Table of Contents
It’s time for our 2018 elliptical review to help out those looking to dial up their fitness regime and shed a little unwanted weight. For many people, installing a home gym – or at least picking up a piece of fitness equipment for cardio in front of the TV – is the way to go. But what should you buy? The level of choice out there is now overwhelming, with a huge number of treadmill and elliptical machines on offer across an enormous price spectrum. A lot of people are now ditching the treadmill for the more fluid movement of an elliptical. If you’re going to make a good choice and pick up the best elliptical possible, you should take a look at our 2018 elliptical review for the comprehensive lowdown.
While treadmills were once dominant in the home cardio marketplace, ellipticals have been rising in popularity since their introduction in the 1990s. There are now hundreds of the best elliptical models in every gym, while more and more people are choosing ellipticals for home use. These machines simulate the motions of walking or running, but your feet never leave the moving pedals. The best elliptical options also have moving arm bars, offering a full body workout. The benefits of elliptical use include providing a low-impact workout, for all the fitness benefits without the joint strain associated with running.
“Coin-Grip” Rolls PVC Flooring
Exercise machines represent a significant investment for most people, so you have to choose wisely. That’s where our 2018 elliptical review comes in. The Rubber-Cal 2018 elliptical review takes the top machines with the best customer ratings from Amazon.com to give you a great snapshot of the best machines on the market.
First, a few ground rules. There is no subjectivity in our 2018 elliptical review, it is based purely on the Amazon numbers as of May 2018. The following options are the top 10 best elliptical machines on the retail website based on their customer reviews. To qualify for our top 10, the machine must have a rating of four stars out of five or above. It should also have at least 10 reviews, to reduce the risk of a single overly-enthusiastic or excessively-critical customer skewing the results. Our 2018 elliptical review is ordered by price point, to make sure there is something for everyone here. All prices are correct at the time of writing, but are subject to change.
“Coin-Grip” Rolls PVC Flooring
- PVC material helps these flooring rolls last for a long time
- Coin flooring looks great in commercial and residential areas
- Perfect for use as a marine floor in aquariums and other places prone to wetness
- Ideal for use as gym floor mats, van floor mats, bathroom flooring, trailer floor mats, kitchen floor mats, flooring for the basement, and more
Enhanced Traction: One of the perks of having coin flooring like this is that the risk of slip and fall accidents is greatly reduced. The coin patterns that give the roll its signature name are slightly raised. Although hard to see with the naked eye, the raised circles help to provide feet with a higher level of grip and balance. Even the PVC material itself is good for traction purposes. It is a feature that comes in handy especially when the flooring is used as a marine floor for wet areas.
Permanent or Temporary Installation: This commercial PVC flooring is a versatile product in the way it can be installed. If you have it in mind to permanently install this PVC flooring, using glue adhesives like the BASF Chemrex® CX-941 is your best option. But not everyone is so fixed in one location. For the movers out there, double-sided tape if your best option because it is so easy to apply and remove.
Low Price – Under $500
Sunny Health and Fitness SF-E902 Air Walk Trainer Elliptical Machine Glider – $99.49
The Sunny Health and Fitness SF-E902 strips the idea of an elliptical right down to its basic principles, but is as effective as they come. It is the best-selling elliptical on Amazon and has a four-star review average from 670 reviews. The best-seller tag is no doubt thanks in part to its extremely reasonable price, coming in at under $100 – the cheapest model in our 2018 elliptical review. It doesn’t have the bells, whistles and high-tech electronics of higher-grade models, but this functional machine will give you all the exercise benefits of elliptical use regardless. It is also a space-saver, folding away for easy storage.
Fitness Reality Dual Action/Multi-Direction Air Walker X1 with Heart Pulse Sensors – $118.60
Fitness Reality have made a budget-friendly elliptical that has proved a hit with customers. The Air Walker X1 has a four-star average rating on Amazon from 39 reviews. It has an LCD display screen which shows calories burned, step count, distance and time to help you measure your performance. The Air Walker features moving handles for a full-body workout, as well as static handles with built-in pulse sensors. This is one of the most cost-effective machines in our 2018 elliptical review, featuring excellent features at a great price.
Gazelle Edge – $128.99
The Gazelle Edge really takes the elliptical back to basics, featuring an extremely simple frame design. But it gets the job done as you can see from the number of people willing to leave a positive elliptical review – giving it a four-star rating from a huge 1,617 reviews. The Edge may be simple, but it has a full range of motion, allowing users to go from walking to running speeds. It also has a small screen, with easy-to-use tracking functions, which record speed, distance, time, and other performance metrics. You can bag a bargain with the Gazelle Edge.
Efitment Magnetic Elliptical Machine Trainer E006 – $259
This Efitment E006 model might be the best elliptical option available for less than $300. It is also one of the top-performing machines on Amazon, with an impressive 4.5-star average across 26 reviews. The E006 features a flywheel design with a 13-inch stride length. It also features eight levels of magnetic resistance, allowing you to push yourself with tougher workouts. Among the additional features on the E006 is a digital screen providing performance data, as well as a slot to prop a tablet or phone for exercise entertainment. The elliptical review numbers for the E006 show that it is a hugely popular option for consumers.
“Recycled Rubber Flooring” Rubber Rolls
- Made in USA using American rubber
- Cost-effective and very durable flooring option
- Helps reduce your overall environmental footprint
- Perfect for use as flooring for outdoor or indoor areas
- Can be used as: a gym mat, play flooring, basement flooring, kennel flooring, showroom flooring, art studio mats, commercial vehicle mats, garage floor covering, and many more applications
Great Protective Qualities: One of the main benefits of having recycled rubber flooring is that it is excellent for protecting the base surfacing of your project. Surfaces like wood and tile can be damaged over time by the tread of feet or the presence of heavy equipment/furniture. For example, if these rolls are used as a gym mat, then the rubber material will protect your base surfaces from the heavy weight of you treadmill. Essentially, the rubber is a protective barrier between the machine and the surface.
Recycled Rubber Benefits: Most people tend to overlook the benefits of having rubber runners made from recycled rubber. Firstly, since these floors are made of rubber that is recycled from tires, they go a long way in preventing the buildup of non-biodegradable waste in landfills. Secondly, the recycled material is very tough. It can withstand the shock of high foot traffic and heavy weights. This durability gives it a third benefit, long life. “Green flooring” is a sustainable option that will look good and protect your surfaces for a long time.
Mid Price – $500 to $1,499
Nautilus E614 Elliptical Trainer – $594.99
Kicking off the middle price bracket for our 2018 elliptical review is the Nautilus E614. The E614 is a high-performance machine with major capabilities. It features a big jump in technology from the lower end models, with DualTrack LCD displays and a range of preset exercise programs. It also has built-in speakers with MP3 and USB connectivity. The large flywheel design gives this machine a 20-inch stride length and a smooth feel, capable of high speeds. The E614 is a popular option with fitness fans, who have given it a four-star average rating from 154 reviews.
AFG Sport 5.9AE Elliptical – $898.42
The AFG Sport 5.9AE is one of the more impressive models in our 2018 elliptical review. It only has 13 reviews on Amazon, but those who took the time to leave an elliptical review were clearly impressed, giving it a 4.5-star average. The 5.9AE has a quiet, high-powered flywheel and a heavy-duty frame. It also has an array of gadgets, including Bluetooth speakers for wireless music streaming, as well as tablet connectivity to track workout progress. It also comes with a wireless chest strap heart monitor for ultra-accurate performance readings.
Schwinn 470 Elliptical Machine – $999.99
The Schwinn 470 has an impressive array of features, making it one of the best elliptical machines under $1000. It has earned a four-star average rating from 284 reviewers. The machine’s weighted flywheel gives it excellent performance, with 25 levels of resistance for calorie-burning efficiency. It also lets you track your progress through electronic fitness programs which can be shown through a dual-screen display. USB connectivity boosts your entertainment options and allows you to download your fitness data. This is one of the best elliptical options for those serious about their workouts.
“Armor-Lock (Fitness)” Interlocking Rubber Tile
- Smaller sized tiles that are perfect for smaller sized gyms or garages
- Flooring for a garage. These tiles can handle the abusive most residential (& commercial) garages.
- Use as flooring for gym. Since it can absorb the impact of heavy weights and resists moisture, these are ideal to place in your workout areas.
- Affordability plus durability. These eco-friendly recycled floors are made from reclaimed rubber, which is tough and long lasting.
Pebble Top Finish: The vulcanized surface of these recycled floors comes with a pebble top finish. This quality helps the tile give your feet a good level of comfort and traction, especially if you are using these as a type of flooring for gym.
Easy to Transport: Sometimes, the circumstances in our lives dictate a change of location. If you happen to find yourself on the move to new territory, or if you just want something that is easy to carry around, then these 20” x 20” rubber flooring tiles are for you. Because of their smaller size and lighter weight, they are perfect for easy transportation. Add this to the fact that this is interlocking flooring, meaning that you will be spared from carrying around the additional adhesive materials that you would need for most other roll flooring.
High Price – $1,500 and Above
ProForm Smart Strider 735 Elliptical Trainer – $1,500
The high-end portion of our 2018 elliptical review starts with the ProForm 735. This is one of the best elliptical options on Amazon, packed with quality features. The ProForm has a four-star rating from 41 reviews, earning praise for its performance. It has a large back-mounted flywheel with magnetic resistance and incline features, oversized pedals and a high-grade steel frame. The 735 also has built-in fans and audio capabilities, along with a five-inch backlit screen and a range of electronic performance monitoring.
Body Solid E300 Endurance Elliptical Trainer with 5-readout LED display and Contact Heart Rate – $1,670
The self-imposed rules of the Rubber-Cal 2018 elliptical review dictate that a product needs 10 reviews to be eligible, but we’re cheating slightly with this one. The Body Solid E300 only has seven reviews, but its maximum five-star rating cannot be ignored. Reviewers describe the E300 as an “amazing machine”, and its array of features live up to that billing. It has everything from a high-tech backlit console with in-depth programs to a water bottle holder. It has a unique Center Drive design with a smooth 21-inch stride.
Sole Fitness E35 Elliptical Machine – $1,999
Last but far from least in the 2018 elliptical review is the Sole Fitness E35, and this is one of the very best elliptical options out there. From its 7.5-inch LCD display to its built-in cooling fan system, the E35 is a superb all-rounder, maximizing the benefits of elliptical exercise. It has adjustable pedals offering a stride length of up to 22 inches, as well as onboard speakers and MP3 compatibility. This is the full package for those looking to push their fitness regime to a new level. People who have left an elliptical review for the E35 have given it an average rating of 4.5 stars, making it one of the very best elliptical machines at the top end of the 2018 elliptical review.
The 2018 elliptical review has mapped out a whole range of excellent options for all abilities and budgets. No matter which option you go for, the machine can be optimized by using a rubber mat to reduce elliptical vibration issues. This will make sure your new exercise machine works quietly to give you the perfect workout.
Need Help Choosing a Specific Product?
