up to make it easy to move and store, and can link to the Kinomap app for guided workouts.
Best for small spaces
The Stride treadmill folds flat, making it one of the easiest treadmills to store after use and perfect for small apartments. Its small running belt helps with storage too, and the Stride links to the Echelon app for guided workouts.
Best high end treadmill
If you have the budget and space to accommodate it, the Technogym Run is the treadmill to go for. The machine is built to commercial standards and the Technogym app is packed with workouts and other entertainment to watch on the 27in screen.
The Best Home Treadmills
Best home treadmill
The BowFlex Treadmill 10 (or BowFlex Treadmill 25, as it’s called in Europe and the UK) is not cheap, but it offers a similar experience to machines that cost a lot more, with excellent hardware and software that will meet the needs of the most demanding runners. It offers a wide range of both speeds and inclines, and I found that the machine ran smoothly even when tackling long stints at high speeds.
It’s a large machine that dominates a room even when folded, and I found it too heavy to move around by myself easily, but the advantage of its size is the spacious running belt. Of the treadmills I’ve tested only the Peloton Tread feels roomier thanks to its open front.
To get the most from the machine you need a JRNY membership—you’ll get a year’s worth included with your purchase (it’s $19.99/£19.99 a month or $149/£149 a year thereafter). This opens up a host of on-demand workouts, with instructor-led video classes or audio-guided workouts you can follow while watching streaming services—Netflix and Disney+ are among those you can watch on the 10in built-in display. The BowFlex Treadmill 10 also connects directly to Zwift, though you can’t use this on the display, so you’ll have to pop a tablet on the holder. Unfortunately the treadmill monitor blocks a section of the tablet screen.
Get more details in our BowFlex Treadmill 10 review
Best-Value Home Treadmill
If your budget for a home treadmill is around $1,300/£1,000 this excellent machine is almost certainly your best bet. The speed range of up to 12mph (20km/h) is equivalent to commercial machines, while the incline goes up to 12%. I found that even when running for long periods at high paces the belt ran smoothly and the machine was easy to assemble, though having an extra person on hand is vital to get the heavy base in position.
The JTX Sprint-7 doesn’t have some of the high-end features you get on more expensive treadmills, such as a built-in screen to showcase instructor-led workouts, but it does connect to Zwift directly. It will serve all your running needs very well even if you’re an experienced runner. I had no problems running for long stretches at near its top speed, and while the running belt isn’t huge, I am 6ft (183cm) tall and didn’t feel unduly cramped.
Get more details from our JTX Sprint-7 review
Best Treadmill For Guided Workouts
Peloton began with a wildly successful spin bike and glossy subscription app, and it has applied that formula to indoor running. The treadmill has a huge 23.8in (60.5cm) HD screen on the console that streams an inexhaustible supply of guided workouts as well as scenic runs in exotic locations, which look stunning on the screen. You control the speed and incline on the treadmill by twisting two knobs on the sides of the machine, and it maxes out at 12mph (20km/h) and a 12% incline.
The main reason to get the machine is of course the extra motivation of the live and on-demand workouts, which remain the best I’ve come across on any treadmill. However, even if you don’t use the classes regularly it’s also a high-end bit of kit in general, with a slatted belt that gives a more realistic running feel as well as a spacious design with an open front which makes it very relaxing to run on—I normally worry about clipping the front of treadmills. Of course, this all comes at a cost: the treadmill will set you back $3,495/£3,345 with a further $39/£39 a month for a subscription to the app.
Get more details in my Peloton Tread review
Best Connected Treadmill
It may be expensive, but if you have the money the Technogym MyRun offers a complete indoor running experience. The impressive hardware includes a 3.0CHP motor, a top speed of 12mph (20km/h) and an incline range that goes up to 12%. Although it’s a compact machine that doesn’t dominate a room, it also has a reasonably large 56.3 x 19.7in (143 x 50cm) running belt that accommodated me easily as a 6ft/183cm tall runner.
Along with its small size, what sets the MyRun apart is the range of features in the partner app, Technogym Live. These include guided workouts with instructors and interval sessions where the machine’s speed and incline settings are changed automatically, so you can run them in the background while you watch one of the streaming services you can access in the Technogym app, like Netflix and YouTube. It costs $8.99/£8.99 a month to get full access to the app—but you’ll find more than enough classes to keep you busy on the free option.
Get more details in my TechnoGym MyRun review
Best Folding Treadmill
The EnduRun offers a gym-standard experience thanks to its sizable running belt, high top speed, powerful motor and easy-to-use console that includes buttons to take you directly to certain levels of speed or inclines. You can also adjust these using handily placed buttons on the sides of the machine, which I found easier to use while running, and it folds up to make it easier to move around and store when not in use.
It can also connect directly to Kinomap and the ledge on the console is well placed so you can rest your tablet there without obscuring the EnduRun’s display. When I reviewed the treadmill I was also able to connect it directly to Zwift easily, but it’s now not listed as Zwift-compatible, so that might no longer be the case.
There are 27 workout modes on the machine, several of which can be configured by the user, but the connectivity to apps means you’ll be able to access far more immersive guided workouts that way, even if the preset options are handy in a pinch.
Get more details in my DKN EnduRun review
Best Treadmill For Small Spaces
The Stride connects to the Echelon app where you’ll find enough live and on-demand guided classes to last you a lifetime. The treadmill has a top speed of 11.8mph (19km/h) and the incline goes up to 10%, with a 1.75CHP motor. The guided workouts are the key selling point of the Stride (the app subscription costs $29-$34.99/£25-£39.99 a month, depending on the length of contract), but another major plus is that it folds up to just 26cm thick and 176cm tall, and I found it easy to tuck out of the way when not in use. You can either slip it under a sofa or secure it against a wall in an upright position, making it much less obtrusive than other folding treadmills.
The size of the running belt, power of the motor and top speed all make the Stride a little under-specced for the price, but it still performed well when I tested it, and the small size when folded adds to its appeal significantly. It also works well as a general treadmill even if you have no plans to use the Echelon app, though if you are going to do that there’s better value to be found in the JTX or DKN machines.
Get more details in my Echelon Stride review
Best high end treadmill
If the price of the Technogym Run doesn’t put you off, it’s a tremendous treadmill that’s probably a better standard than the machines in your gym. It has an impressive spec sheet, including a top speed of 15.5mph and a spacious running belt, and the slatted design of that belt and open front of the machine create a natural-run experience that I found more akin to outdoor running than the feel of most machines.
The hardware is matched by the excellent app, which is displayed on the 27in touchscreen mounted on the console. Within the app there are a variety of guided workouts, plus scenic runs and entertainment apps like YouTube and Netflix. You can also link the treadmill to Zwift and display it on the screen via a wired connection.
Read more in my Technogym Run review
Compare Treadmill Specs
| Product | Max speed | Max incline | Max user weight | Belt size | Folding | Motor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BowFlex Treadmill 10 | 12mph / 20km/h | 15% (5% decline) | 300lb / 181.4kg | 59.8 x 22in / 152 x 56cm | Yes | Not given |
| JTX Sprint-7 | 12mph / 20km/h | 12% | 285lb / 130kg | 58 x 20in / 145 x 51cm | Yes | 3 HP |
| Peloton Tread | 12mph / 20km/h | 12.5% | 353lb / 136kg | 59.1 x 19.7in / 150 x 50cm | No | 3 HP DC |
| Technogym MyRun | 12mph / 20km/h | 12% | 310lb / 140kg | 56.3 x 19.7in / 143 x 50cm | No | 3 CHP |
| DKN EnduRun | 14mph / 22km/h | 15% | 330lb / 150kg | 59.4 x 20.9in / 151 x 53cm | Yes | 2.5 CHP |
| Echelon Stride | 12mph / 19km/h | 10% | 300lb / 136kg | 55 x 20in / 139.7 x 50.8cm | Yes | 1.75 CHP |
| Technogym Run | 15.5mph / 25km/h | 15% | 353lb / 160kg | 68 x 20in / 172 x 51cm | No | Not given |
Treadmill Buyer’s Guide
How much should you spend on a treadmill?
Treadmills cost from as little as a few hundred to as much as a few thousand, and how much you spend should be dictated by the type of runner you are rather than your budget. This is because it would be easy to spend more than you need to.
If you’re planning the occasional run or walk session you’ll be fine with an entry-level model, but anyone who intends to run regularly should spend something closer to four figures to satisfy their needs. By spending more you’ll get a higher top speed, a greater incline range and more preset training programs. There will also be a larger running deck. This can be crucial because cheaper machines with shorter belts may force you to shorten your stride.
Bluetooth connectivity is an increasingly common feature on treadmills. This is available across the price spectrum, though it is more likely to appear on expensive machines. The benefit is that Bluetooth treadmills can sync to companion or third-party apps (Zwift for runners is one of my favorites) that provide more workouts to follow and make the experience engaging. Bluetooth connectivity isn’t essential, but I expect it to become a standard feature soon.
Pay a couple of thousand and you should expect large built-in HD touchscreens, although often what you’re paying for is a commercial-grade machine that can handle multiple runners pounding away for most of the day. Unless you live with an extended family of keen runners, a cheaper model may well suffice.
How powerful a motor do I need?
The horsepower of a motor used to be a big factor in picking a treadmill, but according to Mauro Fabbri, senior product manager at Technogym, it’s no longer as important.
“Most motors on early treadmills were direct current (DC) motors,” says Fabbri. “[These were] basic motors, simple technology. So, the stronger and bigger the motor, the more reliable.
“Now we have a huge variation in type of motor and motor control, so just taking the horsepower is not really a useful value. Of course, it’s still important. If you compare treadmills with the same level of performance at the same speed, same technology, same belt type, same type of motor, then the bigger [the motor] the better. But it’s very difficult to make a comparison.
“There was also a focus on the motor size because it was normal to replace the motor during the life of a treadmill, but this was 20 or 30 years ago. Today, we guarantee the motors for 7-10 years in commercial environments, so it’s not the weak point of a treadmill.”
If you’re looking at cheaper machines, it may still be worth checking the motor strength. Look for a minimum of 2.5CHP (continuous horsepower) for running, while 1.5CHP will probably suffice for walks and short jogs. The peak power (HP) is less important than the CHP rating.
How big should the running deck be?
A spacious running deck is important, especially for 5ft 10in (178cm) or taller runners. A length of around 20in (50cm) will suit most runners.
Treadmill FAQs
What is the best treadmill for home use?
I’ve singled out the JTX Sprint-7 as the best home treadmill, and that’s because of a variety of key features. One is a high top speed: around 10-12mph (16-19km/h) is useful even if you intend to run only short sprint intervals at those high speeds. An incline range that goes to 10% or more is helpful because you can increase the challenge of your workouts in a different way.
Is running on the treadmill the same as running outside?
There are clear differences between indoor and outdoor running, the main one being that you aren’t affected by the elements. However, when we asked experts if running on a treadmill is bad for you they said the science suggests treadmill running is broadly equivalent to running outdoors.
Some people like to add a small amount of incline (around 0.5% to 1%) in order to counter the lack of air resistance when using a treadmill and make indoor running more realistic. However, when we asked Fabbri about this he said it actually increased the difference between indoor and outdoor running.
“There is little difference between your calorie expenditure and your heart rate if you run on the treadmill or outside flat. Normally, you burn more calories and you have a little higher heart rate value indoors rather than outdoors, especially if you do a longer run. That’s because your thermoregulation when you run indoors is not working as well. You don’t have the air that is drying out your body. Your fatigue perception is higher, your rate is rising.
“It’s incorrect to increase the incline. There is a minor difference, but if you raise the incline you are making [the difference] bigger,” he says.
