Cardio machines are popular choices for people who want to exercise at home, and there are a lot of choices. In fact, there are so many choices that it’s hard to know what the best cardio machine is.
Like anything else, these exercise machines come in varying degrees of quality and features. And the quality determines how long something will last, and the price is usually based on the quality and features.
If you’re financially able to spring for the most recognized names in the fitness industry, you can expect their products to last a lifetime.
But there is also very high-quality cardio equipment that costs less but doesn’t have as many features. And most of those features have nothing to do with the quality of your workouts or exercise routine.
When it comes to which is the best, there can’t really be an answer because there are so many types and brands. So I’ve divided cardio machines into five major categories.
I’ve listed each with a brief explanation below to help you decide which choice is best for you.
What Is The Best Cardio Machine?
Without a doubt, cardio has significant and positive effects on health and fitness. In fact, this type of home workout equipment is essential to getting fit. Following are the 5 basic cardio machine groups and what I consider the best choice in each group. So, read on.
Stationary Bikes
The main reason to use a stationary bike is to work your muscles and heart while you sit and pedal with your legs. They are in the same class of exercise as walking, rowing, jogging, or street bicycles.
What to Know About Upright Stationary Bikes
Any type of stationary bike is good for strengthening your cardio system, legs, quads, glutes, and hamstrings. However, some bikes can produce a whole-body workout much more effectively than others.
You sit in an upright position, just like when riding a bicycle down the street. Because you sit in this upright position with the handles in front of you, your legs, feet, and pedals are pretty much underneath your body.
My favorite upright bikes have moveable handlebars and allow me to get an upper body workout at the same time I’m working my lower body. These bikes provide a full-body workout.
Schwinn AD7 Airdyne Bike
When it comes to indoor exercise bikes, nobody does it better than Schwinn. Many commercial and home gyms utilize Schwinn airdynes because they are among the best available.
You can train at home with complete freedom on the Schwinn Airdyne AD7 bike, which has cutting-edge air resistance technology along with unrivaled durability and performance. The AD7 is Schwinn’s premier Airdyne bike, and it can be used in a variety of ways to provide a wide range of cardio, strength, and weight loss training benefits.
As you pedal, the fan blades on the bike’s air resistance provide resistance and air to keep you cool while enhancing your fitness. Furthermore, the handlebars move back and forth in unison with your pedaling, making it possible to work your upper body for a full-body workout.
Schwinn AD7 Airdyne Bike Selling Points
The Schwinn Airdyne Pro and the Schwinn Airdyne AD7 are actually the same bike. The Airdyne Pro is made for gyms and personal training studios, while the Airdyne AD7 is made for people who want to work out at home.
Recumbent exercise bikes provide a comfortable and low-impact cardio workout, making them an ideal option for individuals with chronic pain or injuries.
Folding Exercise Bikes
If there is a problem with owning your own home exercise equipment, it’s almost always space. Stationary bikes have a pretty large footprint, and it’s hard to find a place for them when not in use.
What to Know About Upright Stationary Bikes
Folding exercise bikes, on the other hand, solve the space problem beautifully. When folded, they occupy hardly any room at all and can be stowed away in a closet.
Folding exercise bikes don’t use wheels at all, but the pedals are connected to a magnetic device to control the tension when pedaling. Most have adjustable tension, and many have most of the features you would expect from an upright bike.
Exerpeutic Folding Exercise Bike
If you’re looking for a reasonably priced exercise bike that folds up easily, look no further than the Exerpeutic Folding Magnetic Upright.
They’ve helped over 3 million people reach their fitness goals in the last 14 years. 20K reviews later, this foldable bike has stood the test of time.
Even while it doesn’t have a ton of extras, it does have heart rate sensors built into the padded handles and a mobile phone sleeve, so you can keep your phone close by as you work out.
The Exerpeutic Folding Exercise Bike is a great option for those who want to exercise at home without taking up too much space. This bike is designed to be compact and foldable, so it can easily be stored in a closet or under a bed when not in use. Despite its small size, the Exerpeutic Folding Exercise Bike is still a powerful machine that can provide a great workout. Overall, the Exerpeutic Folding Exercise Bike is an excellent choice for anyone who wants to stay active and healthy at home.
Recumbent Exercise Bikes
Recumbent exercise bikes provide a comfortable and low-impact cardio workout, making them an ideal option for individuals with chronic pain or injuries.
What to Know About Recumbent Bikes
Recumbent exercise bikes are a popular choice for cardio workouts, especially for those who prefer a more comfortable and low-impact exercise experience. These bikes feature a reclined seat with a backrest, which provides excellent support for the lower back and reduces stress on the joints. This makes them an ideal option for individuals with chronic pain or injuries.
Recumbent exercise bikes also offer a range of resistance levels, allowing users to customize their workout intensity to their own fitness level. Overall, recumbent exercise bikes are a great way to improve cardiovascular health, burn calories, and stay active while minimizing the risk of injury.
Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike
It’s one of the least expensive recumbent bikes, but it gives you access to first-rate app experiences like Explore the World and Zwift on your smartphone, tablet, or smart TV, making it fun to get your cardio exercise.
The exerciser sits above the pedals on upright models, but the pedals of recumbent bikes are in front of the rider. The seat is a “bucket seat” with a back and often with armrests. People with lower back pain find the back support of the Schwinn 230 recumbent bike much more comfortable for a workout than an upright.
Schwinn’s 230 Recumbent Bike is built with the same quality, smooth ride, and user-friendly features you’ve come to expect from all of their bikes.
Partly because the pedals are out in front of you while exercising, you won’t burn quite as many calories. I’ve noticed most people ride recumbent bikes pretty slowly and relax more during their exercise routine.
Under Desk-Desk Cycle
Smooth & Silent
DeskCycle 2 mini exercise bike is adjustable. Drop it down to 9 for the lowest max pedal height of any desk bike pedal exerciser on the market!
Works with desks as low as 27 for people 5’10” & under
With more than twice the resistance range of other mini exercise bikes, the8 settings range from very easy to really hard.
Great for using as physical therapy equipment.
The large 5-function LCD display tracks speed, distance & more. For easy reading, place the monitor on your table with the included display stand.
This under desk bike is ideal as desk exercise equipment, leg exercise bikes for seniors, and perfect for anyone who wants to get more acti
Use the Desk Cycle 2 anywhere you’re seated; watching TV, at work, surfing the internet on your own computer.
Even though under desk cycles don’t burn as many calories as some other machines for cardio, you will definitely burn more than say, standing at your desk all day.
DeskCycles’s resistance range is more than doubled when compared to other pedal exercisers. It sports a wide range of resistance with 8 different and adjustable settings. That means you can go from light resistance to quite challenging.
Because DeskCycle is built around magnetic resistance and a precision flywheel, you’ll find pedaling for your cardio a mindless task. That means always being able to stay focused on what your doing while staying awake and alert from the increased blood flow.
Its pedals are lower than those of any other under-desk exercise bike. DeskCycles, unlike other under-desk bicycles, can be used with shorter workstations thanks to their low pedal height.
What to Know About Pedal Exercisers
Under the desk are exercise cycles are important to keep blood from pooling in the legs and feet while sitting for hours at a time. You merely sit at your desk and either slowly pedal for long periods of time or exert more speed for shorter periods during your work day.
These devices are important to counter the effects of sitting for many hours and can be used at home as well as at the office. Just like the other cardio machines, under desk exercise cycles come at different prices, with different features and quality.
Sunny Health Magnetic Rowing Machine
If you’re ready to burn some calories, get in shape, and improve your fitnesss levle, use this top of the line Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Rowing Machine.
Rowing is well known to be one of the best forms of cardio exercises while providing a full body workout. And I suggest you take a look at this piece of home workout equipment.
There is everything you need on this rower to have a challenging and rewarding rowing workout at home. The Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Rowing Machine is built for convenience with its huge LCD console, fully padded seat, larger anti-slip foot pedals, and built-in transportation wheels. Its durable steel mainframe can take a beating from most any workout and still keep on ticking.
In fact, the Sunny brand is one of the best cardio machines out there for a more than reasonable price, with plenty of features that make it such a popular choice.
What to Know About Rowing Machines
Rowing machines in general are an excellent way to get a full-body workout while also getting some cardio in. You’ll strengthen your entire cardiovascular system, arms, legs, back, and shoulders with a low-impact exercise. And it’s crucial for you to know that rowing might be the best cardio exercise for weight loss.
There is, however, a caution with rowing machines. People with existing back problems can strain and overwork back muscles when rowing. Even with no back problems the key to getting the most from a rowing machine is to start slow, just like with any other exercise or cardio machine.
These machines come with different methods of resistance to your efforts. Some use air, some rowing machines use a series of resistance bands, while others use water flywheels. Most are quiet, and store away easily.
ANCHEER Vertical Climber
Ancheer has won the lottery when it comes to usefulness. If you’ve never considered a vertical climber, you could be missing out. This inexpensive piece of equipment provides one of the best home cardio workouts.
Step up by using the strength of your arms to raise your lower body. A natural countermovement to an upward arm extension is a downward draw on the left arm and a corresponding leg movement on the right.
After that, the left side of the body will mirror the right, with the right side extending as the left arm lowers and the left side bending as the right arm raises.
By using such a wide range of motion, not only will most of the major muscle groups be used, but the whole body will also be put through a short but intense workout.
There are several different types of steppers. Some are small floor models with a place to put each foot. As you shift your weight from one foot, the other raises up. Some have resistance bands attached to the base with handles for you to pull up as you step for a full body workout. Other stair steppers are tall, with handles attached to pull on as you step up and work with hydraulic tubes for resistance.
If you need to work out and tone your calves, thighs, hips, buttocks, and lower back while you get your heart pumping for cardio, a stair climber is perfect. Walking, jogging, or running gives those same muscles a workout, but stair climbers provide a more intense workout.
However, if you have any problems with your knees, these cardio machines may not be your best option. Running or jogging is hard on your knees, but climbers are even more so.
Schwinn 470 Elliptical Machine
The Schwinn 470 is a premium and top of the line elliptical trainer. It’s well known for it’s high quality build, natural, comfortable, and fluid feel while pedaling for cardio exercise.
It’s designed and manufactured with ease of use in mind to keep you motivated to train. The Schwinn 470 provides and ideal workout for you strength, endurance, and weight loss goals.
An elliptical trainer like the Schwinn 470 is likely on your shortlist if you’re in the market for home fitness equipment.
On an elliptical, you can get a great aerobic workout, as well as a leg and arm workout. They are also known for having a low impact, which makes them easy on the muscles and joints and helps with recovery after an injury.
The T 7.5 S also includes a high-definition (HD) touchscreen, which is a nice touch. It’ll take you much less time to get the hang of using your new treadmill thanks to the touchscreen interface.
The T 7.5 S treadmill reacts quickly to user interaction, unlike many of its competitors that lack touchscreens. This immediacy is also evident as you control the T 7.5 S and make adjustments to the speed and incline.
This treadmill’s speed range of 0.5 to 12 miles per hour (MPH) is perfect for a wide variety of exercises, from light walking to high-intensity interval training.
The T 7.5 S also has a respectable incline range, with options ranging from zero to twelve percent. Adding an inclination to your treadmill sessions is a great way to boost your calorie burn and take your fitness to the next level.
What to Know About Elliptical Trainers
In summary, elliptical trainers are great for people of all ages and fitness levels since they provide a low-impact, total-body workout, and Schwinn is a reliable American brand that offers a wide selection of ellipticals to suit any demand or budget.
Some people compare elliptical trainers to treadmills because they are designed to mimic the human gait as we walk. However, with ellipticals, you never pick your foot up from the pedal. They are also compared to the movements of walking with snow skis due to the tall handles in front of you.
These cardio machines for bad knees are best for people suffering with arthritis or any lower limb injuries that are ready for exercise.
NordicTrack T Series Treadmill
The NordicTrack T 7.5 S treadmill strikes a good price-to-features ratio, making it suitable for a wide audience.
The T 7.5 S’s reasonable price tag makes it more accessible, but don’t let that fool you into thinking it skimps on quality. It comes with a powerful 3.0 CHP engine, a 20″ wide by 60″ long treadmill belt, and adjustable cushioning on the deck, among other features.
The T 7.5 S also includes a high-definition (HD) touchscreen, which is a nice touch. It’ll take you much less time to get the hang of using your new treadmill for cardio, thanks to the touchscreen interface.
It reacts quickly, unlike many of its competitors that lack touchscreens. This fast response is also evident as you make adjustments to the speed and incline.
This treadmill’s speed range of 0.5 to 12 miles per hour (MPH) is perfect for a wide variety of exercises, from light walking to high-intensity interval training.
The T 7.5 S also has a respectable incline range, with options ranging from zero to twelve percent. Adding an inclination to your treadmill sessions is a great way to boost your calorie burn and take your fitness to the next level.
What to Know About Treadmills
Treadmills could have gone at the top of the page based on their popularity. Treadmills are one of the most popular cardio machines for home use. Walking, running, or jogging is the best way to improve the strength and capacity of your heart and lungs. They allow you to run or walk at whatever pace is comfortable for your exercise.
Treadmills cushion and minimize the stress on your body and joints. The shock of your feet striking the surface is greatly absorbed by the cushioned deck of the treadmill, which makes it a perfect choice for many people.
So, if you are overweight or have any type of joint or bone problem, treadmills are the way to go. They are a great way to raise your heart rate and breathe to burn calories and give your heart a workout.
Choosing the Best Cardio Machine
The internet is crowded with choices from so many brands and models of cardio machines that figuring out which is the best for you seems daunting. Look over these 6 tips to choosing the machine that meets your needs.
It’s About Your Heart
The first thing to remember is that the purpose of any cardio machine is to first and foremost raise your heart rate. Because your legs are the biggest and most dense muscles, cardio exercise is always about exercising them. As you give your legs a workout the heart, cardiovascular system, lungs, and pulmonary system go to work pumping oxygen rich blood and exercising muscles.
Best Is A Relative Term
Remember that best for you may not be best for me. Most of us find even the less expensive cardio equipment an investment worth considering. So, it’s important to consider things like:
- Is quietness a factor?
- Where will you store it?
- Exactly which features am I willing to pay extra for?
- Which machine best fits my own physical abilities right now?
Will You Enjoy Your Purchase?
If you haven’t been exercising, I can tell you sometimes it’s a chore to motivate yourself to workout. That’s why it’s important to think about which machine you will enjoy using the most. Sometimes, that is more important than thinking of which will produce the best or fastest results?
If you can’t find anything about your enjoyment of the purchase, someone else will wind up with it from a garage sale.
Maintenance
If you think about it, you will agree that all machines wear, break, and require some degree of maintenance at some point. An important thing to remember is this: Generally speaking, the more the initial investment, the less the long-term maintenance cost.
So, do your homework and read the reviews. Once I went against advice and bought a very inexpensive bike. In no time it had to be replaced, and once again I thought I would save money with an inexpensive model. When it too was replaced I realized I had invested enough money in the first two to had bought the third that has lasted many years.
Keep that in mind because spending your time exercising is more enjoyable than stressing over a broken cardio machine. It could be worth the extra cash to buy quality the first time.
Safety as a Priority
No exercise with a machine, or otherwise is worth injury. These machines are always designed for people who can safely use them, and every person is not safe on every machine.
If you have been spending your life sitting all day, you can safely start building strength with an under desk pedal machine. On the other hand, going from no exercise to seeing if you can run on a treadmill may get your heart to pumping, but break a leg in the process.
Give yourself a break and think of which equipment you will be safe on today.
Your Budget
Some of us are forced to choose affordability over best sometimes, and that’s a valid concern. If that’s you, then definitely consider your budget to determine what your best options are. I can tell you that exercise is the most important consideration, and your better to get that with what is affordable.
Shop for the best quality with less features and get the most bang for your buck. Sometimes you can add features later, or simply do without them.
Summary
Humans are designed to move, and sedentary lifestyles are responsible for most of our health problems today. In fact, a new medical term “sitting disease” is fast becoming known as the “new smoking” problem because they both shorten lives.
Regular exercise is definitely the antidote to obesity and the myriad of health problems that come with it.
Cardiovascular exercise is the best and cardio machines at home is often the best solution .
The internet is crowded with choices from so many brands and models of cardio machines that figuring out which is the best for you seems daunting. Look over these 6 tips to choosing the machine that meets your needs.
It’s About Your Heart
The first thing to remember is that the purpose of any cardio machine is to first and foremost raise your heart rate. Because your legs are the biggest and most dense muscles, cardio exercise is always about exercising them. As you give your legs a workout the heart, cardiovascular system, lungs, and pulmonary system go to work pumping oxygen rich blood and exercising muscles.
Best Is A Relative Term
Remember that best for you may not be best for me. Most of us find even the less expensive cardio equipment an investment worth considering. So, it’s important to consider things like:
- Is quietness a factor?
- Where will you store it?
- Exactly which features am I willing to pay extra for?
- Which machine best fits my own physical abilities right now?
Will You Enjoy Your Purchase?
If you haven’t been exercising, I can tell you sometimes it’s a chore to motivate yourself to workout. That’s why it’s important to think about which machine you will enjoy using the most. Sometimes, that is more important than thinking of which will produce the best or fastest results?
If you can’t find anything about your enjoyment of the purchase, someone else will wind up with it from a garage sale.
Maintenance
If you think about it, you will agree that all machines wear, break, and require some degree of maintenance at some point. An important thing to remember is this: Generally speaking, the more the initial investment, the less the long-term maintenance cost.
So, do your homework and read the reviews. Once I went against advice and bought a very inexpensive bike. In no time it had to be replaced, and once again I thought I would save money with an inexpensive model. When it too was replaced I realized I had invested enough money in the first two to had bought the third that has lasted many years.
Keep that in mind because spending your time exercising is more enjoyable than stressing over a broken cardio machine. It could be worth the extra cash to buy quality the first time.
Safety as a Priority
No exercise with a machine, or otherwise is worth injury. These machines are always designed for people who can safely use them, and every person is not safe on every machine.
If you have been spending your life sitting all day, you can safely start building strength with an under desk pedal machine. On the other hand, going from no exercise to seeing if you can run on a treadmill may get your heart to pumping, but break a leg in the process.
Give yourself a break and think of which equipment you will be safe on today.
Your Budget
Some of us are forced to choose affordability over best sometimes, and that’s a valid concern. If that’s you, then definitely consider your budget to determine what your best options are. I can tell you that exercise is the most important consideration, and your better to get that with what is affordable.
Shop for the best quality with less features and get the most bang for your buck. Sometimes you can add features later, or simply do without them.
Summary
Humans are designed to move, and sedentary lifestyles are responsible for most of our health problems today. In fact, a new medical term “sitting disease” is fast becoming known as the “new smoking” problem because they both shorten lives.
Regular exercise is definitely the antidote to obesity and the myriad of health problems that come with it.
Cardiovascular exercise is the best and cardio machines at home is often the best solution .
The internet is crowded with choices from so many brands and models of cardio machines that figuring out which is the best for you seems daunting. Look over these 6 tips to choosing the machine that meets your needs.
It’s About Your Heart
The first thing to remember is that the purpose of any cardio machine is to first and foremost raise your heart rate. Because your legs are the biggest and most dense muscles, cardio exercise is always about exercising them. As you give your legs a workout the heart, cardiovascular system, lungs, and pulmonary system go to work pumping oxygen rich blood and exercising muscles.
Best Is A Relative Term
Remember that best for you may not be best for me. Most of us find even the less expensive cardio equipment an investment worth considering. So, it’s important to consider things like:
- Is quietness a factor?
- Where will you store it?
- Exactly which features am I willing to pay extra for?
- Which machine best fits my own physical abilities right now?
Will You Enjoy Your Purchase?
If you haven’t been exercising, I can tell you sometimes it’s a chore to motivate yourself to workout. That’s why it’s important to think about which machine you will enjoy using the most. Sometimes, that is more important than thinking of which will produce the best or fastest results?
If you can’t find anything about your enjoyment of the purchase, someone else will wind up with it from a garage sale.
Maintenance
If you think about it, you will agree that all machines wear, break, and require some degree of maintenance at some point. An important thing to remember is this: Generally speaking, the more the initial investment, the less the long-term maintenance cost.
So, do your homework and read the reviews. Once I went against advice and bought a very inexpensive bike. In no time it had to be replaced, and once again I thought I would save money with an inexpensive model. When it too was replaced I realized I had invested enough money in the first two to had bought the third that has lasted many years.
Keep that in mind because spending your time exercising is more enjoyable than stressing over a broken cardio machine. It could be worth the extra cash to buy quality the first time.
Safety as a Priority
No exercise with a machine, or otherwise is worth injury. These machines are always designed for people who can safely use them, and every person is not safe on every machine.
If you have been spending your life sitting all day, you can safely start building strength with an under desk pedal machine. On the other hand, going from no exercise to seeing if you can run on a treadmill may get your heart to pumping, but break a leg in the process.
Give yourself a break and think of which equipment you will be safe on today.
Your Budget
Some of us are forced to choose affordability over best sometimes, and that’s a valid concern. If that’s you, then definitely consider your budget to determine what your best options are. I can tell you that exercise is the most important consideration, and your better to get that with what is affordable.
Shop for the best quality with less features and get the most bang for your buck. Sometimes you can add features later, or simply do without them.
Summary
Humans are designed to move, and sedentary lifestyles are responsible for most of our health problems today. In fact, a new medical term “sitting disease” is fast becoming known as the “new smoking” problem because they both shorten lives.
Regular exercise is definitely the antidote to obesity and the myriad of health problems that come with it.
Cardiovascular exercise is the best and cardio machines at home is often the best solution .