Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I’m a “runner” (in comparison to a jogger or ‘recreational’ runner) & conducted weeks of in-depth product reviews on Amazon & YouTube of various treadmills. The point of this review is to share what I learned along with why I chose the XTERRA TRX4500. 1st of all, my budget was up to $1,000 and looking for the best treadmill I can find with the needed features and preferences to meet my need as a runner. If I could have found that at $500 then even better...but coincidentally various treadmill options fell in the $1k+ range. My Required Features: *Horsepower - & Why It Matters: You will see models with an HP from 2.0 - 4.5. The TRX4500 HP is 3.25 & the next lower model (XTERRA3500) has a 3.0 HP. If you are a runner, I recommend not buying a treadmill with less than 3.0 HP. You don’t want to be maxing out the motor speed on a regular basis and believe 3.0 & higher will reduce the wear & tear and strain on your motor as a runner. *Overall Size: The TRX4500 has a length of 60 & width of 20 (60x20). After HP, this was the second most important factor as a runner because I reviewed so many models that many looked very small and limited actual running space. As a runner I don’t want to feel constricted with a small physical platform and the 60x20 is perfect. I could perhaps live with a 55x20 but when I’m sprinting and have to slow the machine down to catch my breath, I find myself using every bit of the 60 length. If ur a walker or jogger then a smaller physical platform is fine. As a runner, I could not buy a treadmill with less than 20 inches in width. *Handle Bar Controls As a runner, having speed controls on the side panel (i.e. handlebars) is not just a nice feature but a needed feature. When I’m pushing myself, it’s difficult to rely on reaching the controls on the main panel. It was interesting that other comparative models did not include this feature. *Pace Monitor As a runner, being able to monitor my pace is very important to me and the vast majority of comparative models did not have a “Pace” feature in their metrics. Speed, time, calories & distance are universal but pace is just as important. *Panel Size & Layout In most treadmills, the panel size & quality is actually a significant amount of the cost. The 7.5 Panel size was larger than many comparative models and very pleased with the overall quality (look and feel) of the panel layout. *Speed & Incline The TRX4500 goes up to 12 mph & an incline of 15 degrees. Getting myself back in running shape but I haven’t been able to even touch the 12 mph or 15 incline yet. I’m running at a comfortable 6.5 & sprinting at 8 right now starting out so plenty of ability to improve. Bonus Features: *Quiet Motor I’m a bit of a skeptic when I hear marketing pitches - especially when it’s on just about every comparative model but when XTERRA said the TRX4500 has a quiet motor - it has a very quiet motor. *Easy To Assemble I’m not a handy man kinda guy and if I had my choice, I would have paid for the assembly just for the convenience but with that said, from the unboxing to be able to use - it took about 40 minutes to put together - and it was fairly simple & straightforward. The directions seemed to misname the type of screws but pretty logical which screw fit in what hole so not really a big deal. It was pretty simple and was skeptical something may go wrong but when we turned it on, it powered right up. *Chest Strap Heart Rate Sensor It actually took me longer to figure out how to snap together the heart rate sensor than the TRX4500. :p. Needless to say the heart rate strap is much more accurate than the heart rate sensors on the handle bar panel and an overall nice feature to monitor. I literally just put it on and it began registering automatically on the TRX4500. *Warranty: Unlike most comparative models, XTERRA offers a lifetime warranty on the frame & motor. Having a lifetime warranty on the frame is one thing but a lifetime on the motor gave me a lot of confidence in buying the TRX4500. Combine that with a 2 year warranty on parts when just about every comparative model only gives a 90 day warranty says a lot on the overall quality of the product. *Machine Weight & Weight Capacity The TRX4500 listed weight is 220 pounds. It’s a nice solid & stable machine weight so it’s not sliding all over the floor when using. The usage capacity is 350 pounds which was on the higher end of comparative models. When u understand that impact weight is much more than ones physical weight grinding and pounding on the machine so having a capacity of 350 pounds reflects the sturdiness of the TRX4500. *Bluetooth Feature: The TRX4500 will connect with your iPhone or iPad. It comes with a connection cable that may be compatible with an iPod or android so bought an adapter for $7 to fit my iPhone. *Lift Safety Feature The lift feature is nice not just for space when not using but also for moving & cleaning under the machine. However, where I believe XTERRA didn’t capitalize on a marketing opportunity is that when you release from the lifted position, the TRX4500 will slowly decline so it doesn’t accidentally come crashing down on a small pet or child. Many comparative models do not have this safety feature. Additional Features (Not Worth Mentioning): Speakers: The speakers on the TRX4500 are adequate if you are plugging in an app from your phone. I read criticism in other reviews of the speakers but let’s be honest...you don’t buy a car for the stereo and u don’t buy a treadmill for the speakers. The speakers work fine but if you want higher-end quality sound then plug in a nice headset from your phone and you’re all set. The Fan: I read criticism the fan is a joke - and it really is. I don’t use it anyways as I’d rather keep a nice sweat going and if I really needed a fan I’d adjust the temp in my house or get a fan in my gym but I don’t see a fan on any comparative model being much different. The XTERRA APP: You can download the XTERRA app on your phone and there is much criticism on its simplicity but this is not a reflection of the TRX4500 treadmill. Don’t like their app then use a different app (simple as that). For me, the panel has all the info I need. OVERALL BOTTOM LINE: Before buying, I was never aware of XTERRA. I compared the TRX4500 to comparative models of MaxKare, Sunny, OMA, Horizon, Asuna, Nautilus & NordicTrack. And even to the next lower & higher XTERRA models (TRX3500 & TRX5500) & my results have found the TRX4500 is the BEST TREADMILL with the BEST FEATURES and BEST PRICE based on competitor models. As an additional testament, the XTERRA TR150 is an Amazon #1 Best Seller which adds confidence that XTERRA’s lower end products are well received and good quality, it should transfer over to their higher-end products like the TRX4500. And after using it, I’m very pleased with the TRX4500. In fact, I find it a better treadmill than the ones I used at the gym where I could feel the roller pins when running. In the TRX4500, the cushion & support are very nice and I know my knees and joints are much better for it. Because I put in so much time researching a treadmill, I went above and beyond in this review hoping it helps the next person who has no idea where to start (like me) when purchasing a quality treadmill. And as a final statement, I have to say I was not paid or a sponsor in any way by or for XTERRA (although they should pay me for this review). :p