Cheap is a relative term when it come to treadmills due to the fact that the amount of money you need to spend to get a model that is fit for purpose may not strike many people as being particularly affordable. Having said that, prices have come down significantly in the last decade so this great piece of home exercise equipment is now within the reach of far more people.

The price that you have to pay when you’re on the market for a treadmill will depend on what use you are going to put it to. Its not that many of the cheap treadmills at the lower end of the market are particularly bad machines, its just that they can only do they job they were intended to do. If you wan to run at speed for hours every day then these treadmills aren’t going to last very long at all.

The cheapest of the cheap on the market is the manual treadmill which requires you to push the belt with your own power in contrast to the more popular motorized version which uses an electrical motor. The only advantage of a manual treadmill is its price, you can pick them up new for a little over $100 or probably get a second hand one for free off a friend who bought it and realized how bad it was.

Problems With Manual Treadmills

- Given that you have to move the belt with your own steam it can be a struggle to get your workout started although hopefully as it gets used it will start to loosen up.

- The effort to keep the belt moving may tire you so quickly that you don’t much in the way of a meaning full workout.

Forget Manual And Go For A Motorized Treadmill

Save yourself the hassle of buying a manual model just to find out its no good. Better to save up a little longer and get a motorized treadmill which you will be happy with and which will provide the fitness benefits that you are looking for.

The Merit 725T Treadmill

A nice entry level motorized treadmill which you can pick up for under $400 is this Merit 725T. Keep in mind that as with anything you get what you pay for but if you are looking for an introduction to the world of indoor running then you could certainly do a lot worse than take a closer look here.

Many discount treadmills aren’t really up to the job for people who wan tot run and are more suitable for use at walking speed but this machine will have no problems for those who want to run at up to 10 miles per hour. Even if you happen to weight well over 200lbs this machine will cope without any worries thinks to its surprisingly durable build quality at this price point.

With a lifetime warranty on the frame, 2 years on the motor and the fact that this is built by one of the largest manufacturers of fitness equipment in the world you can be sure that it isn’t going to fall apart the minute you start doing a serious workout. Certainly, for a beginner there isn’t much better at this price point and if you are just starting out you won’t be able to tell the difference between this and many models further up the range.

The only disadvantage that I want to bring up with the Merit 725T are that you will have to assemble it yourself on delivery which although most people don’t a problem with, some users report difficulty with the construction process. Also worth mentioning is the noise produced by this cheap treadmill when its in use but for such a low price its hard to hold such a minor factor against it.

Horizon Fitness T91 Treadmill

Get a little bit more money together and you can take a step up in quality and get a Horizon Fitness T91 Treadmill for an experience which will more closely match what you would expect from a machine in the gym. You get a lot for your money these days in a $600 treadmill and the Horizon delivers much more than we could realistically expect for this amount of cash. You get a super tough 2.0-horsepower continuous-duty motor which comes with a lifetime guarantee, you can’t ask for much more than that.

Like the Merit, this machine is great for beginners but its also has the ability to please those with more experience using treadmills so if you have had a gym membership in the past but want to buy something for use at home this could be the one for you.

You get the capability to walk or run from 0.5 to 10 mph an incline of up to 10% and the ComfortZone air cell system to make running more comfortable and easier on your joints. Also part of the Horizon is a control console with back lit LCD screen that offers feedback on your workout, contact heart rate grips, and a 20-by-50-inch running area.

The Confidence Power Plus is an extremely simple treadmill, as you would expect for a machine you can pick up for under $300. It looks a lot like a manual treadmill with it’s relatively small belt and minimalist construction. Compared it to a treadmill costing twice the price and you will realize this model looks flimsy in comparison. That’s not to say this is a running machine which isn’t worth considering if you are on a tight budget.

Confidence Power Plus Specifications

• Running area: 38.5″ x 14″
• Full size of machine: 49″ x 24″ x 11″
• Weight: 53lbs
• Motor power: 600 Watts (equal to about 0.8 horsepower)
• Folding treadmill design

As you can see if you compare the Power Plus treadmill to any machine at a higher price point this one has a lower spec in all areas. The treadmill belt is smaller, the power rating is much lower and it is very light in comparison. Let’s take a look at the positives and negatives of this product to see if you should still consider purchasing it for your home workouts.

Advantages of the Confidence treadmill:

1. It’s extremely light for a home treadmill and also folds to a small size making it great for people with a limited about of space who need to store it out of the way when it’s not in use.
2. The low power motor means it’s going to use far less electricity than the top rated treadmills
3. For a budget treadmill this model runs surprisingly quietly
4. This device is delivered almost fully constructed which means there is very little to do before you can start running
5. Max speed of 10 MPH is about as fast as most home runners will need

Disadvantages of the Confidence treadmill:

1. There is no possibility to run on an incline with this device so if you like higher intensity workouts you will need to look elsewhere
2. The size of the running area makes this treadmill too small for people who are much over 6′ tall
3. It doesn’t have the fitness programs you find on most other machines which make your workouts more fun.
4. This treadmill shuts off automatically after 30 minutes, although you can just start it up again if you like

Conclusion

There are plenty of treadmills out there which are a lot better than the Confidence but for indoor runners on a budget this machine is hard to beat. Although it doesn’t have the solid construction of higher priced models it does what most people need from a treadmill, allowing you to get the exercise you need without having to go outdoors.

If you are looking for something which will allow you to run in your bedroom when you can’t find the time to get out on the road then this might just be the right buy for you. If, on the other hand, you want to set up an fitness studio in your own home then you will want to invest in a more expensive treadmill which is closer to the quality you would get in a commercial fitness center.

If you are looking to spend a more money on the best treadmill possible then have a look at the following pages:

1. LifeSpan TR 1200i Folding Treadmill
2. Horizon Fitness T101 Treadmill Review
3. Merit 725T Plus Treadmill Review