First, the update. The lockdown has seen a huge run on the most basic / cheapest treadmill models. Many popular machines have sold out – and discounts have all but disappeared. The good news is that there are still some excellent cheap treadmills available, if you know where to look. Reading the feedback from buyers is more important than ever. This update reflects that, with my signature ‘brutally honest’ assessment of the claims of each brand.
Second, the warning. A lot of items with odd brand names have appeared online. Many are list collections of upper-case letters – for example XGGYP. These are generic, rattly and super bad quality… add to that that you get zero customer service. Buyers don’t even get to leave bad feedback, as the brand disappears, with another one with different letters appearing in its place.
Sticking to brands with a solid reputation, great customer service and feedback from a range of buyers will keep you safe.
Cheap Treadmill Rec #1 - HomCom Motorised A best-seller for many years, this value model has a 10km / hr top speed, safety key and heart-rate monitor. |
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Great Value Manual Treadmill - Sunny Fitness This non-plugin manual treadmill has sold 1000's of units. Ideal for gentle walking exercise or light jogging. Has incline, and a display to track your progress. |
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Lower Mid-Priced - Fit4Home Healthmate You get a lot of treadmill for a budget price with this Fit4Home model. The spec includes a 10 km / hr top speed, plus manual incline. Positive feedback suggests great value for the price-point! |
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German Engineering: Great Price - Sportstech F10 This is a mid-range treadmill with a decidedly budget price. If you wondered what difference 'German Engineering' really makes, then check out the comments / feedback for the Sportstech F10 right now! |
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At the lowest price point, you will find a lot of treadmills marked either ‘manual’ or ‘self-powered’. You can pick these up brand new for £150 and under. Many people enjoy these machines, though if you are new to home running – then you need to be aware of the difference so as not to get caught out.
With a self-powered / manual treadmill there is no motor to make the belt turn. Instead you push against this with your feet, slowly building up momentum until you are ‘running’ (more likely walking fast or gently jogging!). You do get the extra benefit of having to work harder to get things started with manual treadmills. What you need to keep in mind is that these do not have motors at all. Most of the models covered on this page are electric. With a 10km / hour top speed you can run, especially with incline. If you see 8km / hour top speed, this is a ‘walking treadmill’. It will get you a light jog, though is more for fast walking than running.
The value treadmills covered below are not a random selection. They cover all the bases for different types of runner. They range from basic electric / motorised models, to manual units (no electric power) to treadmills which will suit more experience runners that have a lower price point. There are bargains (compared to the spec) at the mid-range price point too. One tip is to choose the models from a couple of years before. Tech does not progress fast enough for this to make a big difference. Unless you simply must have the latest app integrations and designs, you can save yourself £100’s by going for ‘last year’s model’.
Several of these are the best-sellers in the budget priced category over the last year. The discounts on them over at amazon.co.uk are scarcer post-lockdown, though it will not be too long before competition between the brands starts to heat up again – and those treadmill discounts return.
This basic home treadmill has been in the most popular list for a few years now, and continues to sell well. It does the basics well, with a solid frame and some of the extras that can make your home fitness that little bit safer. This model folds away, which is a major plus at the price point. There is a safety key system, pulse rate monitor and a display which tracks all the vital information including calories burned, distance covered and speed.
When you check out the spec compared to other cheap running machines, you’ll see the difference right away. The HomCom Motorized Treadmill includes incline, which you do not normally see at the lower-cost price range. There is also a handrail, you can plug in your music, and the unit folds away between uses. This model has a 10km / hour top speed – ideal for smaller users and those getting fit for the first time (experienced runners should aim for 12km / hour).
Check out the picture gallery for this model – which is small, though impressive for the price. I also recommend that you and read the (largely positive) feedback from previous buyers. You’ll find both on the dedicated amazon.co.uk product page.
Alternatively, you can read my detailed review of the HomCom Motorised Treadmill here.
There are a lot of running machines in the Confidence Fitness range. This Unisex model caught my eye. It has many of the features you’d expect from this brand, though a cheaper price tag than many comparable models.
It has a top speed of 10km / hour, fixed incline at 7.78% and handlebars for stability. The console uses a series of lights. These show what is being displayed, with simple coloured buttons to let you control your workout easily. There are 3 auto-programs, and a safety shut-off key.
The running surface of the Confidence Fitness Unisex Treadmill is 1 meter by 34cm. That is compact, though not as small as some in the great value category. As long as you are not expecting a monster machine like those you find in commercial gyms, you should be happy with this model.
Feedback shows that people found this model to be great value for money. While it was noted that serious runners / bigger users should avoid it. At the time of writing this treadmill has a solid 4 out of 5 stars.
You can see a closeup of the display, as well pictures of the entire machine, in the galley. Check this out, along with the latest price and feedback, on this dedicated amazon.co.uk product page now!
It is important to understand the difference between a manual and a regular treadmill before you buy one of these popular machines from Sunny Health.
Manual treadmills do not have motors. You get the belt moving by walking on it (pressing down), there is some resistance and the momentum of the belt keeps it going. This type of model is popular as a walking treadmill. They are often bought by older people and those taking their first steps on the fitness path.
When you see how many people left comments, you will see how popular the Sunny Fitness manual treadmills are. This model has a max speed of 8km / hour, comes with an LCD monitor to track your distance, calories burned and speed – and has a compact non-slip running surface.
A common theme in the feedback for this cheap walking treadmill is that it is great for the price. No, you won’t get a monster like you would find in a commercial gym. What the Sunny Health Manual Treadmill does well is to get you moving – without breaking the bank.
Check out that feedback, and see the close-ups of the machine, display and running surface for yourself over on this dedicated amazon.co.uk product page now!
This model is a small step up from the others covered on this page. When you compare the features list with the price, you will see that it is a bargain. Olympic are behind the Fit4Home brand. This is a long-running company, with a great range of equipment covering the budget and mid-range end of the market.
With the Fit4Home Healthmate you get a folding model, with a top speed of 10km / hour, 3 levels of incline (which make a big difference to your cardio workout). You also get a pulse rate monitor, which has sensors on the sturdy handlebars. The motor is powerful, though quiet enough to use this model at home.
Where the great value really comes into its own is with the monitor. You get a big display, 12 auto programs, and tracking for all the essentials (including calories burned).
Feedback is excellent. Many people noted that they got great value for money. Another common theme to the comments was that this treadmill was easy to put together.
You can see the latest feedback, check out the gallery (which includes close-ups) and see any discounts over on this dedicated amazon.co.uk product page.
I define a cheap treadmill as < £350, and this amazing Sportstech model just about makes it. When you compare the spec and quality of this running machine with those in the £200 to £250 range, there is a giant difference.
German Engineering is a bit of a cliché. When you see the feedback for the Sportstech range, it makes a big difference. The design, attention to detail and those smaller extras are all important when it comes to creating machines which will take a beating over repeated uses.
The F10 has incline, a 10km / hour top speed and will fold away between uses. The max recommended user weight is bigger than for many of the cheaper home treadmills. This is 120kg, which is 18.89 stone.
With a big console, there is room for your bits as well as a larger display. This includes app integration via a custom app. It gives you event videos, coaching and multi-player mode. You will need a separate screen / device for this.
Overall, the F10 is an amazing treadmill for the price. It has advanced features for only a little more than the true budget items. If you plan on using a treadmill over multiple years, this will be worth those extra few £££. You can read my detailed review of the SportsTech F10 here.
Head over to this dedicated amazon.co.uk product page now, check out the latest feedback and take a look at the gallery which shows the impressive features list!
This section covers the different features to expect at the budget end of the spectrum of running machines. I do these sections as a decision-making aid. The idea is that if you can’t immediately decide which cheap treadmill suits both your budget and your needs – then you can do it via a process of elimination.
I recommend you go through this list of features twice. First, read quickly through – making a mental note of the things you can and cannot do without. Second, go through once more and choose your ‘must have’ features. Once you return to the table above (or full list below) then you can quickly eliminate most of the models based on your choices – leaving you a far easier choice.
Speed: I already covered the difference between walking, jogging and running treadmills above. If you are not sure, then 10km / hour is fine for beginners – though taller or fitter users should go for 12km / hour. If you are ok with gentle walking and light jogging, then an 8km / hour walking treadmill will be fine.
Incline: This is something which comes with higher end treadmills. You can find it in some lower priced models. Even a small slope makes a big difference – try it in the gym if you have not felt the ‘burn’ from this yourself.
Safety: All models have a safety switch. This is a clip you attach to your clothing. If you fall off, then it pulls out a plastic key, stopping the treadmill. If you require some additional stability, then I recommend a model with arms that come out either side.
Manual / Auto: The cheapest treadmills do not have motors at all. These are a bit of an ‘acquired taste’. If you like the sound of this then I recommend reading the feedback from previous buyers.
Console: Basic treadmills do have electronic consoles. These can display stats on distance covered, calories burned, speed, and total time spent running. As you get to the better models you will find pre-set programs – for example for endurance, cardio or fat burn. These change the speed of the belt while you run.
Monitors: Some treadmills at the budget end of the spectrum do include pulse rate monitors. These are normally found in the handlebars.
Music Compatibility / Speakers: This is more common in the mid-range and up. There are treadmills you can plug your phone in, and others which tie-in with apps.
Belt Width: Some of the cheaper running machines are smaller, and have narrower belts than others. If you feel you need more room to move, then check the feedback from previous buyers on this.
Assembly: Treadmills are the right shape to transport, and require minimal assembly compared to other machines (elliptical cross trainers for example).
Fold-Away: Most of the cheap treadmill models are fold-away. Most also have small wheels that you can move them into place with. As you climb up the prices, fewer models fold.
App Compatibility: There are many group fitness, tracking and map / video style apps out there these days. While the consoles of the cheaper fitness equipment will not usually have monitors that work with these, you will find models which work alongside your phone or a tablet.
You can find an even more detailed list of treadmill features on the main Treadmill Reviews page here.
At the budget end of the treadmill ranges you’ll find models with lower top speeds than the mid-priced and up items. Again, this is not necessarily a problem – though it can pay to set your expectation levels right. Here are some guidelines:
8km / hour top speed: These are walking treadmills, and the top speed is a brisk walk / gentle jog for most users. Walking treadmills are popular, though if you want to run these are not the right product.
10km / hour top speed: This is the lowest speed of a running machine. If you are smaller, new to running (or fitness training in general) this will be fine. If you are taller or already into running, then 10km / hour is not enough.
12km / hour top speed: For me this is the benchmark for a running machine as opposed to a jogging one. Even taller and more experienced runners will rarely need to go faster than this.
14km / hour top speed: At 14 km / hour and up you are going pretty fast. This is for experienced runners only. You will need to step up to the more expensive models to get this kind of speed. These models will cost you significantly more, we are starting to get into the territory of commercial gyms here.
As I mentioned in the introduction, second hand treadmills are a bit of a minefield. Sure, there are some bargains out there – though for me there are also some risks.
Instead of warning against buying a cheap second hand treadmill altogether – I have listed the pros and cons below. It comes down to how much you could save vs. the risks. Each person will have their own idea about where the sweet spot is!
Pros
Cons
Now you have seen the options along with the features that separate the great treadmills from the merely good, the table from the top of this page should make a lot more sense. While the lockdown has taken the biggest discounts, there is still some excellent value to be found. Keep in mind that your treadmill could be serving you for years to come – it is always worth going for a better known brand with a reputation for lasting the course.
Cheap Treadmill Rec #1 - HomCom Motorised A best-seller for many years, this value model has a 10km / hr top speed, safety key and heart-rate monitor. |
Check PriceRead Review | |
Great Value Manual Treadmill - Sunny Fitness This non-plugin manual treadmill has sold 1000's of units. Ideal for gentle walking exercise or light jogging. Has incline, and a display to track your progress. |
Check Price | |
Lower Mid-Priced - Fit4Home Healthmate You get a lot of treadmill for a budget price with this Fit4Home model. The spec includes a 10 km / hr top speed, plus manual incline. Positive feedback suggests great value for the price-point! |
Check Price! | |
German Engineering: Great Price - Sportstech F10 This is a mid-range treadmill with a decidedly budget price. If you wondered what difference 'German Engineering' really makes, then check out the comments / feedback for the Sportstech F10 right now! |
Check Price!Read Review |