Best Schwinn Elliptical Machines (Top 3 Compared For 2023)

The Schwinn brand has been around for over a century, and they have been building cardio gear for homes for nearly 50 years. These guys have more experience than most.

If you want quality and an affordable price tag, Schwinn has always been one of those companies you can rely on. Still, is the Best Schwinn Elliptical really a Schwinn anymore? Nautilus owns Schwinn now, which is why the Nautilus and Schwinn ellipticals are so similar.

So it’s not all roses right now at Schwinn. It looks like there are only two ellipticals from the Schwinn brand that Nautilus seems to care about. So today, we’ll focus on the 470 and 411. I’ll still include the 430, as it’s a decent elliptical, even if slightly dated.

Best Schwinn Elliptical Comparison Table

Schwinn Elliptical Reviews

Schwinn 470 Elliptical (Best Overall)

I’ve been reviewing ellipticals for many years, and the Scwhinn 470 has always been a popular choice; it’s a mid-level elliptical that gets all the essentials right.

You have a sturdy build. This thing weighs 170lb, it’s not commercial heavy, but it’s more than heavy enough to keep everything stable. You don’t feel like you’re pedaling on some cheaply made unstable machine. Also, that extra weight tells me this machine is made from high-quality parts.

But it’s not just the build quality I like about the Scwhinn 470, the other essentials are also there. You have a 10-degree power incline, which I feel is vital on front-drive ellipticals.

Front drive ellipticals only really work your anterior leg muscles like your quads. If you want to burn more calories, you need to work the much larger posterior muscles like your glutes and hamstrings, and to achieve that on a front-drive elliptical, you must have an incline feature.

Pedaling on an incline is going to switch the focus of your workout from the front to the rear. You get a 10-degree 6-level power adjustable incline with Schwinn 470, which is impressive for the price point. You can adjust the incline from the one-touch buttons of the monitor.

Still, perhaps what’s even more impressive is the monitor, I love that it’s so easy to use with the one-touch buttons, and you have the dual screens, so if you’re using a tablet, you won’t hide your workouts stats, you can still view them on the smaller second screen.

Plus, the monitor boasts a whopping 29 workout programs, 25 resistance levels, and wireless heart rate monitoring, a much more accurate way to monitor heart rate than the built-in pulse sensors—an excellent feature for those of you who like to work out in your chosen heart rate zone.

You also get the desirable 20″ stride, and I say desirable because this is the length most commercial ellipticals use. Its a stride length that suits most people’s heights with a height range from 5ft to 6’3″, and great to see featured on a mid-level elliptical.

The only slight drawback with the Scwhinn 470 is the flywheel weight; at just 17lb it’s light for an $1100 elliptical. The flywheel weight is one of the main factors that affect how smooth the elliptical motion feels, and while 17lb isn’t a deal breaker, it is disappointing.

Our Full Review: Schwinn 470 

2. Schwinn 411 Elliptical (Best Affordable)

The little brother of the Schwinn 470 and 430, the Schwinn 411 is Scwhinn’s entry-level elliptical. It’s our current favorite elliptical under $500, and there’s a good reason why.

This thing packs a punch of a much higher priced elliptical boasting an 18″ stride length, wireless heart rate monitoring, and BlueTooth, two features the 430 is missing!

And what makes this excellent entry-level machine even more appealing is its size. You can see in the photo above it’s a lot smaller than the 430 and 470, yet it still provides an 18″ stride length, so it is suitable for users up to 6ft.

Yes, there are fewer resistance levels 16 compared to the Schwinn 430, which has 20 but remember, this machine costs considerably less.

There’s no incline, and you wouldn’t expect there to be at this price, but for a solid compact machine, the 411 is hard to beat for anyone whose budget may be limited. I highly recommend checking out this excellent elliptical from Schwinn.

Our Full Review: Schwinn 411

3. Schwinn 430 Elliptical

As I mentioned in the intro, the Scwhinn 430 hasn’t been updated in a while, but even though it hasn’t been updated, it’s still a lot better than most ellipticals in its price range.

A heavy elliptical for the price point, the 430 weighs 160lb which means it’s nice and sturdy, which is exactly what you want.

Also, you get the 20″ stride, the dual-screen monitor, and an incline. It’s a 10-degree incline, just like the 470, except you have to manually adjust it, which means getting off the machine to adjust it. This can be annoying, especially if you’re in the middle of a workout.

The flywheel again is 17lb, the same as the 470, so the elliptical motion is smooth, but not that premium feel you get from the heavy flywheels.

What the 430 lacks is BlueTooth. This is simply because it hasn’t been updated for so long, which means no access to their Explore The World App. And no wireless heart rate monitoring, which is a shame.

Check Out The E616 From Nautilus

If you don’t want to spend 470 money and want something that costs around $800, like the Scwhinn 430, I recommend choosing the Nautilus E616 elliptical it’s basically the updated version of the 430.

The same company makes the E616. It shares the same heavy-duty frame, 20″ stride, the same 17lb flywheel, and the same dual-screen monitorn as the 430. However, with Nautilus’s version, you get the power adjustable incline, and wireless heart rate monitoring with chest strap included.

The E616 is a much better buy than the 430 from Schwinn. You basically get everything that’s good about the 430, plus a few extra advanced features. And surprisingly, it’s $50 cheaper than the 430.

The E616 is currently my favorite elliptical on the market for under $800. Nautilus seems to care much more about their line of ellipticals than they do their Schwinn line, and it really shows with the E616.

Our Full Review: Schwinn 430

Buying Tips – Ellipticals

If it’s your first time buying an elliptical for the home, it might worth checking out our handy buying tips, here you can read through all the main features of elliptical machines and find out what works best for your needs.

Design Types

While there are numerous design varieties out there, ellipticals can generally be divided into three categories. These categories are defined by the placement of the flywheel or drive system. The drive system is the core component that facilitates the elliptical motion.

The placement of the flywheel is important as it can affect stride length, smoothness of elliptical motion, and the level of noise made by the machine when in action.

Front-drive ellipticals – Front-drive ellipticals are usually found in the budget to the mid-level range, they typically have a large wheel housing at the front of the machine.

If you own a front-drive elliptical, you will find yourself leaning slightly forward when exercising, similar to using a stairclimber. A basic but durable design, maybe a little noisier than the center drive machine but nothing too noticeable.

Centre drive ellipticals – Centre drive ellipticals have only been around for a few years, although a reasonably new design they are becoming increasingly popular. Designed to be similar to a treadmill, except the pedals are where the track would usually be. Centre drive designs allow for a gentle workout.

The flywheel center drive elliptical is typically a compact machine and is best suited for those who are exercising in small spaces. Be slightly careful with this compact design as the stride length can be very short.

Rear Drive Ellipticals – Most rear-drive ellipticals have a smaller wheel housing located behind the pedals making these the longest in design. Many manufacturers claim the rear-drive machines allow for a smoother, more circular pedal motion.

The pedals can also be on a track, which allows for an incline. Rear drives systems are usually reserved for high-end ellipticals. Some of the widest stride lengths can be found on rear-drive ellipticals.

Hybrid Ellipticals – Hybrid ellipticals boast multiple functions, as well as an elliptical they function as an exercise bike.

You can adjust the hybrid machine to move between bike and an elliptical simply by moving pedals and rearranging the seat. Hybrid ellipticals are mostly found in the budget range and are a popular space-saving choice for people wanting to reap the health benefits of both an exercise bike and an elliptical. 

Other Key Components To Look Out For

Stride Length – This is the measurement in between the toe of the front pedal to the heel of the rear pedal while the pedals are at their widest stride. This measurement is vitally important as it determines how naturally you will be able to stride.

If your buying an elliptical for intense workouts, the first thing you will want to be able to do is run freely – if your elliptical has a too short stride length, this will not be possible and your machine will not be doing the job it should.

• If you plan on walking on running slowly, you can get away with a shorter stride length – Great news if your budget is tight.
• Taller users 6ft and over will need a machine with at least 20″ stride length for fast-paced running or walking.

Resistance Systems

Another important feature to consider when buying an elliptical is the resistance system. There are two types of resistance systems for ellipticals one is air the other magnetic. Which is better?

For home use, I would have to recommend magnetic resistance for the simple reason it is much quieter in use than air. Air uses a noisy fan to create resistance, whereas magnetic resistance is whisper quiet when in use.

A magnetic cardo machine is always the best choice, especially if you don’t want to disturb others or yourself with the sound of the machine when you exercise.

Another significant advantage of magnetic resistance is that it is a constant resistance, i.e., the strength of resistance stays the same unless you manually change via the resistance knob or monitor.

Constant resistance gives you a choice to pedal at a slow pace on a high resistance level, something that was impossible with air resistance, which only gets stronger when you run-walk faster (dynamic resistance).

Resistance Strength –

Budget ellipticals $400 and under typically provide eight levels of resistance. While this isn’t a ton of resistance levels, it will provide enough resistance for medium to light cardio workouts.

That’s not to say you won’t burn any calories on a cheaper machine; it all depends on your fitness levels. Still, in general, a machine with eight resistance levels is usually best suited for beginners, walkers, seniors, or anyone looking for lighter workouts.

When you spend a few more bucks $400+, we start to see 16-24 resistance levels here; you can expect reasonably strong resistance in the upper levels. the machines are, in general, of higher quality and will provide the user with much more of a challenge and will allow for years of growth. 

$1k+ ellipticals will, of course, come with the most resistance levels and heavier flywheels – Great if you can afford one but sometimes overkill for a home gym

Your Workout Space

Ellipticals are not small these things take up a lot of room, so you need to be sure your home has the space to house one comfortably. Most ellipticals are between 4 and 7 feet long, and you’ll also need to remember to leave room for the pedals while they are in motion.

The pedals of some rear-drive ellipticals can extend a foot behind the mainframe. Also, allow for 20 inches each side of the machine.

Lastly, we need to consider the ceiling height, especially important if you’re hoping to use the machine in a basement. Check the elliptical max pedal height plus your hight-the combined height of both will be the maximum height of the chosen elliptical. The last thing you want is to be banging your head!

Bonus Features

This is the fun part of your machine; bonus features can include water bottle holders, tablet holders, fun workout apps, wi-fi, pre-workout programs, and heart rate monitoring. While some are more useful than others, remember not to go too crazy here. The more features you choose, the more money you’ll need to spend.

While still not essential to your cardio fitness, work programs, and heart rate monitoring are two features I feel are worth spending a few extra bucks on.

Workouts programs are excellent for setting new challenges and keeping your interest, especially for long cardio workouts sessions. Heart rate monitoring is extremely useful for those of you who wish to exercise in your target heart rate zones.

Benefits of Ellipticals

1. Boost your stamina and cardio capacity – Aerobic exercise is a vital part of any balanced exercise routine. Aerobic exercise demands your heart and lungs to work harder; thus, in doing so, making them stronger.

Elliptical allows for an excellent aerobic workout ellipticals work both your upper and lower body, strengthening your muscles, heart and lungs continued use will help build your stamina and endurance

2. Low Impact – Elliptical reduce the stress and strain on your legs through an elliptical motion. Your feet never leave the pedals; it is like walking in mid-air. In comparison, when you walk or run on a treadmill, every step causes a jolt to your body.

3. Burn A Lot of Calories – Depending on how much you weigh. An elliptical can burn 230-350 calories in 30 minutes. Burning more calories than you consume can really help you to lose weight. If you want to give a significant boost to your calorie burn, try increasing the intensity of the workout on your elliptical.

4. Dual-action workout – One of the benefits you are going to like about elliptical machines is the combined upper and lower body workout. This is why elliptical are sometimes called cross-trainers! When we use the elliptical properly, the elliptical trainer can strengthen and tone the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, chest, back, triceps, and biceps.

5. Weight Bearing – Unlike an exercise bike, an elliptical provides a weight-bearing exercise. Weight-bearing exercises help slow down and prevent osteoporosis.

6. Improve Balance -We know weight-bearing exercising can help to strengthen our bones, but did you know they can also help you improve your balance. If you stand up straight on an elliptical and let go of the fixed set of handlebars, you not only target your core muscles, but you also improve your balance.

To Sum Up

It’s great to see Scwhinn’s 470 elliptical is still around and it’s been updated. It’s an excellent mid-level elliptical with a sturdy build, a power incline, the desirable 20″ stride, and a decent monitor with a ton of workout programs. It has everything I’d expect from a top elliptical in this price range.

And the 411 is and has been the best elliptical for the past few years under $500. There’s no other elliptical that can boast an 18″ stride and such a small footprint. Also, you get advanced features like wireless heart rate monitoring with the 411, something you never usually find on low-cost ellipticals.

The 411 is an excellent choice for beginners who are tight on space—an impressive machine from Schwinn.

And lastly, the 430 an outdated but well-made machine, but here is where I say choose the E616 from Nautilus instead. You’ll get everything that’s good about the 430 plus a few extra features like power incline and wireless heart rate monitoring with an HR strap included. The E616 offers more bang for your buck than any other elliptical under $800.

Best Schwinn Elliptical FAQs

Is The Schwinn 470 a Good Elliptical?

The Schwinn 470 is Scwhinns top of the line elliptical. Weighing over 160lb, the 470 is a sturdy well, made elliptical. It includes all the essentials like the desirable 20″ stride, a power-adjustable incline, and a monitor packed full of features.

Who Owns Schwinn?

The Schwinn brand was recently bought by a company called Nautilus. Nautilus is a large company that also owns Bowflex and Universal. Nautilus also makes some excellent mid-level ellipticals of their own, including the popular E616 elliptical.

What is The Best Schwinn Elliptical?

The 470 is the best elliptical Scwhinn make. Boasting a heavy-duty frame, power-adjustable incline, and a 20″ stride length, it’s one of the most impressive ellipticals on the market for the price point.