If you’re looking to beef up your home gym or fitness-ify your office with a cardio machine, odds are you’ve considered the elliptical. Well, even if you’ve always thought the low-impact machine was equivalent to low-effort (it’s not!), fitness pros think it’s time you take the classic cardio machine more seriously.
Both financially and physically, ellipticals are a big purchase, so you don’t want to buy just any elliptical machine. To make sure you’re getting the best elliptical for your fitness goals and budget, we put together this list of the best elliptical machines—all of which have undergone thorough testing.
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Dimensions: 15.04″ W x 41.54″ L x 23.82″ H | Resistance: 16 levels | Pre-programmed workouts: No | Bluetooth connectivity: No | Additional membership required: No
Calling all low(er) maintenance mover and peeps on the market for an easy-to-use machine, you should check out the Niceday Classic Elliptical Machine. This moderately-priced, no-fuss option has an incredibly intuitive display and a monitor that requires no learning curve. To use it, you simply step onto the ergonomically designed footpads and get moving, which means you can spend more time fitnessing and less time fiddling with buttons. Sure, it may not have the same high-tech capabilities of other ellipticals, but it does have 16 different resistance levels, two different grip options (one movable, one stagnant), and is incredibly quiet. With a 400-pound weight limit, it can be enjoyed by the whole family.
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Dimensions: 30.5″ W x 49.2″ L x 65.1″ H | Resistance: 20 levels | Pre-programmed workouts: Yes | Bluetooth connectivity: Yes | Additional membership required: No
If you get bored doing the same ol’ thing day after day, the BowFlex Max Trainer M9 is here to your rescue. This high-end elliptical is able to offer a wide range of workouts through its built-in JRNY platform, which provides personalized coaching and an extensive library of digital workouts and classes. Simply hook the machine up to wi-fi, browse the workout library, then select which climbing, interval, strength, or floor workout you want to do. During workouts that involve moving between the 20 different resistance levels, you’ll love the dial resistance knob which allows you to increase or decrease the challenge without pressing an arrow button one million times.
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Dimensions: 23.5” W x 50” L x 62” H | Resistance: 8 levels | Pre-programmed workouts: No | Bluetooth connectivity: No | Additional membership required: No
Ringing up one-tenth the price of most ellipticals, The EFITMENT Magnetic Elliptical Machine is a great option for exercisers a budget, as well as anyone who wants to make sure they’ll actually use an elliptical at home before investing in a pricier model. In addition to being cost-effective, this elliptical is compact, durable and can reliably facilitate a serious sweat. The combination of movable arms and 8 resistance level options allow you to get in a full-body workout right from home. Notably, unlike pricier ellipticals which allow you to stream workout classes or Bluetooth connect to your music, the simple monitor on this device only shows calories burned, speed, distance traveled, time, and pulse.
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Dimensions: 23.2” W x 40” L x 60.8” H | Resistance: 8 levels | Pre-programmed workouts: Yes | Bluetooth connectivity: Yes | Additional membership required: No
The Sunny Health & Fitness Performance Interactive Series Elliptical is as friendly on your wallet as it is on your joints. Unlike other affordable ellipticals on the market which can feel janky and stinky, this machine allows you to stride naturally and smoothly. The machine offers 8 different resistance levels which range from easy to intermediate, making it a sound choice for beginners as well as individuals who don’t foresee themselves wanting to slog through more-strenuous climbs. Notably, this compact cardio machine is lighter-weight (just 100 pounds) and has built in wheels. This allows you to easily move the machine around your living space, which is ideal for people whose home gym doubles as an office, bedroom, or all of the above.
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Dimensions: 31″ W x 70″ L x 70″ H | Resistance: 20 levels | Pre-programmed workouts: Yes, 10 | Bluetooth connectivity: Yes | Additional membership required: No
If you like to get your workout in when your newborn is napping, or you live in an apartment complex where quiet is key, the SOLE E35 should be your pick. The quiet and smooth operation of this device makes it a great choice for parents as well as those living with roommates or in thin-walled condo complexes. The machine allows you to adjust both the incline and resistance levels, which allows you to challenge different muscle groups, as well as keep your body or brain from getting bored.
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Dimensions: 30.8″ W x 49.3″ L x 65.7″ H | Resistance: 20 levels | Pre-programmed workouts: Yes | Bluetooth connectivity: Yes | Additional membership required: No
The Bowflex Max Total 16 is as close as you’ll get to a Peloton on the elliptical. Thanks to the built-in JRNY integration, you can stream trainer-led workouts to the 16-inch touchscreen. The workout library contains hundreds of classes designed specifically for the machine, which gives you the boutique trainer vibe right from home. On days you’re craving a slow-and-go, steady-state cardio flow, you can also hook your Netflix or Hulu account up to the screen. Trust, nothing will distract you from the burn of heavy resistance quite like watching Love Is Blind or The Bear.
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Why We Like It
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Wide range of resistance, incline, and decline options
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13 pre-programmed workouts
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25 resistance options
Dimensions: 33.9″ W x 58.1″ L x 68″ H | Resistance: 25 levels | Pre-programmed workouts: Yes | Bluetooth connectivity: Yes | Additional membership required: Yes
The Schwinn® 490 Elliptical can effectively target and strengthen every muscle in your lower and upper body. Not only does this compact machine offer 25 resistance options, it also allows you to select between 15 degrees of incline and 5 degrees of decline options. On days you’re craving a go-go-go cardio workout keep your incline neutral and resistance under 10, while on days you’re looking to blast your lower-body muscles you can ramp up the resistance and climb your way towards glute gains. In addition to leading yourself through a workout, you can also select one of the 13 different pre- programmed hill and interval workouts. Or, you can power the JRNY app up on your phone or tablet and get access to a library of trainer-led workouts on and off the machine.
What to Know About Elliptical Machines
- Cost: While the price of elliptical machines vary, most are sold in the $1200 to $2000 price range. Lower cost machines typically have a lower weight limit and less bells and whistles, while pricier options are generally higher tech. Notably, some ellipticals require a membership subscription, which will accrue an additional monthly fee.
- Size: The exact amount of space an elliptical machine takes up varies by machine, however you generally need at least a yoga mat’s worth of space to fit an elliptical. Their blueprint makes ellipticals an accessible option for most garage gyms and offices that double as workout rooms.
- Resistance Levels: All the ellipticals on the list have at least 8 different resistance levels, while some have as many as 25 different resistance options. Lower resistance allows you to move faster and thus improve cardiovascular capacity, while higher resistance supports strength gains.
- Screen: The size and tech capabilities of the built-in screen or monitor vary between ellipticals. Usually, lower-priced options have monitors with just the basics (time, calories burned, distance traveled, heart rate), while higher-priced options often have touch-screen capabilities and the ability to live-stream classes right to the device.
- Handle: Some ellipticals have movable arms, some have stagnant hand grips, and others offer both. The specific handle type you seek out will depend on your specific fitness goals, as well as whether or not you have any shoulder, wrist, or hand injuries or mobility limitations you need to be able to work around.
- Ergonomics: The size, shape, and design of the elliptical all impact things like your allotted stride length and arm swing. Ideally, you’ll want to test the machine out in person to make sure it is comfortable for you to use with your individual height and frame—especially if you are shorter than 5’2” or taller than 6’ 2”, which is the height range most machines are built to accommodate. If you’re outside of that height range and purchasing online, read online reviews from real-life users to gauge comfort.
- Weight limit: The elliptical machines listed above have a weight limit ranging between 220 and 500 pounds. In particular for the lower-priced and more-compact options, you’ll want to take a peak at that limit before purchasing to make sure it can accommodate the weight of all the people who will be using the machine.
- Pre-programmed workouts: Some ellipticals have pre-programmed workout options, which allow you to take hop on and simply do as the machine (or in-screen trainer) commands. If you are looking to achieve a studio-like experience, this is a feature you’re going to need. If, however, you are self-motivated and care simply about calories burned, distance traveled, or time exercising, you don’t need to worry about this option.
- Other Features: There are a range of other aesthetic and functional features that your elliptical machine may have. Things include things such as a water-bottle holder, screen-shelf, and phone-holder. Which of these features you need will depend on where you are planning to place your elliptical as well as how you are going to use it.
Why Trust Shape
Gabrielle Kassel (she/her) is a fitness and wellness journalist with nearly a decade of experience writing product reviews and round-ups on exercise equipment and adventure gear. In addition to Shape, her work has appeared in publications such as Health, SELF, Women’s Health, Men’s Health, Greatist, Bustle, and more. For this article, she consulted with SHAPE’s in-house testers and read hundreds and hundreds of online product reviews seeking out honest takes on ellipticals functionality, durability, design, and ease of use. She also interviewed two separate fitness professionals about the benefits of using ellipticals.