So, you’re excited to buy some home cardio equipment. You’ve always thought about the idea of having workouts at home, and the time has finally come.
You’ve set the budget, you have some idea of what you want to get, and you’re eager to go online and find what you need.
But you’re also worried. After all, you can pick from many options, and finding the right piece of equipment can be daunting. What should you look for? What are some red flags when buying a device? What features should it have?
If you feel confused — don’t worry; it’s completely normal. To help you make the right choice, we’ve put together this guide. Below, we’ll go over the top six tips for buying home cardio equipment. Let’s dive in.
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1. Get Clear On What You Prefer to Us
Prevailing wisdom suggests that fitness shouldn’t be something we necessarily enjoy. Instead, we should look at it as the evil we need to endure to get fit and feel good about ourselves. Be honest for a moment:
Do you think you can stick with an activity you dread doing? Most people think so, but they really can’t. Once the initial motivation fades, people start asking themselves, “Why even bother?”
The idea that fitness can’t be fun is dogmatic and outdated. Yes, you should enjoy your workouts because that’s the only way to stay consistent and push yourself hard. If you dread each upcoming workout, you won’t last long.
As for the cardio equipment you choose to buy, this means you should get clear on what you prefer to use. If you’ve been doing cardio in the gym — that’s great. Think about your experiences when deciding what machine to consider. If you’re new to cardio, it might be worth trying out different devices to get a feel for what you enjoy using.
2. Know What You Can Work With
Once you have a clear idea of what you enjoy doing, the next thing you need to consider is what you can work with. Specifically, you need to know what you can fit at your home and what your budget is.
First, we have the budget. Money will always play a role, so you should consider what sum you can spare for your cardio machine. You should also have a bit of wiggle room (we’ll talk about this below), but you need to have an idea of what price range you’re looking at.
Second, we have space and headroom in your home. Of course, this is vital to consider because you don’t want to test the machine, buy it, and have it shipped to your home, only to find out that it doesn’t fit. So, consider where you want to place the device and measure out the free space. It’s also good to have some buffer on all sides for easier access when you want to use it.
Headroom is also essential, especially if you plan on having the device in your basement. As a rule of thumb, treadmills and stationary bikes tend to be shorter, where ellipticals and Stairmasters are taller and need more headroom. If you’re concerned about this, measure the height of your ceiling, which tends to be around seven feet, and examine the machine’s size. You also have to account for your height and that of every person who will use the device.
Finally, we have the question of noise. If you live in a house and can place your device in the garage or basement — that’s great. But if you live in an apartment and your only option is a room, the machine’s noise will play some role. Rowing machines and treadmills tend to be louder ones, where stationary bikes and ellipticals are more silent and better suited for a smaller home.
3. Think About Your Goals
Your goals will also play a role in your buying decision. You don’t want to get a piece of equipment, only to realize that it doesn’t work for your objectives. For instance, if your primary goal is simply to lose weight — that’s great. Pretty much every cardio machine will help you get there.
But what if you want to build muscle? More specifically, what if you want to develop a specific area more? Women tend to aspire to build their legs more — the glutes, hamstrings, and quads. On the other hand, men are more interested in upper body development — the guns, pecs of steel, and washboard abs.
Specific cardio machines will work better depending on your goals. For instance, the rowing machine and elliptical are better for upper body development. They work the shoulders, chest, back, arms, and abs. In contrast, the treadmill and stationary bike are more suited for strengthening the lower body — the glutes, hamstrings, and quads.
So, consider what your goals are beyond general fitness and understand which types of machines will be more suited for you.
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4. Don’t Compromise
Many people make the mistake of thinking, “Oh, I’ll just get some equipment now and upgrade later.” This leads to suboptimal choices and compromise. The problem is, these beliefs often play out differently, and people force themselves to stick with the same piece of equipment for years, disliking every session they use it for.
So, instead, we urge you to buy equipment as if you’ll be using it for five, even ten years. Because guess what — you’ll probably stick with it for much longer than you think. One reason has to do with sunk cost — we value things we pay for, and we don’t want the money we’ve spent to go to waste.
Another reason has to do with complacency. We get used to a piece of equipment, and we lose the urge to go through the hassle of buying something else and selling the current one.
As you go about picking your new device, be thoughtful and don’t compromise on things you know will ruin the experience in the long run. For instance, that might be a feature or something else. This is especially important if your budget is somewhat fluid — don’t make a massive mistake for the sake of saving a few dollars.
5. Try Different Types of Equipment
We know. Online shopping is quite popular these days. Just get on Amazon or whatever website you enjoy, read a couple of reviews, find what you want, place the order, and voila. All you have to do is wait, and you’re good to go.
While this is certainly one way to buy cardio equipment, we recommend against it. The reason is, you can’t get a good feel for a machine just by reading reviews or looking at photos. You might imagine one thing and get something completely different. There is no shortage of disappointment with online shopping.
Plus, you might get exactly what you see in the photos, but it may not feel or ride as well as you thought.
Instead of making this huge gamble, it’s better to drive to a store, examine the machines, see what you like and dislike about them, and try each potential one. You might have to test several devices before you find one that works just great for you.
In any case, this is time well-spent because you get to purchase what you want instead of spending hundreds of dollars on a device you might dread using.
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6. Do This Before Making The Purchase
Many people go about purchasing equipment wrong. They examine the cost, determine if it suits them, and buy it if they feel satisfied. Then they realize they have to spend all of that extra money on additional things.
So, when looking to buy home cardio equipment, determine the actual cost of owning the device. Besides the machine itself, you might also have to pay:
- Interest (for instance, if you want to buy it for several payments)
- Shipping and delivery charges
- Sales tax
- Assembly
You might also have hefty fees related to sending the machine back for repairs or exchange. For instance, many companies advertise, “Get X machine for Y easy payments.” But how easy are these payments? Take out your phone and calculate the total cost of the device.
Some companies also offer machines at a slightly lower cost, but you find out that you have to pay extra for the delivery and potential assembly. It often ends up costing you just as much, if not more, than other shops.
Of course, none of this is to say that every shop out there is trying to scam you. We only advise you to be careful and factor in all potential costs before making a purchase. It might save you time, effort, and a few dollars.
The Best Value Home Workout Equipment: Questions And Answers
- Can’t I Just Get a “Core-Blaster 3000”?
There are many gadgets and gimmicky devices out there. Late-night infomercials have shown hundreds, if not thousands, of devices over the years. But do you know what? None of them work. And even if they do, their effects are much smaller than what manufacturers claim.
Most notably, these gimmicky devices fail because they are based on the premise of spot reduction. In other words, by training a particular area of your body (such as your abs, thanks to one such device), you can burn the fat from that area. It doesn’t work that way. No study so far shows such effects.
Real and sustainable fat loss comes from burning more calories than you burn, which you get to do with a proven cardio machine.
- I’ve heard the treadmill is the best option. Is that true?
Well, treadmills are undoubtedly effective and quite popular. But no. There is no single ‘best’ machine out there. All devices come with their share of positives and negatives. What matters most is the context.
For instance, a relatively fit person who loves to run might benefit most from getting a treadmill. But an overweight beginner who is just starting might benefit more from a less impactful cardio machine like an elliptical or stationary bike.
The point is, there is no single best solution. Your goals, preferences, injury history, budget, and home setup will determine which machine is best for you.
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- Should I buy new or second-hand?
This is a bit more challenging to answer. Many people go for used and affordable premium machines, and there is nothing wrong with that. Of course, you need to know that second-hand always comes with greater risk.
First, you never know how well the previous owner maintained the machine and how they used it. This is especially true when buying equipment from a gym that went out of business. Second, these typically come without a warranty unless you get one relatively new. It might not be a big deal, but keep in mind that any future repairs will come out of your pocket. Some parts and repairs can be expensive.
New machines can have their problems, too. Some models come with defects, or they might wear out quicker than expected. But, if you have a warranty, it should cover most unexpected expenses.
We recommend getting a new machine. They tend to last longer, they come with a warranty, and you don’t have to deal with issues that typically come from extended use.
- Should I only do cardio to get fit?
While cardio is fantastic and the goal of this guide is to cover cardio equipment, we recognize that aerobic exercise alone isn’t everything.
Sure, cardio is great for getting fit. It boosts endurance, promotes mental health, strengthens your heart, and aids with weight loss. But resistance exercise is also valuable and plays a role in strength and muscle gain.
It’s best if you can combine the two modalities into a single, balanced workout plan.
- How often should I use my new training device?
Okay, you’ve decided what machine to buy, and you’re excited. The next logical question probably is, “Okay, but how often should I use it?”
The great thing about having the device at home is you can use it as often as you’d like. For instance, you can start by using it for five minutes daily. This is a great way to build some momentum and make daily exercise a habit. You can also go for three or four longer sessions per week.
What matters most is you enjoy the schedule and can stick with it over the long run. There is no point in doing a lot of work initially but then stopping and not using the device for months on end.
