If guided workouts aren’t for you, you can also stream your favorite shows from your own device, thanks to the convenient tablet and phone holder that’s built into the treadmill for easy viewing. AT Treadmill—like a large running deck, fan, integrated speakers, USB port for charging, and more—plus an advanced entertainment deck. We appreciate that helpful metrics like these are clearly displayed on the crisp 10-inch touchscreen during both manual and guided workouts.

But while most products go up to 12 miles per hour and offer 15 incline levels, it’s important to note that this one maxes out at 10 miles per hour and 10 incline levels. ProForm’s Carbon T7 Treadmill comes with a free three-year iFIT subscription that gives you access to instructor-led workouts that take place in-studio or at various scenic locations around the world. When testing this treadmill, we did note that some buttons had to be pushed multiple times to get them to work. Michelle Parente, CYT, is a New York City-based yoga sculpt instructor and lifestyle journalist specializing in health, wellness, and fitness content.But during walks and runs it didn’t feel safe or stable, with a short and narrow belt that caused discomfort and distraction. But during testing, we preferred to use this machine to run at our own pace, around the ¼-mile virtual track, which was simple thanks to the accessible speed and incline adjustment buttons. Just like other ProForm picks, this one’s proprietary streaming platform is iFIT (for which you get a 30-day free trial upon purchase). Within minutes of receiving the fully assembled treadmill, it was ready to use—all we had to do was unfold it, plug it in, and attach smaller accessories (like the safety key and phone holder). Although we enjoyed sifting through the treadmill’s nine pre-programmed workouts, we wish it went faster than 9 miles per hour.

We love the variety of workouts for all fitness levels offered by the iFit membership, but it's worth noting that the treadmill can only be used in manual mode with minimal features if you opt not to pay for the monthly membership. Many folding treadmills offer inclines up to 15 percent, like Sole Fitness’ F80 Treadmill, while others offer no incline settings at all. If you run too slowly, you’ll eventually fall off the machine, and if you run too fast, you’ll eventually run into the console.If you want to build up your fitness, we recommend a speed at which it becomes difficult for you to have a conversation during your workout, but below the limit for developing lactate. Before you start to use a treadmill, you should think about what type of running workout you’ll be doing. And after several months of continuous use, it looks and works as good as new—which makes investing in home gym equipment like this worth it.

Then wipe off any visible lubricant that may have leaked out from the space between the belt and the plate. Our team of fitness editors (from varying fitness backgrounds and experience levels) tested over 20 top-selling treadmills from their homes to find the best folding treadmills on the market. But if you’re a runner with the space (and budget), you might opt for this pick because it has ample features: lots of storage, greater incline range, a powerful fan, a larger running deck, a USB port for device charging, integrated speakers, and more. More expensive treadmills have more advanced programmes, while the simplest have only a few setting options such as distance. When running on a treadmill, it’s important that metrics (like speed, distance, and time) are easy to view and track mid-run.It’s the most expensive option on our list, but worth it because of its large and crisp display, interactive iFit training on and off the machine, metric tracking, and more. Unlike our best overall pick, Echelon’s Stride Auto-Fold Connected Treadmill, this machine doesn’t fold flat—so it’s not the best option for smaller spaces. In total, we tested three treadmills from ProForm: The Pro 9000 (our best investment pick), Pro 2000 (our best for running pick), and Carbon T7 (our best for guided workouts pick). The control panel is easy to understand and includes a media shelf with a non-slip covering, so your phone or tablet stay safe. We walked, jogged, and ran on the treadmills for a minimum of four workouts per week—paying attention to how safe and sturdy they felt, as well as any other helpful or unique features.

For new users, there’s a great risk of injury if you increase your speed too soon or maintain too high a forward speed. You can also log into apps like Facebook and Twitter, as well as screen mirror anything straight from iOS and Android devices to the console screen. Once the treadmills were fully assembled, we reviewed any safety features, signed up for applicable streaming services, connected to compatible apps, and took into account any other notable features. The speed and incline change quickly, and the motion is smooth and quiet, so there's no disruption to your runs.

Depending on your lifestyle, space, and needs, characteristics to consider include dimensions, weight capacity, speed, and incline. The 10-inch touchscreen pivots side to side to allow for off-treadmill workouts, but it doesn't adjust when the treadmill incline goes up, which can make viewing awkward. The only other product on our list that folds completely flat is Echelon’s Stride Auto-Fold Connected Treadmill, which stands at 10 inches tall when folded.