12 Best Ellipticals of 2026, Expert-Tested and Reviewed
We test elliptical machines from popular brands, including Sole and Schwinn, to find options for at-home, low-impact cardiovascular workouts
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Ellipticals provide a low-impact cardiovascular workout that mirrors natural walking or running without placing heavy pressure on the joints. The exercise machines are now so ubiquitous that it’s hard to remember how revolutionary they were when they were introduced in the 1990s.
“The machine combines the motions of running and climbing with the feet never leaving the pedals, hence creating no jarring on feet, ankles, hips, or knees,” Leslie Lindeman initially reported for The Chicago Tribune in 1996, a year after Precor introduced the EFX 544 Elliptical Fitness Crosstrainer.
Designed as an alternative to a treadmill, the elliptical’s success is based on its ability to provide a quiet aerobic workout that engages your arms without the taxing joint impact of running. It’s particularly useful for older adults who want to protect their joints, those with injuries, and exercise beginners.
- Best Ellipticals: With Heart Rate Programs Without
- Best Under-Desk Ellipticals: For Cardio For Circulation and Stretching
- How CR Tests Ellipticals
Best Ellipticals With Heart Rate Programs
If you’re new to using elliptical machines, a model with a heart rate program can help ensure that you’re exercising at the right intensity by automatically adjusting the workout to meet a target heart rate.
Best Ellipticals Without Heart Rate Programs
If you’ve been using elliptical machines for a while, you may be comfortable determining the intensity that best supports your fitness goals. Here are the ellipticals without heart rate programs that scored the best in our tests.
Best Under-Desk Ellipticals
Under-desk ellipticals are slimmed-down versions of full-sized ellipticals, minus the tall frame, handlebars, and heft.
While traditional elliptical machines are built solely for calorie-burning workouts, these miniaturized versions can be manual or motorized—and each serves a distinct purpose. Manual under-desk ellipticals are typically best for calorie-burning workouts because they require the user to pedal and the resistance can be adjusted for greater challenge. Motorized under-desk ellipticals typically do a lot of the work for you. They’re often marketed to people with limited mobility or even those recovering from an injury. You should check with your doctor and/or physical therapist before using one.
While some under-desk treadmills have safety issues, we don’t have the same concerns with under-desk ellipticals. Read more of our notes on safely using under-desk ellipticals.
Below, find out more about the best under-desk ellipticals for cardio and the best under-desk ellipticals for circulation and stretching.
Best Under-Desk Ellipticals for Cardio
The models below are ideal if you’re looking to add a fitness element to an otherwise sedentary activity, like working at a desk or watching TV. Because these options are manually powered (or motor-assisted, which means you can pedal or choose not to), we expect them to provide a more challenging workout than you might get from a fully motorized under-desk elliptical.
Best Under-Desk Elliptical for Circulation and Stretching
The model below is motor-driven. Because the motor drives the pedals, we expect that using this machine will burn fewer calories than you might with the manually powered or motor-assisted models above.
How CR Tests Ellipticals
CR’s tests focus on ergonomics (how well the machine accommodates different users), exercise range, ease of use, construction (this includes design choices and our perception of quality based on noise, feel, and ride), heart rate features, and user safety.
To test ergonomics, we use a figure proportioned to a man at the 95th percentile and a woman at the 5th percentile for height to evaluate comfort and reach across a wide range of users.
To evaluate the range of exercise intensity each machine provides, we enlist a panel of people with varying fitness levels to assess how easy or challenging they find pedaling at the lowest resistance setting, at 75 percent of maximum resistance, and at maximum resistance.
To assess user safety, we look at potential pinch points, pedal sizes and coverings, and the elliptical handles’ design—if positioned poorly, the handles can cause eye injuries. We also conduct static load testing, in which we load one pedal of each elliptical with 750 pounds and record whether this causes any deformities or changes in performance.
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