Precor Elliptical Trainer Reviews

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As one of the leading home and commercial fitness equipment companies in the world, Precor continue to push the boundaries of innovation and effective ergonomic motion with their world class collections of elliptical trainers.

World Class Design Across 5 Collections

Unlike many similar companies, Precor have a tendency to release entire collections at once, with several different models available in each.

If you considering buying one of the Precor ellipticals, an abbreviation you’ll probably become fairly familiar with is ‘EFX’. EFX stands for Elliptical Fitness Crosstrainer, and is perhaps one of the design features Precor have become most renowned for.

The fluid running motion that’s imparted through the engineering behind the patented EFX design results in a low impact workout that eliminates the jarring feeling that can be experienced when running outdoors or on lower quality treadmills.

As Precor progressed with their designs through to their current Precision and Energy series ellipticals, EFX has been combined with CrossRamp, a technology that lets you adjust the incline of your running stride.

This allows you to be much more precise when focussing on a specific lower body muscle group, and allows the creation of much more challenging workouts.

Combine this high level of innovation and build quality with the technology that’s built into the P20 and P30 entertainment consoles, and it’s easy to see why Precor continues to be the supplier of choice for commercial and domestic gyms around the world.

But with such a wide range of ellipticals now available through their numerous collections, it can be difficult to determine the best balance for your specific needs. It’s important to find a balance between cost, features, and suitability to the environment in which it’s going to be used (more user IDs may be useful for family environments, for example).

This is why we’ve put together a quick summary of the various collections that Precor have developed over the past 20 years. If you want to find out more about the Precor ellipticals that relate to a specific series, feel free to click one of the links below, which will direct you to our in-depth reviews.

Looking for more information on the Adaptive Motion Trainer (AMT) collection? We’ve also put together a detailed guide to these machines, which you can find here.

Precor Precision Series

With a range of personalization options that extend beyond even their Energy Series, the Precor Precision Crosstrainers offer a higher maximum CrossRamp incline (40 degrees vs. 25 degrees for Energy Series models), and even convertible handlebars (EFX 447 model).

You’ll also find that the warranty coverage is the best available on any Precor elliptical, with lifetime on the frame, 10 years on parts and wear items, and 3 years on the console.

In terms of the technology used, the Precision series machines actually match those from the Energy series, with Preva fitness app integration for workout tracking and a touch screen console for the top of the line EFX 447 (Precision) and EFX 245 (Energy) ellipticals.

But if you want the widest range of resistance and incline levels, you’re going to want to opt for one of the models in the Precision Series. Not only can they offer 20 resistance levels to the 16 offered by the Energy series, but you also enjoy an additional 15 degrees of incline, through 12 extra levels.

You can find out more about the benefits of the Precision Series ellipticals in our guide, or read more about a specific model by clicking on one of our reviews below.

Precor Energy Series

In a similar way to how the Precision series could be considered an upgrade over the earlier 5.3(x) range of ellipticals, Precor’s Energy series of EFX machines are an upgrade over the earlier 5.2(x) range.

In terms of the price they usually retail for, each of the Energy series machines is almost identical to its corresponding 5.2(x) elliptical, usually priced at between $2200 and $3600 depending on the specific model.

But another similarity to the Precision Series is that Precor have also added a fourth crosstrainer to the range; the EXF 245.

In much the same way as the leading model in the Precision range (EFX 447), this features Preva workout tracking integration, a more intuitive touch screen console, and more than four times as many workout programs compared to the earlier EFX 225 elliptical in the same Energy series.

It’s also important to note that unlike the ellipticals in the Precision series, two of the lower priced Energy series models feature a manual 3-position CrossRamp incline, instead of the motorized version you can adjust directly from the console with the EFX 225 and 245 models.

To find out more about the benefits of the EFX trainers available in the Precor Energy series, we’ve also compiled a similarly in-depth series guide. You can also discover more about a specific model by choosing from one of our reviews below.

Precor EFX 833 and 835 Models

Two models of Elliptical Fitness Crosstrainer that have proven popular with hotel and commercial gyms across the country are the EFX 833 and 835.

These two models join Precor’s Adaptive Motion Trainers (AMT), as well as their leading treadmill, upright bike, recumbent bike, and climber models to form the Precor Experience Series 830 Line.

Together with their modern aesthetic appeal and exceptionally smooth range of motion, what really sets the machines in the 830 Line apart is the technology.

The P30 console itself is already packed with useful features that can benefit your workouts, including a large LED display, clear feedback on a wide range of feedback metrics, and quick-select keys for accessing a range of preset workouts.

But on top of this, Precor have also developed a Personal Entertainment Player (PEP) and Entertainment Cap as optional additions if you want to be able to watch TV or listen to music while you train.

The main difference between the two models is the addition of moving upper body handlebars to the EFX 835, whereas the EFX 833 handlebars are fixed position only.

If you would like to find out more about the numerous benefits these two machines can bring to your home workouts, you can select a specific model by choosing from one of our in-depth reviews below.

Precor EFX 5.3(x) Collection

Although the differences between the Precor elliptical collections are many and varied, one thing that they all have in common is the fact that they are rear-driven.

This is a feature that you’ll find on each of the ellipticals in the EFX 5.3(x) series, which tends to result in a smoother range of motion that puts even less impact on the knee and hip joints than their front-driven counterparts.

However, it’s worth bearing in mind that Precor’s Precision Series has now surpassed the 5.3(x) ellipticals in a variety of ways, including the technology built into the console and the overall aesthetic appearance.

Despite these improvements, there is very little difference in price, and the size of the EFX crosstrainers in the Precision series is identical in terms of their footprint (although the Precision machines average 4 inches taller).

This is why, in the same way as the EFX 5.2(x) collection, you aren’t able to buy ellipticals from this range directly through the Precor website. You may be able to find occasional listings on Amazon from companies that still have them in stock, or be able to buy a refurbished model from a local sports store.

If you’re searching for a stockist that still sells models in the EFX 5.3(x) collection, we’ve listed the different model names below for reference, together with the closest corresponding Precision series model:

However, similar to other fitness equipment companies, Precor will only uphold the warranty coverage for the original owner, meaning you won’t have any coverage if you buy a used model.

Precor EFX 5.2(x) Collection

Now surpassed by the Precor Energy series, the EFX 5.2(x) collection also offered the same transition between manual and motorized CrossRamp incline as you moved from the 5.23 up to the 5.25 model.

After winning numerous Best Buy awards in 2013 for their ergonomic design, fluid movement, and intuitive console features, the Energy Series already looks set to be just as popular.

Currently listed on the official Precor website as being in limited supply, and not available in all areas, we would certainly recommend taking a look at some of our reviews for the Energy series ellipticals.

As a general point of reference, the following list shows the Energy series ellipticals that we’ve found to match most closely to the EFX cross trainers in the 5.2(x) collection:

The Energy Series actually has an additional model that doesn’t have an equivalent in the EFX 5.2(x) range, which is the EFX 245.