The Best Elliptical Machines for 2010Almost every company claims they offer the best elliptical machines available. You can test literally dozens of ellipticals in your quest for the perfect exercise machine and simply end up confused. It’s frustrating, isn’t it? We’ve taken some of the guess work out of finding the right machine by doing some research of our own and come up with six of the best elliptical trainers money can buy. Each one fits the “best of” category in a different way, so there will be one that appeals to you.
Best Overall Elliptical Trainer 2010 – Precor EFX 5.17i
Since Precor is the company that invented the elliptical trainer, it’s no surprise that the Precor EFX 5.17i is considered the best overall in comparison to the best elliptical machines. Outstanding features include the patented Cross Ramp feature that allows you to adjust the incline angle of the pedals from 12-25 degrees to ensure a complete workout of all the leg muscles. State-of-the-art LED displays and graphics make designing and tracking your workout easy, and twenty resistance levels mean you’ll never outgrow this machine. It also sets the industry standard for smooth motion, has a generous 19” stride and comes with the best warranty in the industry. At around $2,000, you’ll feel like you’re on a commercial grade machine and you’ll use it for years.
Best Value Elliptical Machine 2010 – Smooth CE 3.6
Smooth Fitness makes some of the best elliptical machines in the mid-price range, and their innovative Internet sales and service is legendary. The Smooth CE 3.6 is an upgrade to the highly rated 3.2 model, which was a benchmark in its price class among rear-drive units for a couple of years. The Smooth CE 3.6 is even better. Pivoting foot pedals mimic the natural movement of your ankles which alleviates foot numbness after a long training session, and helps keep your lower body aligned for less strain in the hips, knees, and ankles. The unit also comes with a wireless heart rate control that will automatically adjust the machine’s resistance to keep you in the target HR zone for optimal results. For the price – about $1,499 – it’s the best value around. You’re getting a superior elliptical trainer without paying the high-end price.
Best Value Elliptical Trainer 2010 – Sole E25
We admit it – there was a tie in the “Best Value” category. The simple truth is that we couldn’t decide which elliptical machine to go with – it will come down to preference for most consumers. Sole is another great value. The Sole E25 elliptical trainer comes in at a few hundred dollars less than the Smooth CE 3.2 at around $1,000 and offers some impressive features. Sixteen levels of resistance, twelve workouts and an LCD display that keeps track of everything from time, distance, levels to calories burned. Innovative engineering such as angled foot pedals that reduce strain on the joints make a world of difference to your elliptical workout. You simply can't go wrong with this one.
Best Budget Trainer with Articulating Footpads 2010The Schwinn 430 elliptical trainer is a fairly new budget model made by Nautilus which has quickly become one of the best-selling, lower-end machines you’ll find online. The articulating footpads, and combination of programs and resistance are some of the features that make it one of the best elliptical machines priced under $1000. Articulating footpads are rarely seen as a standard item on a sub-$1000 elliptical trainer, but the Schwinn 430 has them. It’s also got a slew of resistance levels, heart rate monitoring, and comes close to giving you that commercial health club machine quality. An excellent buy for $650, but we have seen it at Amazon for less than that!
Best Budget Trainer for Beginners 2010 - Eclipse 1100 HR/A
If you are on a tight budget, the Eclipse 1100 HR/A sells at Amazon for $395, making it one of the least expensive best elliptical machines you can get that still offers eight different resistance levels and several programs. While lighter weight and with a shorter stride than some others, we found this machine a very good budget trainer for beginners. It has a smooth ride due to the Orbital Linkage System and provides an upper body workout as well. It is also one of the few elliptical machines in this price range with both forward and backward movement, working more muscles groups for better tone and fitness. Best Club-Quality Trainer 2010 – Precor EFX 5.33
Here’s our top pick of the best elliptical machines money can buy – the champagne of in-home fitness machines. This is a sleekly designed cross trainer with the strength and durability others only aspire to. The Precor EFX 5.33 is a no maintenance dream with the smoothest ride you’ll ever enjoy on even the best elliptical machines. Engineered to move in tandem with your body, it has an intuitive feel to it and feels like you’re almost gliding. This elliptical trainer has a full fourteen programs, upper body workout and twenty resistance levels. If you can afford the $3,999 price tag, you’ll feel like you’ve opened a professional gym in your home. In fact, you’ll look forward to stepping on to it every time!
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