11 Best Elliptical For Home Use In 2023 [Reviews & Buying Guide]
If you are thinking of building a home gym, an elliptical machine must be on your list. The best elliptical for home is a permanent workout solution for you. You don’t need to run outside, surely.
We know many of us are used to the treadmill. But the key differences between an elliptical and a treadmill are -
It is zero-impact that means minimum stress on your joints than a treadmill. Elliptical machines integrate upper body workout too where treadmills only work on lower body.
Now the main problem is to find the best elliptical machine for home use. Spending the budget for your home gym at random may not be a wise decision. So finding the best home elliptical is vital.
It’s true that you cannot test and assess every top home elliptical trainers by yourself. Here the home elliptical reviews can be of great help. But you must know the features that tag the home elliptical machines as top rated ones.
Model | Resistance levels | User weight limit | Best Price |
---|---|---|---|
Tension adjusting knob | 250 lbs | ||
20 levels | 300 lbs | ||
Variable Magnetic Resistance | 200 lbs | ||
8 levels | 250 lbs | ||
Magnetic Adjustable Resistance | 250 lbs | ||
Multi-resistance | 250 lbs | ||
Magnetic Adjustable Resistance | 330 lbs | ||
16 levels | 350 lbs | ||
10 levels | 250 lbs | ||
24 levels | 300 lbs | ||
16 levels | 300 lbs |
Reviews: Best Elliptical Machine for Home 2023
We have strolled market and have checked the best elliptical machine for home. We have sorted out 11 best elliptical models. These are:

What We Like
What We Don't Like
Body Rider Elliptical Trainer and Exercise Bike is a two in one fitness equipment and rightly called the dual trainer. You can use the machine like an elliptical as well as an exercise bike for your home gym.
Want to enjoy low impact cardio exercise and the facility of toning muscles?
No matter if you have body joint problems or stiffness, the Body Rider BR2000 Elliptical is an ideal choice for your calorie burning.
This home elliptical machine can tone your upper and lower body. The unit has an adjustable seat, which you can accommodate horizontally and vertically so that user of different heights can be adjusted. Just try this machine: 3-4 times in a week for 20 minutes workout will help you to get your result.
The features we liked the most
What We Like
What We Don't Like
Want to exercise for the whole body without straining your joints? Bowflex Max Trainer M6 is a smart solution for your requirement. It is built with unique design, and it is one of the best elliptical for home use proven for low impact working out at ease.
We have found that users are considering this best home fitness machine as reliable for muscle toning, developing cardio endurance, and burning calorie for balanced weight loss. Regardless you want to have athletic training, or you want to enjoy body conditioning, Bowflex Max Trainer M6 is a good option.
You can customize your workout with this elliptical machine. Can be integrated with Bowflex Max Intelligence App. As a result, the app can assess the fitness level, monitor workout and suggest for boosting fitness competence to get a faster result.
THE FEATURES WE LOVED THE MOST:
What We Like
What We Don't Like
Getting rid of the unnecessary pain caused due to the usual workouts can be damn easy! The Teeter freestep can be used as a cross trainer and as an elliptical as per your choice and convenience!
With dual power motion, set your goals to burn calories, build core strength by working out upper and lower body simultaneously. You are free to take up isolated sessions for legs and arms too.
This Zero impact fat-burning cardio exercise waives off body fatigue with its comfortable reclined seating positions.
By providing extreme comfort and reducing stress on your knees and joints, the Keeter engages near-silent variable magnetic resistance.
To ease your workout session, features such as battery-powered digital console, water bottle holding stand, and device stand has been added.
Measuring 54''*38'' footprint, this low-impact friction-free linkage system is ought to provide a comfortable, effective, and easy workout session!
Enjoy the indulgence of a stress-free, low-impact cardio workout at your own comfort in your home! Apart from shaving off the excess load, the Teeter provides amazing calorie-burning workout sessions!
The features we liked the most
What We Like
What We Don't Like
The Body Power 2-in-1 Elliptical Stepper Trainer Makes your workout fun and easier! Choose your workout type depending on your resistance level, comfort, and mood!
This machine is capable of turning the boring workout into an energy-filled, joyous workout! You can hop on a stepper or turn it into an elliptical!
This folding elliptical is great for people who love to workout at home with comfort.
The features we liked the most
Do you want to enhance the impact of your home exercise regiment? Do you want to upgrade your home gym with a versatile elliptical?
If yes, The Plasma Fit 2-in-1 cardio machine and elliptical bike will be the right solution for you.
This versatile and best rated elliptical cum bike will offer several additional benefits for getting optimum results. Enjoy a low-impact exercise that offers all the calorie shedding and muscle-toning benefits you wish to get, plus minimum strain on your joints.
It is one of the best elliptical for home 2023 models with hybrid design. It will fit in your bedroom; it's great for a small apartment living room or balcony and will look smart. Want to tone various muscles like arms, legs, abdominals, and buttocks? Plasma Fit Elliptical Machine Cross Trainer is one of the best solutions.
The Features we love the most
Want to energize using the programmable magnetic resistance as you step on to this elliptical?
Sunny Health Fitness Elliptical Programmable SF-E3912 provides a cardio workout from the ease of your home. The fitness machine is designed to offer stability during tough workouts.
We have speculated that customers are finding it easy to assemble and effective to use. It is noiseless and offers many functions.
It has unique energizing skills for body fat, heart rate, and provides manual pre-programming. It tracks your heart rate with the ease of hand grips. It also not only lowers the body muscles but calf muscles as well.
Proceed your workout to the next standard. With the recovery function, you can check your heart rate returning to normal after your exercise.
Activate the body-fat program to adjust elliptical workouts to your set BMI. Best for challenging workouts. You can conveniently move to different places using front transportation wheels.
Consequently, it can monitor your performance on the elliptical, heart rate, stimulates your arm muscles, and offers a convenient bottle holder to ensure proper hydration to your health during workouts.
The Features we love the most
Explore the Proform Hybrid Trainer, an Expertise LED Exercise with a free membership to receive the collaborative, as ready to access global training sessions and monitor your fitness at the comfort of your home.
With the unique reclined workout bike, you can have an effortless exercise in your home.
We have observed that users can easily assemble with little effort and use it comfortlessly and also it can be transported easily to different rooms.
It offers a reclined exercise at the comfort of your home and offers connectivity to global trainers.
With features of personalized training, our skilled iFit trainers own distinct methods to health and probably make it easier to find the best exercise to suit your life. With the LCD window display, you can track your fitness.
The unified tablet holder runs a live training session to keep you in and motivate. The machine provides a reclined exercise with 16 automatic digital resistance standards at the comfort of your home.
Hence, grip yourself to a fresh and unique health encounter as the iFit trainers takes you to the next standard. Every trainer has a different style that can offer you the best results.
The Features we love the most
Enjoy a hassle-free workout session with the BODY CHAMP 2 IN 1 CARDIO DUAL TRAINER every day! Be it a recumbent bike, an upright bike, or an elliptical machine, you can use the BODY CHAMP 2 IN 1 CARDIO DUAL TRAINER as any of the above!
Being the easiest and convenient workout machine, the BODY CHAMP 2 IN 1 CARDIO DUAL TRAINER is compact and effective! This amazing trainer is unisex and the best convertible machine for every adult.
If you are in a dilemma of which kind of exercise suits you best, then, bring home the BODY CHAMP 2 IN 1 CARDIO DUAL TRAINER! Use it as per your mood, convenience, and choice!
The Features we love the most
A rookie or a veteran, when it comes to working out, every individual is ought to have fun with the Sole New E25 Elliptical!
Having an amazing bunch of featured induced in this wonderful elliptical, this is ought to create an amazing workout pattern. Being small, compact, and quiet, this can be the best elliptical for small spaces.
If you are looking for the best fitness machines, then, look no more! Here's your choice! Being one of the best home elliptical 2023, this machine can be inclined up to 20 degrees!
The features we liked the most
Being engineered spectacularly, the Nordic Track Elite 10.9 Elliptical is a package of surprises!
Having said that, a beginner or a veteran gets to experience the most amazing set of workouts every day. With a different collection of workout types matching your resistance level, this Elliptical surely suffices your workout time.
The features we liked the most
Advantages and Disadvantages of Elliptical Workout at Home
Elliptical machines comprise a group of instruments for physical training that cause elliptical motion when used. There are several kinds of these machines, whose purpose and size vary. Not only do they help you remain fit but also in weight reduction.
Advantages:
Elliptical machines offer several advantages, such as:
Total body workout:
One of the best benefits of exercising on the elliptical machine is its total workout effect. Unlike a treadmill, this exercise gear works for the upper body also. For upper body muscle toning, it works great.
Protects The Joints
Ellipticals are low impact machines that protect the legs and joints from injury. This makes it suitable for anyone suffering from joint problems and aches.
Cardiovascular benefits:
Elliptical trainers are exceptionally helpful for our cardiovascular system. Exercising with an elliptical boosts your heart rate, and it strengthens the heart health. It upsurges the aerobic capacity of the body.
Non-impact equipment:
While using an elliptical machine, you will feel that your heels are always connected with the machine pedals; rather you will feel that your feet are more stabilized by the pedals. This stability of pedal will not put any extra strain on your knees, and other joints and you get the benefits of running and cycling on elliptical.
Strength and endurance:
Home elliptical cross trainer help in creating strength and muscle endurance. It is a weight-bearing bodybuilding, which can target weak quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves without putting a harmful strain on the knees.
Weight loss program:
If you want to control obesity by losing weight, then an elliptical trainer can speed up your journey. Elliptical trainer works as a good option for shedding calories. It is observed that one can burn more than 400 calories in around 30 minutes by using an home elliptical machine.
When compared to a stationary cycle, an elliptical machine offers a weight-bearing exercise. These exercises are important as they prevent you from suffering from osteoporosis.
The Elliptical Bike Benefits on The Heart
The elliptical machine works the heart if you exercise it consistently. By using this machine regularly, you also improve your cardiovascular capacity. A strong heart can pump more blood into the body and provide more oxygen to the organs and muscles, thus reducing blood pressure.
When strengthened by exercise, the heart beats slower, thereby improving cardio respiratory fitness. One fallout of this is that you don't pant as quickly as you would without exercise. Lastly, it protects you from developing strokes and cardiovascular diseases.
Disadvantages:
The disadvantages of elliptical machines are:
Not Ideal for Muscle-Building
If you are interested in muscle-building, an elliptical machine isn’t the right choice for you.
Low Intensity
This is a low-intensity machine, so it is perfect only for beginners to exercise, not athletes.
Cost
Though freely available, this machine is very expensive. So, think well before you buy one.
Check These Features Before Buying The Best Home Elliptical:
you will get to assess what is the best home elliptical for you.
Elliptical as a Cardio Equipment for Your Home
One of the most popularly used pieces of fitness equipment used in gyms, the Elliptical Trainer is also called the cross-trainer or x-trainer. This stationary exercise machine imitates the action of walking, running, or stair climbing.
As a piece of cardio equipment for the home, the elliptical trainer can help you lose a maximum of 800 calories per hour of working out on this machine.
The elliptical trainer is considered good cardio equipment because it is designed to have moving handlebars that are linked to your pedal movement and resistance.
By the action of pushing and pulling using these handlebars, the major muscle groups of the chest and arms are activated, giving you a full body cardio workout. The more muscles it works, the more calories you burn.
The elliptical trainer is good cardio equipment because it strengthens the heart and improves aerobic body activity. This gives you a strong heart and lungs. Apart from this, since your heels are linked with the equipment’s pedals, the feet are made stable by the pedals.
This doesn’t lay any extra strain on your joints like the knees, unlike when you go running or cycling. For this reason, ellipticals are safe for seniors or those with joint pain or varicose veins.
With elliptical cross trainers, you can also build muscle endurance and strength. This is weight-bearing equipment which works the hamstrings, calves, quadriceps, and glutes without laying any strain on your knees.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
What Elliptical Drive Systems Are Best For Home?
When choosing an elliptical machine for the home, its resistance feature, the weighted flywheel, can be installed in three different parts of it—in the front, at the rear or in the middle.
Front Drive: Here, you can find the flywheel in the front part of the machine. When you use this elliptical, you lean forward and use it like you would a stair climber. Though this is less expensive than other elliptical types, it is also noisier with its parts requiring constant maintenance.
Find The Best Front Drive Elliptical
Center Drive: The flywheel can be seen in the middle part of the machine, on either side of the two pedals. It enjoys the benefits of the rear drive just as the rear drive does. It is more expensive than it's front and rear counterparts but works noiselessly and smoothly. It uses the latest technology.
Rear Drive: Here, the flywheel can be seen at the rear of the elliptical. To use this machine, you stand straight, and you can either run or walk using it. This machine is expensive, smooth to use, quiet, and with low maintenance.
Find The Best Rear Drive Elliptical
Once you differentiate between these three drive systems, getting down to choosing an elliptical is just a little bit easy. That's because there are many other parameters that you need to check out before buying. These include the size of the machine, features, stride length, and the kind of workout you want.
What Muscle Groups Do Ellipticals Work?
Ellipticals work the large muscle groups of the body so that you have a complete body workout. They are:
Hamstrings
Situated at the back of the legs, these muscles are involved in leg extensions and flexion, and therefore play a critical role in exercise on the elliptical trainer. By increasing the machine’s incline to climb, you flex your leg muscles, thereby making good use of your hamstrings.
Quadriceps
The muscles in front of your thighs are the quadriceps. They get activated during a leg extension. Ellipticals put equal emphasis on the hamstrings, quadriceps, and gluteals, and at times the upper body too. Since all the muscle groups are being worked, you don't feel much strain on your quadriceps.
Gluteus Maximus
Also known as the butt, the gluteus maximus is a part of hip extensions. These extensions are widely used in elliptical workouts, especially if the machine is set at an incline.
Triceps and Chest
With the help of the elliptical machine’s upper body levers, the triceps and pectoral muscles get activated. These are also called pushing muscles as they are pushed each time your arms are straightened.
Biceps and Back
The other half of the pushing muscles are quite obviously the "pulling muscles" that are activated when you bend your arms. These muscles are the biceps that come into play when the elbows are flexed, and when the rhomboids in the shoulder blades are pulled in the back.
Deep Core Muscles
The elliptical machine you choose may not have levers. If you don’t hold on to the machine for support and balance, automatically, your deep core muscles will be activated during the workout.
Heart
The heart, being a muscle, is also worked by the elliptical trainer when you work out.
Is An Elliptical Machine Good For Bad Knees?
Working out on an elliptical machine is safe for anyone because it is a low-impact activity. So, it won't necessarily cause you any knee pain if you use it correctly. Being a low-impact aerobic exercise machine, you can see it as an option to running or jogging, if you have knee pain due to arthritis.
If you’re running longer distances than usual, cross-training or any other low-impact exercise can prevent you from being injured or get stress fractures.
While using an elliptical machine, ensure that your posture is good so that the workout you do gives you the maximum benefits. Keep a straight posture and allow your lower body to support your entire weight.
Is an Elliptical Machine Good For Heavy People?
Living life as an obese person can be pretty hellish. Before you know it, you’re branded as being fat. So, what do you do to shake off that reputation? Well, exercise and diet. If you finally choose to work out with an elliptical machine, remember to go in only for an elliptical for obese people.
Normally, as an obese person, you can get onto an elliptical machine if it's one of those that are made for people who weigh 400 lb and above. Since they offer you much more in terms of stability and other features, naturally they are more expensive too.
Obese people find the elliptical trainer worth their while because it combines the movement involved in cross-country skiing with that of stepping. This means that your feet don’t ever get disconnected from the pedals, making it good for the joints.
To burn more calories than usual, some trainers have arm poles. They also include an upper body workout. Premium quality ellipticals for obese people can accommodate a weight of 350 lb. For all these reasons, this is the most efficient machine for the obese to achieve your fitness goals.
Is An Elliptical Workout Better Than Walking?
The two activities—an elliptical workout and walking—are different from each other in terms of the amount of force applied to the joints during these activities and the number of calories burned. If you work out on an elliptical machine, you’ll definitely burn more calories than while walking.
According to Mayo Clinic’s estimates, if you weigh 160 lb and use the elliptical machine for an hour, you will burn 365 calories. However, by walking for an hour, you lose only 314 calories. Besides, on the elliptical machine, you place less stress on your joints while working out.
With each step you take while walking, you use 110% of your body weight, but while using the elliptical machine, you use only 75% of your body weight. If you suffer from arthritis or any joint pain, you’re sure to get more benefit from the elliptical machine.
While using an elliptical machine, your arm movements may not generate a good upper body workout. However, they certainly activate the hip joint muscles and those of the lower back. So, if you want a strong midsection, get onto the elliptical machine.
Walking, on the other hand, has proved to be better for all the muscle groups. They provide balance and decrease the possibility of falls in old age.
By and large, it has been found that for those with problem knees, elliptical machines are the best.
How Noisy Is An Elliptical During Operation?
Yes, ellipticals can be noisy when in use and for a variety of reasons. Whether issues are major or minor, they can cause your elliptical to give off noise while you work out.
Causes of Noise:
If you hear deafening sounds from your elliptical, it obviously means something’s gone wrong with it. The possible causes of this noise are:
You could also have bought an elliptical that's louder than used ones, even if it's brand new. This obviously points to the fact that low-quality material and parts have been used to manufacture it. Or that its construction isn't sturdy enough.
Not being sturdy enough leads to the machine wobbling, causing weight to be unevenly distributed and leading to your floor squeaking.
Conclusion
Elliptical machines can help you in doing an excellent workout without any stress at home. Some of the advanced models are available with 2-in-one features that will help you in toning target muscles including the upper and lower body.
There is no formula for buying the best elliptical for home use. You need to check your skill level. Age, body weight, and endurance level for finding the best home fitness machine within your budget.
The 11 best home elliptical we have reviewed here are the best affordable elliptical machines available in the market. You can easily select any of them as the best home elliptical for your customized workout.
You Can Follow This Review: Schwinn 411 Elliptical Review 2023 [Pictures & Videos]
Elliptical machines like the SOLE Fitness E35 and the Exerpeutic 5000 are among the best low-impact, high-intensity pieces of exercise equipment you can buy. And the latest generation of ellipticals like the Nautilus E614 is incorporating the most cutting-edge technology like ultra-ergonomic support and downloadable fitness tracking data.
I’m looking for an elliptical with these qualities/features:
• Mechanical/nonmotorized/nonelectrical (no electrical cords, no restriction of placement to the vicinity of available electrical outlets; no fancy digital display or onboard computer)
• User to be standing up to use it
• Has arms/handlebars for an upper-body (crossbody) workout and also safety/stability
• Has an adjustable shelf/support for reading even a midsize hardcover book—the shelf/support can’t be too low for the reader or in some other way impractical (such as if the shelf didn’t have a lower ledge or a way to anchor a book in place, or if putting a book on it would interfere with the device’s arms when they were in motion, or if the shelf angle were not adjustable)
• Doesn’t need to be used for more than a basic baseline-aerobic-maintenance daily workout (of maybe a half to one hour’s duration, like a good walk)—that is, it doesn’t need to have myriad settings options or statistical tracking of any kind
• Isn’t too heavy or cumbersome, or floor damaging, for one person to move from one place at home to another, in case it has to be relocated after its initial setup (must also be able to fit through a standard doorframe)
• Is of quality manufacture and has universally good reviews—aspects more important than price, since buying one of these represents (a) a long-term investment, (b) a big decision about putting another large piece of “furniture” in one’s living space, and (c) having to consider all the associated logistics, including how one might manage a potential return if the device doesn’t work well or how to dispose of it years hence
Know of anything remotely close to having those parameters?