Elliptical trainers were invented in 1995 by a Precor USA engineer who wanted to mimic the natural elliptical motion of the foot while walking or running, but without the impact those activities can cause on your joints. Since then, the market has become flooded with countless elliptical machines with variations and additions to Precor's original design.
Function
The original design by Precor was patented by the company and utilized a rear-drive system to create a very smooth pedal stroke. While some companies, such as Life Fitness, paid for Precor's copyrighted designs for their own machines, others created machines with the flywheel in the front or center. These designs are generally considered inferior to rear-driven machines because the pedal stroke is less smooth, and the machines require more maintenance.
Features
Workout and comfort features on an elliptical machine are a major deciding factor when choosing between models. According to ExerciseEquipmentExpert.com, you should never buy an elliptical machine with a stride length less than 18 inches. It is preferable if the machine has an adjustable stride length to suit your height. More expensive models will also allow you to adjust the pedal angle for reduced strain on your ankles and knees.
Resistance
EllipticalTrainers.com states that there are several types of resistance used in modern elliptical machines, and not all of them deliver a quality performance. Low-quality elliptical machines utilize magnetic resistance that is manually adjustable. Manually adjusted magnetic resistance is slow to respond to changes in the tension level. High-quality elliptical trainers use eddy current magnetic resistance, which places the magnets much closer to the flywheel and provides for very accurate tensioning in seconds.
Electronics
The quality of the display console and heart rate monitor on an elliptical machine can affect the quality of the workouts you can accomplish. Mid- to high-quality elliptical machines have an LED or LCD console that allows you to choose from programmed workouts and monitor your distance, calories burned, time run and workout intensity. The clearer a display console is to read while you are working out, the better it is. Many machines have a heart rate monitor as well, with higher quality machines being more accurate and therefore providing you with better workout data in real time.
Price
As of October 2010, AllElliptical.com states that elliptical machines can range in price from as little as $150 to as much as $8,000. Club quality machines from Precor, Life Fitness and Nautilus provide the most features available on the market, but are often outside of the price range of home fitness seekers. The Exercise Equipment Expert review website advises purchasing an elliptical machine that costs around $800 or more if you want a quality machine, and warns that you should never consider purchasing one for less than $500.
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