Ellipitical machine recommendations

[Mustang_Cougar]

I'm looking for a decent elliptical in the $1000-1500 range; it seems, at that price point that the two best manufacturers are Smooth and Sole. [Sure, I'd like a Precor...but I can't swing that money]. Anyway, both the Smooth CE 3.2 and Sole E35 get high praise from various elliptical/treadmill websites; better build quality, heavy/stable construction, great warranties, very good features. However, I'm a little leery of such recommendations as many of these websites either link directly to the manufacturer or to a reseller. That said, I checked Amazon ratings...but those too are hit and miss (everything they sell seems to meld into a 4-star rating if enough people buy it).

So, I'm leaning towards the Sole E55; it can be had by a Sole direct seller on Ebay for E35 pricing ($1299). However, does anyone have other recommendations or alternatives?

Thanks!

M_C

 

[DoubleDee]

I bought my wife a Life Fitness model. She exercises every day, and a cheap model would not hold up. Plus with me being over 200 lbs, when I use it I need it to be sturdy enough. We have had ours for @ 2 years and it has worked exceptionally well.

 

[TooManyWheels]

We bought an elliptical this past summer. As you say, the two best value brands were smooth and sole.

We ended up buying a used Octane, because of the adjustable stride. This is a very high resistance machine, even at the lowest settting, so I'm not sure I would buy it again. I would definitely buy used though (possibly Precor, possibly Smooth/Sole), as they go at a steep discount. That will be especially true in this year's economy.

 

[jinx]

Life Fitness and Precor are both really good.

 

[TooManyWheels]

I have read that the recent Life Fitness machines are not of the same quality as the previous ones - that they are capitalizing on their name while devaluing the product. However, I liked the design and form factors of the ones we looked at.

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

Go to the Goodwill or Salvation Army store.

A lot of good intentions are for sale there.

 

[JHZR2]

Elliptical machines are terrible, IMO. Too short a stride and not a good enough workout of any body part.

I highly recommend a Concept II rowing machine. A far better no-impact exercise that works the whole body.

Learn to use it right (not what is intuitive) and get a far better workout in far less time.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Elliptical machines are terrible, IMO. Too short a stride and not a good enough workout of any body part.

I highly recommend a Concept II rowing machine. A far better no-impact exercise that works the whole body.

Learn to use it right (not what is intuitive) and get a far better workout in far less time.


I'm finding the one at my gym, a Precor, provides an excellent workout. Twenty-four minutes at a brisk (150-160 strides per minute) pace gives me two miles, the equivalent of a five-mph walk, and my heart rate really gets up and stays up there. Plus I don't have to deal with impacts to my knees. It'll work out your glutes and quadriceps, for sure.

I also do strength stuff with weights several days a week, though.