It seems you do not have time to step outdoors and indulge in walking, jogging, or running. Never mind if you don’t! You can buy the best treadmill for your home and perform all these exercises within your home’s comfort. But you must remember that treadmills demand a significant investment. They represent advanced exercise equipment that helps you perform various exercises on a single platform. So, the choice of treadmill surely matters. So, here’s how to choose the best treadmill for home use.

7 Factors to Consider While Choosing the Best Treadmill for Home Use

When it comes to buying a treadmill, examining and reviewing each factor matters from the viewpoint of exercising comfort, performance, and endurance. So, here are seven factors you should check before finalizing a treadmill for your home-based workout plan.

Most home treadmills have a power of somewhere between 2.25 and 4.25 CHP (continuous horsepower). The treadmill power you need will depend on the type of exercise and your body weight. For instance, if your weight is 200 pounds, you may need 2 CHP or higher for walking, 2.5 CHP or higher for jogging, and 3.0 or higher CHP for running. If you are a little more than 200 pounds, add about 0.5 CHP more to the power required for every activity.

Setting an incline proves beneficial, as the right incline can help you increase the exercise’s intensity. As a beginner, you may want to start with an incline of one to two percent. However, once you’ve mastered it, you may not want to get complacent and push yourself harder with a two to four-percent incline. Increasing the incline gradually will help you increase your activity’s intensity and achieve more. Accordingly, you should choose a treadmill the incline of which can go up to ten percent.

Speed isn’t a measure of performance or results. But increasing the speed gradually will help you push yourself and achieve more. As a beginner, it is pretty obvious that you get confused with what speed to start. Anything above 0 can be for walking and 0.1 mph to 4 mph can be deemed appropriate as walking speed. For jogging, the speed could be set at 4 mph and 6 mph. Reiterating, speed doesn’t factor in as a measure of performance or achievement. You should decide your speed based on what suits you and with what you are comfortable with. Speed is a criterion only when you are preparing for running contests.

Belts are available in sizes 13 to 22 inches wide and 40 to 60 inches long. Larger belts cost more. The idea isn’t to choose a treadmill with a larger belt but a well-suited one to be able to walk and run properly. Accordingly, go for something above 16 inches. If you only intend to walk on the treadmill, an 18-inch belt can work. Similarly, if you plan to run, 20 inches or wider will work better. Concerning the length, a 48-inch-long belt would be apt for walking. On the other hand, for jogging, a 54-inch belt can work. However, while choosing larger belt sizes, factor in the space available in your room! 

Cushions absorb much of the impact the users experience while working out on the treadmill. Extra cushioning will help provide extra comfort and make exercising even simpler on the treadmill. Thus, look for a treadmill with extra cushioning.

Buy a treadmill that can handle at least 50-60 pounds more than your body weight. So, if your weight is 180 pounds, have a treadmill that can handle at least 250 pounds. A little more than 50-60 is good. More user weight capacity puts less strain on the motor. Of course, the higher the user's weight capacity, the more the price. But it is worth considering the weight capacity factor, considering aspects like exercising comfort and the treadmill’s endurance.

Advanced treadmills offer a range of features like Bluetooth speakers, tablet holders, console fans, web browsers, HD screens, etc. Of course, all these features add to the treadmill’s price. But considering the value they add, having a treadmill with all these features is surely worth it.

We hope the above helps you choose the best treadmill for home use. Consider exploring Cockatoo’s range of treadmills for your home-based exercise venture. Our range of treadmills and comprehensive product information will help you choose the best one suited to your needs. Click to explore our treadmill product range.