15 Best Treadmills to Rev Up Your At-Home Running Game

Peloton’s treadmill recreates the at-home cardio experience in the same way the company did with its bike: via live-streamed and on-demand classes that create a sense of camaraderie and accountability (through a subscription of $39 a month).

This iteration, which was released in August, comes with new safety features including Tread Lock, a four-digit, digital passcode each authorized user is required to enter to unlock the belt before a workout, and a removable safety key that helps a runner come to a quick stop during a class if needed and prevents unintended use.

At a quick glance, it looks like your standard, heavy-duty tread, but the magic is in the details, like the two knobs on the machine’s arms that roll forward or backward to adjust the speed or incline versus stabbing at buttons on the console and a 23.8-inch HD touchscreen with integrated speakers that tilts up and down 50 degrees.

More: The Best Fitness Trackers to Log Your Workout

Echelon's Stride treadmill has all the basics: a max speed of 12 miles per hour, incline capabilities up to 10%, Bluetooth connectivity, integrated handlebar heart rate sensors, and folding technology that shrinks it to just 10 inches deep for easy storage.

What it doesn't have is as powerful a motor as competitors — just 1.75 horsepower compared to a normal standard of 2.5 horsepower. Still, you can get a solid workout (whether you're looking for endurance, climbing, or interval training) in smaller spaces with a subscription to Echelon FitPass, which starts at $11.99 a month.

If you prefer to run outside but want something for those days the weather doesn’t cooperate, this simple tread does the job without doing significant damage to your bank account. 

It can go up to 10 miles per hour, has three levels of manual incline, includes 12 built-in workout programs, and features pulse sensors mounted on the handlebars to help keep you in the right heart rate zone. When you’re done, it folds right up. 

While most treadmills offer a 12-15% grade incline, the NordicTrack x32i goes up to 40% — a grade that offers five times the calorie burn (even while walking!) compared to their lowest setting. It can also decline from flat to -6%.

With a monthly $39 iFIT subscription, you can stream classes filmed all over the world (and view them in living color on the 32-inch interactive HD touchscreen), where the trainers will digitally control your incline and speed in real time to a) create a more natural experience, and b) keep you from worrying about anything except running. 

Just want to run on your own? Plot a route on Google Maps and run along to the Google Street View. 

This machine has 26 different workouts programmed into it — plus 27 hi-def routes via the Explore the World app that take you through exotic locales like the Scottish Highlands and the streets of Prague — so you'll never get bored.

Not only is the belt slightly thicker than many other treadmills, its cushioning is firmer in the back where your foot pushes off, but softer in the front to minimize impact on your joints.

Bonus: A dual display lets you watch your tablet and track progress.

Schwinn is owned by Nautilus, so it shares a number of features with the T618 treadmill mentioned earlier: This one has 16 built-in workout programs, compatibility with the Explore the World app for virtual courses, and a dual display. Bonus: It has folding technology for easy storage.

This machine does have a slightly less powerful motor, but can still challenge you with inclines of up to 10%. It's also a little shorter — the running belt is 55 inches compared to 60 — and while the belt isn’t quite as thick as the Nautilus’, it uses SoftTrak cushioning to provide some relief for your joints.

Short on space? This tread’s sturdy, all-steel frame folds up in seconds, thanks to Lifespan's EZFold technology. When you’re ready to run, though, it offers speeds up to 13.5 miles per hour, 13 levels of incline, and 50-plus built-in programs (and the option to program and save your own workouts).

The 10-inch touchscreen has doubled in size in the latest model, which allows you to see your stats on three different dashboards more easily than ever before.

Peloton access without the Peloton tread? It is possible! Horizon’s 7.8 AT Studio Treadmill syncs via Bluetooth to streaming fitness apps like Peloton, Studio.live, and MapMyRun. The machine (which folds up when you’re not using it) also features dials on the arms to easily adjust your speed and incline during intervals.

Under your feet, the three-zone cushioning system protects your joints without sacrificing any of your speed and power. Finally, a lifetime warranty on the motor? Yes, please!

Want to get your steps in while you're on the clock? This treadpad slides right under a standing desk so you can type and take calls without breaking your stride. A wide belt guarantees you'll stay on track even when you're focused on your phone or computer, and the included remote control makes it easy to adjust the intensity.

It's great for small spaces since it lacks the bulk that comes with a giant display screen and handrails (there's still a large-ish digital monitor at the front of the belt that displays metrics including time, distance, calories, steps and speed).

Specially designed for city spaces, this slimmed-down tread is just 70 inches long and 29 inches wide. It doesn't skimp on features, though, including speeds up to 8 miles per hour, ProShox cushioning, and folding capabilities. Plus, it works with an iFIT subscription, giving you access to interactive training sessions (where the instructor can tweak your speed and grade for you) and global backdrops.

One thing to keep in mind: It’s about 10 inches shorter and 6 inches narrower than your standard tread, which may affect tall runners.

This treadmill is designed to help you push your limits. It uses a biofeedback system to track not just your heart rate, pace, and distance, but other variables that affect performance: vertical displacement, cadence, and stride length.

The machine’s algorithm analyzes that data in real time to provide feedback (like shortening your stride length or increasing your cadence) to help you run more efficiently.

The running surface itself is just as innovative; it actually adapts to your unique stride to absorb impact or rebound energy.

Run sprints and hills on this treadmill, built to reach a max speed of 12 miles per hour and a max incline of 15% — and which can stream your Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video accounts on the 7-inch touchscreen while you work out.

What's next-level is the fact that it syncs with the company’s JRNY app, which uses A.I. to analyze your running gait, and then customizes daily workouts specifically to you. It provides real-time tips, target goals, and even celebrates when you reach your fitness milestones to keep you motivated.

Exercise at home with a treadmill made by Precor, the same brand that fills gyms nationwide. This machine is equipped with the company's patented Energy Stride technology, which strategically places cushioning or rigidity to reduce stress on your joints where you need it most.

Whether you’re looking to get faster or to lose weight, the tread uses SmartRate target heart zone monitoring (based on your age and weight or using a wireless Polar chest strap) to help you stay in your fat-burn, cardio, or peak target zone depending on your workout goals.

Not all treadmills are designed just for running. This motorless option is powered by your stride, but it has eight levels of resistance and can incline up to 8 degrees so you're definitely getting more than just a stroll in. And because you don't need to plug it in, you can set it up anywhere.

While the handlebars prevent it from being used as a walking desk, it's quiet enough to walk on during calls. And when you're not using it, the platform folds flush to the handlebars (so it's only 14 inches deep) and has integrated wheels that make moving and stowing it easy-breezy.

There’s something different about this treadmill... namely, that it doesn’t use a motor. Instead, the pressure of your stride propels the slat belt (and your feet) forward.

The Trainer has a shallower curve than its sister machine, the Runner, which allows you to accelerate quickly but also makes it a little easier for you to control your speed — an important factor if you’ve never used one of these self-propelled treads.

One major benefit to letting your legs instead of a motor do the work: You’ll burn up to 44% more calories.