#2) Not all motors are made the same
Although the continuous duty motor power rating is a great indication of motor quality, it isn't the final word on the treadmill's motor.
Not all motors are made the same. They are constructed using different quality parts by different companies.
This, in part, explains why you can get a 2.0 HP CD motor on a $799 treadmill and another 2.0 HP CD motor on a $1899 treadmill. They are different quality motors with different quality parts
Keep in mind that, in general, the higher quality name, the higher quality of motor is used. For example, high quality names like Sole or Landice use very high quality motors. You'll also find the best motors on commercial treadmill brands like Star Trac and Nautilus.
Another way to gauge the motor quality is:
#3) Look at motor warranty
An excellent way to gauge the quality of the motor is to look at the motor warranty included with your treadmill.
Treadmill manufacturers offer different motor warranty periods because they are depending on the fact that the motor WON'T encounter problems during this time.
For example, commercial quality treadmills like Sole can offer a lifetime motor warranty on their machines because they aren't expecting that the motor will break down during your lifetime (That's a high quality motor).
Contrast this with a 90 day motor warranty that you see in your average department store treadmill and you can see the huge difference in motor qualities.
When buying a treadmill, make sure to keep in mind the motor power, quality and warranty. You'll be miles ahead of most treadmill buyers and on the road to enjoying your treadmill for a very long time!
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Was this information useful? This article on Best Treadmill Motor is one of several articles to be found in our Treadmills articles section.
Buying a treadmill and want to find the best motor? This article will tell you exactly what you need to know when looking at treadmills and motors, along with tips on who puts top quality motors in their treadmills.
While looking at treadmills, most people simply go by motor power however there are 3 things you should keep in mind when looking at treadmills:
#1) There are 2 different motor power ratings - continuous duty & peak duty
Continuous duty motor power means the power at which the treadmill can continually, steadily operate for 24 hours without slowing down.
Peak duty motor power is the highest power at which the treadmill can operate (but it cannot sustain this for long periods of time).
The Continuous Duty power rating is a more accurate measure of motor power and it's the rating you need to consider when comparing treadmills.
Some manufacturers will try to impress you by inflating the motor power numbers and giving you the peak duty motor power.
Make sure you get the real power rating by getting the continuous duty power rating of the treadmill
