Best Home Elliptical Machines for 2012

Who makes the best ellipticals for the home market? What are the best elliptical machines for 2012? The answers to these questions is, it depends on what you need out of your machine.

Let me explain precisely what I’m talking about here.

When Nordictrack in Minneapolis, MN. first invented the elliptical trainer back in the 1990′s the machines only came in one flavor, rear drive.

But over the past few years elliptical machine designs have grown to include striders, front drive machines, center drive machines, arc trainers and even elliptical bikes.

To add more variables to the mix, manufacturers are now adding in stride length control, incline ramps, articulating pedals and various other improvements that make finding the best home machine much harder than it used to be.

Confused yet? Don’t worry, I’ve been where you’re at on your elliptical shopping quest and I have some good news for you. I’ve put together a couple of killer resources for you that explain everything you need to know about ellipticals.

Resources: Understanding Elliptical Drive Systems and my Elliptical Machine Buyer’s Guide

I’ve already done all the hard work of reviewing and rating the best ellipticals and I’m going to share what I learned with you to help you avoid making a costly mistake.

And now without further ado, here’s my obligatory list of the…

Best Home Elliptical Machines for 2012

LifeCore CD 400 Elliptical – Best Compact Elliptical
If the small footprint of this elliptical isn’t enough to justify a strong look at this machine, the CD400 packs in a long list of standard features with the two most notable being the Polar Heart Rate Compatibility and the sealed ball bearing pivot points…

 

Schwinn A40 Elliptical

Schwinn A40 Elliptical – Best Elliptical Under $500
As a rule I don’t like recommending elliptical machines under $500 bucks because you usually get what you pay for. If you have to “go cheap” the Schwinn A40 is the best budget elliptical…

 

Livestrong LS8.0e Elliptical

Livestrong LS8.0e Elliptical – Best Elliptical Under $800
Livestrong has a nice machine for just a few bucks more than the Schwinn. If you’re serious about getting in shape at home, but still need to spend less than $1000 the LS8.0e Elliptical is my choice here…

 

 Sole E35 Elliptical

Sole E35 Elliptical – Best Front Drive Under $1300
A big beefy flywheel, inward sloping ergonomic pedals and heart rate controlled workouts for about $1000 bucks? Yep, and you get one of the most reliable drive systems on the market to boot…

 

 Smooth CE 3.6 Elliptical

Smooth CE 3.6 Elliptical – Best Rear Drive Under $1300
Nine programmable workout profiles only add to the value of the CE 3.6. Toss an LCD display, ergonomic pedals and a Lifetime frame and brake warranty and you’ve got a great machine…

 

 Yowza Sanibel Elliptical

Yowza Sanibel Elliptical – Best Elliptical Under $1500
If you’re up for the challenge of a great workout and like the idea of an elliptical that will train your core just as effectively as your legs and butt, I think the Yowza Sanibel is a best buy in this price range — to be honest there’s nothing else quite like it for the money…

 

 Sole E95 Elliptical

Sole E95 Elliptical – Best Elliptical Under $2000
With a lifetime warranty on the frame, 5 years on all parts and 2 full years of in home labor, you have the best elliptical machine under $2000 on the market today and a solid investment you won’t even have to give a second thought to for years to come…
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