American consumers spent an estimated $4 billion on home treadmills and similar exercise machines in 2008, with treadmills accounting for 50 percent of that market, according to the “New York Times” and "Consumer Reports." Treadmills come in many shapes and sizes, but if you have a small space, you may want to consider a folding treadmill that you can store out of the way and out of sight until you’re ready for a workout.
Identification
A treadmill uses a moving platform, or deck, with a conveyor belt spinning around in a loop that you can use to walk or run in place. You vary the intensity by altering the speed or incline of the belt. Most treadmills are fairly large and heavy, although folding treadmills, or space-saving treadmills as they are also called, have a hinge so they can be folded for easy storage.
Features
Most treadmill models come with electronic programming controls you can use to vary the intensity of your workout, and some have either a chest-strap or a handgrip heart rate monitor. Top-of-the-line models have a variety of gadgets that may include a CD player, a fan and even an LCD TV. Folding treadmills come in two main types: Power-folding or shock assisted, with a motor that helps to fold the treadmill; and manual folding, where you have to lift the treadmill yourself. Sophisticated folding models will even let you connect to the internet and download new exercise programs, notes the American Council on Exercise.
Considerations
Although folding treadmills will save you space in storage, you will still need space in your workout area for when the unit is unfolded to its full length. Consumer Reports also recommends you consider your stride; if you have a long stride or are a runner, you’ll need a longer deck, with 60 inches long by 20 inches wide considered a good choice. If you’re only planning to use your treadmill for walking, a unit with a shorter deck may be adequate and also cheaper. Most folding treadmills are less expensive in general, but drawbacks may include increased maintenance, since the folding mechanism has more parts such as gas filled shock absorbers, springs and bushings that can break.
Cost
Less expensive models can start around $500 and may be found at discount sporting goods stores and department stores. High-end models can set you back $4,000 or more. If you need to save some money and you’re in good health, you can use a model that includes a few degrees of incline and get by with a less highly-powered, and thus less expensive, elliptical machine.
Expert Insight
Treadmill-Review.net and Consumer Search gave high ratings to two Sole models, the F80 and F85, due to their sturdy double horseshoe frame and also their safety lock design that locks the deck securely into place so you can move it easily. Consumer Reports ranked two folding models as its Best Buys, the Sole F63 for $1,000 and the Bowflex 7-Series for $1,500. One folding treadmill was given a “don’t buy” rating for 2010, the Best Fitness BFT1, because its incline feature malfunctioned on two of the three samples tested.
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