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Shopping for an elliptical trainer and are you a little confused by how much you should spend for a good one? Here is everything you want to know.
Prices of elliptical trainers range from less than $200 to over $7000. A good elliptical that is durable, sturdy, smooth and has the right features costs $1000 to $2500. Spending more than that will get you higher build quality, more features and better warranty conditions.
If you want to know exactly what you can expect for your money, keep reading to find out.
Elliptical Trainer Prices
Below is a list of the most popular elliptical trainers and their price. This is the price that is currently listed on the manufacturer’s website without any add-ons like shipping, handling and/or extended warranty.
| Brand | Model | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Lifefitness | E1 | 2199 |
| E3 | 3499 | |
| E5 | 4749 | |
| Body Solid | BFCT1 | 842 |
| BFE2 | 1900 | |
| E300 | 2170 | |
| E400 | 2570 | |
| E5000 | 3445 | |
| BodyCraft | ECT400G | 1899 |
| ECT500G | 2199 | |
| ECT800G | 2799 | |
| Bowflex | Max Total | 2799 |
| Max M8 | 2299 | |
| Max M6 | 1699 | |
| Horizon Fitness | EX-59 | 599 |
| 7.0 AE | 999 | |
| Peak Trainer | 899 | |
| Sole | E25 | 999.99 |
| E35 | 1499.99 | |
| E95 | 1799.99 | |
| E55 | 1499.99 | |
| E95S | 2199.99 | |
| E98 | 2299.99 | |
| Nautilus | E616 | 999 |
| E618 | 1299 | |
| Octane Fitness | Q35 | 2199 |
| Q37 | 3399 | |
| Q47 | 5099 | |
| XT-ONE | 7899 | |
| Sunny Health | SF-E3903 | 349.99 |
| SF-E3957 | 438.9 | |
| SF-E3981 | 499 | |
| SF-E1405 | 179 | |
| SF-E3803 | 229 | |
| SF-E3804 | 369 | |
| SF-E3914 | 399 | |
| SF-E3875 | 899 | |
| SF-E3912 | 499 | |
| Precor | EFX200 | 2799 |
| EFX400 | 4999 | |
| EFX600 | 5995 | |
| EFX700 | 4795 | |
| EFX800 | 5995 | |
| Freemotion | e10.9b | 3599 |
| e9.8b | 2999 | |
| Schwinn | 470 Elliptical | 899 |
| 430 Elliptical | 799 | |
| 411 Elliptical | 499 | |
| Average | 2208 |
As you can see the average price of an elliptical trainer is a little more than $2200. That average really doesn’t tell the whole story though. You can see that there is a huge range of different prices for elliptical trainers.
The prices of elliptical trainers range from $179 to $7899+. You’ll be hard pressed to find a piece of gym equipment that has such a wide variety of prices. The majority of elliptical machines cost between $800 and $3000. However, that’s still only a small majority of the list you can find above.
Because elliptical trainers are available at so many price points, you’ll understand that there are huge differences between the different machines. That’s why below I’ll explain what you can expect to get for your money at a few different price points.
Most people will be well off with an elliptical that costs around $1500 -$2500. You can find great machines in that price range that are durable, smooth, high quality and have all the features you need. By spending less, you’ll have to compromise on some of those things.
Suggested post: Which muscles does an elliptical trainer work?
| Image | Brand | Model | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
  | Precor | EFX 835 | $$$$$ | Buy on Amazon |
  | Sole | E35 | $$$$ | Buy on Amazon |
  | Schwinn | 470 | $$$ | Buy on Amazon |
  | Schwinn | 430 | $$ | Buy on Amazon |
  | Sunny-Health | SF-E3912 | $ | Buy on Amazon |
How Much Should You Pay For an Elliptical Trainer?
There is a really wide range of prices for elliptical trainers. Even though the list above only has models that are meant for home use, there are some really expensive machines but also some cheaper ones. Let’s look at what you can expect in different price ranges.
- Low end: $0 – $500
- Lower mid-range: $500 – $1500
- Upper mid-range $1500 – $3000
- High end: $3000 +
These descriptions are pretty general. You can always find the exception to the rule but the descriptions below will be accurate for the majority of machines in that price bracket.
Low-End Elliptical Trainers
Under $500 there are still a lot of ellipticals available. Obviously they’re not going to be the highest quality or have all the latest features but they can be usable machines.
Be careful shopping in this price range however. While there are some good models, there are also plenty of machines in this bracket that are better left in the shop. Make sure to read plenty of reviews and try it out if you can.
Common characteristics in this price brackets are;
- Smaller size
- Usually choppy motion
- Small flywheel
- Limited features
- Potentially build quality issues
Most of the machines in this price range will have a smaller size that the more expensive ones. This could be a problem for taller people since they’ll need a longer stride length.
While you can get a machine in this price range that’s reasonably smooth, many won’t be what you want. For occasional use these machines can be good but for the more fitness minded person, it’s probably better to spend a bit more money.
The features are often also quite limited. Some trainers in this bracket don’t have a display that tracks different metrics like time and distance. They just have a knob to adjust the resistance.
One elliptical under $500 that’s quite decent is the Sunny-Health E5500XL. It has magnetic resistance which is adjustable by a button which is great. It’s also got a display with the basics you need and a 18″ stride length which is OK if you’re of average height or shorter.
Lower Mid-Range Elliptical Trainers
In the lower mid-range ($500 to $1500), you can expect an elliptical trainer that is significantly better than the ones that fall into the entry level.
The frames of these types will be a bit larger and stronger. This makes the machines heavier but also more durable and they will feel more stable when using it.
Suggested post: How much weight can an elliptical machine handle?
These machines come with consoles where you can easily see time, distance, calories, speed, etc. and adjust the resistance with buttons from the console. More attention is paid to smoothness and noise production as well making these machines much more comfortable to use.
Most people that are looking for a relatively simple elliptical trainer with basic features like a digital display, smooth ride and sturdy build quality, will be best off by shopping in this price bracket. Especially towards the upper limit of this range ($1000 – $1500).
The Sole E35 is a quiet, sturdy and smooth machine that’s a great choice in this price range.
Upper Mid-Range Elliptical Trainers
In this price bracket, you can get a very good machine that does pretty much everything you want from it. Here you’ll start getting bigger displays with a ton of functionality. Very heavy duty frames, better warranty and very smooth action.
Some other features include bleutooth connectivity and the option to connect with certain fitness apps. Built in speakers, very quiet operation, and better designed pedals and levers so you can find a setting that’s perfect for you and doesn’t hurt you.
Shop in this category if you’re looking for an elliptical trainer for your home gym that is similar to the ones you’ll find in a commercial gym. You need plenty of features and you’ll be using your elliptical machine multiple times a week if not daily for a long time.
The NordicTrack Se9i is a good option in this price range.
High-End Elliptical Trainers
The best of the best. Even though the high end price bracket starts around $3000 there are still a lot of machines that are much more expensive than that. However, at this point you’ll start to see diminishing returns by spending extra.
The difference between a $3000 and $5000 elliptical trainer isn’t as big as between a $500 and $1500 one. That said, you’ll still see some improvements but they are quite specific like warranty, certain features, size, etc. If you really, really need one of those specifics, you’ll have to pay for it.
If you just want a machine that’s built like a tank, does everything you could want from an elliptical trainer, amazing warranty conditions and has all the features you could imagine, a high end model is for you.
Suggested post: 15 Awesome benefits of working out on an elliptical machine.
Frankly, you probably don’t need an elliptical machine that costs this much. You can get a very good elliptical trainer in one of the mid-range price brackets. As is always the case with high end products, they’re for a small group of people that have a lot of money and want something that’s just amazing or does something very specific. If that’s you, that’s awesome. If not, you probably won’t miss out on all that much by shopping in the upper mid-range price range.
However, if you want the best of the best, this is how much you’re going to have to pay. Look at brands like Life-Fitness, Technogym or Octane.
Favorite Cardio Accessories
Check out these accessories that improve a home cardio workout:
- Equipment mat: All cardio equipment should be put on an equipment mat. The Rubber-Cal mat (Amazon) is an affordable yet very high-quality choice.
- Interval timer: To time your intervals and workouts, there is no better choice than the GymNext Flex. It’s super easy to use and set up with a phone app.
- Tablet holder: Cardio can be boring. With this tablet holder (Amazon) you can follow along with on-demand workouts or just watch a movie on any cardio machine.
- Heart rate monitor: Monitoring your heart rate is very important while doing cardio. The Polar H10 (Amazon) connects to almost anything you can imagine and is very accurate.
To find which cardio machines I recommend for home gyms, click here.
