Best Elliptical Machines Under $1,500 of 2024

FitRated Editorial Team | Sep 05 2021 - 3:33 am

Shoppers’ most popular budget range for home ellipticals is $1,000 to $1,500. When an elliptical’s full price is in this span, the machine is probably “middle quality”... but you can definitely get more for the money! On a regular basis, factory-direct promotions drop some pretty impressive choices into this price range.

Five of the best elliptical values under $1,500 are previewed below. Most models on the chart could comfortably fit anyone’s body size, and some can challenge very experienced elliptical users as well as beginners.

Each recommendation below has a front or center drive. Lower quality front drive ellipticals draw criticism for their awkward stride paths, but the best choices under $1,500 from Sole and other top brands have healthy ergonomics. Plus, compared with standard rear drive trainers, each model below is compact and/or has transport wheels to help owners maximize their living space.

Click any pic on the chart for an in-depth elliptical review.

Top 5 Best Rated Elliptical Machines Under $1,500

	1	2	3	4	5
Model	Sole E55	Sole E35	NordicTrack Commercial 9.9	ProForm SMART Pro 16.9	NordicTrack C 12.9
Rating Our custom rating considers all of the elliptical's features, specs, warranties, and 100's of user & expert reviews, to save you time!	Rating: 94.1 %	Rating: 92.6 %	Rating: 92.2 %	Rating: 91.9 %	Rating: 91 %
Resistance Resistance is what determines calories burned per stride. The more levels, the more precisely you can control the difficulty.	20 Levels	20 Levels	22 Levels	26 Levels	26 Levels
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"	20"	17.5" - 18.5"	20 inches	18" - 20"
Programs Elliptical Programs allow you to complete a workout with changing speeds and inclines, without changing anything manually.	10	10	iFit Streaming	35	35
Flywheel The flywheel controls the smoothness and resistance of your workout. In general, the higher the better.	20 lbs	25 lbs	25 lbs	32 Lbs	32 lbs.
MSRP Suggested retail price, typically higher than the price you'll pay with our recommended retailers.	$2,799	$2,799	$1,299	$2,499	$1,599
Pricing After carefully evaluating each online retailer that offers this Elliptical, this is the website we recommend purchasing from.	See Best Price	See Best Price	See Best Price	See Best Price	See Best Price

Elliptical Machines Under $1,500 Buying Guide

Ellipticals from $1,000 – $1,500 represent the most competitive price range on the elliptical market and, frankly, the best deals. Ellipticals from $1,000 to $1,5000 are a major step up from $1,000 and under models, still not quite as expensive as the $1,500+ “commercial grade” ellipticals, yet still nearly equal in terms of important specs.

If money is not an issue, or more importantly, motivated by a desire to find one of the best ellipticals on the market you should focus on the $1,000 to $1,500 price range. A lot of the highest rated ellipticals on FitRated.com derive from the $1,000-$1,500 price range and understandably so. They are traditionally durable, smooth operating, dependable, adequate for multiple users (and different weights, etc) and easy to operate. Additionally, most manufacturers like Sole, NordicTrack and ProForm reward consumers who invest in this price range by providing exceptional warranties and guaranties.

Ellipticals from $1,000-$1,500 are surprisingly nearly equal to its higher priced brother — the $1,500 to $2,000 market. In fact, you can almost get the same elliptical and save a couple hundred dollars. You would be a fool to pass it up, right? Ellipticals from $1,000 to $1,500 are very competitive in terms of resistance system, levels of resistance, stride length, durability of frame, warranty package offered as well as number of pre-defined workout programs. Don’t believe us? Look it up.

Ellipticals $1,000 to $1,500 — Performance

Ellipticals from $1,000 to $1,500 resistance system, levels of resistance and stride length compare to other price ranges:

Resistance System: Manufacturers generally produce a similar resistance system regardless of the price of the model. Consequently, the resistance system on ellipticals from $1,000 to $1,500 is usually not too different throughout the individual price ranges. Regardless, you can expect a quality resistance system with any reputable model from $1,000+.

Levels of Resistance: The most obvious difference between ellipticals from $1,000 to $1,500 and the lower priced models is the levels of resistance. Under $500 budget ellipticals may not offer more than 10 levels of resistance while top rated ellipticals from $1,000 to $1,500 are easily 16 levels or more!

Stride Length: The stride length is important, especially for longer limbed users. Cheap ellipticals are, well, cheap in terms of the stride length. The result is an unnatural stride and lack of maximizing your exercise. If you’re serious about improving your health you need to purchase an elliptical with a recommend stride length of at least 15 inches. Fortunately, the top rated ellipticals from $1,000 to $1,500 all average 20 to 22 inches. Furthermore, some models (like the highly touted NordicTrack A.C.T.) are adjustable and offer more than one stride length.

Ellipticals $1,000 to $1,500 — Most Important Features

When you are shopping for ellipticals under $1,000 you really want to pay special attention to the estimated life span of the trainer often hinted at by the confidence the manufacturer exhibits. For example, a poorly made elliptical will probably not have a great warranty because the manufacturer knows it sucks! Why waste all that money replacing poor parts and construction?

Even though this is still important with ellipticals from $1,000 to $1,500 you should feel confident because the vast majority of the models in this price range are backed by very good warranties, especially if you note the Top 5 Ellipticals from $1,000-$1,5000 (above). You can also feel better about your investment by purchasing an elliptical from a reputable company like NordicTrack, Sole Fitness, Precor, etc.

Like we already said, the $1,000 to $1,500 market is very competitive. Consequently you have a lot of options, influencing companies to produce quality trainers in order to not get pushed aside by the competition. However, a lot of models also means more tough decisions — making your final selection difficult. Check out our unbiased ellipticals from $1,000 to $1,500 reviews to learn more.