Warranty
There should be a warranty for the treadmill itself and another one for the motor (depending on the company, there may also be a one-year in-home service contract). The warranty for the frame and parts should be between 3 and 5 years. If the warranty is for 1 year or less, then you can be sure that the treadmill was not built to endure regular use. As a guideline, you can say that the longer the warranty, the better the machine. Ask yourself this question: If I build a treadmill that I know is not built to last, I’m I going to want to put a long warranty on it? If a company is going to build a treadmill and then back it up with a 3 to 5 year warranty, then you know you are getting a high-quality piece of equipment. The warranty for the motor is extremely important as well, this should be a minimum of 10 years. Again, the longer the warranty the better the motor.Snapshot
Frame & Parts: min: 3-5 yearsMotor: Min 10 years
In-Home Service: 1 year
Extended Warranty: Would not purchase
Motor
This is the heart of your treadmill, so let us choose wisely. First, look at the Horsepower of the motor. You will want one with a minimum of 2 HP, although 2.5 and above would be better. Here is a table that will help you to choose how many horses to get.
- Walking: 2chp +
- Jogging: 2.5chp +
- Running: 3.0chp +
If you weigh over 200 pounds, you may want to add .5 to the above values.
You will come across two terms, which can be confusing. They are Peak Horse Power and Continuous Usage Horse Power or Continuous Duty (CHP).
- The Peak HP is the maximum horsepower that the treadmill can reach.
- Continuous Horse Power is the measurement that is consistently delivered during heavy usage over an extended period of time.
When you are comparing different treadmills, make sure you find out what the CHP is for each machine and use that number for your comparisons. Unfortunately, there is no industry standard with regards to horsepower. The measure of the horsepower of any particular motor is determined by the manufacturer itself so I would also advise you to choose a manufacturer that has a good reputation and know you can trust. (the length of the warranty offered can be your best gauge as to this question). 1
Next time: Treads and Belt Size.
See also:
Tips on How to Choose a Treadmill: Part-1
Tips on How to Choose a Treadmill: Part-3
1http://www.smoothfitness.com/treadmill-buying-guide/treadmill_buying_guide-2.htm
http://www.treadmilladviser.com/treadmill-buyers-guide.html
Thanks for the information! Mom is looking at getting one and this has helped a lot! We read part 1, too!
Samantha and Mr Tigger: I'm glad that it has helped. Please let me know which treadmill your mom ends up buying. Thanks again for stopping by:)
been saving up to buy a treadmill. thanks for the info ;) i'll show this to my husband.
cheers!
I was looking of buying treadmill but i end up buying rowing machine but it's not for me...so now i am back of wanting to buy treadmill again...thanks for the tips.
Liza: Thanks for stopping by and I'm glad I was able to help. If you decide to buy online, I hear that Nordic Track offers free shipping sometimes. Thanks again and good luck treadmill hunting:)
iris: I'm glad I was able to help. I agree with you about the rowing machine. I used to have one and I always got blisters on my hands. If you decide to buy online, I hear that Nordic Track sometimes offers free shipping. Good luck with the treadmill hunt:)