The 13 Best Stair Steppers to Get You in Shape from the Comfort of Your Own Home

In terms of overall value, we think this stair-stepper from ProForm is the best option for those who want to get their cardio fix at home. That's because your feet travel on a 10-inch vertical while simultaneously moving on a 5-inch horizontal elliptical path. This effectively replicates stair-climbing and triggers your calves, hammies, and quads. If you're holding onto the handlebars, you'll also get an arm workout and build biceps and triceps.

The climber offers 24 resistance levels and, with an iFIT subscription, a virtual trainer — from one of the thousands of on-demand workouts — can adjust the resistance for you as you sweat, so all you have to do is focus on that next step.

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Reimagine your office space with this compact machine, which is less than 20 inches wide and 10 inches high. Instead of just standing in front of your computer, start stepping while typing — or just stash it under your desk to use during breaks between Zoom meetings.

The hydraulic cylinder that powers the machine is quiet enough that no one will hear it while you’re on calls, and the large, nonslip pedals keep you surefooted even when you’re focusing on something on your screen. If you’re not multitasking, attach the included resistance bands for a total-body workout.

Tight on space? This mini stepper — which clocks in under 15 pounds — easily stashes in a closet or under the bed when not in use. The machine is built with two resistance hydraulic cylinders that provide a smooth stepping motion, and the option to adjust the step motion height for either short bursts or long steps.

Get even more out of this stepper using the removable resistance bands. While the steps work your lower body, you can tone your chest, back, shoulders, abs, and obliques with low-impact exercises. The small LCD monitor between the steps will track your steps per minute, steps during the workout, and the time and calories burned.

In search of a commercial-grade stair stepper you can use at home? Look no further than this option from StairMaster. The smallest offering yet from the OG stepper company, the SM3 is packed with premium and durable commercial-grade components, but won't hog space.

This model features 10 pre-programmed workouts, 20 resistance levels, and a step range of 26 to 162 steps per minute. There are heart rate pulse grips mounted to the handrails, but it’s also compatible with Polar heart rate monitoring devices like chest straps and watches, so you can really zero in on your training zones.

This Bowflex machine combines everything you love about an elliptical and a stair stepper machine into one product. It may seem basic in function, but it's top of the line when it comes to performance.

While this exercise machine doesn't have a full screen, you'll still be able to track all necessary information. The Max Trainer's burn rate display shows calories burned and gives you activity targets to hit, too. You'll stay motivated to continue hitting different target zones and resistance levels.

In just 14 minutes on this machine, you'll experience all the cardio benefits typically achieved from internal training.

This lightweight stepper was designed to be as unobtrusive as possible: It folds in half for easy storage in a closet or under a bed, and, at just 45 pounds with built-in rollers, can be easily moved around when you’re ready to work out.

The SpaceMate stepper may be slight in build, but it still delivers the same total-body, cardiovascular benefits as bulkier machines. Two hydraulic cylinders keep your steps smooth, and wide, textured pedals prevent any chance of slipping. Keep track of your steps per minute, total steps, workout time, and calories burned on the electronic monitor.

Get two for the (very reasonable) price of one with this combo stepper/elliptical. It combines the stepping movement with curve-crank technology that makes the oval path of your steps as smooth as on a flywheel-powered indoor cycling machine.

A built-in LCD console (next to a padded smartphone holder) displays your distance, time, speed, RPM, calories burned, and heart rate (based on sensors in the handholds). Using the knob on the main stem of the machine, you can easily switch between eight levels of preset resistance — no matter how hard you challenge yourself, you’ll be getting a low-impact, heart rate-boosting workout.

We tested the Stairway at our local gym. We found that the Jacobs Ladder was much more durable than the more affordable StairMaster SM3 StepMill.

It has a rotating staircase, and the speed of the stairs is controlled by tension of a waist belt you wear while using it. The higher you go and more steps you take, the faster the stairs come. If you slow down, the flow of the stairs will, too. This provides a safer machine that will let its users always feel like they are in control.

You'll need at least an 8.5-foot ceiling for this monster. It features a computer and integrated display that shows the number of stairs climbed, your rate (steps per minute), elapsed time, and calories burned. It can also detect your heart rate via a wireless strap.

Don’t want to invest in a huge machine that takes up a ton of space? This Bluetooth-enabled stepper has one of the smallest footprints (see what we did there?), but it syncs with the MyCloudFitness app to open up a world of possibilities — not only can you track your workouts, but you can access personalized workout programs and scenic routes that stream to your TV.

Pick up the pace and the intensity by adjusting the step height up to 10 inches, then add in an upper-body workout using the attached resistance bands.

Most steppers keep you moving solely in a linear motion — forward and backward. This one adds a slight twisting motion as the hydraulic drive system powers your steps, which helps better target the glutes, inner and outer thighs, obliques, and other stabilizer muscles.

That twisting rod can also be adjusted between to accommodate users of different heights. It also has a digital monitor to help you track steps, time, and calories burned.

Stepping is a lower body workout; climbing is a total-body workout. As you scale the moving rungs of this vertical climber, using your own body weight as resistance, you'll engage all your major muscle groups (without adding any unnecessary impact to your joints) and send your heart rate soaring.

It's a great option for small spaces, with its small footprint and ability to fold up post-workout (it weighs less than 35 pounds, so don't stress about hauling it back to your closet).

Why settle for a mere stair stepper when you can get one that's also an elliptical and a treadmill? You don't even need to do anything other than change your stride for the machine to intuitively switch between modes. Speaking of auto-adjustments, an iFIT membership allows trainers to change the incline and resistance for you.

Manual or automatic, there are 24 resistance levels and the include can adjust all the way up to 10 percent when you want to get that hill work in. There's also a built-in fan, water bottle holder, Bluetooth-compatible speakers, and an interactive touchscreen.

Another two-for-one deal, this minimalist stepper — which features a hydraulic resistance system — can be used in the more traditional sense with the handlebar, or you can use the attached resistance bands to engage your upper body throughout the workout. Either way, the LCD monitor will track calories burned, time, step frequency, and the number of steps you take.

This machine isn’t meant for high-intensity workouts, which makes it perfect for using while zoning out to a podcast or the TV. But once you add in the bands, you’ll definitely feel the burn. When you’re done, just fold it up and stash it out of sight.