No; treadmills aren’t worth it.
For all of you folks out there who are thinking about getting into shape, I thought I’d pass on a little advice and save you a serious case of buyer’s remorse.
Believe it or not, treadmills are the most popular form of exercise equipment, which is probably why the world is full of late-night infomercials and fast-talking salesmen constantly spouting that treadmills are the greatest thing since sliced bread. They’re not.
Yes, yes … they’re extremely convenient — especially for folks who live in locales with rough winters — but as a former treadmill owner, trust me when I say the cons far outweigh the pros.
In fact, here are 14 reasons why treadmills just aren’t worth the money:
- They run on electricity. No power; no workout. I know; this one is pretty weak — but as every exercise enthusiast knows, it’s important to start your workout session with a low-impact gentle warm-up. Mission accomplished.
- They ain’t cheap. Top of the line models will cost you upwards of $4000. Yes, you can buy cheaper models. Unfortunately:
- Less-expensive models don’t last long. That is, unless you use them only for walking; but why would you buy a machine for that?
- Sophisticated treadmills are space hogs. The biggest ones are 3-feet by 6-feet and don’t fold up.
- Swiss watch precision — or bust. For smooth operation, the motor and belt must constantly be in perfect harmony, with just the right amount of friction applied. Otherwise, you’ve got problems — which is why:
- Maintenance is a must. That means constant belt alignment and tightening, lubrication, and removal of dirt and grime, not to mention potential motor replacements.
- Accidents. Lots of them. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reported 19,000 emergency room visits in a single year attributable to treadmills, including broken bones, concussions and amputated fingers. Which is why:
- You always need to pay attention. Otherwise, this could happen to you:
- They’re tough on the body. Even if you’re careful, aches and pains often come with the territory because, unlike ellipticals, treadmills put a lot of stress on knee, ankle and hip joints. That’s especially disconcerting when you consider:
- You burn fewer calories. It’s true; at least compared to running outdoors. The moving treadmill belt acts as springboard for your legs so you don’t work as hard. Compounding that problem is:
- Limited scenery. Because treadmill runners see the same old scene day in and day out, they induce a lot of boredom. That usually leads to shorter runs.
- Posture issues. Treadmills — especially the smaller ones — can cause some people to alter the way they walk or run, which often leads to an increased risk of muscle strain and poor posture. Yes, really.
- They ain’t cheap (Part II). Household electricity costs are approximately 25 to 35 cents per hour for a typical treadmill. I realize that’s not an earth-shattering complaint, but I’m in my cool-down phase now — so give me a break.
- They’re a clothes magnet. Now that you’ve read this, you can probably guess why so many treadmills eventually become nothing more than expensive apparel racks. Too bad hangars are never included.
Photo Credit: metaphoricalplatypus.com
When I still went to the gym, I didn’t use the treadmill. I preferred to focus on weights rather than using a treadmill.
I admit, I bought one last week. It is a cheap one from amazon that was $199.99. I used to have one and loved it but the motor died. I have a recumbent bike that I love but after an hour or two it just kills my tailbone area due to the hard seat. I’ve tried putting pillows or folded up towels on the seat but it doesn’t really help much or it feels awkward. In order to get my 10k steps (minimum) in for the day, I would walk circles around my small living room (too cold outside). A treadmill was my solution so that I wasn’t walking such tight circles which I found to be hard on my feet, ankles and lower legs. I have a shelf in front of the treadmill that I set my laptop on so that I can watch videos on Hulu, Netflix or YouTube while I do a brisk walk. I don’t like to run. Like at all. So hopefully it’ll at least last long enough where I feel like I’ve gotten my money’s worth.
By the way, at the top of your page is an ad for treadmills up to 40% off at DealHunter. LOL
Oops. They’re on my page too. LOL
The service placing the ads will catch on … eventually.
I love my treadmill. Living in ND, if I had to climb in my car in the -20 weather to drive to a gym it wouldn’t happen. I can’t run due to issues with my knees, so I only walk on mine. But keeping mobile is a must and I find it is enough exercise to keep my weight down and my cholesterol, etc. in check. I don’t like to exercise in front of other people and I love the convenience of just getting up in the am and hopping on. I had my last ‘cheaper’ model for 20+ years. My newer version probably won’t last that long as nothing made these days seems to last.
Good for you, Paula! I’m truly happy that your treadmill has worked out for you. Keep it up!
Completely agree. If you do a treadmill right, it is EXTREMELY beneficial.
For example, my family is fortunate enough to:
1. Have a large house with a 1500 sq ft basement with 9 ft ceilings. Plenty of room for me, 6″4′, to run on the treadmill without my head being too close to the ceiling.
2. We are fortunate to have been able to purchase a gym-grade treadmill, MSRP $7,995, used for $1,900 plus tax including delivery. When we bought it 5 years ago, it was literally the exact same Matrix treadmill that we ran on at our gym.
Gym -grade treadmills last 30,000 miles. They have an odometer on them if you know what buttons to press. Ours had just 3,200 miles on it.
Which means if we run on it an average of 25 miles a week, it will last us 20.6 years.
So cost of ownership is $97.77 a year.
But for most people, this set up is not realistic. Heck, Florida doesn’t even have basements 😉
Well, Len, I have to say I’m a happy treadmill user. I bought a cheap one from Sears, $300, back in 2004. I use it every day, and it’s still going strong. But I only use it for walking. It folds up, and I’ve never had to do any sort of maintenance on it. When it stops working, I will buy another cheap one. The one I had previous to this lasted 11 years. I suspect it’s more about the individual and their exercise habits than the machine itself.
I bought one about four years ago. It gave me trouble almost from the get go. I finally sold it for 25 cents on the dollar and got an elliptical instead, I much prefer that to the treadmill. Everybody is different I guess!
I prefer ellipticals too, Pepper.
Good post. How could you forget to mention the noise factor?
You’re right. They are very noisy! Better not have one within ear shot of the family TV, or there will be trouble.
I actually enjoy using a treadmill, and at one time did own one. That was short lived for many of the reasons you mentioned. Now for the nominal cost of $10 per month, I still get to use them, and all the maintenance, electricity, and space issues are not my concern. Yes, I still have to pay the $10 per month and the gas to go back and forth, but since I go about 10-12 times per month on average, I’m just fine with those costs.
I love treadmills, as long as they’re at the gym. Being large, running anywhere but dirt / trail is an invitation to injury for me. So being able to run on the treadmill from time to time is a great way to mix up my cardio workout.
Alternatively, if you’re self employed and working from home, setting up a treadmill as a walking desk is a good way to keep your body moving while still being productive.
Treadmills may have their drawbacks, but they definitely have their benefits.
My wife bought a treadmill last year. She used it for about a month but then she started complaining about having a sore back. When she quit using the treadmill, her back pain went away. It may have been coincidence but the thing went unused for a long time after that. I finally got tired of watching it collect dust so I told her I was going to donate it to charity. She didn’t try to stop me.
It wasn’t a coincidence, Charlie.
Another problem with treadmills is the difficult transition to running outside. I did the couch to 5k program over last winter at the gym on a treadmill. I got up to 3 miles. I went to run outside and was exhausted and had to stop after 1/2 mile. It took me almost 2 months to get up to 3 miles of real world running. I couldn’t believe how much harder it was to run in the real world. I’ll never use a teadmill again. Now I run outside rain or shine, heat or cold 3-4 times a week.
I couldn’t agree more. I would just run outside or around the park instead of using treadmill. More importantly, at gym there’s a special payment for the treadmill usage as this consumes energy. Treadmills are indeed for suckers. 😀
Have used a$ 1800 machine for years – never had a bit of trouble with it – the low tomorrow night in western Penna is minus 6 degrees – only a nut case would run outside in that weather – I’ll be running climate controlled while I watch TV can’t beat it
” … never had a bit of trouble with it …”
Oh, you will, George. You will. Soon.
We bought one for the wife before going to Hawaii in 2007. My wife used it a half dozen times before we went and then never again. But she absolutely refuses to let me give it away. “I’m gonna start using it!”
What makes you so sure you’ll be able to give it away, Ryan?
I will admit that treadmills are a great way to exercise BUT they are so expensive and huge. My little wallet and small apartment do not agree with them!
Im going to find a good used one for not more than $100-125. I will use it strictly for walking, since I cant walk outside right now.
I love running outside. When I am running outside and some joggers overtook me then my speed became even double !!!!
Great article, just what I’m looking for. My treadmill is well made and sturdy. It does not shake when I run and is easily portable. I’ve jogged, ran, and full on sprinted on it with no issues at all. I’ve had it a week and I’ve used it almost every day. No problems so far. We are very happy with this purchase.
Hi Lenzo:
I truly appreciate your thoughts. I really do.
I just turned 50 a couple months back, and I’m still trying to play basketball! With this COVID situation, activity has slowed way down for the past few months, but I’m considering getting a treadmill—at least, before reading what you’ve posted. I think alot like you, but was hoping we could speak further about this. Do you have a particular brand/model that you would recommend? How often DO YOU really have to get it maintained? If you’re like me, I know that would be a pain.
In trying to do “10-12 thousand steps,” run, etc., I like the idea, but if it broke down after 3 months, I’d be pissed. Let me know your thoughts when you have a moment. Thanks again for your time.
Trevor
Here’s another reason – Moving parts. They break! Now it’s on *you* to deal with that. Even if it is under warranty, you still need to deal with it. The ones at a fitness club – They have to fix them.
I appreciate this page, as I’m currently weighing the pros/cons and trying to research both sides before making a purchase.
As an avid runner I know I will never like a treadmill as much as running outdoors. Unfortunately, multiple surgeries after a stage 4 colon cancer diagnosis has sidelined me from ultrarunning, and while I try to do what I can running closer to home, being severely immunocompromised adds significant risk. My oncologist is supportive and knows running is important to me, but has encouraged me to consider a treadmill.
Like you mentioned, one solid and built well enough for daily running isn’t going to be cheap or easy to store. I wasn’t sure I would even use an exercise machine, but I do have a Peloton bike that I use more than I thought I would to try to stay as active as I can through treatment – but I really miss running regularly.
Hopefully people will take your thoughts into consideration – like I said, they are excellent points, and I really am struggling with this decision!
Knees.
Boy, we sure all live in different worlds.I suppose city running isn’t much fun. When I was younger I used to run 6 miles per day and tried for every day. Then the knees needed surgery. Wife bought a great exercise bike and that is no impact but,,,,,boring. Look out the window for 40 minutes. The last 10 years I walk in all weather except when it might be too dangerous in the trees. Wind. I built a trail network on some property and just see what I can see. Dog loves it. Some days we walk into elk, and some days see nothing. Saw a grouse yesterday and an elk dodging a car out on the road. We always watch out for cougars when the light is low as my dog and I have walked into them in the past. 3 years ago my wife and I walked up to grizzly, by mistake of course. Walked into a clearing at the neighbours and saw him looking at us from about 50 yards away. He watched us the whole way home as we got the hell out of there, Some years they move into our area, but most years they do not. It definitely got the heart rate up.
Anyway, good for the exercisers out there. I look after an old timer neighbour who I had to place in a care home just over a year ago. He is now fading fast at 83. His claim to fame was his recliner and love of tv and Crown Royal. My other neighbour is now 96, and his wife is 88. He walks every day, not too far. but he gets out there and still manages the stairs. He is mostly ‘with it’. Passive no exercise life vrs engaged and active. Keep on truckin’.
My son’s father-in-law has health problems. He purchased (about $2,000) a high end treadmill a few years ago with ability to pick any of dozens of cities around the world and walk a 45 minute plus route through these cities while looking at the corresponding video. The handles are necessary for him. He walks these tours every day and he loves it.
They make really expensive clothing racks.
I ride a stationary bike. I drink water while I pedal. I close my eyes, and think about things. I pray a lot too. I mostly pray that it will soon be at the desired number of miles, and I can get off. lol
Ha ha! Great minds think alike, Bill! 🙂
Finally, I found someone who shares the same thoughts about them! More nature and fresh air!
You could put several heavy fruitcakes in a backpack. If you wear it all day, you’ll get in exercise, and they last forever. Pick up some now. lol