In particular, you want to look for a long motor warranty (since the motor is the most expensive treadmill part to fix). Here's a few examples of poor to excellent motor warranties:
Poor Motor Warranty: 90 days - 2 years
Average Motor Warranty: 3 - 5 years
Good Motor Warranty: 8 - 10 years
Excellent Motor Warranty: 30 years - lifetime
Other parts you want to make sure are covered are belt/deck/rollers, electronics and labor.
So which treadmill brands offer the best treadmill warranties?
Surprisingly enough, it isn't always the most expensive treadmills that offer the best warranties (although there is still a fairly clear relationship between the price of the treadmill and the length of the warranty).
Three of the best treadmill warranties are offered on the following treadmill brands:
Sole Treadmills (Lifetime motor warranties, lifetime frame and deck warranties, 5 years on electronics/belt/deck/rollers and 2 years on labor on most models)
Smooth Treadmills (Lifetime warranty on frame and motor, 3 - 5 years on parts and 1 year labor on most Smooth treadmills)
Nordic Track Treadmills (Lifetime motor warranties, varying years on parts and 1 year labor - ability to buy extended warranties available.)
Landice Treadmills (Lifetime Residential Use Warranty - be sure to read the details since there are conditions)
The poorest treadmill warranties are predictably found on cheaper treadmills and cheaper brands like those you'd find in a typical department store. These warranties start around 90 days of coverage and up.
So while the treadmill warranty isn't everything when you're buying your treadmill, it is still very important for protecting your investment.
Bottom Line: If you select a treadmill with a solid warranty, you are probably choosing a higher grade machine that was built to last.
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Was this information useful? This article on Treadmill Warranty is one of several articles to be found in our Treadmills articles section.
Your treadmill warranty may seem boring but, next to the motor, the warranty is one of the most important attributes of your treadmill.
First, because a good warranty protects your treadmill investment. You don't want to lose sleep knowing you just spent $1500 on a machine that could break down tomorrow - and you're out the money to fix it.
The second reason a treadmill warranty is important is because it gives you a clue about the quality of parts your treadmill was built with. (Ever wonder why that $600 department store treadmill only comes with a 90 day warranty?)
Think about this - if a manufacturer gives a lengthy warranty on a treadmill component, it means they aren't expecting to have to fix it. This is because they know it was built to last for a long time.
Treadmill warranties vary across the board and usually cover different treadmill parts for different lengths of time (for example, the motor for 5 years, the belt for 3 years, labor for 1 year, etc.)
Lifetime frame warranties are standard on higher quality treadmills however most treadmill manufacturers will tell you that it's never really the frame that wears out first. It's more like the motor, electronics or belt/deck.
