Professional Treadmills... Ahh yes, the holy grail of treadmills in both quality and price.

These treadmills are actually quite different than your normal run-of-the-mill options that you see at the store and online. 

In fact a professional treadmill is really the only type of treadmill that I really recommend anybody get nowadays.

They last longer, require less maintenance (if any), can be used for at-home only or commercially, and the cost is not all that much higher than your traditional treadmill options that most everybody else gets because they typically do not take the time to do an in-depth search like you are doing right now.

What Is a Professional Treadmill?

This type of treadmill is basically as close to a commercial treadmill as you can get without spending a fortune. 

A professional treadmill is designed to offer the best of both worlds in the form of functionality and performance similar to commercial grade treadmills, but the price that's closer to a runners or personal treadmill.

If you don't already know, commercial treadmills tend to cost a fortune.

But what if you don't have the budget for a quality commercial treadmill but would still like the kind of features and build quality it offers?

Well, in that case, a commercial grade treadmill is the machine for your fitness journey. It boasts a much better build quality than a personal or runners treadmill, and can handle a lot of weight and rough use.

The repairs and maintenance needs of commercial grade treadmills are far less than a typical home runners treadmill as they are typically built very heavy duty.

You can run for longer than you should on these ones and hardly ever come close to compromising its integrity. 

And if you ever decide to sell your treadmill, which I highly doubt, you can still fetch a good price for it. 

This makes them a great option as a multi-person fitness equipment – or a treadmill that will be in use for long hours every day – something a personal treadmill would struggle to handle.

Our Top Pick

Professional Treadmill vs. Traditional Treadmill 

While we did touch upon some key differences between a professional treadmill and a traditional treadmill above, it's important to understand them in more detail.

Better Build Quality

There are many common durability issues associated with regular treadmills. 

It's not even uncommon for them to break down after a few months of use, especially if you're a bit demanding with your workout routine.

In fact, you may start having durability issues with a regular runners treadmill if you have been putting it to rough use, using it for long hours regularly, or if it's being used by heavy users.

Regular treadmills are not designed to handle these things. 

A professional treadmill, on the other hand, is very solidly built with much stronger and higher quality parts and components than its regular counterpart. 

Some of the better professional treadmills – especially the ones we have reviewed below – are particularly designed for multi-person use, meaning they would have no durability issue even after being used for long hours every day for a long period of time.

The quality, strength, durability, and the lifespan (without needing repairs or higher maintenance costs) is a big difference between a professional treadmill and a regular one.

I'm not trying to say any treadmill out there other than professional ones isn't worth it, I have used some very cool and robust self-propelled treadmills and even curved treadmills that blew my mind.

Handles More Demanding Joggers Quite a Bit Better

There are joggers that like to run on top speed, or put the treadmill through a lot of rough use. Then there are those who make those usual treadmill mistakes that most users often make. 

A regular treadmill would certainly have a hard time keeping up with such runners for a long period of time.

It would start showing signs of damage surprisingly soon, especially if it's not an expensive, high-end personal treadmill. I know of only a few treadmills that are built to take on such abuse. 

The likes of Proform 5000, NordickTrack 1750, Nautilus T616 and T618 are more than just quality cardio machines, these juggernauts are built for abuse.

But then it makes more sense to buy a professional treadmill instead of an expensive personal treadmill, as the cost would be similar but you would get much more with the former in terms of the build quality, durability, functionality and speed.

Not to mention, there are always risks associated with using a regular treadmill for heavy users. They are not just limited to the treadmill getting damaged, but may also pose a risk to the users. 

You get the peace of mind with a real professional treadmill that it won't breakdown in the middle of a workout session and leave you wondering how to get off it safely or avoid harm to yourself.

Regular treadmills are usually rated for users weighing much less than professional treadmills, meaning that the latter are a much safer, more durable and functional option for heavy users' fitness goals.

With a pro treadmill, you wouldn't have any of the other limitations that you would with a traditional runners treadmill.

A professional treadmill outdoes your traditional personal treadmill in every department, and offers you a level of workout you would never be able to get with a basic regular treadmill. 

Or if you can, not for long.

More Features and Better Functionality

A runners or regular treadmill is also much more limited with its features and functionality than a high-quality professional treadmill.

They will come with a more powerful motor, more advanced features, better functionalities, customization options, interactive coaching and virtual workouts, large LCD screens, better speed variation and the list goes on.

Just to give you a little example, our top professional treadmill that we reviewed below comes with a 4.0 CHP motor, which is much more powerful than the 2.5 CHP or even lower rated motors you get with most regular treadmills.

The same goes for the other features as well - like speed variation.

Some of the major areas where these treadmills absolutely blow away a regular one includes the following.

• Motor – Pro treadmills come with a much more powerful motor as explained above
• Deck area – You typically get a much large running track, more cushioned treadmill deck than with a regular treadmill, which makes the workouts much more comfortable and effective.
• Handles heavier users easily –Using a cheap runners treadmill may pose a safety thread to heavy users, but professional treadmills are rated for users weighing up to 400 lbs
• Great durability and stability – These treadmills boast much more durable and stronger components and parts, offering great overall durability and stability during the workouts
• Workout programs – You get much more preset workout program with a professional treadmill, and they are all also more personalized and offer more customization than what you get with a regular treadmill
• Advanced Functionalities –Some of the better professional treadmills adjusts according to your speed, come with many preprogrammed workouts, and allow you to create your own too
• Ease of use – Contrary to what you feel, they can be just as easy to set up and use as regular ones, despite a much higher level of functionality, power and performance
• Personalized feedback and coaching –You can't expect much from a personal or traditional home treadmill in terms of feedback or coaching, but a good professional treadmill like the Bowflex BXT216 reviewed below offers real-time feedback and in-workout coaching that goes a long way in motivating you and improving the effectiveness of your workouts

Best Professional Treadmills

Now that you know professional treadmills compare to regular ones, let me walk you through the best professional treadmills on the market.

Professional Treadmill Shoppers – Here’s How to Buy the Best One

While all the professional treadmills we reviewed above are the best options you will find on the market, the exact best option for you may boil down to your needs and preferences.

So let us give you some specific suggestions below.

Do You Want to Do Interactive Training Workouts?

If you're a beginner and would have to rely a lot on expert advice and help from trainers in realtime, the NordicTrack Commercial X32i would turn out to be your best bet.

It comes with a massive 32” interactive touchscreen and free iFit membership for one year to help you do just that.

Do You Need a Treadmill for Home Use or Commercial Use?

This is a very important consideration, as you will have two very different set of options depending on whether you're looking for a treadmill for home use or commercial use.

Best Treadmill for Home Use

The Bowflex BXT 216 is as good as it can get for home use. 

It has all the features you will ever need, it's super sturdy and durable, and it's capable of handling heavy users and long hours of use.

It also saves a lot of space in your home with its low profile foldable design. What else can you ask for?

Best Treadmill for Commercial Use

I don’t think there’s a commercial treadmill offering a better value for money than the NordicTrack Commercial 2950.

The impressively powerful motor, large interactive touchscreen, both incline and decline functionality, advanced cushioning system, iFit membership and surprisingly quiet operation are all hard to find in a commercial treadmill that doesn't cost a ton.

Treadmill Cost – How Much Do You Have to Spend?

A treadmill isn't something you would want to cheap out on. Cheap treadmills that don't offer the required stability (especially if you're one of the tallest runners around) or durability are not only going to reduce the effectiveness of your exercise, but may also make you vulnerable to an accident in case something goes wrong.

And don't even get me started on how annoying it is to take care of their maintenance needs. If you're a heavy user, you would probably end up spending more on a cheap treadmill's repairs and maintenance than you would buying a better option like a professional treadmill.

Would you really be fine with that kind of limitations? I bet not!

However, that's not saying the budget shouldn't be a factor to consider at all. In fact, we have considered the cost as an important factor for each of the treadmill we picked and reviewed in this post.

The treadmills we have reviewed offer the best bang for your buck. They are all a great balance of budget (price) and impressive specs, features, functionality, and performance.

Treadmill Warranty

The warranty is also an important factor to consider when buying a treadmill. It's surprising how many buyers overlook this aspect of the treadmill and do not even read the warranty terms.

It's easy to think you're getting a great deal at a cheap price until you actually read the warranty terms and conditions.

Some treadmills mention that their warranty would only be applicable if the treadmill is used for personal or residential use only, and not commercial use.

That said, all the treadmills we reviewed above offer a pretty good warranty, some much longer than the others. And the good news is that all of them have a very high weight capacity, meaning there would be no issues with the warranty period even for heavy users.

Coming to the specific suggestion on this front, nothing beats the Sole F85's lifetime warranty on both the motor and frame. A rock-solid warranty on a rock-solid treadmill.

How Much the Screen Size Matters to You?

The screen size is another factor that many users overlook, but they really shouldn't. This is especially true for beginners or users looking to get expert support.

A large screen with coaching or trainer support can make the workouts very interactive and can help beginners get started easily.

And if interactive workouts and a large screen appeal to you, then you would want to go with either the NordicTrack Commercial 2950 or the X32i.

Both offer pretty much the same features as far as their “screen” functionality is concerned, but the X32i boasts a massive 32” HD display while the Commercial 2950 offers a 22” HD screen.

The screens are also water resistant and the HD quality is as good as anything you may have seen. Then there's the coaching videos, iiFit community and awesome workout program.

Beginners vs. Advanced Users: Usage and Preferences?

While all the treadmills above are great choices for both beginners and advanced users in general, some may turn out to be better than the others depending on the usage and preferences of the users.

Some of the important features beginners would want to look for

• A diverse range of preset workouts

• Speed variation should start from 0 or a near 0 point, so that beginners can take their time before being comfortable switching up to higher speeds

• Spacious running track – all our professional treadmills above come with a very spacious user friendly deck, and if it can automatically adjust the incline, then the better.

• Cushioning system – Beginners could really do with some cushioning support when working out, so this is important factor too, treadmills with cushioning systems are also great for people with bad knees or who are coming back from a knee injury.

• Training and coaching videos – So that a beginner isn't forced to spend hours finding some useful and accurate information on YouTube. Also nowadays there are exercise apps like Zwift, which is compatible with a lot of treadmills, these apps give you a gamified running experience, making things fun and helping you stay motivated.

• Shock-absorbent design and stability is a must for beginners; they may not be able to handle a shaky track when they are working out at higher speeds

• A large LCD screen would be helpful too, as it would make it easy to track progress and get important information easily

• If you're an absolute beginner, getting a treadmill with the iFit membership would be a great help.

Now, what should the advanced users look for?

• A powerful motor that would easily be able to handle more demanding workouts

• More than the preset workout programs, being able to customize the workout programs, build their own ones, and the ability to customize the functionality of the treadmill in general would matter more to advanced users

• A higher incline and the ability to decline may not be necessary for all advanced users, but still a great feature to have

• The speed variation range – higher the better

• While the cushioning system would be important to advanced users too, they would preferably want to have a system they can adjust to match their varying workout needs.

• Stability – the treadmill should be able to handle the demanding workouts without making the workout condition difficult for the user

• Warranty is more important for advanced users than beginners, as they are more likely to need it

Should I just run outside instead of buying a treadmill? 

Well, if you really could go out and run every day, you probably wouldn't even be reading this right now!

The thing is, we aren't really good at leaving the comfort of our home for running outside, at least not regularly.

But a treadmill can go a long way in filling this “motivation” gap. As all you would need to do is jump on the treadmill and get running, you would be much more likely to do it regularly than running outdoors.

Top Treadmill Brands

While we have only reviewed professional treadmills from reputed brands in this post. Sure, there are also other unsung brands like life fitness and the likes, but some brands are definitely more reliable than the others.

And when it comes to the top treadmill brands out there, there's little doubt that Bowflex, Sole, and NordicTrack sit right at the top of the list.

Let us quickly review these top treadmill brands below.

Bowflex

Bowflex is actually owned by the Nautilus, but it has emerged as a better and more popular brand than its “parent” brand when it comes to treadmills. In fact, it's one of the most popular brands for professional treadmills.

And one of the biggest factors that has made it one of the best treadmills brands is the great balance of price and functionality it offers.

While many similar brands offer expensive treadmills that come with a lot of bells and whistles, Bowflex sticks to the basics and focuses on allowing its users to get a gym-like workout from the comfort of their home gym.

You would be hard-pressed to get a better value for your money than with a Bowflex treadmill when buying a professional treadmill for home use.

Sole

Sole is another brand that offers a great value for money with all its treadmills. However, there are some major differences between Sole and some other brands out there.

Sole puts a lot of focus on the durability and stability of its treadmills over advanced functionalities and extra bells and whistles. This is especially true for the treadmills it sells at the more budget price points.

Some of its more expensive commercial grade ellipticals and treadmills also come with advanced functionalities and a lot of extras, but it's the budget treadmills where it really enjoys an edge over the other brands.

The budget options it offers like the Sole F63 turn out to be surprisingly durable for their price, while also offering all the features you would need for a complete workout.

Sole's confidence in the durability of its professional treadmills is evident in the fact that it offers a lifetime warranty on both the motor and frame with its top professional treadmill, the Sole F85.

NordicTrack

If you have some coin to spend, NordicTrack is your brand. 

It's hands-down the best brand if you're looking to purchase a commercial treadmill or a high-end treadmill with tons of advanced features and functionalities.

NordickTrack has a machine for everyone really. From these robust bad boys built to stand strenuous use by those doing cardio to build muscle, to small treadmills for seniors that are designed for lighter use.

While their professional treadmills aren't for budget buyers, they come with pretty much everything imaginable in a treadmill.

However, one of the most unique and highlighting features of NordicTrack treadmills if the iFit membership. It allows users to get a professional workout, assisted by a professional trainer in real time.

FAQ Most Treadmill Buyers Have

Many users may be looking to buy a professional treadmill for the first time. If that's you and and you have many questions about it, here are some more answers.

Who should buy a treadmill?

If you are building a home gym set up or are just simply needing a treadmill that is going to last you, give you your money's worth, and allow you to skip the local gym membership fees and hassle then you are probably in store to buy one.

I'm A Bodybuilder, is a Professional Treadmill  Best For Me

If you want a treadmill that is going to last you, one that is maintenance free, and one that does not cost a ton, then yes a professional treadmill is going to be your best option if you are wanting a treadmill for your bodybuilding home gym set up.

Can Pro or Commercial Grade Treadmills Workout Be as Effective as Running Outdoors?

Although it has been debated whether treadmills are bad for knees, they are not, as long as you use it right. 

As a matter of fact, running on a treadmill can be more effective than running outside. 

You get to create a customized workout or running environment, and don't have to deal with any obstacles as you do when running outdoors. 

This makes a treadmill workout perfect for seniors and for people with bad knees who would otherwise be running on the concrete rather than a cushioned treadmill deck.

What CHP do I need?

CHP basically means continuous horse power. A lot depends on your workouts and your body weight. If you plan to run or jog on the treadmill, you will need more chp rating than someone who would only be walking during their workouts.

Similarly, a user weighing 300 pounds or more would certainly need a higher CHP than someone weighing under 200 pounds.

But to get a little specific, here are a few general rules of thumb.

• A runner would ideally need 3.0 CHP

• A jogger would be fine with around 2.5 CHP

• A walker would have no problem with a treadmill offering 2.0 CHP

Now, coming to the weight, there are some easy rules here too.

• Users weighing up to 200 pounds should simply follow the above suggestion, depending on their use.

• If you weigh more than 200 pounds, you may need to add 0.5 to 1.0 CHP to the above suggestions depending on your exact weight.

What's the ideal weight capacity I should look for?

Good question! A lot of users make the mistake of only looking for the exact weight capacity as their weight.

You would ideally want the max weight capacity to be at least 20% more than your current weight. A treadmill that has a higher weight capacity will provide you with the stability you need to have a comfortable and effective workout.

Are Preset Workout Programs Helpful?

They are definitely helpful, especially for beginners. If you have never worked out on your own, preset workout programs will help you get started easily.

The treadmills we reviewed above offer different types of preset workouts depending on your workout requirements, which should cover pretty much every type of user.

Professional or Commercial Treadmills? Which is best for home use?

This is a simple one. If you're looking for a treadmill for home use, you don't even need to consider the commercial treadmills.

Professional treadmills like the ones above or a perfect mix of in between commercial and residential. They are built better, cost less, and are more compact than commercial treadmills.

Do you need different shoes when using the treadmill?

I would suggest you buy a pair of treadmill running shoes if you are planning on doing anything other than walking on your treadmill. The reason for this is treadmill running shoes are designed to keep your feet supported with the extra padding and ankle support which allows for a comfortable and effective workout.

Recommended Readings;

• Quiet Apartment Elliptical Machines
• Best Apartment Home Gyms
• Peloton Alternative Options
• Top Exercise Bike for Beginners
• Treadmill Vs. Bike: Which Is Better For Weight Loss?
• Indoor Cycling (Spin/Exercise Bike) Vs. Treadmill

Sources:

• https://www.treadmillgiant.com/commercial-grade-treadmills-vs-standard-grade-treadmills/
• https://www.precor.com/en-us/purchase-tools/buying-guides/treadmill-buying-guide-choose-right-treadmill-you