Buying a treadmill for your home is a big investment, and basing your decision solely on cost can be a big mistake. Yes, there are many cheap treadmills out there; but buying a treadmill—or any piece of fitness equipment—based on price alone is a bad idea.  As with purchasing a car, you also need to consider quality, the likelihood of service being required and the reputation of the manufacturer.

That said, a good rule of thumb is the 1:10 treadmill/car ratio. Take the price of a treadmill, multiply it by 10—and ask yourself if you’d buy a car in that price range. Looking at a $500 treadmill? That’s like buying $5,000 car.  You could probably drive it off the lot, but it’s likely that the parts will wear out quickly and over time it’ll need tons of service.  A car at that price point is NOT going to last long—and the same holds true for a $500 treadmill.

A decent, well-made treadmill typically starts at $2,000 (that’s a $20,000 car using the 1:10 ratio).  At this price point, you’re getting thoughtful ergonomics and parts that will last. If purchasing from Gym Source from a premium manufacturer like TRUE, Bodyguard or Cybex, the service required is available to you from a team of in-house experts for as long as you own the machine.

Treadmills that sell for $3,000-$4,000 start to touch the higher-end market. Just like the equivalent $30,000-$40,000 priced cars, you’ll get more creature comforts, superior engineering, design and ergonomics.  Once you’re in the $5,000+ range, you’re buying commercial quality with luxury features to match.

At Gym Source, we have the choice to carry any treadmill brands we want—and we don’t sell lemons. We choose to carry brands with superior quality, engineering and design, since we’re on the hook to service everything we sell. Remember that, the next time you’re shopping for a treadmill.