With all the marketing hype consumers are facing today, it's quite hard to differentiate a quality treadmill from an inferior treadmill. That's why I researched on what quality treadmills have that inferior treadmills don't. This article, The 4 Most Common Attributes of a Quality Treadmill, was the result of that research.
The traits below are vital to a treadmill's performance and are the things that you'll always find in a quality treadmill.
Continuous Horsepower
One of the most important attributes of a quality treadmill is its horsepower or HP. There are 2 ways to measure the HP of a motor, through "peak duty" or "continuous duty". Treadmills with a continuous duty horsepower mean that the motor can maintain a certain horsepower the whole workout. Peak duty horsepower means the treadmill may be able to reach that horsepower briefly, but won't be able to sustain it.
Most inferior treadmills try to make their machines look better by listing their peak duty rather than their continuous duty horsepower. Quality treadmills have nothing to hide and would always put their continuous duty horsepower upfront for everyone to see.
Powerful Motor
When I say power, what I really mean is that the motor should be able to pump power with ease throughout the whole machine. For example, a 2.5HP continuous duty motor in an entry level model is powerful, but the same cannot be said if that motor is in a commercial treadmill, since it would be way too weak to make the huge commercial unit function.
The best way to know if a treadmill has a powerful motor is by running on it. Motors of quality treadmills should not have a hard time maintaining your pace. Your workouts should be smooth and lag free, even at top speed. The moment you feel the motor is having a hard time, avoid buying that unit completely. It's a headache waiting to happen.
Low Noise Level
Another attribute of a quality treadmill is the noise level. If the machine makes too much noise, it could be due to poor engineering. Generally, the less noise a treadmill produces the better its engineering, and the better its quality.
Long Warranties
And finally, the last attribute is the warranty. Quality treadmills are usually backed wholeheartedly by the company who made it. A typical quality treadmill warranty is at least a lifetime on frames, 2 years on parts and a year on labor/service. Warranties like these show that the manufacturer is confident that their product is of high quality.
Well, there you have it. Those are the attributes of a quality treadmill. Let this article be a guide to you in your purchasing decisions.
Aaron Co is an avid treadmill user for more than 6 years now. He is the founder of TreadmillTips.com. A website that provides unbiased treadmill reviews & buying tips so shoppers can choose the fitness equipment that suits them best.
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