Treadmills are great not only for burning off some unwanted belly fat but also for increasing your cardio fitness. Did you know walking on a treadmill for 30 minutes can burn up to 160 calories? If you try and do that five days a week, you’ll burn nearly a thousand calories weekly.

No matter what age you are, anyone can reap the health benefits of treadmill workouts at home. And trying to find the Best Treadmill For Seniors isn’t as difficult as you think.

Treadmills designed only for walking are often compact treadmills with small running belts, restricting your movement. It’s not a nice feeling and will knock your confidence as you always fear you’ll step off the side or back of the treadmill.

• Of course, a small walking treadmill is the best choice if you have limited space or a limited budget. It’s better than nothing.
• The only other time a senior needs to choose a different treadmill from anyone else is if their mobility is limited. Only then do I recommend they choose a treadmill with extended handrails for support.

So, in today’s guide, I’ve included a mix of treadmills for seniors so you can take a good look at everything on offer.

7 Best Treadmills For Seniors

• Best Overal Treadmill For Seniors: Sole F63 Treadmill

• Best Walking Treadmill For Seniors: Sunny Smart Elite SF-T723016

• Best Fold-Up Treadmill For Seniors: Horizon T101 Treadmill

• Best Treadmill For Seniors With Limited Mobility: Sunny Health SF-T722062 

• Best Budget Treadmill For Seniors: Umay Fitness Treadmill

• Best Cushioned Treadmill For Seniors: NordicTrack T Series 10

• Best Manual Treadmill For Seniors: Sunny Health SF-T1407M

Best Overall Treadmill For Seniors

Product Highlights

Sole Fitness are well-known for building high-quality fitness gear, they’re a company that’s been around for decades, and their treadmills are some of the best on the market. I’ve been reviewing treadmills for many years, and Sole Fitness has always impressed me the most.

Large Running Belt

The Sole F63 is one of Sole’s mid-level treadmills, but it really packs a punch way above its price tag. It boasts a near-commercial-size running belt: 20″ x 60″. When you think commercial treadmills in your local gym use 22″ x 60″ belts, we aren’t far off that with the Sole F63.

A large running belt gives you plenty of space to walk or jog. You won’t feel restricted, and because the belt is wide, there’s much less chance of stepping off the side of the treadmill in the middle of a workout.

With a belt length of 60″, even tall people can use this treadmill; its max height for walking is 6’5″, and for jogging, 6’3″, which suits pretty much any user.

Another thing you’ll love about this treadmill is its build quality. This machine weighs over 250lb, which is heavy for a mid-level treadmill. The extra weight tells me it’s made from quality materials, and what’s best is that extra weight will aid stability.

This treadmill feels sturdy. It won’t feel like a cheap, lightweight machine.

What I like most about this treadmill from Sole is how easy it is to use. There’s nothing too complicated. The monitor has large one-touch buttons, so you can access everything with a single touch, which saves time.

You also get ten workout programs, wireless heart rate monitoring, and free access to the Sole+ App where you can download all your workout stats. Plus, there are hundreds of scenic global routes and workouts for you to try.

It’s a decent fuss-free monitor with everything you need for your workouts, including speakers and cooling fans.

15-Level Power Adjustable Incline

The Sole F63 has a power-adjustable incline. You can adjust the incline height using the one-touch buttons under the monitor’s LCD screen. It’s a 15-level power incline, the best you’ll find at this price point.

Incline walking is great because it burns twice as many calories as walking on flat ground. It also strengthens and builds hard-to-train muscles like your calves, glutes, and hamstrings. It’s an essential feature to have, even for walkers.

Still, it’s best to get used to walking on the treadmill in the flat position for a few months. After you’ve built up strength and want that extra challenge, you can start with a 1% incline and gradually work your way up over the coming months/years.

There is a folding feature for storing the Sole treadmill. It has a hydraulic folding system, which means it’s effortless to fold because the hydraulics do all the work. Once folded, you can tilt the treadmill and roll it on its built-in transport wheels to store it.

Great Warranty

Lastly, you get an excellent warranty with Sole Treadmill. The F63 treadmill comes with a lifetime on frame and motor, three years on parts, and 1-year labor, which is impressive for a treadmill costing just over $1000

Note: The step-up height for this treadmill is 8″, about the same as a step on your stairs.

Best Walking Treadmill For Seniors

Product Highlights

Sunny Health & Fitness are a company that’s been around for decades. These guys excel in the low-cost market. They are one of the only companies that can produce high-quality fitness gear and keep the prices low.

Sunny Health is the king of low-cost fitness equipment. Over the past ten years, I’ve reviewed a lot of their gear and have rarely been disappointed. They offer great value for your money. You won’t go wrong with Sunny Health products.

Once in a while, these guys really push the boat out and make a mid-level treadmill like the Sunny Elite Smart Treadmill. This treadmill is priced much lower than most mid-level treadmills, except it’s just as impressive as any mid-level machine I’ve reviewed.

Durable, Heavy Duty, and Under $1000

For well under $1000, Sunny produced a heavy-duty compact treadmill. What’s most impressive about this treadmill is that the size of the running belt didn’t suffer because of its compact size. This thing still boasts a large, wide belt.

You don’t feel restricted when walking or jogging on this treadmill, which is impressive considering the size of the machine.

You also have an Impressive auto-adjustable incline feature, with a max of 12% and 15 levels. An easy-to-use monitor with large one-touch buttons and no annoying menus to scroll through.

Plus, Sunny Health recently updated their app. They took all the good stuff from the previous version and then added over 1,000 workouts and 10,000+ scenic global routes for you to enjoy.

The best thing about the SunnyFit app is that it is free. No subscription is required. It is the only company that provides an impressive app and keeps it free, and it works perfectly with the treadmill.

Other features of this treadmill include a 3HP motor, which is more than powerful enough for walking and jogging, an excellent deck conditioning system to protect your joints, and the all-important hydraulic soft drop system for the running deck, which makes folding this treadmill a breeze.

Overall, this is one of Sunny’s best treadmills in years. I can’t find fault with it. It’s that good.

If you want a well-made treadmill for walking and jogging, one made by a company you can trust, the Sunny Elite Smart is an excellent choice for seniors and anyone looking to increase their fitness levels at home.

Read Our Full Sunny Elite Smart Treadmill Review

Best Fold-Up Treadmill For Seniors

Product Highlights

The Horizon T101 was already an impressive buy for under $800, but it has been updated in the last year and now includes a more powerful motor, a better sound system, and cooling fans, making it an even more impressive treadmill for the price.

It’s great to see a company updating its fitness gear, but it’s not the updates that impress me most about this treadmill; it’s the size of the running belt. The belt measures 20″ x 55″.

Most treadmills in this price range use belts in the low to mid 40 inches, so to find a treadmill with such a large belt for under $800 is almost unheard of.

Horizon has always been a company that focuses on the essentials, such as belt size, build quality and power. Yes, the monitor is rather basic, but it’s a small price to pay when you consider how good the rest of the treadmill is.

You even have a 10% power adjustable incline with this treadmill, so you’ll be able to add an extra challenge to your workouts with hill walking.

And it’s a heavy machine for the price point. The T101 treadmill weighs 180lb, is solid, and doesn’t feel like a low-cost machine.

As I mentioned, the monitor is pretty basic, you don’t have an HD color screen, but you do get BlueTooth, built-in speakers, built-in fans, eight workout programs, and it tracks all your usual workout data such as speed, distance, time, and pulse.

Also, you have large one-touch buttons for adjusting speed and incline. Another handy feature is the extra pair of speed control buttons on the handrails; these are useful because they save you from reaching the monitor in the middle of a session to change speed.

Lastly, you have a deck cushioning system and a hydraulic folding system. All in all, this treadmill has everything you need for your cardio workouts at home.

Read Our Full Horizon T101 Treadmill Review

Best Treadmill For Seniors With Limited Mobility

Product Highlights

Here’s another treadmill from Sunny Health and Fitness: their recovery treadmill. There aren’t many treadmills on the market for people with limited mobility.

Exerpeutic makes a few treadmills with extended handrails. Still, they’re more expensive than the Sunny, and the quality is lower. So, the best treadmill for anyone with limited mobility, not just seniors, is currently the Sunny Health Recovery SF-T722062.

It’s another walking treadmill, so it only has a top speed of 8MPH, which is more than enough for walking, even power walking. It’s very similar to the heavy-duty option from Sunny in that it has a sturdy build, weighs 123lb, and has enough weight there to keep it planted to the floor and feel stable.

Also, it shares the same size running belt as the heavy-duty Sunny Elite Treadmill, which is good news. Plus, you have a deck cushioning system to protect your joints. Basically, it’s another compact, well-built treadmill for walking from Sunny Health & Fitness.

Extended Handrails

But what’s slightly different with this machine is that you get those extra long handrails.

Extended handrails are useful for anyone with limited mobility or needing that extra bit of support.

Even beginners or people who have never used a treadmill before who don’t have limited mobility can still benefit from the extended handrails. They give you that extra confidence to get on the treadmill.

So yes, the best feature of this treadmill is that it offers people who wouldn’t usually be able to use a treadmill the chance to benefit from regular exercise.

But overall, it offers everything you want from a walking treadmill. You have the build quality and the wide running belt, and just like the heavy-duty Sunny Elite Treadmill, it’s very easy to use because the monitor is basic.

Best Budget Treadmill For Seniors

Product Highlights

The market is crowded with budget treadmills, so you need to be careful and do your research when choosing a budget treadmill because there’s a lot of difference in quality from one treadmill to another.

I reviewed the UmayFitnes U50 a couple of months ago, and I was impressed. This treadmill offers a lot for the money, and they haven’t compromised on quality. It’s sturdy and well-built for a budget treadmill, and that’s what is most important.

What you’ll notice first about the Umay treadmill is how quiet it is. This is because it uses a brushless motor, much quieter than brushed motors.

Even at mid-speed, this treadmill’s noise level is just 45DB, which is whisper quiet for a treadmill and great if you don’t want to disturb others with the sound of your workouts.

Brushless motors also last three times longer than brushed motors. It was a surprise to find such a good motor on a low-cost treadmill like the Umay U50, so a thumbs up to Umay for the motor.

Something else a lot of people are going to love about this treadmill is its size. It’s a compact machine, so you can use it in most rooms, even a small office. It’s also lightweight, so it can be moved with ease.

You also have the hydraulic folding system, which is great to find on a treadmill in this price range. You can fold this treadmill with one hand it’s so easy, and that’s thanks to the hydraulics doing all the work for you.

The monitor is decent as well. Actually, I liked it because it has 12 workout programs, large buttons, and no complicated menus or subscription apps to deal with. Best of all, it includes Bluetooth so that you can connect with popular fitness apps like Zwift and Kino Maps.

For under $400, the Umay Fitness Treadmill is hard to beat; the build quality is impressive, it doesn’t feel cheap, and a powerful brushless motor is included. The monitor is easy to use and has all the essential features needed for your workouts.

The only drawback is the small running belt, but it’s a compromise you have to make when choosing budget compact treadmills. Still, it’s large enough for walking and light jogging, which is what most people who buy budget treadmills need it for.

Best Cushioned Treadmill For Seniors

Product Highlights

The T Series treadmill from NordicTrack is one of my favorites from this company because they got everything right with this treadmill.

NordicTrack can sometimes be blamed for focusing too much on the tech and forgetting about the essentials, such as the build quality. But the T Series 10 Treadmill’s balance between tech and quality is perfect.

It’s one of the best treadmills they’ve released in years which is why I’m so impressed with it.

The T Series 10 is a treadmill suitable for all types of workouts, including walking, hill walking, running, interval training, and even light marathon training. It’s that good. It has the power, build, and tech to offer something to nearly all users, no matter their fitness level.

And because of that large running belt, it can accommodate users up to 6’1″ for running and up to 6’3″ for lighter cardio, such as jogging and walking.

This treadmill stands out because it is sturdy and feels like a proper treadmill. Some users have even mentioned that it feels similar to treadmills they’ve used in their local gyms, which is great to hear.

And because this is NordicTrack, the tech of the T Series 10 is the best in its class by a mile.

10″ HD Tilting Touchscreen

You get a 10″ HD tilting touchscreen, 10,000+ workouts, and scenic routes, plus you can plan and follow your own routes using Google Maps.

There’s also a feature called active pulse, which controls your speed, incline, and resistance by monitoring your heart rate and keeping you in your chosen heart rate zone. It is a cool feature and one that only NordicTrack offers in this price range.

Also, there’s an impressive 12% auto-adjustable incline, which you can adjust using the monitor or handrail controls or let the iFit trainers adjust for you. This allows you to concentrate fully on your workout by allowing the trainer to adjust the speed and incline of your workout. Nice.

Adjustable Deck Cushioning

Another feature I love about his treadmill is the adjustable deck cushioning system, which protects your joints.

Most treadmills include a cushioning system. Still, only a few have adjustable systems, they’re normally reserved only for high-end machines, so it is surprising to find an adjustable system on a treadmill costing under $1500.

The adjustable cushioning system allows you to choose the level of cushioning you’d like while you walk or run. There is a choice of soft, medium, or hard.

For anyone with joint problems or arthritis, choosing the soft level will help the most, as it provides the most cushioning for each foot strike, which is much better for your joints than walking or jogging on hard-impact surfaces like roads.

There really isn’t much I can fault about this treadmill. It’s in the top two for the best under $1500. The only drawback is that to get the most out of this treadmill and its features, you need a subscription to the iFit app. It is one of the best fitness apps out there, but it costs $39 a month, which is quite expensive.

Best Manual Treadmills For Seniors

Product Highlights

What Many people are going to love about this treadmill is its size. It’s a compact machine; you can use this treadmill anywhere, even in a small office, or you could, if you wish, use it in the backyard as it doesn’t require any electricity or power outlets to work.

It’s lightweight, too, weighing less than 50lb making it easy to move from room to room.

As this is one of the smallest treadmills on the market, it is inevitable that the size of the running belt will suffer. It’s a short running belt designed only for walking.

But on the positive the walking deck is set to a fixed incline, which is what you want, as walking on an incline will double calorie burn, and its going to work, tone, and strengthen those hard to train muscles such as your calves, glutes, and hamstrings

The monitor of this treadmill is about as basic as they come, which can be a good thing because basic means easy to use. No one will have any trouble using this treadmill monitor.

Still, even though it may be the most basic of monitors, it does track all your essential workout stats such as time, distance, calories, and scan. Plus, you can connect with Sunny’s free app. SunnyFit. You’ll have access to 1000s of workouts and scenic routes for free.

Overall, it is one of the best manual treadmills on the market, made by Sunny Health and Fitness, a company with more experience than anyone in this price bracket. For the price, ($120) it’s unbeatable.

Buying Guide – Treadmills For Seniors

Because of the vast difference in quality on offer, it’s worth reading up on a few important features a good treadmill for seniors should offer.

Many people find themselves having to send back treadmills because they either didn’t suit their body sizes or fitness needs. Sending back large fitness equipment is a headache; it’s the last thing you need!

We’ve written a handy guide of some of the most important features you should check and consider before purchasing.

Weight

The weight of a treadmill is more important than most people think. Firstly the weight gives us a good clue to the overall quality of the materials used in the build. Lightweight machines are often made of cheap materials. Heavy treadmills are made from high qulaity parts; some commercial treadmills can weigh over 350lb and cost over $5k

Of course, most seniors will only need a treadmill for light cardio, such as walking or jogging, so you won’t need a commercial heavy-duty treadmill, but you don’t want some lightweight cheaply made treadmill either. Look for treadmills weighing at least 120lb or more. Anything less will have durability and stability problems.

Also, the heavier the treadmill, the more stable it is. And stability is important.

Running Belt Size

The size of the running belt is one of the most important features to consider when you choose your treadmill as it determines who can use the treadmill and for what; it also determines how comfortable you feel on the machine.

Most low-cost treadmills come with small narrow belts, these are okay for walking, but even for walking, you sometimes feel you are walking on a tightrope with narrow belts. You want to feel comfortable when walking on your treadmill, and you don’t want to feel restricted by the size of the treadmill belt.

When looking for a treadmill for walking and light jogging, look for at least 17″ in width. This will give you enough room to prevent any issues with stepping off the side of the treadmill in the middle of a walking or jogging session, which can be a real issue with narrow running belts.

20″ – 22″ is ideal for treadmill width, but you have to pay a little extra to find a treadmill with belts this wide. At least $500

Belt length isn’t as important for walkers as walking doesn’t require as large strides as jogging or running. However, if you’re tall, you will need a longer running belt than a short person.

It’s best to find as large a belt as you can for your budget, the more room you have to walk, the more comfortable you’ll feel and the more confidence you will have to increase your pace.

Extended Handrails

Extended handrails are probably one of the most important features you should look out for if you need some extra support while walking on your treadmill.

Most treadmills come equipped with short rails; however, there are a few treadmills that include rails that run the whole length of the running deck. If you are a person who is worried about slipping or falling over on a treadmill, long handrails are an essential feature.

Many treadmills are built specifically for seniors that include long handrails, but most of them are so expensive they are out of a lot of people’s reach. Thankfully, a couple of companies have built affordable options, and both feature in our review.

Monitor/Control Console

Monitors vary hugely from treadmill to treadmill. Some offer HD screen, 100s of workouts, Bluetooth, heart rate monitoring, and many other advanced features.

Typically the more features, the more expensive the machine, and when we see more features, we also have a much more complicated and time-consuming monitor to use.

From the research we carried out, it seems most seniors prefer a simple easy to use monitor; actually, it’s not just seniors who prefer simple, fuss-free monitors. Many people get annoyed with over-complicated monitors, including myself.

Thankfully the companies that design treadmills specifically for seniors have done their research. Their treadmills include easy to use uncomplicated monitors that track all the useful workout data such as speed, time, distance, and calories. Your workout stats can be viewed through the large easy to read LCD screens.

Siple monitors allow you to get on the machine and start working out without wasting your time trying to figure out how to use the thing. Fuss-free monitors are a favorite among many treadmill users and can be found on all of the treadmills featured in this review.

Safety Features

While some safety features are more important than others, let’s run through a few, you should look out for if safety is a big concern when using a treadmill.

The No.1 safety feature you will find on all treadmills is a start-stop button, which can be found via the monitor.

The second safety feature most treadmill includes is a safety tether that attaches to your clothing from the treadmill. This is an emergency stop device, if you happen to slip or fall on the treadmill, the safety tether will detach from the treadmill, and the treadmill will immediately stop.

We already mentioned long handrails being great for giving extra support.

And another excellent safety feature only a few treadmills offer is a low step-on height. A low step-on height is an excellent feature that allows you to get on and off the treadmill with ease. Especially useful for people with server joints issues or anyone recovering from knee or hip surgery.

Anti-Shock System/Deck Cushioning

Deck cushioning or running belt cushioning is a vital feature everyone that is thinking of purchasing a treadmill should look out for. A proper cushioning system will absorb up to 42% of your foot strike energy; this will reduce joint strain and impact issues.

A decent cushioning system will also allow you to exercise for longer and recover quicker from the workouts, thanks to less stress on the joints.

3 Easy Tips To Maintain Your Treadmill

Once you have your treadmill built and it’s up and running, you will, in the future, need to do a little maintenance on the machine to keep it running smoothly for a long time. (Advice From Johnson Fitness)

1. Lubricate Your Treadmill Belt – Most treadmills require that you use 100% silicon to lube down your belt. Lubricating your treadmill belt will help make sure that the belt moves smoothly whenever you’re running on it.
2. Centre Your Belt – Similar to how your car tires need to be rotated, your treadmill belt will also have to be realigned after some use. The treadmill belt migrates naturally, whether it’s from how your foot strikes the deck or stretching over time. All it takes to center your belt is an Allen wrench.
3. Clean Under Your Motor Cover – If your treadmill has an open back or an open floor, chances are your motor cover will eventually get clogged up with dust, hair, and debris. Never cleaning under the motor cover is like never taking your car for an oil change – your equipment probably is not going to last very long if you don’t do it.

Click on the link below for the full Treadmill Mainaince Advice Article from JohnsonFitness, which includes helpful videos!

Click here for JohnsonFitenss’ Treadmill maintenance article and videos.  

To Sum Up

There are a lot of treadmills out there that are suitable for seniors. It really depends on your budget and your mobility level to decide which one will suit you best.

If you want a treadmill that will last years and has a solid build and large running belt, the Sole F63 Treadmill is about as dependable as they come. It has everything you need for your cardio at home. It’s a treadmill you’ll always feel comfortable using because it has the largest running belt, the best deck cushioning system to protect joints, and a sturdy build, so there’s no movement while exercising.

Still, if you haven’t quite got the money to choose the Sole F63, the next best treadmill for seniors, I feel, is the Sunny Elite Smart Heavy Duty Walking Treadmill; with the Sunny, you still benefit from a heavy-duty stable build, and you have a nice wide running belt, yes the belt isn’t as long as the F63 belt. However, at least it’s still wide, and if you’re only going to walk on the treadmill, a wide shorter belt will be just fine.

If you’re someone with restricted mobility, there is only one choice: the Sunny Recovery Walking Treadmill. There are others on the market with extended handrails, but they cost more, and the quality is lower, so the Sunny Recovery treadmill is the best on the market right now for people who need extra support while walking.

Best Treadmill For Seniors FAQS

What is The Safest Treadmill For Seniors?

The safest treadmills for seniors are treadmills that come with extended handrails. Many seniors with limited mobility choose treadmills with long handrails. Long handrails will give you extra support while you exercise. Also, treadmills with low step-up heights are advisable as it makes getting on and off the treadmill much easier.

What is The Best Treadmill For Seniors?

Our favorite treadmill for seniors is currently the Sole F63, as it provides a large running belt, a solid build, and an excellent warranty at a great price. But for older adults with limited mobility, a treadmill with extended handrails is the best choice, like the Sunny Recovery Walking Treadmill.

Are Treadmills Good For Older People?

Yes, treadmills will help you increase your overall fitness levels at home. Also, treadmills come equipped with a deck cushioning system. Deck cushioning systems help to protect your joints by reducing the impact of each foot strike. This is much better for your joints than walking on hard surfaces like roads.

How Long Should Seniors Walk on a Treadmill?

It’s best to start slowly when you first use your treadmill. Try 5 minutes the first day and keep adding a minute each day. In general, getting at least 15 minutes of walking in each day is advisable if you’re a senior. Of course, depending on your current health and fitness levels, you can do more than this once your body gets used to regular exercise. Talking to your doctor before taking up any new exercise regime is also a good idea.