Epic treadmills are not as well known as other brands - even though they have a big name behind them.
Epic is a subsidiary of ICON Health and Fitness, one of the largest producers of treadmills in the world. ICON also manufactures brands like Image, Weslo, Nordic Track, Proform and Reebok.
Epic has actually been around for a while, but the brand seemed to be languishing for the last couple of years.
Strengths:
#1) Affordable - Most Epic models are under $1500, depending on where you buy them. This makes Epic a viable option for exercisers on a budget.
#2) Great Bells and Whistles - Like many of the other ICON brands like Nordic Track and Proform - Epic home treadmills come with some neat bells and whistles.
You can find built-in TVs, music ports for your mp3 player, goal specific workouts and other fitness tracking tools.
#3) Decent motors and motor warranties - Many of the motors on these treadmills are 2.5 - 3.0 HP, which is decent for this price range.
And most are covered by a fairly decent (i.e. 12 year) motor warranty. Not the best in the industry, but not the worst either.
#4) Best Buy Rating - The Epic View 550 was given a 'Best Buy' rating by a leading consumer magazine for 2008.
Weaknesses:
While the motor warranties are quite good, the rest of the warranties (1 year parts and labor) don't compare to other treadmills at that price level.
Also, note that the popular Epic T60 was recalled by Icon due to safety issues with the design. Customers should stop using this treadmill immediately.
Plus, at this price point you might want to go for a more well-known name like Nordic Track (which offers better goodies like web browsers, decline, iPod ports with sound systems, and Wifi-connectivity).
Conclusion:
Epic home treadmills are affordable with strong motor powers, some great bells and whistles and decent reviews.
However, at this price point, you have many options - many of which offer you more in terms of warranty, cushioning and treadmill extras (for example, Nordic Track or a Smooth.)
Where To Buy At A Discount:
You can get some great discounts on Epic products when you buy from Workout Warehouse (this is the ICON Closeout Store - ICON owns the Epic brand name.) They often give you Free shipping, which can save you a few hundred dollars
