Thinking about canceling that gym membership and working out at home? You're not alone. Industry analysts say that gym memberships peaked at 42.7 million in 2006, have slipped slightly since, and are expected by some to decline further in these recessionary times. But sales of treadmills have continued to grow in recent years.

We trotted and plodded on 29 machines, testing for exercise range, ergonomics, construction, safety, and more. Prices range from about $500 to $3,330. The pricier machines generally have sturdier designs and more features, but there are bargains that can offer a good workout.

"The top one is the one you enjoy because if you enjoy it, you'll use it more frequently," says Christina A. Geithner, a professor of exercise science at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Wash.

That's helpful information, considering that 37 percent of Consumer Reports subscribers used their home exercise equipment less frequently than they expected, according to a survey in 2007 by the Consumer Reports National Research Center.

Of all the types of exercise equipment, treadmills are the most popular, commanding about 55 percent of the home-fitness-equipment market.