Elliptical buying guide

Budget and midpriced ellipticals are sold at large retailers such as Dick's Sporting Goods, Sears, Sports Authority, and Walmart. For more expensive brands, you'll generally need to hit a specialty fitness store. If you want to shop online for the best price, be sure to try the machine in person first. You might notice a problem--your knees bump against the elliptical's framework or components--that you couldn't detect by sight or reviews alone.

Here are other criteria to consider:

Size. Most of the ellipticals are about 6 feet by about 2.5 feet. Since you'll be more elevated than you would on a treadmill, make sure you have a space with a sufficiently high ceiling. And you'll need adequate space to get on and off safely.

Safety features. All of the ellipticals we tested were very good or excellent for safety. But they're inherently dangerous for children, who could get pinched or trapped in the moving parts. People with children at home or as visitors should make sure that they can't access the machines.

Ergonomics. Check the comfort of the hand grips and make sure the foot pedals aren't too far apart. The stride length and elliptical path should feel natural. Most models scored very well in this area.

High-tech features. Docks for iPods, USB ports, and wireless Internet connectivity are popping up on some ellipticals.

Adjustability. Some ellipticals also have an incline. Check to see whether it's automated or requires you to manually adjust it.

Assembly. An elliptical machine can weigh up to 400 pounds, so ask about delivery and check whether assembly is included or available at an additional cost. It might be worth it if you're not particularly good with a toolbox. It generally takes our experienced engineers about 1 to 2 hours to put together an elliptical, depending on the number of steps.

Lifting heavy parts, adding grease, and working on your knees are part of the process. Some of the steps require two people.

Warranty. Look for one that provides two to three years of coverage on major moving parts and a year on labor. Our surveys suggest that an extended warranty probably isn't worth it.

These tend to be markedly flimsier than the commercial models found in gyms.

Paying more usually buys you sturdy construction close to that of a commercial gym machine.

Most ellipticals have exercise programs that vary pedaling effort, and some might allow adjustment of the incline electronically as you work out, the way a treadmill allows electronic incline adjustment. Cheaper models might only allow adjustment manually, and not during workouts. By making a workout less boring, an exercise program might get you to use the machine more often. But some programs are easier and more flexible to operate than others.

Especially check the design of the moving arms and the pedals. On some models, the moving arms are awkwardly angled or block the display. If you hold on to the nonmoving handgrips, make sure the back-and-forth handles don't whack you in the arms. A narrow stance is more natural than widely spaced pedals, and a safety rim around the sides of the pedals can help keep your foot from slipping off.

All the models we tested come with one or offer it at extra cost. A heart-rate monitor helps you to exercise up to your potential while avoiding dangerous overexertion. A chest-strap monitor is more accurate and convenient than a handgrip or thumb-sensor type.

This keeps unsupervised children from using the machine.

A growing number of manufacturers are loading the console with gadgets such as a CD player, a fan (a full-size fan is more effective), and even an LCD TV. But you might be able to buy those items separately for less. And if they need repair, having them serviced can be a problem.

Two elliptical exercisers we tested promise bouncier, springier workouts with less impact on your joints. One has flexible pedal arms, "propelling you to the next stride while absorbing impact," as the company puts it. Another machine has an elastic pad between each pedal and supporting arm; moving the pad adjusts the cushioning. But the flexible arms made the machine feel unstable at some speeds, interrupting our testers' cadence. And we question the need for extra pedal cushioning because elliptical exercisers create virtually no impact.

Fitness Quest manufactures New Balance treadmills and offers a wide range of home exercise and fitness products, including a number of models sold through infomercials. It sells ellipticals priced at $1,000 or less.

Horizon Fitness was a distant second to the Icon Fitness models in dollar sales last year, with 17 percent. Horizon’s models sell for  $2,500 or less.

Icon Health & Fitness manufactures and distributes ellipticals under the Nordic Track, Proform, and Reebok brands. Icon dominates the elliptical-trainer market. Its range of budget-priced machines accounted for 70 percent of the dollars spent on treadmills last year. Most Icon models are priced at $1,000 or less.

Based in Dallas, Keys Fitness also produces ellipticals under the Ironman brand. Keys models sell for $3,000 or less.

LifeFitness home ellipticals are available at specialty fitness retailers and through its online store. It sells models priced from $1,800 to $4,200.

Nautilus manufactures fitness equipment under the brand names Bowflex, Schwinn Fitness, StairMaster, and Universal. It sells models for $2,300 to $3,300.

Octane Fitness is a relatively new company that makes only elliptical exercisers. Octane sells models for $2,000 to $4,200.

Precor, one of the leading manufacturers of elliptical exercisers, produces high-end home equipment. It sells models in for $2,500 to $5,000.

Schwinn’s budget ellipticals are manufactured by Nautilus and are available at specialty fitness stores and online. Schwinn sells models for $1,300 or less.

Spirit has been in business for more than 25 years. Its ellipticals are sold nationwide in specialty fitness stores and sell for $2,500 or less.

Vision Fitness was started in 1993 and is based in Wisconsin. Its models are available at specialty fitness stores and online, and they are priced at $1,000 to $3,500.

It's best not to buy such a large, big-ticket item on a whim. So before you even go to the store, take stock of how much you want to spend and how much space you want to use. And perhaps most important, decide how and how often you'll use the equipment.

Elliptical exercisers, most of which do not fold, and nonfolding treadmills are hard to move and take up as much floor space as a couch or dining room table. If your workout room does double duty, a folding treadmill can save you about six-square-feet.

We've found in recent treadmill tests that you have to spend well over $2,000 to get a machine designed for serious runners, though lower-priced models are okay for walkers. We tested elliptical exercisers that cost as much as our high-scoring treadmills and found the same thing. Ellipticals that cost $2,000 and up were well-built and felt stable to our testers, more like the $5,000 machines at gyms. And they were less likely to have defects.

In the Ratings of treadmills and ellipticals, the quality score for less-expensive models reflects the severity and frequency of those problems. Most of the trouble we experienced would be covered under warranty, but it can take weeks and multiple phone calls to get a machine fixed--enough time to discourage even passionate exercisers. By contrast, the machines we bought for $2,000 and more through specialty fitness equipment stores had very few defects.

For treadmills, if you usually walk rather than run, any of the tested models will suffice. Decide based on your budget and the features you want. If you run, sturdy construction is paramount. Choose from the models that scored at least very good in quality in the treadmill Ratings. The more expensive ellipticals in our Ratings tend to feel more solid, operate more smoothly, and have more features than the under-$1,000 models. You might also get superior ergonomics, a wide range of features, and a more generous warranty.

Once you know what type of equipment you want, you're ready to shop. You'll find budget and mid-priced treadmills in Sears, The Sports Authority, Wal-Mart, and other discount and sporting-goods chains. Moderately priced brands such as Horizon Fitness, Schwinn, Trimline, and Vision Fitness, and more expensive brands such as Landice, Life Fitness, Nautilus, Precor, and True are sold in specialty sporting-goods stores. No matter where you shop, here are some tips to follow.

Every model is a little different, so you shouldn't buy a treadmill or elliptical before using it in the store. That's especially important with elliptical exercisers because the movement is less familiar than walking or running, and each machine has a slightly different pedaling profile.

Some equipment features, such as exercise programs, can make a workout more varied and less boring, which might get you on the machine more often. But don't pay for frills that you don't care about.

Because each machine has its own feel, try it out before you buy and make sure the store will let you return it if you dislike using it. See our Ratings and recommendations for some suggestions.

If you decide you'd like something other than a treadmill or elliptical, be wary of any relatively inexpensive exercise devices sold on TV or online.

Most of the "amazing results!" shown in infomercials for exercise devices are footnoted as "not typical" or result from an overall "system" that includes a diet plan and, in many cases, additional aerobic exercise. (Our nutrition experts reviewed the diets and found that although they differ in the strictness of their meal plans, most are sensible.)

Unless the price includes shipping, expect to pay an additional $20 to $50 plus any sales tax.

These devices might help you to tone or tighten the target area, and building muscle does increase the rate at which you burn calories, but to shed pounds you'll need a change in diet, regular aerobic activity (running, cycling, swimming), or both. Even workouts on the total-body machines aren't vigorous enough to yield an aerobic benefit.

Most of the machines mimic movements you can do on your own or with far-less- expensive equipment, such as weights and resistance bands. They come with instructions, but you can get that with an exercise video or book.

A "30-day money-back guarantee" sounds good, but returning the product might not be easy. Some of the machines are heavy or bulky, and you might have to pay for return shipping, which could cost $90 or more for the larger products.

Before signing up for a trial, verify with the company the proper return address and how soon you can expect a refund if you send the device back. A scan of online complaints about home fitness equipment revealed that reported problems with returns, including lack of a valid return address or exorbitant shipping charges, were common.