How to Buy Ellipticals

Ellipticals are quickly eclipsing treadmills and exercise bikes as the most popular type of home equipment.  It is becoming the go-to piece of cardio exercise equipment, and it's easy to see why.  Not only do you get a high-quality cardiovascular workout, but the stress and impact on your muscles and joints is minimal.  In order to select the perfect elliptical for your home, you have to know what makes a good elliptical machine.  That's what we'll discuss in this article.

First, value.  This means that you get far more than what you pay for.  Notice I didn't say price.  It's one thing to get the cheapest buy.  However, the cheapest buy often means that you sacrifice comfort, the lifespan of the machine and even the effectiveness of the workout.  Usually when people try to cut corners with ellipticals they end up spending more -- because they actually never use the machine.

With that said, there are some low cost options that actually deliver results.  I have found high-quality ellipticals for around $200.  Compare that to a treadmill.  For the same quality, you'd have to expect to pay around $1500 for a treadmill, and around $500 for a stationary bike.

Of course, there are higher end options for the ellipticals as well.  Generally they only offer extra bells and whistles.  As far as construction and quality of workout goes, it remains consistent across the board.

It's important to also evaluate the comfort and adjustability of the elliptical before purchasing it.  The fact is most ellipticals don't offer much in the area of adjustability, unless you go with higher-end models.  Perhaps the most important feature to evaluate is the length of stride you will get with the model.  In general, most people find that the longer the stride length the more comfortable and effective the machine.

Finally, it's important to consider the type of resistance the elliptical will offer you.  This will either make or break your workout.  Typically elliptical trainers provide adjustable tension or friction to increase the difficulty and resistance in the workout.  Magnetic resistance is perhaps the best option, because it tends to be more durable and operates silently.

One more thing -- it is probably a good idea to buy an elliptical trainer that comes with a heart rate monitor.  A good elliptical machine will have a pulse grip sensor on its handles.

Reviews are provided for the most popular Ellipticals in the Shwinn and Nautilus fitness lines.