Buying an elliptical machine? Elliptical Machine Review makes it easy to find your best elliptical. We offer at-a-glance elliptical comparison charts, reviews and money saving links. Compare by Price and Brand. You can also compare Folding ellipticals, ellipticals with Incline and ellipticals that offer iPod/mp3 Ports with speakers.

In a hurry and just want to know the top 10 elliptical trainers by Popularity & Quality? We've listed our Best Elliptical Buys below with links to more in-depth reviews.

Elliptical Buying Guide

Buying an elliptical? Here's what to look at when comparing models:

Stride Length - This is essentially the farthest distance between the pedals during the elliptical motion. Stride length ranges on ellipticals from 12 – 21 inches.

Stride length is important as a short stride length doesn’t fully work your leg muscles and doesn’t give you as effective a workout as longer stride ellipticals. Cheaper ellipticals usually offer a 12 – 14” stride. For the average height person an 18"-20" stride is good. Taller people or those who really like to pick up the pace may prefer a 20” or even a 21" stride.

Folding - While folding treadmills are easy to find, folding elliptical trainers are harder to come by. Some manufacturers are starting to make elliptical machines that fold up and this can save you space if your workout area is limited.

The advantage to folding ellipticals is that you save space. The disadvantage (according to some people) is that you may have to sacrifice a bit on stability so it's really a personal choice.

Incline - Incline (also called Ramp) is not the same as resistance (almost all ellipticals have different levels of resistance.) Until a few years ago incline was only found on $4000+ commercial models however it's starting to make it's way into the home elliptical market now.

Incline allows you to automatically increase your workout slope so you work different muscle groups. This optimizes your workout and burns maximum amount of calories. Although incline isn't necessary to have, some people do prefer it.

Console - While there are a range of different options here, it really depends on you. Do you want to see calories burned, speed, time, distance, heart rate? Do you want to see them all simultaneously?

One of the most popular console innovations to come along recently is the addition of mp3/iPod docking stations to some brand of ellipticals. This allows you to plug in your iPod or mp3 player and here your favorite music or audiobook through speakers built into the console.

Again, not a necessary feature to have but many people like it. Just make sure your elliptical has good construction and the other basic essentials on this list as well.

Weight Capacity - The user weight capacity is a great indicator of the stability of the elliptical trainer. For example a 250 lb user weight capacity may mean that it can take up to 250 lbs however it is not nearly as stable as a 350 lb user weight capacity.

The 250 lb elliptical also probably won’t hold up as well if you want to pick up your pace. Highly stable elliptical trainers will have higher user weight capacities (depending on your weight this could be 300 lbs and up).

Footprint - This is the width and length of your elliptical. If space is limited in your home, make sure to consider the footprint before you buy.

Price - Ellipticals range in price from $300 to $3000. It's up to you what you pay but just keep in mind that with elliptical trainers - price usually reflects quality - you do get what you pay for.

Economy priced ellipticals (under $900) are simply not as well built as higher priced ellipticals in the $900+ range and this can end up costing you in repairs, injury and less effective workouts.

Those are some of the main features to look at when comparing ellipticals. We scored each of the ellipticals on this site by the factors above as well as the features below:

Warranty - The length of warranty is usually an indicator of the type of parts used in elliptical construction and it helps to protect your investment.

While warranties range for different elliptical trainers, you want to choose an elliptical with at least a one year parts warranty - preferably longer.

Alignment/Footpads - Many times, the quality of elliptical can be seen in the actual construction of footpads and proper alignment ratios of arm bars to footpedals. Look for articulating footplates, proper alignment of arm bars and foot pedals that most accurately mimicked your natural body motion.

Heart Rate Monitor - Is there a heart rate monitor included? Are there heart rate programs included? What kind of heart rate monitor is used? A heart rate monitor makes it easy to stay in your target heart rate zone and many people prefer to use one.

Resistance - Resistance is basically how hard your legs have to push during the elliptical motion. Resistance gives you more of a challenge while you workout and can help you up your calorie burn or work intervals into your workout.

Most elliptical trainers do offer a range of resistance levels. Look for a trainer that makes resistance changes simple (i.e. one-touch resistance adjustment).

Overall Value - Considering what you get and compared to other elliptical trainers at that price point, is this elliptical a good value for your money?

Finally, when buying your elliptical trainer, remember to consider everyone who will be using it, their weight capacity, workout preferences and fitness goals.

By knowing these facts when making elliptical comparisons, you're way ahead of 99% of most elliptical buyers and well prepared to choose the best elliptical for you. Thank you for visiting and all the best with your elliptical purchase!

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