Most people buying a treadmill will be probably ask: "Do I want a folding treadmill or a non-folding treadmill?"
Folding treadmills are a popular choice among treadmill buyers. The main advantages to a folding treadmill are:
- you save space - if you have a small home gym or space is at a premium, folding your treadmill up is a great option to have. Folding treadmills are excellent for condos, apartments or smaller home gym areas.
- it makes cleaning easier - just fold it up and you can vacuum or clean the floor area under the treadmill easily
- it's easier to move the treadmill - most folding units also come with wheels on the bottom of the treadmill for easy movement. As most treadmills are very heavy, this is a useful feature.
There are 2 main types of folding treadmills:
1) Power-folding Or Shock Assisted (where you get some help folding the treadmill)
2) Manual folding (where you lift the treadmill yourself)
While many treadmills are manual folding, you can still get a power or shock assisted treadmill for around the same price. This helps save the strain on your back.
Many treadmills are being made with heavier decks these days. So a shock-assisted folding mechanism can be very helpful.
A power-folding treadmill is even easier - you press a button and the treadmill folds or unfolds itself. While this isn't a necessary feature for most people, it's a great luxury to have.
And those with bad backs will especially appreciate it. Unfortunately, as of this writing there is only one treadmill that offers the power-folding feature - the Smooth 7.1 treadmill.
Where can you find folding treadmill reviews?
Most treadmills under $2000 fold these days. It can be overwhelming to compare them all since there are so many.
The easiest way is to compare them first and then review the treadmills of your choice.
Our Treadmill Comparison tool helps you compare folding treadmills by price, power, incline, belt size and more. Then you can click on the links to find more reviews or information on where to buy at a discount.
