Fuel home treadmills are a lesser known brand to the market. They are a discount line from a highly respected name in the fitness industry.
Starting around $599, one of the main strengths of these treadmills is that they are affordable. They have strong decks and also pack some decent value into a small price.
Plus they're a great option if you want an alternative to the ICON brands (Proform, Reebok, Image, Weslo).
Strengths:
#1) Decent Motor Powers - The motor is the heart of your treadmill and you want a motor that's strong enough to keep the treadmill running without overheating or wearing too quickly.
Ranging from 2.25 HP to 2.5 HP these are decent motor powers at this price point. Many economy treadmills will give you 2.0 HP or less.
#2) Excellent Warranty - For an economy brand, Fuel warranties are quite good. You get a lifetime on the frame and motor, 1 year on parts and service.
Again, since the motor is the heart of your treadmill and often the most expensive part to fix, it's nice to know you have a lifetime warranty on it.
#3) Mp3/iPod Hookup with Built In Speakers - This isn't a necessary feature, however it's one that's popular with buyers.
It can make your workouts more enjoyable to listen to your favorite music or audiobook while working out.
You also get 5 built-in, pre-set workout programs and 2 customizable workouts.
#4) Larger Walking Surfaces - Fuel treadbelts are quite spacious starting at 20" x 55" up to 20" x 58". The 58" long belt will be especially useful for taller exercisers - pretty good sized at this price point.
#5) Positive Fuel Treadmill Reviews - While there aren't a lot of reviews out there yet, the few customer reviews we did find were positive.
Many users liked the overall value of what they got for the price. They also commented that the treadmills were easy to assemble and gave a solid feel when walking on them.
Aftery trying them out ourselves, we agree that they do feel very solid. The deck is surprisingly strong on these treadmills.
Weaknesses:
While the price on these treadmills is great - they are still economy units. They may be well built, but they're still not recommended for running or heavy use. We would recommend that runners spend a bit more and look at a higher end Nordic Track or Smooth first.
Also, the consoles are very simple, with pressure pad (hard to push) buttons. You don't get a lot of bells and whistles.
One final note - we've heard rumors that these treadmills are being discontinued, which may or may not affect your buying decision.
Conclusion:
Fuel home treadmills are starter treadmills that are fairly bare bones. They do offer a few decent features however the King in the 'under $1000' market is still Proform or even a Nordic Track if you can find it.
Editor's Note: If you are considering buying a used Fuel treadmill, please know that the warranty does not cover a second buyer.
You're better off buying a good starter treadmill like a Proform direct from the Manufacturer to get full protection on your investment.
