confidence fitness treadmill power plus

The mistake many people make when buying a budget treadmill is expecting too much. The Confidence Fitness treadmill has been designed specifically for beginners or anyone who needs a compact treadmill for light cardio workouts. There’s no heavy-duty frame, powerful motor, or large running belt. 

Cheap but Good

Not all of us need a large treadmill with a bulky design. Many don’t have the space or the money for a heavy-duty machine. And that is why so many people like this treadmill; it’s cheap, works well, and is easy to set up and use. Compact, lightweight treadmills like the Confidence Fitness Power Plus are an excellent choice for people on a budget looking for a fuss-free cardio machine. You can burn up to 300 calories an hour walking on one of these things, so it’s a good choice for anyone who wants to lose a few lbs of weight.

In today’s review, I want to take a close look at everything this compact treadmill from Confidence Fitness has to offer, including its drawbacks. First, let’s take a quick look at the product’s specs.

Product Specifications

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Product dimensions – 52 x 26 x 11 inches

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Weight – 57lb

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Speed – 0.5 – 6.2mph in 0.1mph increments

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Folds for storage

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Motor – 600W

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Weight capacity – 250lb

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Running belt size – 14″ X 39.5″

Why Do We Like The Confidence Fitness Treadmill?

What you have to love about this treadmill is the price. Most manual treadmills, the ones without motors, cost close to $200, so getting hold of a well-made small electric treadmill for $200 is a great deal.

Still, the appeal of this treadmill is also how easy it is to use and set up. There’s nothing complicated here. There are no confusing monitors that take an hour to figure out how to use. This machine is literally ready to use right out of the box.

confidence fitness power plus treadmill

Can I Jog on The Confidence Fitness Power Plus Treadmill?

The size of a running belt determines who can use the treadmill and for what. The Confidence Fitness Treadmill comes with a  40″ belt. A 40″ belt is about as small as running belts come. Typically a 40″ belt is best suited to walking, and for anything that requires a larger stride like jogging or running, it’s always better to choose a treadmill with a longer running belt.

However, that’s not to say this machine is restricted to just walking, it has a top speed of 6.2mph, so if you’re under 5’4″, you can use this treadmill for walking and jogging.

Max height for jogging on a 40″ running belt is 5’4″

Max height for walking on a 40″ is around 6’2″

Narrow 14″ Width

Also, the belt is narrow at 14″. It’s one of the narrowest running belts I’ve seen. The problem with narrow running belts is that it’s easy to step off the side of the belt while jogging or running. Narrow belts are okay for walking, but I wouldn’t risk running on a belt this narrow. It’s dangerous.

What’s Scary is There’s No Warranty

First time I’ve reviewed a treadmill with no warranty. I suppose It’s expected at this price point, but really I would have hoped for a one-year parts warranty. Is it a deal killer? No, I don’t think so, not at this price. And anyway, I was quite surprised at the overall quality of this machine as it’s pretty good. This isn’t a super-light treadmill; it weighs close to 60lb, which is impressive, considering how small this treadmill is.

That extra bit of weight is a telling sign they have used quality materials in the build, and that extra bit of weight helps with stability. It doesn’t feel unstable or cheap when exercising on it.

confidence fitness monitor

Basic Easy To Use Monitor

Treadmills with a price tag this low don’t come with advanced monitors. There is no pulse monitoring, no workout programs, or fitness apps. This monitor is basic. But basic is not always a bad thing. Basic monitors are easy to use, they help keep the price of the treadmill down, plus they always track essential workout data such as time, distance, speed, and calories which is all you really need for a walking treadmill.

Also, this treadmill is quiet, which means you can watch TV or listen to music while you exercise without being disturbed by the sound of the machine

Folds For Storage

Because of this treadmill’s small footprint, I’m sure many people won’t need to fold this treadmill. But if you do need to fold it? The folding system is relatively simple; just turn the knob on the side of the frame and pull the handles down, it can be done with a single hand and takes a few seconds.

Do I need a Treadmill Mat?

It’s usually a good idea if you own a lightweight treadmill to purchase a treadmill mat as it will help with stability and stop the treadmill moving around on polished floors. Also, treadmill mats protect your floors from scratches.

Another reason to get hold of a treadmill mat is that they help to absorb a lot of the vibrations from your workouts, especially handy for those who live in apartments.

Sunny Health & Fitness makes the best cheap treadmill mats. Click the link below to view on Amazon.

Small Sunny Health & Fitness Treadmill Mat

Anything I didn’t Like?

There’s not much I didn’t like about the Confidence Treadmill. For $200, I wasn’t expecting much and was pleasantly surprised with what’s on offer. Still, if anything does let this treadmill down, it’s the lack of an incline.

Even though it’s a $200 treadmill, a manual incline isn’t anything special, and they are featured on just about every budget treadmill. An incline feature is so important because walking on an incline burns twice as many calories as walking on a flat surface, and it strengthens and builds your glutes and hamstrings. It’s a feature with many benefits, and shame not to see one here.

However, all is not lost. This treadmill has a natural incline, only 1%, but it’s better than nothing.

5 Minute Assembly

The Confidence Power Plus Treadmill is one of the easiest to-assemble treadmills you can buy, as most of it comes preassembled. All you need to do is unbox, unfold it and attach the monitor.

Maintenance is easy too, keep the belt clean to prevent debris from getting into the motor and lubricate the belt every few months or as per the instructions.

Keep Under The Max Capacity of The Treadmill

And lastly, if you want your motor to last, it’s always best to keep under the max capacity of the treadmill. This treadmill is equipped with a small 600w motor. It’s not powerful enough to cope with heavy loads regularly. To avoid motor burnout, keep under 200lb for a 600w motor.

The Good

Good quality for price point

Compact – designed for small spaces

Tracks all your essential workout data

Folds for easy storage

Lightweight – most people should be able to move this treadmill with ease

Built in transport wheels

Quiet motor, watch TV while you’re exercising without being disturbed by the sound of the machine

The Bad

Only suitable for walking because of the short running belt unless you are under 5’4″

Lacks an incline feature

Monitor LED inst backlit making it hard to read in low light conditions

                                                                                         

Alternative

weslo cadence g 5.9 treadmill side view

Weslo Cadence G 5.9 Treadmill

Spending an extra $100 will get you the Weslo Cadence 5.9 Treadmill. The Weslo is one of the most popular treadmills out there in the budget range. It’s still a treadmill with a fairly small footprint, so it’s suitable for small spaces, but its offers some impressive features for the price point, including a 50″ belt!

The best feature of this budget treadmill is the size of the running belt. Its measures 50″ x 16″, which is excellent for the price. A 50″ belt will allow users up to 6’1″ to jog comfortably. It’s the only treadmill in this price range with a 50-inch belt.

And it’s not just the belt size that is impressive. You also get a manual incline, a decent monitor with workout programs, access to the iFit app, and a top speed of 10MPH.

There’s even a comfort cell deck cushioning system to protect your joints from the impact of each foot strike.

You get a lot for your money with the Weslo treadmill, which is why it’s one of the most popular treadmills on the market. This is a treadmill worth considering if you want something with an affordable treadmill with larger running belt and a better monitor. 

                                                                                         

To Sum Up

The Confidence Fitness Treadmill is the best electric treadmill on the market for around $200. The Confidence Treadmill is well made for the price point and doesn’t feel cheap. Okay, it may not have the build quality nor the power for intense cardio sessions, but that’s not what this treadmill is all about.

It doesn’t pretend to be a heavy-duty machine. It’s lightweight, easy to use, and perfect for those needing a treadmill for light cardio workouts. It’s specially designed for small spaces.

Some people may be disappointed with the running belt size when they receive this machine, but if you want bigger, you have to spend more. A 40″ belt is as big as they come for $200.