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Exercise equipment like Treadmills, provide a safe and controlled environment while improving endurance, stability and overall muscle strength. Unfortunately, quality treadmills range in price from $1000-$3000USD or more.
Luckily, we’ve looked around to find the best treadmill under 500 dollars. If you just want a simple treadmill without the bells and whistles, this guide’s for you.
Things to consider before buying a treadmill
Before getting a treadmill for your home, you should look into a few things. Think of how often you’ll actually use the treadmill. Next, decide on where you would place your exercise equipment and which way it would be facing. Try to make sure the area is spacious enough.
Choosing the best budget treadmill under $500
Most treadmills have flashy accessories or memberships and that can all add up. But, when you’re not looking to invest too much into a treadmill, it just needs to have the basic functions to get you going.
Dimensions: The specifications will detail the size of the treadmill. Compare them to the size of your space. Remember to also check the size of the belt. Longer belt sizes are more comfortable for people taller than 6″ or people with longer strides. If you fall within those categories, the belt size should be a minimum 20″ x 55″.
Design: Cheaper treadmills may be made of cheaper materials. Try to find out the weight of the treadmill. A fold-up treadmill is an option because they fit well in your home. Another factor that contributes to durability is the weight capacity of the treadmill. If it’s big, you know you have a solid foundation.
Motor: Depending on your weight, you need a strong motor to power your treadmill. For most users, a motor with 2.0 – 3.0 CHP is sufficient.
Warranty: For any exercise equipment, it’s important to check your protection plan. Although $500 doesn’t seem very much of a loss, it’s frustrating when you can’t rely on your equipment. Read the warranty and coverage in detail to figure out which parts are covered and for how long.
Features: Even though you’re looking for the best budget treadmill under 500, some brands could still offer great accessories or perks. Look to see if there are included memberships, a place to put your mobile device or water bottle, heart rate monitor, the settings and display and any other extras you’d like.
Sunny Health & Fitness SF-T4400 Treadmill
The Sunny Health and Fitness treadmill is a great pick for a basic treadmill. The downside is that the incline settings must be manually adjusted. Despite it being smaller than gym models, customers say it’s durable for the price but others say it doesn’t last long. On the website, it’s sold for $419.99 USD but you can find it on Amazon for even cheaper.
- Dimensions: 62″ L x 25.5″ W x 50″ H
- Design: 103 lb, folds up 36″ L x 25.5″ W x 58″ H
- Belt Size: 15.5″ W x 49″ L
- Motor: 2.2 HP
- Weight capacity: 220 lbs
- Warranty: 3-year frame, 180 days parts and components
Extras:
- Digital monitor tracks time, distance, calories and pulse
- 9 programs
- Speed range of 0.5-9 mph
- 3 manual incline levels
- Emergency stop clip
- Device holder
- Bottle holder
Xterra Fitness TR150 Treadmill
The Xterra TR150 treadmill offers a little bit more than the last one but with manual incline. It has a stronger motor and a better warranty. Plus, it comes with 12 workout programs. Given its weight capacity, reviewers agree it’s sturdy and reliable. However, others say it stopped working. It’s priced at $499.99 USD and sold for quite less on Amazon.
- Dimensions: 63.4″ L x 28.75″ W x 51.4″ H
- Design: 97lb, folds up to 28.5″ L x 28.75″ W x 61″ H
- Belt Size: 16″ W x 50″ L
- Motor: 2.25 HP
- Weight capacity: 250 lbs
- Warranty: Lifetime frame, 1-year motor, 90 days deck, parts and in-home labour
Extras:
- 5″ LCD display
- 12 preset and 1 custom programs
- Speed range of 0.5-10 mph
Sunny Health & Fitness SF-T7515 Treadmill
This Sunny & Health Treadmill model has some neat features for being under $500. Its weight makes it solid, it has 12 programs, automatic incline and you can talk on the phone or listen to music via bluetooth or mp3 port. Consumers love the extras but others found it difficult to assemble. It’s listed at more than $500 on their website but on Amazon it’s $499.99 USD.
- Dimensions: 64.5″ L x 28″ W x 50.5″ H
- Design: 121 lb, folds up to 40.25″ L x 28″ W x 54.75″ H
- Belt Size: 16.5″ W x 49.5″ L
- Motor: 2.2 HP
- Weight capacity: 240 lbs
- Warranty: 3-year frame, 180 days parts and components
Extras:
- Digital monitor tracks time, distance, calories, pulse, scan
- 12 workout programs
- Speed range of 1-8 mph
- 12 automatic incline levels
- Bluetooth wireless connectivity
MaxKare Electric Folding Treadmill 801
The MaxKare treadmill is the lightest one on our list. It has the shortest belt size and comes with manual incline. But, it has 15 preset workout programs. People who bought this model said it’s good value for the price but people mentioned the customer service is poor. You can only get it on Amazon for $365.99 USD.
- Dimensions: 51.8″ L x 28″ W x 44.8″ H
- Design: 91.3 lbs, folds up 25.4″ L x 28″ W x 47.8″ H
- Belt Size: 17″ W x 43″ L
- Motor: 2.5 HP
- Weight capacity: 220 lbs
- Warranty: 30 days
Extras:
- Large LCD Digital monitor
- Track speed, time, mileage, program, calories and heart rate
- 15 workout programs
- Speed range of 0.5-8.5 mph
ProForm Performance 300i Treadmill
We think that the ProForm 300i treadmill is the best treadmill under 500. The company is reputable, the model is heavy and has a large weight capacity and you can get the iFit membership for free for 1 month. The speakers and 16 workout programs just add to its worth. It’s no longer sold on their website, but you can find it on Amazon for less than $500.
- Dimensions: 70″ L x 33″ W x 53″ H
- Design: 149 lb, folds up 35″ L x 33″ W x 60″ H
- Belt Size: 16″ W x 50″ L
- Motor: 2.0 CHP
- Weight capacity: 300 lbs
- Warranty: 5-year frame, 90 day parts and labour
Extras:
- Large LCD Digital display tracks distance, cadence and calories
- iFit 30-day free trial membership
- 16 workout programs
- Speed range 0-10 mph
If you’re wanting to get the best budget treadmill under $500, check out these options. Keep in mind that prices and availability are subject to change, especially on Amazon. If some models are no longer available, take a look at the company websites. They make several more styles that are still affordable.
USA Home Gym gives in-depth insights into gym equipment, supplements, and fitness training methods. The motivation behind USA Home Gym is to provide you with information that goes beyond what you can find in any user manual, customer review, or other online review sites.
We go to great lengths to ensure that our reviews are completely comprehensive, usually covering everything from the design features to the warranty coverage and exercise options. This is all to help guide you towards the home gym equipment that’s best suited to your goals and budget, whilst also being the highest quality option in your chosen price range.
