Whats the difference between a commercial grade treadmill a home treadmill, and an actual commercial treadmill?

First of all there are 2 main categories of treadmills: commercial and home treadmills.

Commercial treadmills differ from home treadmills in that they are made for harsher environments, like the gym or health club, and they are built to withstand frequent use. Because of this they are built with a much higher grade of components and subsequently cost more.

For example, most commercial treadmills come with a 4 ply treadbelt instead of the 2 ply treadbelt standard to most home treadmills. They also usually come with a much higher powered motor, built with heavier duty commercial parts.

Commercial treadmill prices are much higher and many of them start at $4000+ whereas home treadmills can range from $400 to $3000.

Heres where it can get confusing: Although there used to be more of a difference between commercial and home treadmills, the line is blurring as more and more people buy commercial grade treadmills for their homes.

Because of this, brands like Landice put out 2 versions of their treadmill lines: the Limited (or LTD) series of treadmills – built for high end home or light commercial use, and the Club series- built for heavy club or gym environments.

And former commercial treadmill brands like Sole, (who have been supplying treadmills to hotels like Hilton for years) are now making their treadmills available to the home market – for a home treadmill price.

These treadmills can truly be called commercial grade meaning they could be used as a commercial treadmill but is mainly suited for the high end home gym.

However Ive noticed that even the cheaper brands of home treadmills are now starting to call their higher end treadmills commercial grade.

This doesnt necessarily mean it is suitable for a health club or even a high end home gym. In my opinion, it simply means that the treadmill was built with heavier grade components than other treadmills in that brands line up. It may still be a great buy if you like that brand name.

However, if I wanted to buy a commercial grade treadmill for my home I would not choose these cheaper brand names – but thats just my preference.

Bottom line? When looking at commercial treadmills for a health club or gym, consider the brand. Make sure it is a well known commercial brand with a solid reputation. Some examples are Landice, LifeFitness and Star Trac.

When looking for a higher end commercial grade treadmill for your home gym, consider a lighter version of a commercial treadmill model or a home treadmill brand that is known for higher end machines. It will serve you just as well and cost you thousands less. For more examples of top rated commercial and commercial grade treadmills visit:

http://www.treadmillreview.net/Article_Commercial_Treadmills.html,

One last note: Keep in mind that commercial treadmills take up a lot more space than home treadmills and theyre also much heavier. They may not fold so make sure you have several strong lifters when you have the treadmill delivered.

Good luck and have fun!

Charles ONeill is a certified personal trainer and contributing writer to Home Treadmill Reviews, a site providing unbiased treadmill brand reviews and buying tips.

For more treadmill reviews and ratings visit: http://www.TreadmillReview.net

http://www.GoArticles.com/

Landice treadmills are not affordable for every user. Landice treadmill price starts at $2995.

Landice makes commercial and high end home treadmills. The LTD series of Landice treadmills is built for home use or light commercial use, whereas the Club series is constructed for very heavy use in club or gym environments.

Landice treadmills include a range of features. Few Landice treadmill models offer buyers the protection of a lifetime residential treadmill warranty. This warranty keeps the retail value of the Landice treadmill models at a high price. All Landice treadmills have large walking/running areas with the motor power (3HP) to back it up. Landice treadmills are known for customer satisfaction and have been rated well by users. Landice treadmills offer some of the highest quality construction in the market.

All Landice treadmills offer aircraft locking hardware which makes the frame stronger, high inertia cast flywheel that gives a smooth feel while protecting the motor from stress, wear & tear, 400-500 pound user weight capacity which is great for heavier users, 4 ply tread belts which are twice as strong as the 2 ply tread belts which prolongs the life of the tread belt and VFX (Variable Flex) cushioning which absorbs shock in vertical, side to side or rocking motions to avoid injuries to joints and knees.

The high price is the only drawback of the Landice treadmill. For runners, serious trainers, high end home users and gyms, Landice treadmill is the best option.

The Landice L7 treadmill features a 3.0HP motor with whisper drive, a 20 x 58 inch four-ply tread belt cushioned by VFX shock absorption and 15% electric elevation. This treadmill offers 2.5 inch and 14 pound rollers to bear user weights up to 400 pounds.

The Landice L7 treadmill is good for weight-loss programs. This model offers a lifetime warranty on the frame, parts and wear items and one year on labor for residential and home use treadmills.

The Landice L8 treadmill is a full featured treadmill suitable for weight loss programs and for larger users requiring a wide training surface and durable machines. This model of treadmill offers running surface up to 22 x 63″, 500 pound user weight capacity, 3-1/2 diameter & 22 pound steel rollers, 15% electric grade elevation and maximum speed range between 0.5 – 12 mph.

Landice Inc. offers commercial grade treadmills in their L9 series and in the L7 and L8 club-grade models. All of these offer heavy-duty features and stronger warranties to meet the rigorous demands of the club and sports fitness markets.

Landice treadmills are high quality and reliable treadmills. However some of their features are not needed by users. Landice treadmills are mostly used for commercial purposes.

The best feature of keys treadmills is the motor warranty which is set to 10 years. One of the most important parts of a treadmill is the motor and if it breaks down the repair cost can usually be quite hefty. With a 10 year warranty you will have no such worries. This also provides testament to the durability of these machines.

If you are overweight or expect to be using the treadmill a lot then a keys treadmill might be worth looking at further.

What amazes me is although the machines have a 10 year motor warranty they are only priced in the mid-price range. A lot of commercial treadmills that have 10 years motor warranties are priced $5,000 and up. Some even approach $10,000

Keys Fitness, manufacture all their treadmills in the USA but import parts from overseas to help them stay competitive. As a result their machines may not be as high a quality compared to other machines made solely in the US where an eye can be kept over the production process.

Advantages

The price tag of these machines range from as little as $1,000 and as high as $2,300. For this price, you’ll get a 10 year motor warranty and a lifetime warranty on frames. If durability is your number one concern then Keys treadmills offer a serious advantage over other brands.

Disadvantages

As they are not made entirely in the USA their structural quality may not be as good as other better known brands. Also $2,000 might be a bit steep for some people so you might be better off looking at cheaper treadmills that still have a decent motor warranty (about 3 years).

Recommendation

Although this brand is known for being of average structural quality, newer models have been showing some improvements. For most people a 10 year warranty is not essential, 3 years will suffice. I recommend for people considering a Key treadmill to look at other brands with a lower motor warranty but better overall quality.

Dean Iggo is a keen fitness enthusiast and home gym user. He is also the webmaster of http://www.home-gym-buyers-guide.com a website providing unbiased home exercise equipment tips and reviews.