Proform Treadmills – The Acceptable Entry Level Alternative

Proform treadmills are made by Icon Health and Fitness, the largest provider of retail fitness equipment. Proform is one of the original Icon brands, and their line of Proform treadmills are sold in most large mass merchandise stores. The various models of Proform treadmills typically retail between $500 and $1,000 and feature short-lived warranties common on such mass merchandise equipment.

In recent years, however, the motor warranty on various models of Proform treadmills have increased, which has increased their value to the consumer. These treadmills come loaded with a variety of different features that can lead the misinformed shopper to conclude that they are better treadmills than they actually are.

While Icon Health and Fitness has put a lot of time and effort into designing the best looking treadmills on the market, they have not put the same time and effort into finding the best parts, unfortunately. These treadmills are typically made using the cheapest parts in the business. The quality of the motor on the higher end models has improved in recent years, but it is still important to pay attention not only to the improved motor warranty, but to the short overall warranty as well.

While Icon Health and Fitness is the largest producer of fitness equipment in the world, customer service and product support do not seem to be priorities once the product warranty has expired, according to recent customer surveys.

The main strength of the Proform treadmills is of course their relative low price, ranging from as low as $399 to a high of about $1500. Icon Health and Fitness certainly has the ability to produce treadmills that are affordable for the average consumer.

However, the advent of Internet retailing and factory direct selling of treadmills has allowed many consumers to purchase higher quality treadmills, like Smooth Treadmills, at competitive prices. For instance, while Proform treadmills offer only a 90 day warranty on most models, factory direct Smooth treadmills come with a lifetime warranty.

You can view several Proform treadmills on their website, Proform.com.

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