people on ellipticals
Buying a cheap elliptical is doable but there is still a range of what is best among the cheap trainers. Take the time to do some research before running out there and buying any old thing!

Cheap Elliptical

So you are looking for a cheap ellipical! At the lower end of the elliptical market you can find the rickety old machines that run on fan motors from air resistance, lacking a lot of mechanics that a veteran user of ellipticals couldn’t go without. Some of them are bearable though.

Firstly you should know what is missing from the majority of budget ellipticals…

They are unstable: Because the cheaper ellipticals are smaller, and built with cheaper materials, it means they are lighter. And when you go plodding like crazy on a light machine it wobbles, which is annoying.

They have smaller stride lengths: Possibly the worst side effect of inexpensive ellipticals. Smaller stride lengths will make you feel like you are training on a clown elliptical. It will feel less natural and for the taller type, could be unbearable to use.


They have a rubbish LCD: This means that you will only have two buttons to change to the category, change the value, change the time, select the program to run, start the program, and turn off the machine. Do you know how annoying that is? Almost as annoying as that list I just made. Better machines have a whole bunch of buttons I can drool over.

They aren’t durable or long-lasting: They will fall apart within a few years if used constantly, so it is not recommended that you buy them for a gym. There may be parts of the machine that will fall off and if the warranty is out, will be expensive to replace.

Cheap Elliptal Machines in The Market Today

Now, let’s continue onto some of the cheap products.

Stamina Fitness Silent Magnetic Resistant Cross Trainer Elliptical:
This mouthful of a machine packs more than you bargain, for a cheap price of $240 where can you go wrong? Well, so long as you are a short fellow or lady then it’s not a huge problem, but the 14-inch stride length is really not good. This Stamina product has 8 resistance levels, a heart-monitoring grip, and 6 workout programs. I would say this is a swell little machine, compared to the competition in the price range, anyway.

The Weslo Momentum 630:
This inexpensive elliptical would be a great addition to a home gym, it is only $280 and easy to assemble. It has push button resistance, two built in workouts, and LCD display showing calories burned, speed, time, distance and more. A common problem with this and many other ellipticals is that it rocks from side to side whilst using, this can be very infuriating if you are a lover of ellipticals. But you get what you pay for, right?

The Image 7.8:
Simple design, but what does that matter for $300. It offers 8 personal trainer workouts, 2 heart workouts, and a large LCD display. The review for this product is good, like all the others I have mentioned on this list.

To Summarize

So it is really now a matter of what your personal preference is. All three products I have mentioned are the best you can find in the budget price range. All have their disadvantages but for a home gym, who’s going to notice?