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Best Home Treadmill for Running: How to Select the Right One

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treadmill buying
at home treadmill

Amanda we’re looking to get a new treadmill, what’s the best home treadmill?

This has become a common refrain among my friends over the last 10 years as they too begin to realize all the reasons I love having a treadmill at home.

It’s also turned in to a joke because many of you start out Googling the answer and come up with videos of me testing out over 75 treadmills (part of a job I did!).

If you have no patience to do the search or read the full post, I’ll skip right to it.

✅This is the best treadmill for running at home.

The Nordictrack C1750 which can be had for under $2000 and will LAST forever.

I’ve tested it.

I’ve recommended it to many friends who now have it and love it.

It’s from a stellar brand, which means a long life, it feels stable and has the features you need without going too crazy.

Best Home Treadmill

I definitely have some preferences and some opinions thanks to the many…many…many miles I’ve put in on a whole variety of treadmills since I started running in 2002.

In fact, the person who last serviced my treadmill thought the total number of miles displayed for the lifetime had to be an error…it’s not.

My Nordictrack treadmill had well over 35,000 miles since I brought it home in 2013.

best running treadmill

Many top runners utilize the treadmill for training, so why shouldn’t we?

Especially when we live in crazy climates or terrain that doesn’t mimic the race we’ll be doing. Some have found they run slower on treadmills, but there are a few correctable reasons why that might be.

A great running treadmill at home eliminates excuses, so this is what I’ve learned about all the variables you see listed to help decide which things actually matter.

As you know I have the NordicTrack C2950 and a number of my friends are now rocking the NordicTrack 1750 per my recommendations! I adore my treadmill and it has over 14000 miles on it, going strong.

But I know that it’s a more expensive model than I would have even chosen on my own.

Most of the NordicTrack and ProForm treadmills are both a good price and offer a good range of features.

NOTE: Right now, prices are higher without as many sales due to more people looking for an at home treadmill. If you see a sale, I won’t lie…you should jump on it.

Best Treadmills for Running At Home

Having tested hundreds of treadmills, these are the one’s worth your money.

I’ll go through specific features to look for in a treadmill like the belt length or motor to help you in comparing others on your own after this.

Best overall running treadmill: Nordictrack 1750 – I stand by this as the optimal choice. It’s going to last, so break down the cost over many years!

Runner up at home treadmill: ProForm Power 995i – Actually made by the same company as Norditrack, so you can expect some similarities though I often find the Norditrack to be just a bit more upscale. Again it’s a good budget friendly option.

Best budget friendly treadmill: Sole F 80 – My first at home treadmill was a Sole! It was 2008 so I can’t remember the model, but I do remember choosing it because it was stable and at the time more budget friendly.

Best treadmill for trail runners: Nordictrack x32i – Listen if you want to conquer big vert then you need a treadmill that’s got serious incline power and can still give you what you need for a speed workout. Pricey…but a STELLAR treadmill.

Home Treadmill Features to Consider

Everyone is going to have slightly different needs in a treadmill for running at home, but there are a couple of things which will be universal. Some of the key features to look at when selecting the best treadmill for your needs, whether you’re focused on getting back in to running or serious marathon training a lot of these are the same.

Stability
If you’ll be running on the treadmill, then ask to turn it on in the store. You want to ensure that as you pick up the pace there’s no swaying of the machine. Most of the newer machines with some of the features mentioned below will be solid.

One of the reasons I went for a commercial treadmill was knowing they are a built to withstand a lot of miles and are definitely very stable machines. That also means a slightly higher price tag and sometimes a heavier machine.

Motor
Runners need 3.0 CHP or higher motor to ensure it quickly picks up speed and maintains. If you’re someone who does a lot of tabata running and want to really take your speeds from 5MPH to 12MPH then you should look for a 4.0CHP or higher.

Here’s my review of the treadmill that I most often recommend, the Nordictrack 1750 (still a top rated machine even 4 years after my initial crazy video because they upgraded it to commercial level quality.)

Belt Length
Did you even realize treadmills are different lengths?! It’s especially important as a runner, not to end up with one built more for walking that could have a track as short as 43″.

Most good running treadmills will be 58-60″ and if you’re super tall, look for one’s that are 63″.

Available Inclines
Nearly every running treadmill now goes up to 10-15% incline, which is more than enough for most of us to do some seriously workouts that increase HR without the pounding. If you want to go crazy with inclines, then look more towards an incline treadmill, which is not as much for running.

One of the reasons, I selected my treadmill was that it also has a decline of -3% and this make training for downhill races much easier and bonus points because it makes speed training on low heart rate more accessible.

Variety of Speeds
If you’re looking at a treadmill with a top speed of 6MPH, then it’s probably a walking treadmill with a small motor. Most new treadmills go up to 12MPH, which is roughly a 5:14 mile depending on the incline. I for one will likely never touch that button, but hey goals.

Space Needed
For years we had to find ways to situate our tiny apartment spare bedroom around the treadmill and the fact that it folded was absolutely a must have feature! Now we’re lucky to have much more space in the basement. It’s important to remember it’s not just the space of the treadmill, but having some area around it and above your head.

Display Options
Display options now are out of this world. You can get the very standard display showing your speed and distance around the track or a full color display with built in WiFi. This is what allows you to do things like run a route using Google Maps.

best running treadmill

TV Included
The C2950 actually comes with an exterior attachment for a mounted TV. I loved using that in the apartment because otherwise I’d have been staring at a wall. This is definitely when you’re getting more to the top end of treadmills, but it can be fantastic for small spaces or those with sleeping babies because there’s no need to crank up the TV across the room.

Built in Programs
A few weeks ago, I talked all about the built in programs and creating your own to stay engaged. The built in programs can be a great source of motivation, so check them out and decide how important they are in terms of overall features.

Extras
Other things to consider are built in fans or trays, both can be very nice to have…but it’s all about price and what matters to you. As a runner the lower tray bothers me because I just envision kicking it, but the fans are a great bonus for us sweaty folks.

Honestly those are my top picks! There are tons of treadmills out there and lots of versions even from those brands, but that’s where I’d start if shopping myself.

What matters to you most in an at home treadmill?

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Posted by amanda Categories: treadmill

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Heather says

    March 26, 2017 at 5:05 pm

    Need a treadmill for my house. This has helped

  2. Shay @ Whine Less, Breathe More says

    March 26, 2017 at 6:58 pm

    I would love a treadmill at home!

  3. Andrea Trulove says

    March 27, 2017 at 6:52 am

    THANK YOU!! I’m looking to upgrade my treadmill and these are wonderful things to consider! (When I bought my current treadmill it was a clearance floor model, and it has been fine, but I like a lot of the options you noted!)

  4. Janelle @ Run With No Regrets says

    March 27, 2017 at 7:31 am

    Now that I own a house I’m in the market for a treadmill so this is so helpful! It would be nice to have some built-in programs that can simulate running outdoors!

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Amanda Brooks : Run Coach
A NEW PLAN DOESN’T FIX EVERYTHING. You might alr A NEW PLAN DOESN’T FIX EVERYTHING. You might already know what’s best for you, but aren’t doing it consistently. That’s the only way we really make changes.
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A PLAN can help, but I often don’t think that’s step one to making lasting change.
//
HABITS AND ROUTINES✴️
-Eliminate the need to make decisions.
-Which reduces brain fatigue.
-Which increases your chance of success.
//
TINY HABITS✴️
This is the smallest step you can take towards your goal. Often so small it seems insignificant, but is easy to make it a habit.
🌟
That leads you to another tiny habit, then another and suddenly it’s just your lifestyle.
👆👆👆
When people ask how I easily kept off 35lbs for over 15 years, while enjoying pizza, taking rest days and not obsessing about food.
👇👇👇👇
When people ask how I stay motivated to run year round and rarely race. Tiny habits.
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Day one isn’t eat perfect or run for an hour.
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Day one IS drink a glass of water when I wake up. Put on my running clothes.
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Day 30 is then more like after I drink my glass of water, I do 5 push ups. After I put on my running clothes, I do a 5 minute warm up.
//
SLOW PROGRESS IS BETTER THAN NO PROGRESS, it builds momentum and is sustainable.
❔❔❔
Have you ever practiced creating tiny habits???
1️⃣ WORD TO DESCRIBE YOUR RUNNING THIS YEAR? M 1️⃣ WORD TO DESCRIBE YOUR RUNNING THIS YEAR?
Mine... satisfying.
😊
1900 miles blows away previous years.
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(swipe to see...because yes I love tracking.) Unfortunately I’m not positive what it was 2001-2007 because I wrote it on calendars.
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SATISFYING
🥰I needed the long miles early on to process my business being thrown for a loop. Bye bye book tour and partnerships.
😊I needed it after that to get away from the news and pretend I wasn’t spending all day alone. Then as my business shifted again to keep ideas flowing.
🌲I loved the time outside to think, get lost in a comedy podcast or audiobook. Otherwise I’m at home working!
🤩Without a single race, I still checked a big goal off my list of running an ultra distance (solo was very interesting!).
//
I’ve seen some posts that make it seem like we’re wrong for talking about what we achieved this year.
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It was a HARD FCKIN year for everyone, but guess what lots of years are. And not every year is great even without a pandemic.
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For all the lows this year, I also worked my ass off to make some really good things happen. And I’m extra proud of that.
//
So let’s hear your word for fitness in 2020??
⬇️
Hard, easy, strong, powerful, consistent, cleansing, relaxing, nature, grace, grit, grind, triumph, building...
HAIR EMOJI POLL!!! Seriously hair...it’s a lot r HAIR EMOJI POLL!!! Seriously hair...it’s a lot right?! Figuring out what to do with it, color it don’t color it, keep it healthy, breakage from ponytails, long, short. And yet a good hair day😃 🔥 🌟
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POLL:
🥰Love your hair
🤪Frustrated with your hair
1️⃣Natural curls
2️⃣Stick straight
👇👇👇
Curly friends: share your favorite tips!!
Long hair friends: what helps you keep it healthy?
👆👆👆
//
At 7 I could sit in my hair it was so long.
At 10 we started perms.
At 16 I had a full mane of hair I loved.
At 20 I learned I have naturally curly hair 😂after years of perms as a kid.
At 25 I was going blonde blonde blonde.
At 29 I began losing hair and it got so brittle I had to chop it off, due to the hormone issues.😭
At 35 my hair started to recover (as did my body), but never like that mane I loved as a teen.
At 39 I got my first curly haircut! I’m still figuring it out, but was amazed at how it looked.
//
I don’t wear much make up, but I do admit to really caring about my hair and it was a tough time when it felt so unhealthy.
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I’m still struggling to figure out this new curly style 😂but keep hearing from other curly girls ya just gotta stick it out. So we’ll see.
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#curlygirlmethod #hairtalk
ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO RUN? Why don’t you just ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO RUN? Why don’t you just enjoy a day off? Don’t you feel guilty about the time apart?
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Yes.
It makes me happy.
No, if I’m happy our time together is better.
👇👇👇
MY VIEW IS THIS...
❌If you aren’t working out because of food guilt
❌If you aren’t missing big moments because you must workout
✅If you enjoy it and it improves your day
✅THEN GO FORTH and don’t let anyone make you feel guilty for improving your mental and physical health.
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❓Do you have guilt or get guilted about workouts for n holidays?❓
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This has been my lifestyle so long that our families just know to expect that I’m gonna sweat. And of course, I’m lucky David wants this lifestyle too.
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BUTTTTT I remember those first trips to David’s family, where it really threw them for a loop. They still find it weird, but I sneak out before everyone gets up or have gotten them to do family things like the rec center.
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My best advice when asked has always been to try and calmly explain why it matters to you and then just go. They get over it or used to it.
🎁 🎄🕎
TAKE ANOTHER LITTLE PIZZA MY HEART 😂a reminder TAKE ANOTHER LITTLE PIZZA MY HEART 😂a reminder this holiday season that we all need to be loved differently...and pizza transcends all.
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🍕Do you have a favorite local pizza place?🍕🍕
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Yes, I knead to know for when we can travel again.
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Here we fell in love in love with @saucyspizza and I wouldn’t be sad if I got it as a gift 😆
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#pizzamemes #eatlocal #denvercolorado #ilovepizza #lovememes #pizzagram #digiorno #papajohns #foodisfuel #longrun #womenwhoeat #carbsarelife
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