The Best Folding Treadmills We Tested: NordicTrack, Horizon Fitness, Xterra

One tester, who exercises five times per week, gave this Xterra folding treadmill a nearly perfect rating. She explained that it was “extremely easy” to set up on her own and to use all of the features like Bluetooth connectivity and saving workouts to her profile for quick access. She enjoyed seeing her weekly trends of time, distance, calories burned, and heart rate, so she could set tangible goals.

Additional benefits include easily adjustable incline and speed, a smooth and “very quiet” belt, and a “very durable” frame that made our tester “feel safe.” Plus, this treadmill folds up well and doesn’t take up much space. According to our tester, this folding treadmill is “perfect” for “someone who is a beginner and not looking for something too fancy.”

Max Speed: 10 miles per hour | Incline: 10 | Dimensions: 29 x 52 inches | Classes: Fitness App | Features: Heart rate monitor, foldable | Weight: 111 pounds

The Lifepro walking pad arrives fully assembled and is easy to fold and store in small spaces. Wheels allow for easy transportation around the house, and our tester deemed it “very compact.” After spending 30 minutes five to six times a week on this walking pad, our tester felt “healthier mentally and physically.” The handlebar folds down, so users can roll the machine under their desk and walk while working, too.

However, the machine’s metrics for calories burned were inconsistent with other fitness trackers and the remote is glitchy. Plus, at 5-feet-6-inches tall, our tester felt like if they were any taller, it wouldn’t be comfortable. “I shortened my gait so that I wouldn’t fall off, and it took some getting used to,” they explained.

Max Speed: 3 miles per hour | Incline: 7 | Dimensions: 25 x 41 inches | Classes: Unlisted | Features: Foldable | Weight: 46 pounds

Upon delivery by a team, the NordicTrack Folding Treadmill was set up in our tester’s garage in under two hours. As a track and cross country runner, our tester has years of experience using treadmills, and now, thanks to this folding treadmill, having the ability to go for a run — no matter the weather — has made a “huge impact on [their] life.”

They found so much to appreciate about this NordicTrack treadmill: the “huge,” easily readable display screen, the cooling fan, the “high-tech, sleek look,” the light weight and folding ability, and the spacious storage solutions. “I can fit my massive Hydroflask in the cup holder and my cell phone in the other, or a book or magazine on the rest,” our tester explained. According to them, “every detail was carefully thought out and nothing was overlooked.”

Max Speed: 14 miles per hour | Incline: 12 | Dimensions: 36 x 65 inches | Classes: iFit membership required | Features: Touchscreen, foldable | Weight: 332 pounds

Our tester deemed this BowFlex folding treadmill “incredibly easy to use,” even without reading the manual, and they appreciated how two wheels allowed for seamless repositioning, even on carpet. Key features that stood out were the “small but mighty” fan, how quiet it was when adjusting the incline, the wide and long belt, and the amount of space for essentials like water, towels, and books.

The “coached walk” feature was fun and “made the time go by faster” for our tester. The speed buttons were beneficial for quick changes instead of using arrows. The only issues our tester found were the emergency stop key being overly sensitive and trouble connecting to the Bluetooth feature, but this could have been user error. 

Max Speed: 12 MPH | Incline: 15 | Dimensions: 38 x 63 inches | Classes: JRNY app | Features: Heart rate monitor, foldable | Weight: 254 pounds

Our tester for the Horizon Fitness 7.0 Treadmill prefers outdoor running, but she was in the market for an at-home treadmill for winter workouts, as a new mom. This folding treadmill has all the features she wanted, like a fan, speakers, storage, stat tracking, and quick speed and incline responses. She was surprised by the “lag time” for the belt to begin moving, and that there’s no real “off button,” — instead, the machine eventually shuts itself down.

“Fold-ability could not be easier,” shared our tester. Simply lift the belt piece to fold and step on the pedal to unfold for a hands-free experience. She pointed out that this folding treadmill might not be the most “compact” option for small spaces, but she loved “how easy it is to use” in general.

Max Speed: 12 MPH | Incline: 15 | Dimensions: 35 x 66 inches | Classes: Peloton, Daily Burn, Zwift, Nike | Features: Streaming services, foldable | Weight: 277 pounds

The Sunny Health & Fitness Strider Foldable Treadmill is “very straightforward” to use and “surprisingly sturdy for the price,” according to our tester. She appreciated how quiet the machine was, the “seamless” smart connectivity, and how easy it was to store. On top of tracking the amount of calories burned, the machine also reads foot strikes, which our tester called “a nice feature for more accurately recording speed [and] distance.” 

If she could change one thing, our tester would add an incline feature to mimic outdoor conditions. Although she doesn’t think this machine would hold up to “the rigors of someone who was training for serious distances,” she absolutely recommends it for “casual, mid-distance runners looking to supplement their fitness,” like herself and her husband, who is over 6 feet tall and can also comfortably run on this folding treadmill.

Max Speed: 7.5 MPH | Incline: 0 | Dimensions: 32 x 44 inches | Classes: SunnyFit app | Features: Heart rate monitor, USB charging port,bluetooth pairing, foldable | Weight: 90 pounds

Our tester’s experience with the Horizon Fitness 7.4 Smart Treadmill was seamless from start to finish. “Delivery and setup took all of 20 minutes and they showed us how to use the treadmill,” they explained. Bluetooth integration was “seamless” and the “extra-long belt and smooth speeds made for very easy, comfortable running.”

They raved about the “genius” speed controls, which are toggles on the arms of the machine, a feature they are “rather obsessed with.” The belt accelerated, decelerated, and adjusted to incline “quickly,” “smoothly,” and “soundlessly,” an aspect that they deemed “worth every penny.” Additional perks include a powerful fan, “very loud” speakers, ability to fold, and two areas to place belongings. The ledge includes non-slip covering, which our tester appreciated for keeping their tablet secure while running.

Max Speed: 12 MPH | Incline: 15 | Dimensions: 37 x 63 inches | Classes: Unlisted | Features: Bluetooth pairing, foldable | Weight: 318 pounds