Merit Fitness 715E Elliptical Trainer Review

Tuesday, January 4th, 2011 at 2:29 pm

Merit Fitness 715E Elliptical Trainer
Average Rating:

The Merit Fitness 715E Elliptical Trainer is a machine that has you questioning your gym membership due to the low cost of this machine. We couldn’t give up the opportunity to test out this machine because we know how much our readers are looking for affordable and sturdy elliptical trainers.

What We Experienced:

The Merit Fitness 715E Elliptical Trainer offers a few good features for its price range. Overall, it does offer limited features compared to what you may see in an elliptical trainer in the $1000+ range. For being a trainer with an approximate price tag of $350, you won’t find another trainer that offers what this does in the same price range.

The display consists of two LCD windows that display time, calories burned, distance, and speed. It’s not the fanciest display for an elliptical trainer, but it has the most important things handy on the display.

The stride length is only 16 inches. Some users may find this to be uncomfortably short. Most trainers have a stride length of 17”-20”. We wouldn’t recommend this to anyone who has long legs because the stride length simply will be too short. However, to people of a shorter height, the 16 inch stride may not be something to worry about.

The Merit Fitness 715E Elliptical Trainer is super compact measuring 57 x 24 x 66 inches. It’s not one of those huge bulky machines that seem to take up an entire room. This machine will still leave room for weights or a bike in a room, if need be.

The flywheel is only 10 pounds. Now, this is a lot less weight than you see on other machines of a higher price tag. Again, keep in mind that for approximately $350, you get what you pay for. Even though the flywheel is only 10 pounds, it still provided us with a good workout that wasn’t wobbly or too hard on the joints.

The weight capacity on this machine is only 275 pounds, a lot less than what you see on other machines. If you’re someone who weighs more than that, this machine isn’t for you. For anyone under, this machine will do just fine!

Features:

Resistance: Manual, with 1 to 8 range

Flywheel: 10 pounds

Step-on height: 9 inches

Stride length: 16 inches

Crank arm length: 8 inches

Pivoting footpads

Pedal spacing: 6.9 inches

Weight capacity: 275 pounds

Warranties: 5 years on the frame, 3 years on the brake, 90 days on parts and labor

Would We Recommend?

It’s not very common to see a machine in the $300-$400 price range that is quality made. Even with the 10lb flywheel, this machine still gave us all a great workout. Keep in mind that the stride length is only 16 inches which is quite short compared to a lot of other machines. Would we recommend? Yes. But only to someone who is of the petite height and smaller weight due to the stride length and weight capacity.

Rating:

List Price: $499.00
Sale Price: $328.00
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Eligible For Free Shipping

Product Description

Merit Fitness 715E Elliptical Trainer with Heart Rate Monitor and EZ-For-One Assembly

Details

Compact elliptical trainer for working both legs and upper body
8 levels of manual resistance; smooth 10-pound flywheel
2 LCD windows show time, distance, speed, and calories burned
275-pound weight capacity; thumb pulse EKG monitor
Integrated calorie converter; 5 year warranty on frame

Sunny Health & Fitness Mini Elliptical Trainer with Handlebar Review

Friday, December 24th, 2010 at 6:27 am

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Sunny Health & Fitness Mini Elliptical Trainer with Handlebar
Average Rating:

6 total customer reviews...

The Sunny Health and Fitness Mini Elliptical Trainer is a low price elliptical machine designed for those with a low budget in mind. We take a look at it in today’s review. Does it make the grade?

Features

The Sunny Health and Fitness Mini Elliptical Trainer is a no frills elliptical machine. Just one look at it and you’ll see that there isn’t much to it.

The good news about this machine is that it’s small enough to fit in most homes. It’s also easy to put together such that if you need to take it apart and stow it away, you won’t have problems doing so.

Dimensions

The Sunny Health and Fitness Mini Elliptical Machine has dimensions of 17 x 11 x 49 inches. It weighs 55 pounds. This makes it one of the smaller ellipticals on the market.

Warranty

There isn’t any warranty information available online for this elliptical at this time. This should prove as a major red flag when purchasing this machine.

Price

The lowest price available as of this writing (12/24/2010) is $116.80 from Amazon with FREE shipping to the US.

Assembly/Customer Service

Most who have assembled the Sunny Health and Fitness Mini Elliptical have said it was fairly easy and straight forward. In searching for information about customer service via Sunny, I’ve had a hard time finding them on the internet, which to me is a giant red flag. Be warned.

Do We Recommend?

If you are in need of an elliptical at a low price and live in a small home, I would recommend this elliptical. However be forewarned that this elliptical does have its share of issues (some customers on Amazon have reported issues with the foot pedals and the screws that attach them to the machine).

This elliptical seems as if it’s more of a stair stepper than an elliptical due to its up/down stepping action as opposed to the normal sliding of your feet front to back that more traditional ellipticals provide. Users report that this elliptical does a great job of working you out (after 5 minutes on the medium setting one person said they were very winded).

Rating:

List Price: $159.99
Sale Price: $91.10
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Eligible For Free Shipping

Product Description

This Mini Eliptical Machine won't waste space or overpower your home! The eliptical's non-impact aerobic workout firms and tones the lower body, while helping improve the condition of the heart and lungs. It can even be used in forward or reverse direction, while sitting or standing. Adjustable tension allows you to increase or decrease workout intensity level, while an LCD monitor displays scan, time, distance, count, and calories. The height of the handle bar is also adjustable! Assembly level/degree of difficulty: Moderate.

Details

Non-impact aerobic workout firms and tones the lower body while improving the condition of the heart and lungs
Can be used in the forward and or reverse direction while sitting or standing on it
The adjustable tension allow you to increase or decrease workout intensity level
Compact to fit in small workout area
Height of the Handle Bar is adjustable

Horizon Fitness EX-78 Elliptical Trainer Review

Friday, December 24th, 2010 at 5:16 am

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Horizon Fitness EX-78 Elliptical Trainer
Average Rating:

2 total customer reviews...

The Horizon Fitness EX-78 Elliptical Trainer is one of the top elliptical machines on the market today. We take a look at it with our review.

Features

The Horizon Fitness EX-78 Elliptical Trainer has 20 electronic resistance levels which means you’ll be able to challenge yourself for years on end. More resistance levels means you will never plateau in your workout routine and will always be able to incrementally improve each time you work out.

It also comes with a heavy-duty 17.6 pound fly wheel. This means that it will allow for a smooth and quiet ride, not one that is rickety which is what you would expect with cheaper ellipticals that don’t have good fly wheels.

The stride length on the Horizon Fitness EX-78 Elliptical Trainer is 20 inches. This is a good, average stride length for most people. Those who are very tall may find this stride length to be too short, but for most 20 inches will feel about right.

The maximum user weight is 275 pounds.

The EX-78 also comes with surround sound speakers which allows you to plug in your MP3 player and listen to music during your ride.

Dimensions

The EX-78′s dimensions are 74.8 x 22.2 x 65.2 inches and it weighs 177.1 pounds

Warranty

Frame and brake–lifetime
Elevation motor–1 year
Parts–2 years
Labor–1 year

Price

The lowest price we found for the Horizon Fitness EX-78 Elliptical Trainer was $799.99 with FREE SHIPPING from Amazon.

Assembly/Customer Service

Assembly of the EX-78 has to be one of the easiest ellipticals to put together. All the necessary tools are provided and the parts are individually marked in their own packages so it makes it a breeze to put the machine together.

Do We Recommend?

Yes, a resounding yes, in fact. Based on what we’ve experienced and what other customers have experienced, the Horizon Fitness EX-78 gets a high recommendation from us. It’s easy to assemble, has a great warranty, has a better than average stride length, good computer read out and very well built with a good fly wheel.

Rating:

List Price: $1,199.00
Sale Price: Too low to display.
Availability: unspecified

Product Description

Bring the gym into your home and enjoy an efficient, high-caliber workout with the Horizon EX-78 elliptical trainer, which works your legs as well as your upper body. All Horizon elliptical trainers now feature SixStar Certification--a unique combination of the six key elements needed to deliver the smoothest, most natural elliptical feel available. Perfect for rigorous training routines, the EX-78 offers a 20-level electronic resistance system, along with a heavy 17.6-pound flywheel that maintains pedal and arm momentum while offering a smooth, quiet operation. For a challenging workout, the EX-78 features 11 programming options that include three targets (time, distance, calories), three workouts (rolling, mountain, reverse train), 1-30-day goal tracking, and two custom programs. Other features include a 20-inch stride length with FLATellipse foot path, 11-inch SUREstep step-on height for easy access, oversized footpad with rubberized traction, Sonic Surround speakers with MP3 compatibility, COOLfit workout fan, and pulse grip heart rate monitoring. Features and Specifications: Resistance Range: 1-20, electronic Flywheel: 17.6 pounds Elevation Range: 0 - 100% @ 5% intervals (true range: 16 degrees) Stride Length: 20-inch FLATellipse foot path Pivoting Foot Plate: Yes Footpad: Oversized footpad with traction edges User Feedback: 2 orange LED windows and an 8-digit alphanumeric window User Programs: 11 program options with on-the-fly changes plus Advanced Goal Center with 3 targets (Time, Distance, Calorie) and 4 workouts (Hills, Weight Loss, Reverse Train, Custom), 1-31 day goal training Speakers: Yes, Sonic Surround speakers with MP3 compatibility Fan: Yes, COOLfit fitness fan Contact (Hand Grip): Yes User Capacity: 300 pounds Assembled dimesions: 75 inches long by 22 inches wide by 65 inches tall Boxed dimensions: 50 inches long by 30 inches wide by 21 inches tall Manufacturer's Warranty Frame and brake--lifetime, elevation motor--1 year, parts--2 years, labor--1 year About Horizon Fitness Horizon is part of Johnson Health Tech, one of the largest manufacturers of fitness equipment in the world. They are committed to designing, engineering, and manufacturing superior products for health clubs and homes. Horizon's manufacturing facilities rank among the most sophisticated in the industry, with an intricate mix of robotics and skilled workers that maintain the highest standards of accuracy and quality. Every stage of manufacturing has a testing phase and 10 percent of Horizon's products go through a rigorous quality inspection that includes completely taking them apart and reassembling them.

Details

Elliptical trainer with 20 electronic resistance levels and heavy-duty 17.6-pound flywheel
20 levels of resistance, 20-inch stride length, oversized footpad with rubberized traction
11 programming options that include 3 targets, 3 workouts, 1-30-day goal tracking, and 2 custom programs
Sonic Surround speakers with MP3 compatibility, pulse grip heart rate monitoring
300-pound maximum user weight; lifetime warranty on frame and brake, 2-year parts, 1 year labor

Diamondback Fitness 1260Ef Elliptical Trainer Review

Friday, December 24th, 2010 at 1:46 am

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Diamondback Fitness 1260Ef Elliptical Trainer
Average Rating:

28 total customer reviews...

After reading how great this elliptical trainer was from consumer reports, we had to give this one a try!

What We Experienced:

While using the 1260EF elliptical trainer, we immediately noticed how sturdy the machine was. Weighing 245lbs, it’s definitely not one of those light weight machines that feel wobbly while using. Even with a 245lb product weight, the machine has a user weight capacity of 325lbs, which is low compared to other machines we’ve reviewed in the past.

The 1260EF also has a magnetic brake that makes the stride incredibly smooth, no more heavy, bouncing movement as experienced with other machines. The machine provides a nice little break on the knees!

There are 13 preset programs, including manual, random, interval, hill climb, sprint, target HR, HR interval, fat burner, HR hill, cardio, glute burner, quad builder, and total trainer.

Putting the machine together was quite easy, but we would recommend using two different people since the 1260EF is so heavy. It took a few hours to assemble, but was incredibly sturdy once complete!

For its price range, it’s one of the more advanced machines we have tried as far as features go.

The unit, which measures 69.5 x 65 x 27.5, is compact enough to fit in any exercise space while giving you the same intense workout you would find with much larger machines!

The ride is not only smooth, but we were completely impressed with how quiet the machine was!

Key Features: (as per website)

· Electronically controlled magnetic brake with 20 levels of resistance
· Green LED dot matrix profile
· Alphanumeric message display with program instructions
· Four data display windows with individual select button for each data group
· Easy-to-select program buttons with LED indicators
· Heart rate bar graph display
· Polar-compatible heart rate receiver and hand held contact heart rate receiver
· Built-in reading rack
· Console feedback includes time, segment time, watts, level, incline, % of maximum heart rate, calories, heart rate, calories, calories per minute, speed, pulse, RPM, and distance
· Workout summary shows the workout total of time, calories, distance, maximum heart rate, minimum heart rate, and average heart rate
· Dot matrix profile display of intensity profile, incline profile, and heart rate profile
· Pause mode with 5 minute Program Saver
· Heart rate bar graph display for % of maximum heart rate
· Five classic programs with Quick Start option: manual, random cross, interval, hill climb, and sprint
· Five heart rate interactive programs: target heart rate, heart rate interval, fat burner, heart rate hill, and cardio
· Three cross-training programs: glute burner, quad builder, and total trainer
· Heart Rate Lock function to quickly enter target heart rate program
· Personal Trainer function to enhance the total body workout
· Custom programs
· Built-in Warm Up and Cool Down modes
· Customized hand held pulse sensor
· Built-in Polar compatible heart rate receiver
· Chest strap is included
· 19-inch stride length
· 10 ellipse angle electronic adjustments
· 25 to 130 SPM step rate
· 20 to 130 RPM pedal rate
· 20 to 700 watts resistance range
· Welded heavy gauge steel frame
· Anti-rust powder coating
· High impact ABS plastic side cases
· Poly-V Belt drive
· Sealed ball bearings and permanently lubricated polymer bearings
· Aluminum extrusion incline structure with ball bearing rollers
· Krayton rubber comfort grips
· Extra wide EVA foam cushion foot pads
· 325-pound weight capacity
· Assembled Dimensions: 69.5 inches long by 27.5 inches wide by 65 inches tall
· Product Weight: 245 pounds

Manufacturer’s Warranty
Frame – limited lifetime, brake – limited lifetime, parts and electronics – 5 years, labor – 1 year, wear items – 90 days

Final Thoughts: Obviously, we’re most impressed with how sturdy the 1260EF was. The 19” stride was smooth and quiet thanks to the magnetic brake. Assembly is quite easy, but since the unit is so heavy, we recommend having at least 2-3 people to move the unit into the home. The pre-set programs are similar to what you’d find on any other elliptical trainer, but keep in mind; there are 13 preset programs which provide a good variety of workouts for any user.

Rating:

List Price: $2,599.00
Sale Price: $2,199.00
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Eligible For Free Shipping

Product Description

The 1260EF Elliptical Cross Trainer by Diamondback Fitness. Better by Design. Expect top-of-the-line features, technology and comfort in Diamondback Fitness' most exclusive elliptical. You simply have to try it to believe the feeling! The 1260Ef Elliptical Cross Trainer features an incline motor to emulate stepping or uphill jogging. Couple that with smooth as silk electromagnetic brakes for fluid resistance and a patented linkage design exclusive to Diamondback Fitness and you're sure to see why many believe this unit is hands down the best in it's class - TRY IT ONCE, TRAIN ON IT FOREVER. The console's cutting-edge programming delivers 13 programs, custom workouts and the most advanced heart rate interactive programs. Combine all this with comfort footpads, grips and a value price -- and you have the most advanced elliptical in it's price range!

Details

Recommended by the leading consumer magazine; elliptical trainer with 20-level electronically controlled magnetic brake
Offers smooth, natural stride and dual-action handgrips for full-body workouts
Easy-to-read console tracks your time, pulse, calories, speed, and more
Includes Polar-compatible heart rate receiver; built-in reading rack
325-pound capacity; measures 69.5 x 65 x 27.5 inches (W x H x D)

Horizon Fitness EX-57 Elliptical Trainer

Thursday, October 15th, 2009 at 9:34 am

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Horizon Fitness EX-57 Elliptical Trainer
Average Rating:

50 total customer reviews...

Cardio is by far the most important exercise out there. It increases your lung capacity, helps improve your heart and gives you an all around great work out. Many people use cardio as the cornerstone of their workout, and it comes as no surprise. But more often than not, people just get bored with running and jogging. That’s why the elliptical machine was invented. But what should you look for when buying an elliptical machine?

What to Look for

Elliptical machines are made in a lot of different ways, and many people are overwhelmed by the vast amount of variance. The most important thing you should look for when shopping for an elliptical is how the machine feels to you. The one that fits you best is probably the right one to buy.

Elliptical machines come in a few mechanical variations. The Horizon Fitness EX-57 is a front drive machine, meaning the circular action and resistance is at the front. Many are also rear drive, but they’re incredibly expensive in most cases. Some are also center drive. All have their pros and cons.

Some machines you will see do not have hand grips. These hand grips are optional to use; they train the upper body. Some training programs will have you use these grips while others will not. I recommend getting one with the hand grips because you never know when they’ll come in handy. Luckily, the Horizon Fitness EX-57 comes with these hand grips.

What Else is There?

The elliptical machine is a tricky machine to shop for. There is a wide array of different features on each machine, but you can’t ever be sure that you actually need them. Today, I’m going to look at some of the features of the Horizon Fitness EX-57 and tell you what is and is not important about them.

8 Resistance Levels

I have to admit, 8 resistance levels is not a lot when looking for an elliptical machine. There are machines with more varieties of resistance, but 8 is quite enough variation for resistance. I’ve seen as much as 16 levels of resistance, but in my opinion, anything over 8 is just over kill. Having different levels of resistance is key in working out, because there will be a time when you plateau, or reach a point where you no longer make any gains. Switching up the resistance will help combat this.

9 Goal Based Workout Programs

Most ellipticals, treadmills, stairclimbers and really anything else you can possibly think of comes with so-called “programs.” But on the Horizon Fitness EX-57, just what can you do with these programs? Like I said earlier, confusing your body is key to breaking through plateaus. Once you plateau, simply switching up the program you’re using is enough to bust through and start making gains again.

The goal based programs are something you’ve most likely seen on other machines. They are based off of either time, distance or calories burned. You can also choose your terrain, manual, reverse train, and hills. All of these provide different training scenarios which help in your overall fitness.

The Bad

Like all things, the Horizon Fitness EX-57 comes with some bad. It doesn’t necessarily overthrow all the good I’ve just laid out, but it’s important enough for me to share it with you here.

18 Inch Stride

An 18 inch stride is considered the norm for most people. This is taking into account the average height of the population as well as their stride length. For those of us who are either taller or have a larger stride, the Horizon Fitness EX-57 might feel slightly awkward to use at first. It can be gotten used to, but it will feel a little strange for awhile, especially if you’re very tall.

275 Pound Weight Limit

I’ve seen much larger weight capacities than this, and a 275 pound weight limit makes me wonder how sturdy this machine actually is. Most weight capacities listed are far under what the actual weight capacity actually is, but for those of you who exceed this, I would continue shopping.

Does it Come With a Warranty?

The Horizon Fitness EX-57 comes with one of the best warranties I’ve ever seen in an elliptical machine. It comes with a lifetime frame warranty, something that will probably never be used as long as you don’t throw it off the roof. It also comes with a 20 year brake warranty and a 1 year parts and labor warranty. The parts and labor warranty is the thing you should be most concerned with, as moving parts are always the first thing to go in any machine. It’s inevitable, but the same applies with every other appliance you’ve ever used.

Are There Any Other Features?

There are many features, but I felt it necessary to only go over the ones above. There are many other great and not so great features. Here is the full list of features as provided in the product description of the Horizon Fitness EX-57:

Resistance: Electronic
Resistance range: 1 to 8 resistance levels
Flywheel: 14.3-pound flywheel for fluid, quiet motion
Step-on height: 9.8 inches
Stride length: 18 inches
Pedal spacing: 2.8 inches
Screen: Non-backlit LCD (2.4 x 4.8 inches)
Programs: 9
Program type: Choose 1 of 3 different goals (time, distance, calories) and 1 of 3 terrains (manual, reverse train, and hills)
Weight capacity: 275 pounds
Dimensions: 29 x 67 x 55 inches (W x H x D)
Weight: 163 pounds
Warranties: Lifetime on frame; 20 years on brake; 1 year on parts and labor

In Closing

The Horizon Fitness EX-57 has some very good and some slightly disappointing features. It is a great machine for the average user with a price that doesn’t break the bank. For the tall or overweight user, I would weigh you options before buying the Horizon Fitness EX-57, but overall I would rate this elliptical with two thumbs up.

Rating:

List Price: $899.00
Sale Price: $499.99
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Eligible For Free Shipping

Product Description

The Horizon EX-57 elliptical gives you club-quality performance - from the smooth stride motion to the easy programmability - and recreates the feeling of running or walking without leaving home. 8 motorized resistance levels let you adjust the intensity of your workout, and the clear LCD screen displays heart rate and other key workout feedback.

Details

Elliptical trainer with 8 electronic resistance levels and heavy-duty 14.3-pound flywheel
9 goal-based program options; extra-low 9.1-inch step-on height
Non-backlit LCD display; 18-inch stride length; 275-pound capacity
Efficient flywheel maintains pedal and arm momentum while offering smooth, quiet operation
Measures 29 x 67 x 55 inches (W x H x D); 20-year warranty on brake

Elliptical Machine Reviews

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