The Sole E25 is a heavy-duty elliptical that’s ultra user-friendly because Sole called on the help of physical therapists for its design. The footrests are ergonomically designed with an inward slope that’s easy on your knees and ankles.
Our Tester’s Take
If you’re going to be spending a few hours a week on your elliptical, it’s gotta be comfortable. Thanks to the input of physical therapists, the foot rests on the Sole E25 have a two-degree inward slope that takes the load off your ankles and knees. Two sets of handlebars track your heart rate and offer different muscle involvement, whether you’re involving your upper body with the movable handles or isolating your lower body with the stationary ones. The cherry on top—a built-in fan delivers a much-needed breeze after a heart-pumping interval.
The Sole E25 gets back to basics with a simple console that includes two Bluetooth speakers and a USB charging port. You can select from 20 levels of incline and resistance, or choose from five built-in programs. Our testers called out the whisper-quiet motor—ideal for early morning workouts—and the durability of this large-and-in-charge machine. Overall, we’re impressed by the comfort and customization options on this elliptical—especially considering it’s one of the cheaper ones we tested—but if you love a touchscreen and thrive on instructor-led workouts, the Sole E25 is probably a little too no-frills for you.
The Life Fitness E1 with the modest Go Console built with durability to last for years. It boasts all your basic stat tracking too, but the high-quality materials are the standout features here.
Our Tester’s Take
You’ll find a lot of Life Fitness machines in hotels and commercial gyms because they’re durable and dependable. If you want to bring the luxury gym experience to your home, the E1 Elliptical Cross-Trainer is a good place to start. It isn’t as shiny and attention-grabbing as other ellipticals on our list (read: no interactive or on-demand classes), but in this case, you’re paying for quality first and foremost. Our tester loves that it’s quiet, the preset workouts are challenging, and you won’t have to replace this for years. The lifetime warranty comes in handy if you find yourself needing a replacement.
The E1 comes with two console options. The Go Console, which is the simpler and more cost-effective of the two, comes with 13 preloaded workouts. Up to two users can store their progress on a personal profile and create one custom workout for each. You can’t store your phone on the Go Console as opposed to the Track Connect 2.0 option, but you can get a cheap stand on Amazon if you really want one. (For $3,499, the Track Connect 2.0 has 15 preloaded workouts and room for three custom workouts across four user profiles. It also syncs to the Life Fitness Connect app or your smartphone.
Let’s Compare the Costs of These Ellipticals
Before you make your final selection, let’s take a look at how the best ellipticals stack up in cost (before any sales or discounts).
How We Tested Ellipticals
We know how daunting it can be to decide which gym equipment is worth splurging on. So many machines promise different things, and it’s easy to get lost in the details. But we take our testing methodology pretty seriously. Our team dives deep into researching every elliptical on the market and we put our top contenders through the paces to test them on durability, functionality, ease of use, portability, and performance.
We also tapped Josh York, an ISSA-certified personal trainer, to give us the rundown on how an elliptical can make a difference in your fitness routine. After a few weeks, each elliptical was graded on its exercise chops and how it held up against different factors such as body type, storage space, physical ability, budget, and more. Our findings are handed off to the medical experts to see how our user testing mirrored the industry research and brand claims. If spending your hard-earned cash is enough to make you sweat, rest assured that these best ellipticals are an investment well made.
How to Choose the Best Elliptical
Between the features and space requirements, buying an elliptical is a little more complex than you might think. That’s why we talked to the experts for shopping tips to get the most out of this low-impact machine. Here are the factors to keep in mind:
- Size: If you’re in the market for an at-home elliptical, York says size is just as important as fitness capabilities. Ellipticals aren’t dainty, so make sure you have room for one (the Bowflex Max Trainer M9 and Merach E19 are the most compact on our list).
- Resistance and incline: York also recommends paying close attention to features like adjustable resistance and incline that will mix up your workouts.
- Comfort: Do you prefer a short or long stride? Vertical or horizontal motion? Comfort is a crucial element to any piece of fitness equipment, so consider the size and movement of the handles and pedals, as well as the stride length.
- Value: Budget is another factor to keep in mind when shopping. You can find a quality machine for a few hundred dollars (or search local marketplaces for a used one), but plan to spend between $1,200 to $2,500.
What are the Benefits of an Elliptical?
Compared to treadmills and other cardio machines, the biggest benefit of ellipticals is that they’re gentle on your joints. The low-impact, gliding motion prevents all your weight from crashing down on your knees and ankles as you step, preventing injuries in the long run. The repetitive motion might get monotonous (especially since you’re not stimulated by an outdoor setting), but York says that if joint health is a concern, ellipticals are the way to go.
FAQs
How much does an elliptical cost?
Many budget elliptical options start at $400 (sacrificing the fancier features), while other ellipticals can be up to $4,000. On average, mid-range elliptical machines cost between $1,200 and $2,000.
What muscles does the elliptical work?
The quadriceps, or the front thigh muscles, feel the burn the most during an elliptical workout. But depending on the type of machine, ellipticals can work the entire body. The upper body engages with the moving handrails, and the core and lower body engage with each stride.
Is the elliptical better than cycling?
Ellipticals require more balance and energy since you’re in a standing position, but sitting on a bike takes pressure off any lower body injuries. With moving handrails, ellipticals work the upper body, rather than just the lower body during a cycling workout.
Are there disadvantages to using an elliptical?
Because it’s a low-impact form of exercise, elliptical training doesn’t build muscle or endurance as quickly as strength training or a treadmill. Elliptical training also isn’t effective at improving bone density, which comes from weight-bearing exercise.
Are ellipticals better than walking?
Both are cardio workouts, but ellipticals work more muscles at once than walking. Elliptical workouts are also lower-impact than walking, putting less stress on your lower body.
About the Experts
Josh York is a certified personal trainer with over 15 years of training experience. He is also the founder & CEO of GYMGUYZ, the largest in-home and on-site personal training company in the world. York is passionate about personal training, helping clients of all ages and backgrounds navigate their fitness journey from home, the office, or anywhere in between.
Resources
- Prosser, L., et al. (2012). Comparison of elliptical training, stationary cycling, treadmill walking and overground walking. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3299003/
- Lu, T. and Chien, H. (2007). Joint loading in the lower extremities during elliptical exercise. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17805099/
- Chieu, C., et al. (2017). Benefits of different intensity of aerobic exercise in modulating body composition among obese young adults: a pilot randomized controlled trial. https://hqlo.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12955-017-0743-4
- Silva, F., et al. (2024). The effects of combined exercise training on glucose metabolism and inflammatory markers in sedentary adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1038/s41598-024-51832-y#Sec1
- Greenwalt, D., et al. (2023). The Impact of Light Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Extending Lifespan and Healthspan Outcomes: How Little is Still Significant? A Narrative Review. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0146280623002888
- Tse, A., et al. (2015). Effect of Low-intensity Exercise on Physical and Cognitive Health in Older Adults: a Systematic Review. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4612316/
- Benedetti, M., et al. (2018). The Effectiveness of Physical Exercise on Bone Density in Osteoporotic Patients. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6323511/
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