The 4 Best Treadmills of 2023

Feb 09, 2024

After a new round of testing, we continue to recommend the NordicTrack Commercial 1750. Updated in 2022, the Commercial 1750 offers a smooth workout with lots of extra programs broadcast on a top-notch display. The Bowflex T10 is our new runner-up pick.

Few things are as synonymous with indoor exercise as a treadmill. Loved (or loathed) by runners of varying skill levels, training on a treadmill is the best fill-in for going on a walk or a run when you’re faced with unfavorable outdoor conditions or commitments that keep you at home. And some people prefer using a treadmill to training outdoors.

After walking and running on 29 treadmills over the past six years, we’ve concluded that the NordicTrack Commercial 1750 is a dependable, versatile machine with a smooth ride and a sturdy build. It has a straightforward design that is easy to navigate, plus a large color touchscreen. An optional subscription for on-board workout content is available, too, if you want an extra dose of motivation.

The most important thing about a treadmill purchase: knowing yourself and what you want out of the machine.

We considered important features such as belt length, deck feel, stability, speed, incline, noise, and display.

A treadmill takes up room. Determine how much space you need for the machine, even if it is a folding model.

Considering the machines’ propensity for mechanical issues, we looked for treadmills with strong warranties.

Comfortable and equipped with streaming capabilities, this treadmill stands out with a sturdy build, a smooth ride, and intuitive controls.

The NordicTrack Commercial 1750 is dependable and versatile, accelerating smoothly within seconds to its top speed of 12 mph. The large color touchscreen has an excellent user interface, and the treadmill feels sturdy underfoot on a belt that offers ample room for even the tallest of runners. In our tests, it didn’t exhibit excessive shaking or screeching over time as other treadmills did, and it folds easily. It provides a quality experience even for runners looking to forgo the connected-workout options. NordicTrack’s warranty is solid, covering the frame for 10 years, the parts for two years, and labor for a year.

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Sporting a more cushiony deck and lots of storage space, this treadmill has more controls for speed and incline than our pick, but they are less responsive. It also takes up a lot of space.

The Bowflex Treadmill 10 may seem intimidating on first look, but it is as comfortable to run or walk on as it is sturdy. Its belt provides basically the same amount of space as that of our top pick. The touchscreen is smaller than the NordicTrack Commercial 1750’s (a larger screen is available on the more expensive Bowflex Treadmill 22), but like our top pick, the Treadmill 10 offers a variety of immersive workout experiences that are accessible with an optional subscription. However, in our testing, some of this model’s buttons and controls weren’t always responsive, and the overall girth of the treadmill made some testers wonder if it would be a practical fit at home, even when folded up.

This no-frills treadmill has a durable frame and an excellent warranty but lacks connectivity. It’s louder, too, and it’s heavier to fold than our other picks.

The Sole F80 is a solidly built treadmill that has the same size belt and the same maximum speed and incline as our top pick. We enjoyed running on the comfortable, responsive deck, and the basic LCD screen shows metrics clearly and has 10 built-in programs that do not require an internet connection or subscription. But we found that the F80 is one of the one of the loudest treadmills and one of the heaviest to fold, and unlike our top pick and runner-up, it does not decline.

This model is similar in look and feel to our top pick but has a smaller footprint, motor, and touchscreen. The belt is narrower, and it doesn’t decline.

The NordicTrack EXP 7i is similar in some ways to the company’s Commercial 1750, just in a slightly smaller package. Though it reaches the same top speed, its incline maxes at 12%, and it has no decline capability. The belt on the EXP 7i is 2 inches narrower than that of the Commercial 1750, and this model’s 7-inch touchscreen is 7 inches smaller than our top pick’s touch display.

Comfortable and equipped with streaming capabilities, this treadmill stands out with a sturdy build, a smooth ride, and intuitive controls.

Sporting a more cushiony deck and lots of storage space, this treadmill has more controls for speed and incline than our pick, but they are less responsive. It also takes up a lot of space.

This no-frills treadmill has a durable frame and an excellent warranty but lacks connectivity. It’s louder, too, and it’s heavier to fold than our other picks.

This model is similar in look and feel to our top pick but has a smaller footprint, motor, and touchscreen. The belt is narrower, and it doesn’t decline.

To understand how treadmills can and can’t help with exercise and training, we consulted running coaches, sports researchers, and industry insiders.

Seth Berkman, a staff writer covering fitness for Wirecutter, has been exercising on treadmills for over 20 years. Seth is an author of Wirecutter’s guide to running shoes.

Supervising editor Ingrid Skjong is a certified personal trainer (NASM) and a lifelong runner who has completed five marathons, nearly 15 half marathons, and a few triathlons. She is an author of Wirecutter’s guides to running shoes, GPS running watches, and fitness trackers.

About 165 million people engaged in running, jogging, or walking activities in 2021, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association. At least 43 million of them did so on treadmills—and for good reason. Treadmills offer an easy and efficient way to exercise.

But you may want to think twice before investing in this pricey equipment. It’s all too easy for a treadmill to become an expensive coat rack. According to one estimate, 40% of home gym equipment isn’t used as often as the buyer expected. The most important part of buying a treadmill is knowing yourself. “Anyone looking to purchase a treadmill should consider the cost in relation to how much they think they will use it,” said Nicole Hagobian, a running coach and a sport and exercise scientist at California Polytechnic State University.

“It’s a good idea to vary the speed and incline periodically if you are stuck inside running on a treadmill for an extended period,” said Rich Willy, associate professor at the school of physical therapy and rehabilitation science at the University of Montana.

For a fee, subscription services on some machines allow you to join trainer-led classes or simulated workouts in locations around the world such as the lakes of Minnesota or the streets of Uzbekistan. Before shelling out for a subscription, know the kinds of workouts you want.

This review covers treadmills specifically for running and walking. We have not assessed under-desk treadmills, dedicated tread desks, or walking pads.

We looked at both home treadmills and commercial models intended for use in gyms, the latter of which are generally more expensive and built with ultra-sturdy frames to handle daily use. “The home versions tend to have a softer frame,” said Harry Pino, manager for exercise physiology at the Princeton Longevity Center. “You’ll see a lot of plastic.”

Here are the features we focused on when choosing models to test.

Since the first iteration of this guide in 2017, we’ve had 41 testers (including both competitive racers and novice runners and walkers) try 29 treadmills. For our most recent testing in early 2023, 26 testers walked and ran on five treadmills. Staff writer Seth Berkman, co-author of this guide, ran and walked at least 12 miles on each machine over the course of four weeks, testing the maximum speed and incline, as well as other features.

Our testers noted how the treadmills felt underfoot, if they were noticeably hard or had more bounce. Some had slippery belts. Two treadmills had front plates that testers often hit their feet against. One machine’s belt grew noticeably squeakier over time, a factor that prompted us to eliminate it from contention.

We observed how steady the treadmills felt while we ran and walked. Some shook noticeably at different speeds or inclines. We also noted how smoothly and quietly each machine transitioned to its maximum incline—and decline, if available.

We paid significant attention to operating noise. Though all of the treadmills were loud, some produced louder footfall noises than others. The consoles and screens were of varying quality, and testers took note of glare, ease of use, and font sizes.

Many treadmills have built-in fans, and we tested those at full blast for noise and the quality of the air placement. You may also consider using a portable fan, such as our top pick, the Vornado 630.

Comfortable and equipped with streaming capabilities, this treadmill stands out with a sturdy build, a smooth ride, and intuitive controls.

The NordicTrack Commercial 1750 treadmill has a sleek frame and an engine that makes quick adjustments, and our unit showed almost no wear after months of testing. It provides a comfortable ride whether you’re just looking to clock some miles at a steady pace on your own or whether you choose one of the tons of workouts available through the subscription-based iFit platform ($39 per month or $396 per year for a family plan). The iFit guided runs stream on a 14-inch touchscreen that is flush with vibrant colors and no obvious pixels—it’s one of the best user interfaces we’ve seen on a treadmill. The Commercial 1750 also takes up less space than most treadmills and comes with a strong warranty.

It’s sturdy and convenient. The Commercial 1750 treadmill comes with a pair of water-bottle holders. The deck is foldable and spacious, and it lifts easily, with hydraulic assistance.

It has an easy-to-use interface. Clear, bright, and responsive, the 14-inch color touchscreen can also adjust to various angles. In manual mode, the screen displays each run or walk as quarter-mile lap progressions. You can’t access the HD interactive workouts without a subscription.

The optional subscription content enhances the experience. This treadmill comes with a 30-day trial subscription to iFit, the workout-streaming platform owned by NordicTrack’s parent company, iFit Health & Fitness. The subscription normally costs $39 per month for a family plan. As an interactive workout progresses, the Commercial 1750 automatically adjusts speed and incline; you can override the suggested numbers, however, and the treadmill readjusts to your preferences.

This treadmill requires a Wi-Fi connection even if you choose not to subscribe to iFit. NordicTrack’s warranty covers the Commercial 1750’s frame for 10 years, its parts for two years, and labor for a year.

We previously recommended an older version of the Commercial 1750; NordicTrack started phasing out that version in 2022. The updated model, our current recommendation, has a redesigned frame, a bigger, better screen, updated speakers, and a slightly smaller engine (3.5 continuous horsepower) in comparison with that of its predecessor, though we could not detect an impact on performance.

In some cases, these changes are a welcome upgrade. However, several testers said they preferred aspects of the older-model Commercial 1750.

The biggest differences between the old and new Commercial 1750 are aesthetic. The touchscreen is 4 inches larger and provides a great visual experience. The new model has Z-shaped side rails, which some testers did not like—one said the design change seemed to be mimicking the look of the Peloton Tread. The control buttons (start/stop, incline, speed) are on a panel obstructed by a bar that runs across the front of the machine, so you have to reach over the bar and down to access them (buttons for speed and incline also sit vertically on either side of the touchscreen, but some testers noted difficulty in reaching them while running). Amby Burfoot, author of several books about running and winner of the 1968 Boston Marathon, said that you shouldn’t have to look down to see panels and controls, because that “could cause loss of balance.” In our tests, the fan placement puzzled and disappointed one runner who is 5-foot-2: “You can’t adjust fan angle—it hits my mouth and dries out my airway.”

One reader emailed us to report that their console abruptly stopped working—a complaint that has surfaced elsewhere online—and to say that NordicTrack’s standard response has been to suggest the purchase of a new console, which can cost up to $1,000. NordicTrack did not respond to our queries about this problem.

Sporting a more cushiony deck and lots of storage space, this treadmill has more controls for speed and incline than our pick, but they are less responsive. It also takes up a lot of space.

“It looks like something Darth Vader would use,” one tester observed of the Bowflex Treadmill 10. Yes, it’s large and aesthetically daunting, but it offers a good workout experience even if you’re not set on ruling the galaxy.

Bowflex does not provide motor-horsepower details, but in our tests we were able to change this treadmill’s speed, incline, and decline at rates on a par with those of our other picks. The Treadmill 10 has two handles in the front of the machine and switches on the left and right side rails, providing more options for changing those settings than on our top pick.

A majority of testers praised the various roomy storage slots on the console, the cushiony deck, and the quietness of the ride. The fan placement hit the sweet spot at the neck/chest area, and our taller testers said they liked how the rails are high enough to accommodate runners with larger frames.

Like our top pick from NordicTrack, the Bowflex Treadmill 10 has a decline feature and comes equipped with interactive workouts (available through Bowflex’s JRNY platform). You can also choose to do a manual run, for which the 10-inch touchscreen displays regular statistics such as time, speed, and calories. A few testers noted, though, that the numbers on the screen were hard to read, and on more than one occasion the calorie counter seemed to be way off.

Because this treadmill is so big, its size sometimes causes problems mid-workout. For example, a few runners repeatedly hit their hands on the handles at the front of the machine. Another hindrance for some testers was their tendency to hit the kickplate at the front of the belt. Also, the buttons on the rails regularly took a few nudges on our part to adjust the speed or incline, not something you want to deal with during an intense run.

A Wi-Fi connection is required for the JRNY streaming classes, but you don’t need one for manual mode. The Bowflex Treadmill 10 has an expansive warranty covering 15 years for the frame and motor, five years for the mechanical parts, two years for labor, and one year for the electronics.

This no-frills treadmill has a durable frame and an excellent warranty but lacks connectivity. It’s louder, too, and it’s heavier to fold than our other picks.

The relatively simple but reliable Sole F80 has a better warranty than any of our other picks, as well as a solid build, a comfortable deck, and a 3.5-horsepower motor. Its basic LCD screen shows key metrics such as incline, speed, distance, and calories.

Like our top pick and runner-up, the F80 has a top speed of 12 mph and a maximum incline of 15%—but it does not decline. A pair of small, vertically stacked buttons on each handrail make it easy to adjust speed and incline incrementally with a thumb.

In our tests, the 3.5-horsepower motor transitioned quickly between speeds and inclines, and it felt appropriately spry on the run. We found the F80’s operational noise to be loud, though, as a wheezy whine emanated from the belt with our every step.

The F80 has 10 built-in programs for fat burn, HIIT, and other targeted workouts, but it is not equipped with interactive workouts as our other picks are. A tablet holder, mounted above the console, securely holds a device at eye level.

Two holders kept our bottles and phones secure, and three deep bins sit along a shelf below the console. The treadmill’s single-speed fan blew so gently, we barely felt it.

Sole covers the F80 with a solid warranty: lifetime for the frame and motor, three years for the parts, and one year for labor.

This model is similar in look and feel to our top pick but has a smaller footprint, motor, and touchscreen. The belt is narrower, and it doesn’t decline.

The NordicTrack EXP 7i houses a smaller continuous-horsepower motor than our top pick, though we didn’t notice a marked difference in performance. This treadmill has a top speed of 12 mph and a maximum incline of 12% but no decline capability. In our tests, the deck felt substantial and pleasantly solid but also narrower, which made it seem a bit tighter than that of our top pick. One tester found that the handrails wobbled a bit too much for his taste. The EXP 7i is foldable.

This model’s 7-inch touchscreen—a notable contrast to our top pick’s touchscreen, which measures 14 inches—is set into the console and is tiltable. The screen shows plenty of stats but feels small, particularly if you plan to stream iFit workouts over the Wi-Fi connection.

The built-in fan blows a decent blast. The two water-bottle holders are a bit shallow; one long bin under the console holds miscellany.

This treadmill comes with a free 30-day family subscription to iFit, and its warranty is the same as that of our top pick.

If you want the fully immersive Peloton experience: The Peloton Tread’s extensive library of on-demand and live classes, displayed on its 23.8-inch immersive color touchscreen, may very well justify this treadmill’s high price for you. The Tread also offers a Just Run setting, which allows you to, well, just run—with or without a subscription. Peloton’s all-access subscription membership fee, on top of your purchase of the treadmill, is $44 per month.

The Tread is relatively compact and has a minimalist yet roomy design. To address safety concerns following the recall of its earlier Tread model, Peloton introduced Tread Lock, a feature requiring the use of a four-digit digital passcode to unlock the treadmill’s belt.

The Tread has a 3.0-horsepower motor and hits a top speed of 12.5 mph. Its maximum incline is 12.5%, and unlike our picks, it allows you to adjust the incline by both half and whole grades. The Tread’s belt measures 59 inches long and 20 inches wide and runs smoothly. The deck is solid and comfortable, if not a bit firm.

Instead of offering traditional buttons, the Tread provides two adjustment knobs, for incline and speed, that allow you to make quick and precise adjustments. Two round water-bottle holders and one compartment for small items hold things securely. The Tread does not have a fan, and it doesn’t fold.

Peloton’s warranty is the least comprehensive that we’ve come across in this category: It’s a 12-month limited warranty for the touchscreen and “most” components, with five years of coverage for the frame and three years for the motor and belt.

If you want an ultra-sturdy, minimalist treadmill with a firm deck: The LifeSpan Fitness TR4000i is a good choice. The TR4000i was one of the sturdiest-feeling models among the treadmills we tested.

While its top speed of 12 mph equals that of our top picks, its incline maxes out at 13% (it declines to -2%.) Two waist-high handles in front of the console have additional buttons for speed and incline control. Although this treadmill is not specifically geared toward walkers, it counts steps, which is a feature we didn’t see on any other machine we tested.

The TR4000i’s deck is smooth, flush, and on the harder side. This model has a 7-inch color touchscreen and a 3.25-continuous-horsepower motor. LifeSpan backs the TR4000i with a solid warranty: 10 years for the frame, two years for the parts, and one year for labor.

If you prefer to stream classes on a device of your own and require quick adjustments: You might like the Horizon Fitness 7.0 AT. Along with traditional buttons, the 7.0 AT provides two QuickDial controls (one for speed, one for incline) on what look like video-game joysticks. They allow you to flick between speeds and inclines during intervals swiftly and fairly precisely. The console, which has a tablet holder for streaming workouts from your own device, houses a 7-inch LCD.

The 7.0 AT has a top speed of 12 mph and a maximum incline of 15%. Using the dials, you can adjust the incline in increments of 0.5. The treadmill is meant to work well with a variety of workout apps, and it pairs with Zwift for interactive workouts.

We found the platforms for water bottles and other items to be too flat to keep items steady. Though the 7.0 AT folds, it returns to the ground with a harder landing in comparison with other foldable treadmills we’ve tried. The warranty is strong: lifetime for the frame and motor, three years for the parts, and one year for labor.

If you have small kids or pets, make sure that you have space for your treadmill in a separate room or a sectioned-off area so that they can’t injure themselves while the machine is running. Common advice is to keep a treadmill behind a locked door if possible.

Amazon often has deals for free or discounted treadmill assembly. Among the makers of our picks, NordicTrack ($299) and Bowflex ($349 including standard shipping) can arrange for assembly. Try to schedule the assembly person to come on the day after the machine is delivered, and check to confirm whether the delivery people will bring the boxes inside (some are not obligated to). For our tests, all of the treadmills were assembled on site, with assembly provided by the respective treadmill companies.

That said, if you’re handy with tools and strong enough, and if you have a strong friend (with a handcart) who’s willing to assist, putting together a treadmill shouldn’t be an impossible feat.

When you’re contemplating where to put a new treadmill, consider the uniformity of your flooring, as even surfaces work best. You can also do a few things to take care of your machine and reduce the likelihood of major maintenance.

Most of the treadmills we’ve tested over the years have since been discontinued or replaced by newer versions. The following treadmills are all still available.

The Spirit XT485 has a 4.0-horsepower motor, but in our tests it took longer than we expected to reach higher speeds. As with our runner-up pick, hitting the kickplate was a common occurrence on this model, and its phone/tablet holder is inconveniently placed such that most devices cover up a good portion of the console’s screen, blocking the readouts. The display itself is basic—one tester compared it to a digital clock—but it serves its purpose and is easy to read. Some testers even preferred its “basic, old-school feel.” The belt was smooth and provided an enjoyable ride, feeling solid underfoot. One tester found that this model shook a lot during their workout.

The Horizon Fitness T202 showed promise early on, with testers enjoying its belt, which had little to no give but wasn’t too soft, either. This treadmill offers three ways for you to change the speed and incline, including rotating knobs on two front handles that make adjustments fast and easy. Although the belt looks small, it has standard measurements at 60 inches long and 20 inches wide. Some testers criticized the size of the two side compartments, which were more like mini shelves than holders; it was hard to lay phones flat or to place a water bottle there without worrying about those items’ movement. The main dealbreaker, though, was that after three weeks of use, this machine’s belt became noticeably squeaky to a point that it distracted several runners. (A Horizon spokesperson said if a customer is covered under the product warranty, the company will send out a service provider to fix this kind of issue on any of its treadmills.) Also, two testers felt electrical shocks when touching the handles while running.

Life Fitness treadmills are ubiquitous in gyms and hotel exercise rooms. We like the size, the easy-to-use features, and the strong warranty coverage of the Life Fitness T3. In our performance tests, however, it started out feeling sturdy but became more wobbly after repeated use over several weeks. The 3.0-horsepower motor took a while to ramp up to top speeds, and some testers reported more shaking the faster the belt went.

The NordicTrack Commercial X22i incline trainer is extreme in every way, as it inclines to a whopping 40%, declines to -6%, and sports a 22-inch color touchscreen that, though large and lovely to look at, was wobbly in our tests. We also found this treadmill to be loud; during testing, a colleague remarked from across the room that the Commercial X22i was significantly noisier than a different model he had heard a few minutes earlier. In addition, we noticed that its sled grips, which extend up from the arms and in toward the screen, block access to its water-bottle holders and platforms for holding a phone. (One tester wrote: “It felt like a Game of Thrones–style torture device with a space-age immersion screen.”) The deck was springy and felt as if we were wearing especially responsive running shoes. All in all, it’s a lot.

Considering the ProForm Carbon T7’s economical price and size, we had high hopes for this model. But the handrails were so wobbly, we couldn’t run on it comfortably. A technician from the company took a look, but even after the tech tightened a few bolts, the machine remained shaky.

The Sole F63 is well reviewed on other sites, but it disappointed us with a confusing display, a dated look, and slow responsiveness. (We do, however, like the Sole F80.) The deck made a disquieting, off-and-on-again cracking noise while we ran, and the belt—two-ply, in contrast to the three-ply belts on most competitors—felt the hardest of the bunch. The front kickplate seemed to be oddly positioned, as we kept kicking it during our runs.

Even though the Sunny Health and Fitness SF-T4400 Folding Treadmill is especially small, with a belt length of just 49 inches, we kept seeing it pop up on various treadmill roundups for runners. We took a chance and tried it—and we found that it’s much too small for serious running. The belt is 4.25 inches narrower than the narrowest belt among our picks (20 inches), the maximum speed is 9 mph, and the incline requires manual adjustment. The SF-T4400 was quite sturdy in our use and would possibly work for low-key walking, particularly for a smaller person. But its motor (2.2 continuous horsepower) was the smallest of the machines we tested, and its overall Lilliputian-ness knocked it out of contention.

Shannon Palus contributed reporting in 2017.

This article was edited by Tracy Vence and Kalee Thompson.

Amby Burfoot, author, editor of “Run Long, Run Healthy” newsletter, 1968 Boston Marathon winner, email interview, January 11, 2023

Nicole Hagobian, running coach, sport and exercise scientist at California Polytechnic State University, email interview, January 30, 2023

AM Jones, JH Doust, A 1% treadmill grade most accurately reflects the energetic cost of outdoor running, Journal of Sports Sciences, August 1, 1996

Alexandra F. DeJong Lempke, PhD, co-director, Michigan Performance Research Laboratory, email interview, January 11, 2023

Roberto Mandje, director of training and education at New York Road Runners, email interview, October 17, 2019

Harry Pino, manager for exercise physiology at the Princeton Longevity Center, phone interview

Bas Van Hooren, PhD researcher at Maastricht University, phone interview, November 9, 2021

Nicole Sifuentes, running coach and two-time Olympian, phone interview, November 16, 2021

James A. H. Smith, Alexander D. McKerrow, Tertius A. Kohn, Metabolic cost of running is greater on a treadmill with a stiffer running platform, Journal of Sports Sciences, August 30, 2016

Adam Tenforde, MD, director of running medicine at the Spaulding National Running Center, January 20, 2023

Rich Willy, associate professor, school of physical therapy and rehabilitation science, University of Montana, email interview, January 10, 2023

Seth Berkman

Seth Berkman is a staff writer at Wirecutter, covering fitness. He previously covered sports and health for several years as a freelancer for The New York Times. He is passionate about making fitness reporting accessible to people of all levels, whether they’re serious marathoners or first-time gym-goers. He is the author of A Team of Their Own: How an International Sisterhood Made Olympic History.

Ingrid Skjong

Ingrid Skjong is a supervising editor on the appliance team, focusing on the likes of ranges, refrigerators, dryers, and dishwashers. She previously covered fitness for Wirecutter and has been an editor and writer at various lifestyle magazines. She is an avid runner and lives in New York City.

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