Best Budget Treadmill 2021

2020 was a difficult year for almost everyone, no matter where you lived. The Covid-19 pandemic forced governments to implement lockdowns to curb the transmission of the virus to prevent their hospital systems from collapsing. This restriction of movement has forced many people into working from home. One of the many complications of this is that on top of not being able to go to the gym, you also can’t choose to walk or cycle to work and at least get some exercise that way.

To make up for the difficulty in getting good exercise, many people have turned to home training. For some this takes the form of yoga or weights, for others it involves a stationary bike. Another popular piece of equipment is the treadmill, with one you can walk or run at your own pace, for however long you want, without ever having to leave your own home.

Unfortunately, exercise equipment, especially things like treadmills are often expensive. Thankfully, some are cheaper than others. While you will have to make some compromises and spend a fair amount of money to get a decent budget model, they are out there.

There are some useful things that you should consider when looking to buy a treadmill. The first is how much power you need. Treadmill motors are generally measured in CHP or Continuous HorsePower. A value of 2.5 is more than suitable if you’re only looking to walk or do some light jogging. If you’re more of a runner, you should look for a model with 3CHP or more. Similarly, a track length of 55 inches (140cm) is more than enough for walking, but if you’re looking to run you may want a 60-inch (152cm) track to accommodate the larger strides.

To help you find a good option for you, we’ve drawn up a list of the best budget treadmills in 2021

The Horizon T101 is a solid budget treadmill that features a 2.5CHP motor and a 55-inch long running area. It can angle the belt up to 10% and if you buy it directly from Horizon, you get free shipping and assembly as well as a $200 discount from the MSRP. The frame and motor are both covered by a lifetime warranty, while parts and labour come with a 1-year warranty.

The 3 LED-backlit windows are somewhat basic, but this has been allowed for. There is also a rack sized to hold both phones and tablets that features a fast-charging USB port so you don’t need to worry about your battery running out on a long session. You can also connect your phone or tablet via a 3.5mm jack or Bluetooth to use the built-in speakers. Once you’re done with your workout, it even folds away for easier storage.

The NordicTrack T 6.5 S comes from the makers of the iFit training app. As part of your purchase, you get a free 30-day subscription, which can be claimed when you set up the machine. Unfortunately, NordicTrack attempts to force you into signing up, by saying that it’s required to use the treadmill. You can bypass the app requirement by pressing and holding the iFit button on the treadmill for 30 seconds.

The top speed of 10mph is reasonable for walking and jogging but may be too slow for runners. If you connect to the iFit app, it can control the speed and incline of your treadmill automatically in sync with your workout. The warranty is pretty solid though it’s unclear how the motor itself is covered. The treadmill can also fold up and away for easy storage.

The Goplus Under Desk Treadmill is unusual for a treadmill in that it doesn’t have a hand height console, or any handholds. In fact, it’s basically flat, because it’s designed to go under a standing desk so you can work out while you work. It’s assumed that you won’t want to be running much while working so the top speed is limited to just 4mph.

It is controlled with a remote control that includes an emergency stop button in case there’s an accident. All treadmills will have a weight limit of some form but 220lbs is pretty low. It’s only got a running area 41 inches long, being designed for walking, long strides shouldn’t be too much of an issue, but this may be too short if you’re tall and walking near the top speed.

The Weslo Cadence G 5.9i Folding Treadmill is designed as a low-profile treadmill. The running area is 50 inches long which is decent enough for most users but only 16 inches wide. This may be a bit narrow for some users, especially if you prefer to run rather than walk. It does mean it takes up less floor space though, especially when it’s folded up.

The incline settings are extremely basic with just two settings that must be switched between manually. This means if you want to change incline during your workout, you need to get off the treadmill and stop it to adjust it. the speed of the treadmill can be automatically adjusted with the iFit app, however, you can’t just plug it in and get running If you don’t want to use the app. instead you’ll need to start the signup process and then skip it to be able to use your treadmill.

That was our roundup of the best budget treadmills in 2021. Have you recently bought a budget treadmill? What sold you on it and what’s your experience been with it? let us know down below.