Top 5 compared
The best treadmills
A brisk walk or a proper run at home, at any hour and in any weather.
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The top 5 at a glance
A treadmill is a motorised belt to walk, jog or run on indoors, whatever the weather is doing. A running treadmill has a handrail, a console to set the pace and the top speed for proper runs, and on most an incline turns a brisk walk into a hill climb; a slim walking pad that slides under a desk is a different thing, compared on its own list. Most fold up or flat between sessions; the biggest machines stay put.
Every one here folds except the NordicTrack, which lives where it’s built, and each links to a phone app, though NordicTrack’s trainer-led iFIT classes need a paid membership once the trial ends. NordicTrack’s manual sets rules worth following on any of them: wear the safety key’s clip so the belt stops after a fall, leave 2.4m of clear floor behind the machine and 60cm each side, and keep children under 16 and pets away.
What matters
- A longer belt for running fast; shorter does for walks and jogs.
- Powered incline changes mid-walk; a manual one means stopping to reset.
- A maximum user weight with a margin over whoever will use it.
- Transport wheels, and room for it folded as well as in use.
#1Toputure TP5 Folding Treadmill with 12% Incline
Over £300
A 16 km/h folding treadmill with a handrail console that reads heart rate from its grips, and a three-step incline up to 12% for brisk uphill walks. With the handrail folded down it lies flat, 13cm high.
What owners say: Owners compare its build to the machines in a public gym, say it handles back-to-back sessions well, and enjoy the Bluetooth speaker.
A closer look: Set the incline by hand, in three steps, before starting the belt. At 104cm the belt is on the short side for fast running, which makes it happiest with brisk incline walks and steady jogs, and a remote and phone holder come in the box.
- Heart-rate grips on the console
- 13cm high when folded
- Remote and phone holder included
Best for: Brisk incline walks and jogs
- Top speed
- 16 km/h
- Incline
- 1, 6 or 12% (manual)
- Running belt
- 104 x 42cm
- Max user weight
- 130kg
- Folds
- Folds flat
- App
- FitShow, Kinomap, Zwift
#2DECORCN Folding Treadmill with Auto Incline (KD2450JA)
£200–£300
A full-size folding running treadmill that reaches 16 km/h, with a wide 120 x 45cm belt, 20 levels of powered incline and room for users up to 150kg, the highest limit of the five.
What owners say: Owners say the incline glides up and down smoothly on its own and that it stays steady under heavier runners, and found it simple to build.
A closer look: The belt arrives oiled, and a bottle of lubricant comes in the box for topping it up as the manual directs. Clip the safety key to clothing before every session, then fold the deck up afterwards to free the floor.
- 12 built-in programmes
- Bluetooth speaker
- Lubricant in the box
- Clip-on safety key
Best for: Running and heavier users
- Top speed
- 16 km/h
- Incline
- 20 powered levels
- Running belt
- 120 x 45cm
- Max user weight
- 150kg
- Folds
- Yes
- App
- Yes
#3NordicTrack T Series 5 Treadmill
Over £300
The longest belt here at 140 x 46cm, a 16 km/h top speed and powered incline to 10%, for proper runs as well as walks. NordicTrack began in 1975 with a cross-country ski machine Edward Pauls built in his garage in Minnesota.
What owners say: Owners like the quick speed and incline buttons and how solid it feels underfoot, and found it straightforward to assemble.
Heads up: Trainer-led iFIT workouts that set the speed and incline need an iFIT membership, a paid subscription after the 30-day trial (its code is requested from NordicTrack); without one, it runs from its own console.
A closer look: It doesn’t fold, so pick its spot before assembly: to move it, lift the back until it rolls on the front wheels, which means lifting about 20kg. A shelf above the console holds a tablet for classes or something to watch.
- Cushioned deck
- One-touch speed buttons
- Tablet shelf above the console
- Rolls on front wheels
Best for: Longer strides at speed
- Top speed
- 16 km/h
- Incline
- 0–10%, powered
- Running belt
- 140 x 46cm
- Max user weight
- 136kg
- Folds
- No
- App
- iFIT (subscription)
#4MERACH T12B2 Folding Treadmill with Auto Incline
£200–£300
Powered incline that climbs to 15% at the press of a button, for uphill walks and hill intervals, on a steel frame that folds up to stand in 65 x 70cm of floor.
What owners say: Owners like how quietly it runs and how smoothly the automatic incline rises, and find it good value, though it’s very heavy to move and a few report it stopping working.
A closer look: Merach’s app runs guided sessions that change the speed and incline as they go, and it also links to Kinomap and Zwift. With a 108cm belt and a 12 km/h top speed, it suits walking, jogging and easy runs more than fast sprints.
- App adjusts speed and incline
- Folds to 65 x 70cm
- Steel frame
- Remote control
Best for: Steep hill intervals
- Top speed
- 12 km/h
- Incline
- Up to 15%, powered
- Running belt
- 108 x 42cm
- Max user weight
- 136kg
- Folds
- Yes
- App
- Merach, Kinomap, Zwift
#5WalkingPad R2 Walk and Run Folding Treadmill
Over £300
A compact walk-and-run treadmill: with its handrail folded down it’s a walking pad up to 6 km/h, and with it raised it runs to 12 km/h. It comes ready built and folds in half to slide under a bed or stand upright.
What owners say: Owners find the app simple and like how small it folds, with some keeping it under a sit-stand desk.
Heads up: With a 1.25HP motor and a 110kg limit it’s lighter-duty than the others here, so it’s happiest with regular walks and jogs rather than long, hard runs.
A closer look: Speeds above 6 km/h only unlock in running mode, so raise the handrail first. Folded, it’s 16cm tall, low enough for the gap under many beds and sofas, and transport wheels make it easy to roll back out.
- Handrail up unlocks running mode
- Arrives ready built
- 16cm tall folded
- Transport wheels
- Remote control
Best for: Small homes and flats
- Top speed
- 12 km/h
- Incline
- No
- Running belt
- 120 x 44cm
- Max user weight
- 110kg
- Folds
- Folds in half
- App
- KS Fit, Kinomap
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1Toputure TP5 | #2DECORCN KD2450JA | #3NordicTrack T Series 5 | #4MERACH T12B2 | #5WalkingPad R2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best for heavier users | Longest belt | Best budget | Best for small spaces | |
| Picked Rating | 9.3 | 9.2 | 8.5 | 8.3 | 8.3 |
| Price | Over £300 | £200–£300 | Over £300 | £200–£300 | Over £300 |
| Top speed | 16 km/h | 16 km/h | 16 km/h | 12 km/h | 12 km/h |
| Incline | 1, 6 or 12% (manual) | 20 powered levels | 0–10%, powered | Up to 15%, powered | No |
| Running belt | 104 x 42cm | 120 x 45cm | 140 x 46cm | 108 x 42cm | 120 x 44cm |
| Max user weight | 130kg | 150kg | 136kg | 136kg | 110kg |
| Folds | Folds flat | Yes | No | Yes | Folds in half |
| App | FitShow, Kinomap, Zwift | Yes | iFIT (subscription) | Merach, Kinomap, Zwift | KS Fit, Kinomap |
| Best for | Brisk incline walks and jogs | Running and heavier users | Longer strides at speed | Steep hill intervals | Small homes and flats |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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