Precor EFX 221 Elliptical Machine Review (Pros + Cons)

Quick Summary

Looking for a high quality yet affordable home elliptical trainer?

The Precor EFX 221 is the lowest priced elliptical from a top-notch brand.

This powerhouse is designed to suit virtually any trainee: It offers three stride lengths, three ramp levels and a wide range of resistance options.

Its preset workouts offer simulated hill climbs, interval training, heart rate control, weight loss routines and more.

Get the details below from our full Precor EFX 221 elliptical review.

Specifications

Model	Precor EFX 221
Rating Our custom rating considers all of the elliptical's features, specs, warranties, and 100's of user & expert reviews, to save you time!	84%
List Price Suggested retail price, typically higher than the price you'll pay with our recommended retailers.	$2,499
Best Price Since prices change daily, this link goes to our preferred retailer for the best price we've found.	$1999
Resistance Resistance is what determines calories burned per stride. The more levels, the more precisely you can control the difficulty.	16 Levels
Resistance Type The type of resistance affects the performance of your elliptical. Magnetic and Eddy-Current are the most common types.	Magnetic
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).	n/a
Pedals Elliptical pedals can be cushioned and adjustable for maximum comfort and minimum impact on joints for injury prevention.	Heavy Duty Plastic
Incline Some elliptical trainers can be set at an incline to increase difficulty and burn more calories.	15°, 20° and 25° Elevation Range
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.	10
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 & Chest Strap (Optional)
Display Elliptical Display refers to the screen you'll look at to monitor workouts. LED and LCD displays are similar to TV screens.	High contrast blue-white LCD
Max. Weight Max User Weight is the amount of weight, in pounds (lbs), that it can safely support, which can represent durability.	Undisclosed
Dimensions Dimensions are included to help you figure out if this elliptical will fit properly (Length x Width x Height and Height x Depth).	75" x 29" x 65"
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 Welds: Lifetime Parts: 5 Years Console: 3 Years Labor: 1 Year

Our Rating

Rating: 84.0/100. The EFX 221 is the most affordable home elliptical trainer from Precor, the company that invented the world’s first elliptical trainers and patented ultra-smooth elliptical motion. This rear drive elliptical sells for $1,999 online and carries an excellent warranty. A main feature is CrossRamp® technology, which lets you alter the incline of the elliptical path. This lets you focus on specific muscle groups to improve tone and improve your rate of calorie burn. Is the EFX 221 the best elliptical for your home gym? Here are pros and cons to consider.

Pros:

Adjustable stride length
Adjustable incline
Reversible motion
16 resistance levels (10 watts to 550 watts)
Quiet magnetic resistance
10 high quality training programs
Wireless heart rate monitoring
Contact heart rate monitoring
Two user profiles
Metric or standard data display
iPod/iPhone/Android compatible (Volume control)
Tablet computer holder
Accessory holder
Water bottle holder
Long warranties on parts and electronics

Cons:

Stationary arm bars
Incline adjustments are manual (not automated)
Delivery costs extra
Does not fold for storage; footprint is 75″ x 29″
No workout fan (although this is not a con for some people)

Introduction

The Precor EFX 221 is among the best home ellipticals under $2000. Adapted from Precor’s commercial elliptical trainers, it’s built for remarkably smooth and hassle-free performance. This fitness machine lets trainees focus exclusively on the lower body. (Other Precor ellipticals such as the EFX 222 have moving arms bars for total body training.) Choose from three stride lengths, three incline levels and 16 resistance levels. Ten workout programs are included to help you meet a variety of training goals, from weight loss to endurance training and muscle toning. This trainer also has a tablet computer holder and can integrate with your MP3 player or smartphone. Here are details about the workout programs, features and generous warranty for the EFX 221.

Workout Programs

The Precor EFX 221 is loaded with 10 elliptical workout programs including manual mode. These training programs are more varied than what we usually see on residential ellipticals. The program names are 1-1 Interval, 1-2 Interval, Weight Loss, Basic HRC, Aerobic, Hill Climb, Cross Country, Gluteal, Cross Trainer and Manual. Several of the programs include “accelerators” or tips to help you maximize each workout.

Data can be saved for two user profiles, which helps you get an accurate calorie burn estimate. Twelve data fields are shown during training: Time Elapsed, Time Remaining, Calories, Calories/Min, Heart Rate, Target Heart Rate, SmartRate® Zone, Distance, Strides/Min, Average Strides/Min, Resistance and Percent Complete. At the end of each workout a summary is shown. This reviews the Time Elapsed, Total Calories, Total Distance and Average Strides/Min.

Precor EFX 221 Features

Precor ellipticals stand out from competitors because of very smooth motion and overall excellent engineering. Precor invented the elliptical machine and patented a rear wheel design that’s coveted by many other brands.

The Precor EFX 221 provides three stride lengths to let just about anyone get a perfect fit. You can also choose from three incline levels: 15°, 20° and 25°. Using the incline is an excellent way to naturally increase your metabolic rate and improve muscle definition.

The workout control center features a high contrast blue and white LCD. The electronics are under warranty for three years whereas many other elliptical manufacturers provide no warranty on electronics whatsoever.

For heart rate feedback the EFX 221 can use wireless data (chest strap sold separately) or information from contact sensors.

The Precor EFX 221 is compatible with iPods, iPhones and Android phones; you can change the volume using the console controls. It also has a tablet computer with gripped texture for security.

Warranty & Guarantee

The Precor EFX 221 elliptical warranty is above average. It includes:

– Frame: Lifetime

– Parts: 5 years

– Console: 3 years

– Labor: 1 year

Conclusion

The Precor EFX 221 elliptical is the most affordable trainer from a top manufacturer. It is sized, powered and programmed to accommodate virtually any trainee. Carrying a long warranty on parts and electronics too, the EFX 221 is one of the best home elliptical trainers you can buy for $1,999.

This fitness machine has stationary arm bars. If you’d prefer an elliptical trainer with moving arm bars, see the Precor EFX 222.