Top 5 compared
The best treadmills
A run on wet, dark evenings without leaving the house, at whatever pace you set.
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The top 5 at a glance
A running treadmill has a motor, a console on uprights and the speed to run as well as walk. Plenty of machines sold as treadmills are really folding walking pads with a handlebar, made to slide under a desk or a bed; those are on our walking pads list. Folding treadmills tip the deck up or fold down flat to save floor space; non-folding ones are built to stay put.
Clip the safety key to your clothing every time, so the belt stops if you fall; keep a clear run of floor behind the deck, and keep children and pets away while it’s running. Every one here has a powered incline that tilts the deck for hill work, and all but the NordicTrack fold away.
What matters
- About 10 mph or more for steady runs; 8.5 mph for walks and jogs.
- A longer belt, for room to stride once the pace picks up.
- A maximum user weight that covers every user.
- The floor space it takes, in use and folded.
#1Sunny Health & Fitness Fully Assembled Auto Incline Treadmill (SF-T723030)
Over $300
There’s nothing to put together: lift the handlebar, lock it in place and it’s ready to go. A 20 x 53 in running surface, speeds to 10 mph and 15 powered incline levels up to 15% make it a full running treadmill, and it folds down flat once the session’s done.
What owners say: Owners like how little setup it needs and how smoothly the incline rises with a single press, and some say it suits a small room, though it’s heavy to shift. Noise and reliability split them: some hear it squeak, and a small number of machines stopped abruptly.
A closer look: The free SunnyFit app plays trainer-led videos and scenic routes on a phone or tablet in the device holder, and the USB port keeps that screen charged through a long walk. Folded flat, the whole machine is only about 11.4 in high, so it sits low and out of the way between sessions.
- 2.5 HP brushless motor
- 24 built-in programs
- 11.4 in high folded
- USB port and device holder
- Pulse sensors
Best for: Running, with no assembly
- Top speed
- 10 mph
- Incline
- 0–15%, powered
- Running belt
- 53 x 20 in
- Max user weight
- 300 lb
- Folds
- Folds flat
- App
- SunnyFit (free)
#2ProForm Carbon TLX Treadmill
Over $300
The roomiest deck here: a 60 x 20 in belt on ProShox cushioning, speeds to 12 mph and incline to 12%, for long runs and fast intervals. QuickSpeed and QuickIncline buttons jump to the level you choose instead of tapping up one step at a time.
What owners say: Owners compare the feel underfoot to a gym machine, solid and quiet even at a run. Clear instructions make the build straightforward; the incline gets there, if not quickly.
A closer look: Without a subscription, the 7 in LCD shows speed, incline, distance and calories; an iFIT Train membership adds trainer-led classes on a phone or tablet set on the device shelf. Folded, it rolls away on its wheels, and the hydraulic foot bar lowers the deck gently next time.
- One-touch speed and incline keys
- 3 hp motor
- Cushioned deck
- Deck lowers gently when unfolded
- Rolls away on wheels
Best for: Interval sessions on a long deck
- Top speed
- 12 mph
- Incline
- 0–12%, powered
- Running belt
- 60 x 20 in
- Max user weight
- 300 lb
- Folds
- Yes
- App
- iFIT (membership)
#3BORGUSI Folding Treadmill with 15% Auto Incline (CTM5103)
Over $300
A 3.0 HP motor, speeds to 8.5 mph and powered incline to 15% on a 45.3 x 17.5 in belt, with speed and incline keys on the handrails, so there’s no reaching for the console mid-stride.
What owners say: Quiet and solid underfoot, owners say, with a belt roomy enough for daily walks and a build that gives little trouble; one keeps it in the kitchen, where it fits neatly. The auto incline is the sore point: most like it, but a few say theirs never worked.
A closer look: It ships about 90% assembled, so setup is a few screws, around 20 minutes by BORGUSI’s figure. The soft-drop system lowers the deck gently when it’s unfolded, and transport wheels roll it into a corner afterward. At 8.5 mph it’s made for walks, jogs and easy runs rather than sprints.
- Controls on the handrails
- Ships about 90% assembled
- 3.0 HP motor
- 15 preset programs
- Bluetooth speaker
Best for: Brisk walks and gentle jogs
- Top speed
- 8.5 mph
- Incline
- 0–15%, powered
- Running belt
- 45.3 x 17.5 in
- Max user weight
- 300 lb
- Folds
- Yes
- App
- No
#4NordicTrack T Series 5 Treadmill
Over $300
A full-size treadmill that stays put: a 55 x 18 in belt, speeds to 10 mph and powered incline to 10%, for runs as well as walks, on a cushioned KeyFlex deck. NordicTrack began in 1975 with a cross-country ski machine Edward Pauls built in his garage in Minnesota.
What owners say: Owners call it well made, smooth and easy to use; they split on assembly and noise, and some report it breaking down within two years.
Heads up: Trainer-led iFIT workouts that change the speed and incline for you need a paid iFIT Train membership; without one, it runs from its own console.
A closer look: There’s no folding it, so choose its spot before it’s built: it takes up about 68.3 by 30.5 in and weighs 130 lb, which makes moving it a job for two. NordicTrack covers the frame for 10 years and the motor, parts and labor for one.
- Cushioned deck
- 10-year frame warranty
- 2.6 hp motor
- Safety key
Best for: Cushioned runs in a fixed spot
- Top speed
- 10 mph
- Incline
- 0–10%, powered
- Running belt
- 55 x 18 in
- Max user weight
- 300 lb
- Folds
- No
- App
- iFIT (membership)
#5MERACH T31 Folding Treadmill with 18% Auto Incline
Over $300
A folding treadmill built for hills: powered incline to 18%, the steepest here, a 47 x 18 in belt and a 3.5 HP brushless motor that MERACH puts below 45 dB. It takes users up to 350 lb, the highest limit of the five.
What owners say: Sturdy and very quiet by owners’ accounts, it suits walks and easy runs, and one notes how smoothly the incline shifts during a workout. Putting it together is straightforward.
A closer look: A hydraulic system eases the deck up and down, so folding it away takes about 30 seconds. Speed and incline can be set from the MERACH app as well as the panel, and 12 shock absorbers under the belt soften each landing on a hard floor.
- Runs below 45 dB
- 3.5 HP brushless motor
- Folds away in 30 seconds
- 12 shock absorbers
- Heart rate on the display
Best for: Steep incline walks
- Top speed
- 8.7 mph
- Incline
- 0–18%, powered
- Running belt
- 47 x 18 in
- Max user weight
- 350 lb
- Folds
- Yes
- App
- MERACH app
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1Sunny SF-T723030 | #2ProForm Carbon TLX | #3BORGUSI CTM5103 | #4NordicTrack T5 | #5MERACH T31 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best premium | Best budget | Steepest incline | ||
| Picked Rating | 8.7 | 8.6 | 8.6 | 8.5 | 8.4 |
| Price | Over $300 | Over $300 | Over $300 | Over $300 | Over $300 |
| Top speed | 10 mph | 12 mph | 8.5 mph | 10 mph | 8.7 mph |
| Incline | 0–15%, powered | 0–12%, powered | 0–15%, powered | 0–10%, powered | 0–18%, powered |
| Running belt | 53 x 20 in | 60 x 20 in | 45.3 x 17.5 in | 55 x 18 in | 47 x 18 in |
| Max user weight | 300 lb | 300 lb | 300 lb | 300 lb | 350 lb |
| Folds | Folds flat | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| App | SunnyFit (free) | iFIT (membership) | No | iFIT (membership) | MERACH app |
| Best for | Running, with no assembly | Interval sessions on a long deck | Brisk walks and gentle jogs | Cushioned runs in a fixed spot | Steep incline walks |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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