We’re often asked, what is the best treadmill for home use? It’s definitely a valid question, but there really is no way to answer that question definitively. Why? Well, because what might be the best choice for you, isn’t necessarily the best choice for the next person.

Consider the fact that every potential user has his or her own set of wants and needs. For example, let’s say I’m a college student living in a small dorm room. What do I need? For starters, I need something compact to fit in the room. So the treadmill will need to take up as little room as possible. Also, I want something quiet so I don’t disturb my roommate or fellow students next door. I’m on a strict budget due to college loans so I need something that isn’t too expensive.
So there are 3 unique needs that I have as a college student. Compact, quiet, inexpensive. Let’s now think about a few wants. I want a little motivation so a nice amount of built in workouts would be good. I want to burn calories so incline would be helpful. I also want to track my progress so I’d like if the treadmill has syncing capabilities with my favorite fitness apps. Those are three unique wants.

So right there, we’ve determined that the best treadmill for home use, in this case being a dorm, would be a small, noise-free, low cost machine that has built in workouts, incline capability and workout tracking. Now, think about your own situation…are those your exact needs and wants? Probably not.

Choosing the best home treadmill for your individual needs

A short while ago, we created a primer on Buying the Best Treadmill. In it we discuss all of the questions you should ask yourself while you go through the process, including who is using it, how much to spend, what gives a treadmill value, details to consider and what to look out for.

To sum up that article, you have to determine exactly what you are looking for before you make the purchase. There is no one best treadmill for home use, or even two or three of four as some sites may lead you to believe. Your home is not like anyone else’s home, and as we mentioned above, your needs and wants are not the same as anyone else’s.

All of the treadmills we review on this site are for home use. They are all residential models, and there are dozens of really great ones. So in essence, each one is the best for a certain individual, but perhaps not for another because it just doesn’t fit their needs and wants.

So, here’s what you need to do. Make a short list of your needs first. That’s the most important aspect. You can focus on your wants later. Your needs include everything the treadmill must have in order for you to buy it. Some of your needs may include price, size, quietness, deck size, motor, heart rate monitoring. There may be others but these are the most common needs. These needs will help you narrow down your choices considerably.

Now, once you have a list of your must-have features, consider your wants. Your wants may include built-in workouts, web capability, incline, decline, touch screen, syncing capability, wireless heart rate monitoring, adjustable cushioning. Write down all of the features you would like to have, but keep in mind that you might not be able to get all of them, especially if your budget isn’t very high.

I have my list of needs and wants….now what?

Once you have this list, choosing the best treadmill for your home becomes much easier. We have broken down our recommendations by brand, price and type, so you can start there to see the best choices for you. Most people start with a price range, as that seems to be the most important item in the “need” column. For example, if you have less than $1000 to spend, there’s no point in considering a high end Life Fitness treadmill for $3000.

You can look at our list of the Top Treadmills Under $1000 and see a number of choices. Those will be a great starting point. You can also search by brand. In the under $1000 category you have ProForm, Horizon, NordicTrack and Yowza, among others in the top brand category. So you browse our reviews of all of those models, and check out the manufacturer’s site to see all of the latest models to compare features.

After looking at some of the specs, you might decide that you have to increase your budget to find the best treadmill for home use. It’s possible that a few of your needs, and many of your wants, are just not possible under $1000. So upping your budget to let’s say $1000-$1500 might be the best choice for you, if you are able to stretch your budget.

The bottom line is, there is no one best home treadmill. Rather, there is a best treadmill for each and every one of us, and it will be a different model based on our needs and wants. Hopefully we can help you find the ideal machine.