Now, to the Nitty Gritty - Let's Review and Rate Some of the Best Ellipticals on the Market - More Bang for Your Buck! **Note: Schwinn appears to be the winner of the popularity contest - see Schwinn reviews and feedback immediately below. There are a lot of testimonials to see, but there are reviews for other ellipticals too - Proform and Horizon. **Schwinn Ellipticals - The Schwinn 418 and Schwinn 438 Reviews Features, Reviews and Ratings Heart rate monitoring Quiet resistance makes for a smooth ride 12 workout programs LCD display shows several useful statistics 8 levels of resistance Price: $899.00 and Up, Depending on the Model ***All Schwinn Elliptical Stepper Models Received Extremely Good Feedback from Consumers - See Below (these specific reviews are for the 418 model). Great for new moms!, October 16, 2005 Reviewer: Maia Hightower "Tiago's Mom" (San Diego, CA USA) I bought this elliptical to work off the baby weight I gained after the birth of my son. I tried a gym membership first, but who wants to waste time at a gym when I've got my new pride and joy at home? Consumer Reports recommended the elliptical as a best buy, so I decided to give it a try. First, it comes unassebled. The directions are a bit scanty, but easy to figure out. I was able to put 95% of it together by myself while my son slept in about 2.5 hours. I did need a bit of hubby brawn for the last couple of steps. All in all, it looked fantastic put together. Advice: don't rush putting the parts together. The brawn part involved the sheet metal screws and the glider covers. As for the ride...Fantastic! It is sooooo quiet. I can excercise at night when the little one is sleeping without a sound heard in the room next door... and I can hear his baby monitor without difficulty. Sometimes I exercise with the baby looking on in his intelletrainer. We exercise together, grooving to ABC's. All in all, a great purchase! It's very hard to trust on the internet for large item purchases..., December 12, 2005 Reviewer: L. Quido "quidrock" (Tampa, FL United States) I checked around for elliptical trainers before I bought this from Amazon. It was difficult to know what to believe. I found the Schwinn in four different places, and based on the positive reviews and the purchase price, I decided to go for it. I'm glad I did. Size wise and noise wise, the Schwinn is pretty compact and very quiet, compared to some that my friends have purchased. I've also found it very sturdy, although I'm not a really large person. Amazon's vendor used a superlative local shipper to get my order to me on time, with little fuss and muss, and in good shape. It was challenging to put together (I had help!) but worth it. The settings and features are professional, and while I haven't explored all of the 10+ workout programs, I think I bought a winner! The computer makes you feel good, January 7, 2006 Reviewer: C. Gu The good: It was simple to put together, and it runs smoothly. Before we made the purchase, we tried out a few models in a local bike shop and at the Dick's with prices ranging from $600 to $2500, and my 9 year old and I both liked the feel of the Schwinn 438 best. Once I confirmed that the mechanicals of 418 and 438 were the same, I put in the order. The not so good: The box did not include the advertised water bottle, and when I called the customer service of Schwinn, I was told that it was no longer included in the package; (...). When reading the feedback from the computer, it appears that the numbers are on the luxurious side: my 5 mile runs usually take 47-49 min, but on the 418 I logged nearly 6 miles over the same time span, yet did not feel as challenged. Also, the distance meter will chop off 0.1 after your first step on the machine. I am also skeptical of the calories it reports. Great machine, January 6, 2006 Reviewer: Still Hopeful I purchased the Schwinn 418 from Amazon for $799 with $.01 shipping--great price for this. Arrived sooner than expected, although we decided to pick it up ourselves from the local shipper (4 days in all-would have been 8). Put together in about 2 hours-fairly simple. Quiet and very smooth. I read reviews on Amazon as well as on elliptical web sites. It received "good" in all of the rated areas--better ratings than those at this price-point and some of those that are pricier (It even had better ratings than the more expensive Schwinn 428). Haven't had it long, but am very pleased with the quality and Amazon as a seller. Truly a "Best Buy", January 4, 2006 Reviewer: D. Ingram (Boston, MA) I became interested in this machine because it was listed as a Consumer Reports Best Buy, even at the MSRP. At Amazon's price, it's even a BETTER buy. The machine feels as sturdy and solid as any professional gym quality machine, and is just as quiet. The computer may not have all the bells and whistles of more expensive or professional machines but, to be honest, it has absolutely every feature I would ever want or need. We've had ours for about 3 weeks now and have had absolutely no problem with it at all. In fact, we got it because we both dread exercising and needed something we might actually do regularly. And, much to our pleasant surprise, we both look forward to our chance to work out on it every day. Honestly! ;) My only caution would be to make sure you read the directions THOROUGHLY before beginning to put it together. They're not terrible, but they do require just a bit of concentration, and many of the pictures of the parts (especially the washers) are not terribly accurate. Especially where the washers are concerned, make sure you rely on the measurement of the diameter of the washer described more than the picture. But, even with a couple of mistakes I had to go back and re-do, it only took me about an hour to put together. All in all, one of my best purchases of the year (2005, that is). ProForm 900 SpaceSaver StrideSelect Elliptical Review Features, Review and Rating Special reverse motion works different muscle groups simultaneously Upper and body workout provides fast results Great heart rate monitor 8 workout programs Special gluteal program to shape and tone butt Price as of 1/7/06: $599.99 New - (There were some used ones available at time of print too) Product Description: ProForm 900 Space Saver Stride Select. This elliptical has 10 programs total. Has an attractive blue backlit display which has about 8 features that are useful in guaging how your workout is going and target goals. The tension control is excellent on this machine, and the price is a genuine bargain considering that many of the best ellipticals can be upwards of $2,000. Proform RL 725 Elliptical Trainer Review Features, Review and Rating Has two display windows Time, distance speed and calories burned are just a few of the readouts Features a Cool Aire workout fan Comes with a pulse sensor Price as of 1/7/06: $699.00 New - There May Be Some Used Ones Available as Well Product Description (Why We Like It): The Proform RL 725 Elliptical Trainer has 2 LED display windows that give you feedback in five workouts that are varying degrees of hard. Also you are provided with information on how your workout is coming along. The arms are padded for an improved grip, and a natural angle design offers a much more comfortable workout. The natural motion of the RL 725 greatly reduces the impact of hard surface walking or running. It provides a smooth and frictionless workout. Horizon EX22 Dual Action Elliptical Review Features, Review and Rating Gives adjustable resistance to produce variant in your workout Great ergonomic design provides cushion for stress on joints, neck, legs and arms. Excellent magnetic motion and break provide a very smooth ride. Price: $599.99 (cheap shipping too) Product Description/Benefits: Low maintenance. Horizon ellipticals have an excellent reputation for satisfaction. |
| Elliptical Trainer Reviews - One of the BEST Forms of Cardio: Features You Should Look For 1.) How is the range of motion on the elliptical? You should be able to glide comfortably on the trainer, and not feel pressure on your joints too much. That is the whole point of this fitness machine. 2.) How easy is it to move? Some cheap models make it very hard to actually get moving, defeating the purpose of the machine, as mentioned previously. Read reviews dilligently for this type of problem so you don't get one that's not the best quality. 3.) Make sure it's got a nice quiet motor. Noise can be distracting. 4.) Console features. 5.) Do you want to store it? If so, look for a model that folds or goes down in size somehow. |
