Best Treadmills Under $1000: Reviews and Buying Guide

We’ve all been there, trying to find the ultimate way to get in shape or “do better” and stay on track. You would think that staying healthy and strong is such a complicated and consuming process, but it really isn’t. One of the first things people invest in, primarily if they aim to build a home gym, is investing in a treadmill. Hence this article has the best treadmills under $1000.

You do not want to skimp on money whenever you want to invest in a piece of exercise equipment; you are also investing in your health. On the other hand, one would say that buying an expensive treadmill would not be worth it and is a risk. We believe the Ancheer Treadmill is the ultimate treadmill to invest in. Despite its low price, this treadmill provides everything you need for a home gym.

Treadmills have reigned as the most used piece of exercise equipment, placing more importance on purchasing the one that helps you reach your goals. According to a new study, 53.6% of treadmill owners state that it motivates them to exercise, which might just be the thing you need. 

Below, we break down our best treadmills under $1000. These have different specifications, features, and technology, giving you various options you can choose from according to what you want to achieve or what makes you most comfortable.

A Spotlight On the best treadmills under $1,000 for 2021: 

FYC UNDER DESK TREADMILL

This is the best treadmill under $1000 for anyone striving to build up their fitness at home. From compatibility to features offered, it is a wonder this treadmill is as low-priced as it is.

As the name suggests, it is effortless to fold it up and put it away somewhere without it causing too much clutter. Do not expect fancy pieces of technology and advancements from this treadmill, but isn’t the simplicity and ease of use compelling?

It has a length of 50 inches, a width of 24.2 inches, and 43.3 inches high. It is also considerably light compared to other treadmills weighing around 56 pounds. It can also withstand up to 220 pounds reach a speed of 7.5 mph, but there is no inclination option.

The machine does require assembly, but it is pretty easy to build it up, and you can fold it to store it anywhere. Moreover, the multifunctional present at the front bottom is an incredible display of calories, time, step, distance, and speed.

TR150 FOLDING TREADMILL

If you are looking for a compact that can be simply stored. If you are debating whether to get a treadmill because you have no clue where to put it, this might just be the choice for you.

This is just the best treadmill under $1,000 to purchase if your primary goal is to find a way to exercise and stay fit in a small environment.
It is incredibly well-equipped and comes with too good features for the price. You get a lifetime warranty on the frame, one year for the motor, 90 days for the deck and the in-home labour.

It has a length of 63.4 inches, a width of 28.75 inches, and a height of 51.4 inches. The maximum speed you can achieve is 10 mph and has 3 levels of inclination that must be changed manually. It has 12 preset programs, and the treadmill has a durable lifetime.

If you are striving for a guided program, there are only 12 preset programs that are not really interactive. However, these same programs work on engaging you in the most challenging and strenuous workouts, so do not be thrown off!

FUNMILY TREADMILL

This FUNMILY treadmill has numerous programs integrated that you can choose from with 3 modes. The brand is becoming increasingly famous for providing budget-friendly home equipment and offering incredible quality for an affordable price.

This fascinating treadmill might seem expensive, but it comes with a bottle of lubricant and an emergency-stop band. It also goes up to 9 mph and has an inclination of 15%. It has a length of 60.4 inches, a width of 27.6 inches, and 54.7 inches.

Its 3.25 HP motor comes with Bluetooth connectivity to connect to your phone. It is even compatible with a fitness application called FitShow. It weighs 102 pounds, making it slightly heavy, but it can handle weight up to 300 pounds.

On the other hand, a minor problem is a lube you will need to apply, which can be presented as an inconvenience. Still, you need to maintain your treadmill to keep working for much longer. Overall, this treadmill provides incredibly high-quality, even for its higher price.

CIIHI C PORTABLE TREADMILL

This CIIHI C portable treadmill is incredibly easy to move around; you can even carry it in your car and transport it anywhere else. There are two ways to fold it: arms can be rolled up when you’re at home for jogging, or you can fold the arms and place the treadmill under your desk to walk while working.

If you are tight on the area, this is the ideal treadmill. It is the best treadmill if your aim is to walk or jog, and there is almost no assembly required as you only have to adjust the knobs and plug-in power.

This innovative treadmill works ideally for tight spaces and can be placed nearly anywhere in your room. It is also incredibly lightweight and can be stored anywhere. When opened, it has a length of 51.9 inches, a width of 24.8 inches, and a height of 42.1 inches.

It has a maximum speed of 7.5 mph and can hold up a weight of 190 pounds, which is not really ideal for people on the heavier side. Also, it does not have any inclination options, so you will have to walk or jog at ground level.

FYC FOLDING TREADMILL FOR HOME

It is potentially the most motivating treadmill in its discount price category. It requires you to assemble it from scratch, probably taking around 15 minutes. You can contact the company to get a 15-minute assembly video. 

It has a length of 61 inches, 22 inches, and a height of 49 inches. Still, it has the advantage of having a 330-pound user weight capacity, giving it a slight edge over other treadmills.

Moreover, it has a BMI calculator, allows you to reach a maximum speed of 10 mph, and provides 3 adjustable inclines. Furthermore, the phone holder is incredibly spacious, providing enough space to place a water bottle and your phone.

However, despite its name, this FYC Folding Treadmill might be hard to fit under very tight places. Even though you cannot fold it under very compact spaces, its design provides a space-friendly way of storing it. You simply have to fold it up and tuck it away in a closet. So, all in all, this is the ideal treadmill for exercise fanatics on a budget. It offers a range of different difficulties through speed and inclination. 

OVICX Q2S FOLDING PORTABLE TREADMILL

The OVICX Q2S Folding Portable Treadmill is considered for many users to be the best value for the price out there.

It is an ultra-wide treadmill, providing ample running space for comfort. Moreover, it has a brilliant speed-reduction feature, only available in OVICX treadmills.

It really is one of the best home-gym treadmills for just about anyone for its average price. It has a length of 64.96 inches, a width of 25.59 inches, and 44.88 inches. You might be discouraged from the relatively small measurements, but there is more.

You can reach a maximum speed of 8.7 mph without an inclination option, but it’s the ultimate treadmill for home workouts. It also has a strong motor, making it less noisy. It also uses “Silkworm” technology, allowing better shock absorption protecting your knees from injuries.

We believe that this is the best treadmill for anyone looking for flexibility and accessibility. It helps you get more steps in during those busy days.

FLYLINKTECH 2 IN 1 FOLDING TREADMILL

This is an excellent treadmill for those beginners or seasonal runners. If you are the occasional runner and aim to get some extra fitness in, this might just be the treadmill for you. The ProForm treadmill is also one of the cheapest options out there. 

Let’s talk about those specifications. It has a length of 55.91 inches, a width of 29.33 inches, and a height of 6.1 inches (if the handles are not lifted). Moreover, it comes with a maximum weight limit of 380 pounds, higher than average treadmills, and a maximum running speed of 8.7 mph. It is easily foldable and provides a clutter-free environment and Bluetooth connectivity. 

By purchasing the treadmill, you receive a remote controller to control settings on your treadmill, a user manual, and a safety key to attach to yourself. You can even fit a table along its width and work on it while walking, jogging, or running while watching a TV show. 

SYTIRY TREADMILL

The SYTIRY Portable Treadmill is just the one if you are on the hunt for a budget-friendly, innovative, and technologically-advanced treadmill. It allows you to connect to both internet and Bluetooth.

It is considered to enable intensity, noise-free, shock-absorbing, and a robust machine. It has a damping system that eases the pressure on the joints of the knees and is equipped with a hydraulic system that prevents damage to the floor or any other equipment.

It can withstand a weight of up to 300 pounds, a maximum speed of 9 mph but no inclination options. It comes with a 7-layer polyester imported running belt, making it easier and more comfortable.

Moreover, it has 36 preset programs you can choose from. It comes with a strong motor that prevents loud noise and shock-absorbing features from avoiding knee or joint injury. Since only one screen displays only one quantity of measurement, you can control the speed and programs through a remote controller.

ANCHEER TREADMILL

The Ancheer Treadmill is a good piece of equipment at an affordable price, which comes with numerous features and various exercises that you can use to stay motivated and on track. It is also an easily foldable treadmill.

It has a length of 60.4 inches, a width of 27.6 inches, and 48.8 inches. When assembled, it only weighs 102 pounds and can withstand up to 300 lbs because of the Soft Drop system.

The maximum speed you can reach is 9 mph, and the inclination is 15%. Moreover, it comes with solid warranties. Also, it has an incredibly high maximum power of 3.25 HP. Still, despite that, it is made to operate very quietly so you can exercise without disturbing the household.

However, even though it looks pretty easy to assemble, it takes a lot of time since it operates with many intricate equipment and technologies. The extended assembly time is counterbalanced by the fantastic features, including that inclination can be automatically adjusted.

MAXFREE 2 IN 1 UNDER DESK TREADMILL

The MaxFree 2 in 1 Under Desk Treadmill is an incredibly compact one. The foldability option allows you to place it under the desk and use it as a walking treadmill while watching a tv show working or even reading a book.

It is compact and ergonomic, but it provides excellent value for its low price. There is a way to widen the running belt, making your exercising time more comfortable.

This treadmill can withstand a weight up to 265 pounds, equivalent to the average weight capacity of other fancier treadmills. It has a length of 52.36 inches, a width of 23.33 inches, and a height of 5.8 inches when the arm handles are folded.

The maximum speed you can reach is approximately 6 mph, but there has been no mention of any inclination options. However, it has numerous advanced features despite the lack of inclination options. It is elementary to move, and the store has non-slip and shock-absorbing running belt integrated Bluetooth speakers. You also have multiple ways of controlling the program.

Buying Guide: Which Treadmill Should You Buy

The main things you need to consider when shopping for the best treadmill are the size of the treadmill, its features, price, performance, and programs integrated. 

Size

The size of the treadmill, precisely its width, and height, should always be two measurements to consider. Think about where you want to place your treadmill, then measure the area’s length and width. When you check for treadmills, consider if it will fit comfortably or look weird if you put it in that place.

This is one of the most important things to consider as you want to be able to run comfortably without bumping into things left and right. Also, you don’t want the treadmill hitting a wall or closet and chipping at it while you’re running.

Features 

Suppose you’re simply trying to get in more steps and activities while working at home. In that case, you probably should consider getting one of the simpler treadmills. These can be manual or smaller, as your main goal is light walking or jogging.

However, athletes or exercise-fanatics look for more advanced treadmills with heart-monitoring, calories burned calculations, pulse rate, and distance traveled. Hence, consider what your goals are before purchasing a treadmill.

Price

For this article, we have only considered the best treadmills under $1000. However, generally, price should be one of your mains. You’re probably not purchasing a treadmill for a gym but buying it for your own home. That means you are most likely on a budget and prefer to find a treadmill that provides its highest value for its price.

Performance

Performance features that you should be looking for depending on your goals. Again, if you aim to only jog or walk, performance might not really be what you’re striving for. 

However, most people might be looking for a way to challenge themselves and improve their fitness levels. Specifically, you might want to look closely at what maximum speed the treadmill allows and see if it has any inclination options. 

We recommend you choose a treadmill that has a maximum speed higher than your current average speed so you can challenge yourself and aim to improve. Also, if the treadmill has inclination options, it provides you with more resistance, making it harder to run. That will help you burn more calories and turns your workout into an even tougher one. 

Programs Integrated

As you have seen before, treadmills offer different features. One of these recurring features seems to be the coaching and integrated, preset programs. These treadmills usually have various options depending on your goals. These goals range from fat burning to performance development to complex challenges. 

To accurately track your progress and heart rate, you can choose between two options to measure your heart rate. Either the monitor in the grip system in some treadmills or the more-accurate chest strap system. The chest strap system is something you most likely would need to purchase. Still, numerous applications are compatible, making it easier to measure your progress. 

Why Trust Us

We have experience with treadmills by using them at gyms and home gyms that we have built, but that’s never enough. To fully understand how a treadmill works, we consulted some experts. Not only that, but we also always do our independent research and our own testing. That’s how we prove our authenticity.

We talked to several different people to understand how to evaluate and test the treadmills and figure out which ones rank higher than others. We spoke to sports coaches, running experts, and researchers who are far more equipped in this field than we are. 

Now, we also go through online review articles, videos, and blogs by experts to get a general idea of what we should be looking for. However, we all know how these resources cannot always be trusted, as some of them would be biased.

We also gather up a bunch of volunteers to give us their opinion on the different treadmills. That’s because the experience is slightly different from one person to another. We put our best efforts to find out what’s the ideal one to be inclusive of all.

So, our team consists of two people, aside from every other person that helps us with the reviews and expert opinion. The founder, Elena, is an exercise fanatic. She’s constantly looking for the balance between the food and the sports. Hence, her message is balance in life.

On the other hand, our co-founder, David, is an avid researcher and a personal trainer. He loves working out, and his personal experience speaks for itself. He went from being a party student to an athletic person in a few years, and now he’s looking better than ever after 15 years.

How We Pick Our Treadmills

We evaluate many different products, starting with the residential and commercial treadmills. That’s because we aim to assess the top equipment on the market at first to figure out if they do qualify to be on our list or not.

Hence, we start with compiling a massive list of all the best treadmills under 1000 and slowly go through it. After first organizing the list, we read through the essential review articles and ask our experts whether they actually do qualify to be on the list. Then, we check their features online to see whether they have the qualities we’re looking for.

Hence, treadmills that make it to our list are ones with all the features we’re looking after. The first thing for this article we looked for is the price being under $1000. We start going through our list of features. Once a treadmill checks all our boxes, we move on to the next step, the testing stage.

Below are the features we look for in the best treadmills under $1000:

Inclination

This is one of the most critical aspects of every treadmill out there. Almost every single treadmill has inclination options. However, we prefer ones with an inclination of 10% or more, which more accurately simulates hilly terrain. When you walk uphill, the stress on your muscles is incredibly beneficial for developing your calf muscles and is a fantastic way of switching things up.

Some treadmills offer a declination option. However, they’re not as common in best treadmills under $1000.

Motors

When we evaluate the power of a treadmill’s motor, we look at the horsepower. Now, horsepower is how strong an engine is over some time. The higher the horsepower on the treadmill, the faster it operates. Hence, you can switch back and forth between speeds and inclinations at a higher rate.

We look for horsepowers of around 3 HP, as that provides the most ideal situation. However, you do not necessarily have to do that. If your aim is to simply walk, a horsepower of around 2 HP will work fine. Still, overall, for joggers, 3 and higher is excellent.

Speed

See, not every treadmill can go up to 12 mph. However, if you’re planning on running, you would want a treadmill that has an option of 10 mph, equivalent to a 6-minute mile.

Belt Length

The minimum belt length we look for is 55 inches, as anything less will make things slightly uncomfortable. Also, the recommended minimum for anyone who is 6 feet or shorter.

Comfort

The problem with some treadmills is that they’re too bouncy or sometimes too thin to withstand enough weight. Hence, we look for thick ones to avoid excessive noise while you’re running. On the other hand, we don’t look for cushioned ones to prevent that bouncy feeling.

How We Test

We test the treadmills individually, but we also ask a team of volunteers to try them. We choose people with varying heights and weights to see the experience as everyone else’s whole. Our testing process for treadmills takes approximately 3 months to finish. However, here is an extensive list of things we test in our best treadmills under $1000:

Noise

While everyone is running on the treadmill, we test the amount of noise a treadmill makes with different people. Hence, we ask every person to run on the treadmill for 30 minutes straight and determine how much noise it produces. If it is near deafening, then it’s automatically off the list.

Underfoot

As the treadmill is running empty, we check out what the underfoot looks like. Some were too hard on their feet, making it harder to run on. Others were incredibly bouncy, which made them automatically be eliminated. If it jerks around, then it’s also off the list.

Speed Test

We measure how fast the speed changes across the different options. Now, the faster it changes, the higher the motor’s horsepower. However, we love to test each treadmill’s speed transition individually to determine if it works as fast as promised.

Foldability

Not all treadmills fold. However, we love the ones that do. So, if it’s promised that a treadmill folds, we put it away and find out how compatible it actually is. Moreover, we measure the amount of space it takes up. We are inclined to love the ones that can be put under the bed or behind a door.

Connectivity

If the treadmill promises Bluetooth connectivity, USB, or standard AUX, we test it out to measure the quality of it all. We prefer ones that can connect within seconds, as you won’t have to hassle every time with connecting your phone and music.

Inclination

Inclination can be a little weird on some treadmills sometimes. Moreover, we have seen ones promise 15% inclination before but falsely so. Hence, we measure the exact inclination of the treadmill and how efficient it is. Moreover, we determine if the inclination is stable once you start running on it.

Adjustability

We test the adjustability of the belt, the armrests, and the screen on the treadmill. We prefer anything adjustable since things need to be changed according to the height and preferences of different people. You will need to be able to get the armrest out of the way if you move your hands around while running.

Conclusion

Whether it is foldable or not, manual or electric, treadmills are one of the most effective ways of working out. It’s also an excellent way of getting in some extra burnt calories in the comfort of your own home. At the end of the day, we are all looking for the best, time-saving way of working out.

However, sometimes all you need is a budget-friendly option to save you money while still providing you with the best value for the price. Our comprehensive list of best treadmills under $1,000 is the ultimate guide you need to walk you through the necessary basics you require to find the most suitable treadmill tailored for your needs.