Life Fitness E3 Elliptical Cross-Trainer Review 2024

Quick Summary

The Life Fitness E3 Cross-Trainer is a nearly silent fitness machine that’s ready to keep workouts interesting.

Key points are durable rear drive styling, a smooth 20″ stride and a choice of two consoles.

The more advanced console supports four user profiles along with wireless data sharing, high-def video workouts, iPod and other mobile devices.

Learn more from the detailed Life Fitness E3 Cross-Trainer review below.

Specifications

Model	Life Fitness E3
Rating Our custom rating considers all of the elliptical's features, specs, warranties, and 100's of user & expert reviews, to save you time!	88.3%
List Price Suggested retail price, typically higher than the price you'll pay with our recommended retailers.	$2,999
Best Price Since prices change daily, this link goes to our preferred retailer for the best price we've found.	$2,999
Resistance Resistance is what determines calories burned per stride. The more levels, the more precisely you can control the difficulty.	20 Levels
Resistance Type The type of resistance affects the performance of your elliptical. Magnetic and Eddy-Current are the most common types.	n/a
Stride Length Stride Length is important for comfort and smooth strides. A stride length of 18-21 inches is ideal for most heights (5'3 - 6'7).	20-inches
Pedals Elliptical pedals can be cushioned and adjustable for maximum comfort and minimum impact on joints for injury prevention.	Oversized Non-Slip Pedals
Incline Some elliptical trainers can be set at an incline to increase difficulty and burn more calories.	yes
Flywheel The flywheel controls the smoothness and resistance of your workout. In general, the higher the better.	Undisclosed
Programs Elliptical Programs allow you to complete a workout with changing speeds and inclines, without changing anything manually.	16
User Profiles For each profile the elliptical allows, you can create a custom user account with saved programs and goal settings.	2 Users
Heart Rate Heart Rate programs allow you to track how many times your heart is beating per minute (bpm), and some control the workout for you.	Pulse Grips Wireless Chest Strap included
Display Elliptical Display refers to the screen you'll look at to monitor workouts. LED and LCD displays are similar to TV screens.	4" x 6" LCD w/ blue background
Max. Weight Max User Weight is the amount of weight, in pounds (lbs), that it can safely support, which can represent durability.	400 lbs
Dimensions Dimensions are included to help you figure out if this elliptical will fit properly (Length x Width x Height and Height x Depth).	82" x 34" x 61"
Upper Body Most ellipticals have handles to hold while you're working out that provide an upper body workout.
Accessory Tray Some ellipticals include an accessory tray for holding items such as water bottles, wallets, keys, or MP3 players like iPods.
Speakers Ellipticals that include a sound system allow you to listen to your MP3 player/iPod through built-in speakers (without headphones).
Cooling Fans Cooling Fans are designed to help keep you cool during an intense workout on your elliptical.
Folding? Some ellipticals are designed to conserve space by folding up. This is a convenient option, but some features might be reduced.
Quick Controls Quick Controls allow you to select speed, incline and even workout programs with the touch of a button (usually on the handles).
Warranty The warranty is an important part of your investment. The longer the warranty, the longer you can get free/discounted repairs.	Frame: Lifetime Parts: 5 Years Labor: 1 Year

Our Rating

Rating: 88.3/100. A great rear drive elliptical, the E3 Cross-Trainer is second in a series of three Life Fitness ellipticals built for long-term home use. This total body trainer is sized to fit just about anyone up to 400 pounds and is a relatively joint-friendly option for weight management, body sculpting, cardiovascular health and improved athletic performance. Two consoles are available: Go and Track+. Each console is loaded with helpful workout programming, but only the Track+ is compatible with mobile fitness apps and has other high tech features to enhance training. Both consoles feature Coach Zone, which helps you target specific muscles. Both also work with touch pulse sensors built into the elliptical trainer’s crossbar. The Track+ arrives with a chest strap for wireless heart rate monitoring too.

Here are points to consider.

Pros:

Choice of consoles
Very comfortable motion
Wireless heart rate monitoring
Contact heart rate monitoring
Virtually silent operation
20″ stride
Cushioned pedals
Multigrip handlebars
20 resistance levels
At least 16 workout programs (More on the Track+ console)
2 or 4 user profiles (Depending on console)
Two water bottle holders
Five-year parts warranty

Cons:

No accessory tray
No cooling fan
No incline training
Stride is fixed at 20″

Comparing Life Fitness E Series Ellipticals

Other choices from the same Life Fitness elliptical series are the E1 and E5. The E3 in this review is a step up from the E1 because it adds a second grip to the arm bars, has coaching technology and has cushioned pedals. The E5 is a greater step up because it also has adjustable stride (18″ to 24″) instead of a fixed 20″ foot path.

Introduction

The Life Fitness E3 Cross-Trainer is a high-end home elliptical machine. It features a rear drive, which is the classic elliptical design. Rear drive ellipticals in general are popular for their low maintenance requirements and comfortable body positioning. Two E3 consoles are available, giving customers a choice between a streamlined computer monitor with great essentials and an advanced monitor with wireless data sharing and other high tech perks. Here are details about the workout consoles, other features and standard warranty for the Life Fitness E3.

Workout Programs

The Life Fitness E3 Cross-Trainer offers a choice of two workout systems with its Go and Track+ consoles. The Go console is the simpler of the two. It supports two user profiles. It has 12 preset workouts and lets you save two customized programs to each profile.

The Track+ console supports four user profiles. It has 14 preset workouts and each user can save an additional 12 workout programs. The Track+ console integrates with mobile apps for virtual outdoor training, advanced data tracking and other benefits. This unit can connect with mobile devices for real-time exercise tracking and data sharing. It’s compatible with Android, iPhone, iPad and iPod for added engagement.

E3 Cross-Trainer Elliptical Features

Built with friction-free magnetic resistance, Life Fitness ellipticals have virtually silent operation. Exercise without disturbing your household!

The moving arm bars have contoured grips designed for comfortable grasping with different positions. By gripping the bars in different ways you can focus on different muscles in your upper body as you train.

Resistance controls are built into the handlebars for convenient adjustment during workouts.

The E3 Cross-Trainer is an upgrade over the E1 partly because it has coaching technology. A programming feature called Activity Zone helps you target specific muscle groups with Total Body Trainer and LegSculptor workouts.

For pulse monitoring the Life Fitness E3 has a wireless receiver and contact pulse readers. Contact pulse readers are built into the moving handlebars as well as a stationary bar. A wireless heart rate monitor arrives with the Track+ console.

The Life Fitness Track+ console is compatible with Android devices and iPhone. This lets you connect the elliptical with mobile fitness apps for extra programming and data tracking. The Track+ also has iPod compatibility; you can control the volume and scroll through your playlists using the elliptical’s large screen for convenience.

Each console has two cup holders and an accessory tray.

The pedals on this unit are an upgrade over those on the E1. They have cushioned inserts to promote comfort and help you train longer.

Warranty & Guarantee

The standard Life Fitness E3 Cross-Trainer elliptical warranty (no charge) includes:

– Frame: Lifetime

– Parts: 5 Years

– Console: 3 years

– Labor: 1 Year

Life Fitness sells two extended warranties for this product, giving you three or five years of in-home service and other benefits.

Conclusion

The Life Fitness E3 Cross-Trainer is a well-built total body trainer that’s sized ideally for most adults. This elliptical operates almost silently and offers great variety for training support, particularly with its Track+ console. The E3 is a solid value for the typical shopper, but trainees who are particularly tall or small might prefer the E5, which has an adjustable stride. Both cross-trainers are currently offered with free shipping (a $299 value) on the Life Fitness website.