When it comes to getting fit at home, a treadmill is an investment that’ll see you through years of exercise and is great for endurance, weight loss, building muscle and supporting general wellbeing. Although they’re not as inexpensive resistance bands, yoga mats or weights, the best treadmills available in Australia also offer training programs and health metrics as well as the basics for walking or running.
“Treadmills are great as they are perfect for individuals at all fitness levels, you can simply begin by walking at a steady pace and lead to running on an incline,” says Russell Crosdale, Fitness Category Manager at Appliances Online. We spoke to him about what to look for in a home treadmill, then picked out some of the best options currently available based on different features, goals and budgets.
2024’s top treadmills to shop in Australia
- Endurance Spirit Treadmill, $1349, Amazon (here’s why)
- Lifespan Fitness Boost-R treadmill, $1599 (usually $1999), Amazon (here’s why)
- Oakleigh Home Aerose electric treadmill, from $289 (usually $349), Temple & Webster (here’s why)
What type of treadmill is best for home use?
“When purchasing a treadmill it is important to ask yourself the first question: ‘why are you purchasing this?'” says Russell. “Is it for injury or rehabilitation, events or sport, or just general fitness?”
Once you have a clear idea of your goals, you can narrow down your search to specific features and treadmill options.
- General fitness: “Depending on your fitness level, a walking treadmill is a great addition to any household as it can work for every family member. These are low impact machines with a max speed of 6km/h,” says Russell. Of course, if you have other fitness goals in mind, you could consider higher power treadmills, with some models going up to 20km/h.
- Injury or rehabilitation: “Look for cushioned running pads and strong and sturdy walking handles to aid in mobility and provide confidence when using the machine. Using the machine on an incline or decline for injury rehabilitation will allow targeted training for specific muscle groups.”
- Sport or an event: “Long distance runners would benefit from a longer and wider belt and do not necessarily require the incline or decline function. Professional walkers or runners would even benefit from extra cushioning inside the belt.”
7 best treadmills for your home workout in 2024
With different features and personal fitness goals in mind, we’ve rounded up some of the best treadmills currently available that’ll help you get your steps up at home.
01
Endurance Spirit treadmill
$1349, Amazon
Best for: incline workouts and different speeds
The Endurance Spirit is a bestselling treadmill on Amazon and not without reason. Versatile and somewhat affordably priced for a treadmill of this calibre, it includes everything you could want for a cardio session: rubber cushioning shock absorption, 20 incline levels, speeds up to 20km/hr and workout programs. Plus, with pulse sensors, USB charger, dual speakers and a tablet holder, you’re sorted in the entertainment department.
“This treadmill packs in the features and for the price you will not get any better,” wrote a five star reviewer on Amazon, “it is very sturdy and surprisingly quiet”.
Key features:
- 1-2okm/hr speeds
- Heavy duty 2.5 CHP Endurance Motor that is smooth and quiet
- MP3 Plug-in via auxiliary 3.5mm Cable
- Built-in dual high quality speakers
- iPad/tablet/magazine holder
- Hand pulse sensors
- Built-in mobility with hydraulic assisted folding and transportation wheels
02
Lifespan Fitness Boost-R treadmill
from $1599 (usually $1999), Amazon
Best for: running goals
Perfect for the runner working towards a goal, this Lifespan Fitness treadmill features 18 levels of automatic incline, shock control advanced cushioning system, speeds up to 18km/hr and a 2.75 CHP EverDrive motor. With pulse sensors for your heart rate reading and a colour LCD screen that also shows workout data including time, distance and calories burned, you’ll be prepared for that half-marathon in no time.
Key features:
- 1-18km/phr speeds
- 24 Preset Programs, 3 Custom User programs
- Featuring advanced 2.75 CHP EverDrive Motor
- LCD Colour display
- Extended 18 levels of automatic incline
03
Oakleigh Home Aerose electric treadmill
from $289 (usually $349), Temple & Webster
Best for: walking treadmill fans
If you’re looking for something more leisurely paced, why not give a walking treadmill a whirl? This machine is designed for walking, with speeds of up to 6km/hr that one customer said “is a nice steady jog” in their review on the Temple & Webster website.
Its design means you could also use it under a standing desk by folding down the grip handles, so you can hit your daily step count while working from home. With a compact design and a mobile phone holder, this treadmill from Temple & Webster is great for those with smaller homes.
“Perfect size for my apartment, easy to fold away and use,” wrote a reviewer who gave five stars.
Key features:
- Wide running belt
- High strength composite running board
- Durable and anti-slip running belt
- Variable speeds and a remote control
- Shock absorption for better knee protection
- Lightweight and convenient tablet holder
- Foldable armrest for easy storage
04
LSG Quiet EverDrive electric treadmill
$649, Amazon
Best for: foldable treadmill design
The LSG Quiet EverDrive is user-friendly with 12 preset training programs, ShockControl cushioning for your joints, a LCD display tracking your stats, and a max speed of 14km/hr. It’s foldable which makes it easy to store when not in use, has three levels of manual incline and features a quiet H2 motor. This treadmill is what you call a smooth operator.
“This product has exceeded my expectations,” wrote one happy five star-reviewer, “It is solid and sturdy and is easy to operate and provides a variety of exercise levels to choose from”.
Key features:
- EverDrive H2 Motor
- Max speed of 14km/
- LCD display tracks stats
- 12 preset training programs
- Foldable to easily store
- 3 levels of manual incline
- ShockControl Cushioning suspension
05
Lifespan Fitness Pursuit Max treadmill
from $963 (usually $1299), Appliances Online
Best for: rehabilitation
Ideal for those undergoing rehabilitation, this Lifespan Fitness treadmill is equipped with 15 levels of automatic incline to target specific muscle groups, a shock control system for support, 15 pre-set workouts and speed up to 16km/hr. Plus, it can be folded and transported with its wheels easily around the home.
“I’m very happy with this treadmill, easy to assemble and very easy to use. Gives you a great workout and is quiet smooth,” wrote a reviewer who left five stars, “The added bonus was buying it from Appliances Online, which they delivered for free and carried it upstairs to my middle floor apartment”.
Key features:
- 15 pre-set workouts
- 2.5 CHP EverDrive H4X Motor
- Variable speed up to 16km/h
- 15 levels of automatic incline
- ShockControl Cushioning System
- HydraAssist Soft Drop Folding
- Spacious DuraGrip Running Belt
06
Lifespan Fitness Apex treadmill
$1442.72, Amazon
Best for: easy controls
Compact and easily folded, this treadmill will be a great asset to your home gym. With speeds up to 18km/hr, a grippy belt, bluetooth connectivity, 24 preset workout programs and ShockControl cushioning, you can tailor your at-home cardio session to your own comfort. It also has handy speed and incline controls so you can make adjustments as you go.
“Great treadmill. Definitely worth the money. Great for running. Would recommend,” wrote a five star reviewer.
Key features:
- HydraAssist folding for compact storage
- 1.0kph to 18kph speed
- 3.25 CHP EverDrive H6 Motor
- ShockControl cushioning system
- 7″ LCD Display
- MP3 Plug-in (AUX 3.5mm)
- Bluetooth connectivity for music playback and Fitlink App
- DuraGrip belt
- 24 pre-set workout programs
07
Proform Pro 9000 PF21 treadmill
$2795, Rebel Sport
Best for: display features
When it comes to luxe treadmills, the Proform Pro 9000 PF21 is pretty up there. In addition to the standard electric treadmill features, this model includes a swipeable HD display controlling your music, an inbuilt fan to keep you cool and ReboundPro cushioning to support you joints. Talk about running in luxury.
“Very happy with this treadmill, crystal clear display, easy to assemble and move around,” shared one customer who gave it five stars on the Rebel Sport website.
Key features:
- 3.6CHP drive system
- 0-22km/phr speeds
- Massive 21.5in swipeable HD display
- Dual 2 inch speakers
- Incorporated device shelf
- Rebound Pro cushioning
- In-built CoolAire fans
What treadmill features are important to look out for?
When you’re shopping for the best treadmill for your home, Russell says it is important to consider features in a model that’ll assist with your fitness goals, as well as asking yourself when and how you’ll be using the machine. As well as fundamental details – how fast it goes, included programs and storage options – he says to consider the following:
- Incline and decline: “This is the ability for the machine to rise and give you the impression of walking or running up or down a hill. It is great for training calves, thighs and glutes.”
- Wifi: “Some machines have Wifi compatibility meaning you are able to connect your smartphone to your machine. You can then follow along a workout on your phone or stream your favourite music or TV shows. Having this compatibility is great to keep you engaged during your workout.”
- Heart rate monitor: “Having a heart rate monitor built into your treadmill is especially useful if you are using the machine for rehabilitation or weight loss. The heart rate monitor gives you real time updates on your heart’s health and alerts you to safe zones, whilst also highlighting intensity levels during training.”
- Bluetooth: “Having Bluetooth connectivity allows you to stay connected throughout your workout. This is an important feature if you are squeezing in your workout during a break at work or on call. These machines usually have a charging port as well making it easy for you to charge your phone and stream music.”
Is a treadmill worth it?
The price of a home treadmill can range from around $350 to more than $4000 depending on the type of treadmill, brand and features. So it’s important to think about whether it is something you’ll use a lot to really get value from it. If you’re planning to use a treadmill at home instead of going to the gym, for example, you could save around $800 a year. That’s based on data from the Australian Sports Commission’s 2023 AusPlay survey, which showed the average Australian spent $808 on fitness and gym over a 12-month period.
So, if you usually hit the cardio equipment at the gym, swapping it for a treadmill at home could help you save in around 6 months to 5 years, depending on the model and what you pay for your gym membership.
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