Best Commercial Treadmill

The best commercial treadmill for home use is one that encompasses all the benefits of a gym treadmill but comes with the comfort and ease of use that you can get in your own home. Basically, it’s a very niche type of treadmill, and we’ve found the cream of the crop.

If you’re serious about getting a better treadmill that can do more for your workout, this is all you need to know. Apart from reviewing the best of the best, we’ve also answered all of your burning questions at the end of the guide.

NordicTrack T Series 8.5S Treadmill

NordicTrack is the ultimate treadmill no matter which way you swing it. The benefits majorly outweigh any negatives, and you’ll find that there’s just no other experience like a NordicTrack commercial treadmill.

Starting with the console and working our way down, you get access to an excellent and decent resolution tablet integrated into the machine. There’s a large speaker bar below it so you can hear the audio over any slight noise from the machine or yourself while running.

The tablet is designed to connect you to iFit, which you get a 12-month membership of when you buy your NordicTrack. iFit is interactive training at home, which can include just about any machine that NordicTrack puts out.

With the proper incline on your treadmill, you can also enjoy brisk walks with scenic tours. It’s a great feature, although you do have to maintain your own membership after that 12-month period is over. Thankfully, plans are manageable on a monthly or annual basis.

When you work down into the rest of the treadmill, you’ll find excellent stabilizers as well as a long running track to accommodate taller runners. Shock absorption is the name of the game here, and the NordicTrack T Series just does it better than any other motorized treadmill you can find.

Even if you’re on a weight loss journey, the 300 lb maximum weight limit will help you maintain a stable running track at every point in your journey.

If you need to fold this up and move it out of sight and out of mind, the operation is easy and it clips into place. You can store this vertically behind just about anything you need to, or in a closet if the height allows for it. It’s like having a pop-up gym when you want it, and more floor space when you don’t.

So what makes NordicTrack the best of the best? Beyond everything we’ve mentioned, you get up to 12% incline adjustment and 12 MPH maximum speed, which is where intensity really kicks up.

You can use this for brisk walking, jogging, or hardcore training if you’re trying to condition your body. There’s no other in-home experience like it.

Horizon Fitness T101 Foldable Treadmill

Horizon Fitness comes in with a great alternative if the NordicTrack is a bit on the pricey side for you. They offer an excellent value and experience at a quarter of the price, however there are definitely differences in how it works.

First and foremost, their Quiet Drive motor system is fantastic and means that you won’t wake up your entire family if you want to get in an early morning run. We all know those noisy treadmills that just don’t give you a good workout, and then make you feel guilty for exercising early in the AM—you never have to worry about that again.

While we only get a max of a 10% incline (one of the drawbacks compared to the NordicTrack T Series), it still feels great for most mid-tier exercises. You get access to an energy saver mode on your console, a bluetooth speaker support system, and a 3.5mm audio jack if you want the noise right in your ears instead.

When you fold this up, just be careful. It folds up well, but it’s a little bit flimsy, so you’ll want to add an extra strap onto it to keep it in place and prevent injury. It’s something Horizon Fitness could surely work on, although it’s not the number one thing you really have to think about with this treadmill.

The console gives you the option to track tons of metrics and customize how you get data from your workout, which is pretty powerful in and of itself. The whole system is lightweight as well, so moving it around won’t be too tricky (even if so, we have a guide for that).

The track itself is responsible and comes with stabilization/shock absorption. While it’s not on the same pedestal as other brands, it’s better than the average treadmill you’ve used in an apartment gym center or that one time you picked one up from Craigslist for fifty bucks.

Horizon Fitness makes a quality treadmill that doesn’t break the bank, and for that, they’re pretty awesome.

Nautilus Treadmill Series

Haven’t heard of Nautilus? They’re a mid-tier brand that doesn’t get a lot of recognition, although they really should. They have a brand that anyone can get excited about as soon as you learn just what they offer. Somewhere between Horizon Fitness and NordicTrack in terms of pricing, Nautilus packs a punch.

You get an excellent incline capability up to 15%, which is more than a lot of top-tier brands offer in their treadmills. This helps with HIIT exercises and training your legs to withstand long hikes (which works as a great balance in between hiking seasons so you don’t lose your muscle strength), and even when you’re at a high incline, it still feels like a nice smooth experience.

That’s thanks to the cushioning system built just underneath the tread. It works by absorbing shock and not distributing it back into your legs and joints. The performance handrails help with stability during your run, which just adds onto the power of the tread cushioning system. It’s one of the most comfortable indoor running experiences you’ll ever have.

However, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. They advertise a 50+ outdoor track experience that you can look at while you walk and run, but the problem is you need your own tablet or device to run it. The included LCD screen gets the job done for tracking metrics, but it’s very low-grade and not very intuitive. In the right lighting, you won’t even be able to see much on the screen.

Included with the treadmill, you get a wireless heart rate monitor to help with tracking, and easy console buttons to quickly hop on and get into the groove of the workout you want. The start and stop buttons are massive and the incline/speed buttons are super accessible. The tray attached to the handles is somewhat useful 

3G Cardio Pro Runner Treadmill

3G Cardio has an excellent treadmill with loads of great options, so why aren’t they placed at the top of the list above NordicTrack? At this point with commercial treadmills, it comes down to the nitty gritty. The fine details. 3G is a true contender with great features, like their one-touch speed and incline settings.

You basically just tap, and it plugs in your favorite settings to the treadmill. If that’s a 7% incline and a 5 MPH speed, you don’t have to fiddle with the buttons. Tap, start moving, and you’re good to go (provided you did your warm-up first, that is).

Speaking of those settings, you get up to 12 MPH of speed, and a fantastic 15% incline if you want it.

That simulates better hiking experiences, and also comes in handy for HIIT exercises where it’s all about the intensity. Keep in mind that this is a pretty heavy treadmill at 216 lbs, but it also means the frame is built to last.

In fact, there’s a lifetime warranty on the frame, and considering it’s holding the running deck at that incline for extended use, you know they have to be really confident in their products.

These high-end and powerful fitness products are great, but one of the most annoying aspects of any of these brands is that they will either try to sell you on a membership, or require one for you to use all the features of the console. 3G Cardio doesn’t do that, and we thank them for it since they absolutely could have thrown that in.

However, there is a difference between paid-for and free apps built into a console like this. The free apps are only so helpful. While the screen isn’t bad, you might be better off with a FitBit or a Samsung smart watch so that you can track your fitness more independently (and to greater detail).

The warranty on labor is only good for one year, which is a bit of a bummer, but you’ll find that with the quality 3D Cardio put into this treadmill, you’re not likely to need anything major outside of the first year of use anywhere.

IN10CT Health Runner Curved Manual Treadmill

Last but not least, we have our manual curved treadmill. At twice the cost of the 3G Cardio at the time of writing, people often ask why a manual, non-motorized treadmill costs this much, and if it’s worth it. Let us tell you: it wouldn’t be on this list if it wasn’t worth it. Manual treadmills have come a long way, and thanks to the IN10CT, they’re a force to be reckoned with.

Starting from the top down, we don’t get the most impressive screen or console. The LCD display is fairly dim, but that’s essentially where the cons end for this behemoth of a treadmill. There’s an impressive 400 lbs maximum rider weight limit, making it ideal for intense weight loss journeys no matter what your starting point is.

Because there’s no motor, it takes kinetic energy from your legs to move the tread, which results in up to 30% more calories being burned than a motorized treadmill with nearly every single step. In fact, manual treadmills force you to engage your leg muscles in a deeper way, so you’re actually building better muscle just from using one of these.

If you have to move it around, the performance wheels on the bottom of the machine glide easily. That’s good, too, because the entire machine weighs a staggering 330 lbs. It’s bulky and may require two people to even get the box inside to build it, so be sure to have a friend on standby when this thing arrives.

Thanks to ergonomic handles you’ll have a perfect place to grab onto while running, however, you may want to invest in a treadmill mat underneath. The four small feet on the bottom aren’t the greatest, so some slippage may occur over time. Make a more stable spot for your treadmill to rest for the best results.

Commercial Treadmill FAQ

What is a Commercial-Grade Treadmill?

Commercial-grade generally implies quality, attention to detail, and heightened durability. When it comes to treadmills, all of those assumptions are correct. Commercial-grade treadmills are more durable, offer greater utility, and as you might assume, are much more expensive.

Some commercial treadmills are 2.5x more expensive than your average run-of-the-mill treadmill, or they can be as much as 12x more expensive (usually for manual treadmills). The brand name will dictate the price heavily. These are a few attributes you can expect from commercial-grade treadmills that you won’t see with most stock machines.

• Alloy Steel Frame: Part of the reasons these are so overly durable is because of the frame material. There’s rarely plastic in the frame (except for maybe a cover for design purposes), making harder, more dense and durable frames. It also ends up adding to the weight of the overall machine, so be sure to have an able-bodied friend or a dolly at-the-ready to help you move the box inside and set it up.
• Enhanced HD LCD Display: While most LCD displays on treadmills are lackluster, as you’ve seen in this guide as well, there are no stock options that include HD 14” screens with the same resolution of a Samsung tablet. That’s something you get with commercial-grade treadmills, and nothing else.
• Higher Weight Capacity: Commercial-grade treadmills are designed for heavier users who have the goal of weight loss in mind. That’s because the first thing that any gym wants to do for overweight users is give them durable, helpful machines to train on without them worrying about the weight capacity or any other feature of the treadmill.

How Long Do Commercial Treadmills Last?

The best commercial treadmill for home will absolutely outlast cheaper models. But by how much? That’s another aspect that partially comes down to the brand you choose, not just the price.

Commercial treadmills typically last for 12-15 years, whereas home treadmills will be lucky to last 8-10. Again, brand and quality matter here.

So is it worth getting a treadmill that might last twice as long, but for more than twice the price? People often put a grocery store mentality on personal health equipment: how can I get the most food for the smallest amount of money (in a nutshell).

What that fails to do is bring quality into the equation. Yes, you may pay more than 2x the amount of money for 2x the amount of time, but it’s not a per-day or per-month cost equivalent. It’s the experience you get during that time, because 12-15 years is a long time for a piece of equipment to last.

Focus on the quality, the experience it gives you, and see if the price is worth it for you, but don’t assume every treadmill is the same and just provide different levels of value based solely on price.

Is a Commercial Treadmill Better?

Commercial treadmills have some specific attributes that do make them better than standard treadmills. Some of those include:

• Weight: It seems like an odd benefit, but the heavier the base of a running track is, the more likely it is to withstand repeated use. Heavier bases mean stronger, more dense materials (such as alloy steel). Other treadmills may have more of a plastic body than commercial treadmills because they’re trying to make attractive price points to everyone that they can.
• Displays: Ever notice how the displays at the gym are much better than the small LCD screens you get with home treadmills? That’s because gyms need to push the idea of metric tracking and equate it to a portion of their clients’ success, so those screens need to be vibrant and provide information. The displays at the gym are always better.
• Incline Adjustment: Yes, at-home treadmills come with the option of incline adjustment, but they don’t often offer it in the same capacity as commercial treadmills. The incline in home treadmills has a limit, while commercial treadmills usually have more leeway. You’ll be able to scale your exercise much better on a commercial treadmill.

What Treadmill Brands Do Gyms Use?

If you want the best home commercial treadmill, it’s good to start with the brand names that gyms use to service thousands of athletes every single week. These are the main brands that gyms use for their treadmills:

• NordicTrack: NordicTrack just might be one of the most iconic and recognizable brands in all of fitness. Ironically, this company is American, and is known for producing some of the greatest training equipment that you can find today. They’re on the pricey side, but even so, few people ever regret going with this trusted brand.
• Precor: If you haven’t heard of Precor before, that’s because they’re specifically a commercial gym equipment company. It’s not something you’re going to see on the shelves of  Target or Walmart. They have a foothold in over 90 countries around the world simply because of how high-end and durable their treadmills and other gym equipment truly is.
• Sole: While not on quite the same stage as Precor, Sole is a top-tier brand that shells commercial fitness equipment to gyms in over 29 countries. A very prideful company, Sole Fitness is constantly pushing the envelope on quality, which is why so many gyms choose their products.
• Landice: Landice specifically makes great treadmills, ellipticals, and bikes, and it stops there. Since the late sixties, they’ve been focusing on what they’re good at, and that reputation has earned them prestige in health clubs and gyms around the world that use their products.
• ProForm: ProForm isn’t the most memorable brand out there, but once you use their machines, you’ll never forget them. While their treadmills are great, they also make stellar ellipticals. While less present in gyms around the world, ProForm is still an amazing brand with excellent recognition.

The Best Equipment for Your Home Gym

Now you have a commercial-grade treadmill to step up and get in the best workout of your life, all from the comfort of your own home. Commercial treadmills simply offer a better workout, don’t break down as often, and come with higher quality parts.

Overall, it’s a better experience. Now that you know which one is best for you and how long they last, there’s nothing stopping you from upgrading your exercise and health.