Even if you manage to squeeze in your daily run, chances are, if you don’t have a job that keeps you on your feet, you spend the remainder of your day sitting in front of a computer. Not only has a sedentary lifestyle been linked to health problems such as heart disease and an increased risk of death, but it may also be preventing you from receiving the full benefits of your training—even though you work out, if you spend most of your time outside of that workout sitting on your butt, your body may not respond as effectively.
If you have little choice but to spend eight hours a day at a desk, that doesn’t mean they all to be spent sitting down. A walking treadmill, or under-desk treadmill, can keep you steadily moving and your metabolism up as you work—it can even boost your brain health.
What to Consider in a Walking Treadmill
Because walking treadmills (or under-desk treadmills) are very different beasts than the running treadmills you’re used to seeing, you won’t necessarily be looking for the same features when shopping for one. They also won’t cost as much, as they don’t have to be designed to withstand miles of intense pounding, offer as much functionality, or reach the same high speeds. When shopping for an under-desk treadmill, here are a few things to consider when making your final choice.
Size: Because most people will have one dedicated workspace in their home or office, a walking treadmill should be easy to add or remove. After all, while you may want to walk while you work for part of the day, chances are you’ll want to sit down at some point. A walking treadmill should be lightweight, easy to move, and even foldable, so that you can quickly get it out from under your desk and put it away when not in use.
Speed: The average walking speed for adults is about 3 mph. Most walking treadmills have a range of .5 up to 4 mph. If you plan on using your under-desk treadmill to get in some training runs, as well, make sure it has the speed and stability to handle it. Some models are more adept than others and can even reach speeds of up to 12 mph (average for a treadmill). Beware, though, that most models do not come equipped with handles to hold onto, which can make fast-pace walking or running a bit challenging.
Additional Features: Not only do you want to think about how easy it will be to put your treadmill away when you are finished, but you also need to think about how you will control it when in use. Most walking treadmills come with a remote that lets you adjust the speed, but some, like the ones that have a raised screen, are controlled by hand. Also, depending on a treadmill’s noise level, one that’s too loud could be disturbing to you or disruptive to your office coworkers (whenever that becomes the norm again). Look for a model with a quiet belt . And finally, consider safety features like an automatic stop when you step off, or energy save when it’s not in use after a period of time.
How We Selected These Under-Desk Treadmills
To find the best options among the many under-desk treadmills out there, we used our decades of experience testing and evaluating the latest treadmills and folding treadmills, our deep familiarity with trusted brands, and our understanding of what you should look for—and avoid—when making a purchase. We took into account their durability, ease of use, speed, features, and cost. Then we researched more than 7,000 customer reviews on Amazon. Those customer reviews helped us calculate our Consumer Score, which represents the percentage of people who bought these treadmills and rated them at least four out of five stars.
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