We review and recommend elliptical machines, also called “cross trainers,” based on several factors, such as quality, features, noise, price, and value.
See our recommendation under $200, $400, $500 or browse through all elliptical ever made.
Why Elliptical Trainer?
The elliptical trainer is a very popular piece of equipment because it lets you work out without leaving your house. These machines make you move like you’re running, but they don’t hurt your body as much. This makes them great for people with bad knees or feet or who are healing from lower body injuries. Because the resistance can be changed and the hand grips can be moved, elliptical trainers can be used for both cardiovascular and full-body exercises. When you use an elliptical for 30 minutes, you can burn anywhere from 180 to 270 calories. On top of that, elliptical machines are very safe and easy to use.
Low Impact
As you never have to lift your feet from the foot pedal, elliptical trainers cause the least amount of impact on your body.
Full Body Exercise
Unlike the treadmill or stationary cycle, where you only work on your lower body, you get to have a full-body exercise because of its handle. It also helps to target specific muscles while doing cardio.
Less Maintanceance
As ellipticals do not have many moving parts of a motor, they require the least maintenance among other cardio equipment types. A treadmill and cycle require regular oiling. But because of the magnetic flywheel, your elliptical will not require that frequent attention.
Low Noise
With a good quality magnetic elliptical, the only noise you will hear is the magnetic flywheel’s humming noise. Where no matter how good your treadmill is, your neighbors will also know when you are running.
Easiest Cardio Tool
Among similar types of equipment, an elliptical is the easiest to get started. The elliptical-motion and the low impact feature make elliptical trainers the go-to fitness equipment for people who cannot do prolonged cardio sessions.
Best Home Ellipticals
A good way to identify the best elliptical in the market is to look into the market trend. Here are 6 of the highest rated elliptical’s in Amazon. Here we are valuing the number of rating instead of the average rating.
We are doing it because the average rating is very easy to manipulate. For example, the Schwinn 430 is rated just 3.8 but it has 838 ratings among which 51% is 5 star.
| Name | Image | % of 5 & 4 Star Ratings in Amazon | Capacity | Stride | Incline | Programs | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exerpeutic 1000XL Magnetic Elliptical |
 | 62% | 325 lbs | 13 inch | No | N/A | Under $200 | /review/elliptical/exerpeutic/1000xl/ |
| Schwinn A40 Elliptical |
 | 69% | 300 lbs | 17.5″ | No | 7 | Under $400 | /review/elliptical/schwinn/a40/ |
| Schwinn 430 Elliptical |
 | 74% | 300 lbs | 20″ | Yes | 22 | Under $800 | /review/elliptical/schwinn/430-2013/ |
| Schwinn 470 Elliptical |
 | 67% | 300 lbs | 20″ | Yes | 8 | Under $800 | /review/elliptical/schwinn/470-2017/ |
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