Good CHEAP elliptical?

spyrosmom

spyrosmom

Cathlete
DH has finally acknowledged that I/we NEED an elliptical. We don't have a ton of space nor a ton of money to spend on it. I'm not looking for the $2000 all the bells and whistles machine, but something good, sturdy, button push adjustable resistance (for CC), that isn't going to break the bank. All the of lower price ones I've seen on the Web, have bad reviews from squeaking to wobbling to breaking :confused:. Anyone know of a better cheaper brand or a really good sale somewhere? I know you get what you pay for, but there has gotta be a good deal somewhere!

Nan
 
Hey, Nan. You've gotten half the battle down by having DH SAY you need one! :) I actually asked for a few recs about 2 months ago and got some really good responses. In a second, I'll copy and paste that link in this post for you.

I researched a ton of them, based on everybody's input.

If you're looking for a way to get a good (even GREAT) elliptical and not break the bank, Nordic Track offers payment plans as low as $25 a month. They also offer free shipping every now and then. I asked the Customer Service person if there was a way I could do BOTH....payment plan AND free shipping (the free shipping isn't available when you do the payment plans) and she said they CAN do that, you just have to ask (and be nice, lol). AND, a few of the Nordic Track ellips are fold-up, space-saving machines.

I'll be right back with the responses from my post a few weeks back.

Gayle
 
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My suggestion, as I have a treadmill, but a co-worker bought an elliptical (I'll find out if you want to know). she said it was not just as easy as picking out one online and having it shipped to you unless you have actually tried them in person. Her suggestion was to go to several stores and try all kinds of different models. You should get the one with the right "stride" for you, as apparently different brands have different ways to achieve the same elliptical movement...

Before I bought my treadmill, I tried a few, and all of them killed my knees, so I moved on from that thought, yet my friend had the same problem on a few she tried, but found ond that didn't give her those same issues and worked for her.

Sears is also a good place to get them... I believe, as with any large item, they have special financing and delivery options... check them out too.

good luck ;)
 
I'm going to go to a few stores and see which I like then see if I can swing a better price on the Web. Most bang for the buck, ya know? I was looking for a starting point with brands/models and you ladies have given me a few suggestions, thanks! Need to find one that will fit me and DH, he is about 5 inches taller than me, and most of it is in the legs, and he has long monkey arms. I am liking some of the nordic tracks, and quite a few are reasonable. Thanks!!

Nan
 
i just got a sole e35 at dicks for $1300.
it has auto resistance and incline.
we're very happy with it.
 
I'd also mention that CHEAP should not be your biggest critereon. You want sturdy and safe, which sometimes means investing a little more - and like Gayle mentioned - look for financing.

My TM is making a funny sound and the gym where I belong has a guy who services all of their TMs and ellipticals. I asked him for a card and whether he might do a service call to my home. He first asked what kind of machine I had because, he said, many of the "cheaper" models are not worth fixing if and when something goes wrong after 5 or so years. He said they are basically throw away machines. So IF you are looking for something that will last, consider trying some of the solid brands, just the models without all the bells and whistles, like you said. Sears does usually have solid equipment. I live and die by my Precor (have both TM and elliptical) - but there are some great brands. Good luck.
 
L Sass said:
I'd also mention that CHEAP should not be your biggest critereon. You want sturdy and safe, which sometimes means investing a little more - and like Gayle mentioned - look for financing.

My TM is making a funny sound and the gym where I belong has a guy who services all of their TMs and ellipticals. I asked him for a card and whether he might do a service call to my home. He first asked what kind of machine I had because, he said, many of the "cheaper" models are not worth fixing if and when something goes wrong after 5 or so years. He said they are basically throw away machines. So IF you are looking for something that will last, consider trying some of the solid brands, just the models without all the bells and whistles, like you said. Sears does usually have solid equipment. I live and die by my Precor (have both TM and elliptical) - but there are some great brands. Good luck.
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Cheap meaning value for money, not cheaply made. I have no intention of buying a $200 machine that will fall apart if I look at it sideways, but I also can't spend oodles of cash, either.

Nan
 
I have a Lifefitness elliptical (gym-quality). It's re-furbished...purchased it on eBay....delivered/set up for $1500. Brand new these units are close to $5K. I'm extemely happy with mine. :)
 
I'm glad to see that you plan to do some testing in person before you try to buy online. We bought an elliptical for my husband so the one we bought fit his stride. I hated it, as did my daughter, as it did not fit us at all. It was a lower-end model (his preference, as he wasn't sure how much he would use it) that was not adjustable so I never did use it because it was so uncomfortable.

Although I'm not usually a big fan of Sears, I do recommend them for fitness machines. I bought my Nordic Track treadmill from them and found the sales people to be very knowledgeable about which models fit my needs. Just don't be afraid to ask questions and to tell them exactly how you'll be using it (length of workout time, etc., as that can make a difference). I did research online about motor speeds, etc., and was able to ask intelligent questions that changed which models they recommended.

I also am not a big fan of service contracts, but I did buy one for the treadmill. It comes with a free maintenance service each year. I've had it for nearly three years and just this past month the belt started slipping and making a squeaking noise. I called for service for the first time and it was handled quickly and professionally. The service tech was very thorough and even gave me suggestions for some settings on the deck that I had either forgotten were there or never did know about.

Good luck! It's a big purchase and I know how stressful that can be.
 
Costco has a Pro Form 780 CSE elliptical. It's regularly priced at $799, but they recently sent out a coupon for $150 off that price! If you want it, I'll send you the coupon. The coupon is valid from 1/5 - 1/25. You can try out the elliptical in the store, at least manually, to see if the stride is comfortable for you.

I just bought the Nordic Track treadmill from there and I'm very happy with it.
 
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