Sunny Health & Fitness SF-E3865 Elliptical Review

Sunny is a leading excise equipment importer who sources equipment from China and Taiwan. They have a good reputation and are very competitive with their prices.

This company has been in the business for over 18 years and has built up a substantial range of products, many of which are offered through Amazon. Enough said about the company; it’s time to go on to the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-E3865 Elliptical Review.

Solid Elliptical – Inlcudes Heavy 44lb Flywheel

I suppose if I had to describe this elliptical machine in one word, it would have to be “Sturdy.” The 44lb flywheel ensures a smooth, solid feel, and together with the floor stabilizers, which allows you to adjust the height of each foot individually, you get a feeling of stability even on the most uneven floor.

No more worries about the machine rocking or tilts. Even users weighing in at 265 lbs can enjoy this machine with confidence.

Why Do We Like The Sunny Health SF-E3865  Elliptical Machine?

The most impressive feature of this machine, in my opinion, is the relative silence of the resistance system.

Magnetic resistance is whisper quiet when in motion, which is excellent for those that enjoy watching the tv while exercising also you can exercise without disturbing everyone in the house with your noisy machine.

The quiet mechanism, smooth running, and solid feel make exercising on this machine an excellent comfortable experience.

Assembly

The assembly is surprisingly easy, and as long as you follow the instructions supplied, then you should have no trouble.

Stride Length

The Stride Length is the distance between the toe of the front-pedal and the heel of the back-pedal when at their widest point.

Stride length is one of the key metrics of any elliptical trainer and something you should definitely look into when you are purchasing one for your home gym.

If you want to feel comfortable while exercising on your machine, you need to choose one that will be suitable for your body size. When it comes to stride length, you should consider your height.

This machine’s stride length is impressive at 20″ and suitable for users up to 6’1 tall. Those of you who are taller than that should consider purchasing a machine with a wider stride length.

A 20″ stride length is usually the stride length that is used on machines in your local gyms, so if you are used to one of those and found that they suit you, then it is safe to say this one will suit you as well.

Click here to check price of Sunny Health SF-E3865 on Amazon

16 Levels of Magnetic Resistance

This is pretty standard among machines in this range. Virtually all had 16 levels of resistance on offer.

Monitor/ Control Console

I particularly liked the monitor, which keeps track of rpm, distance, speed, odometer, watts, and calories. It uses a backlit LCD.

There are seven workout modes and 12 preloaded workout programs. The device holder is particularly useful for showing your favorite workout videos as well. Of course, you are also able to set the machine to manual mode and set each of the variables to your own preferred setting instead of relying on the presets.

Comfort

An often neglected part of choosing an elliptical is that of comfort. Are the pedals comfortable, and do they feel secure? Can you comfortably watch entertainment or workout videos on your tablet without your posture being changed? Can you reach and replace your drink into its holder easily?

The answer to all of the questions above is yes.

These may seem like small things, but if you are comfortable and feeling secure, you will enjoy the workout more than if you can not do these things without a struggle. This, in turn, would discourage you from spending as much time on your machine.

 Two Sets of Handle Bars

There is a choice of two sets of handlebars. On the fixed set of handlebars, there is the pulse sensor, which allows you to monitor the intensity of your routine.

Together with the computer-controlled magnetic resistance, the unit ensures that your exercise is kept within your normal heart rate range that will meet your exercise goals.

The top full-motion arm exercisers extend your exercise to the upper body and work out your chest, arms, back, and shoulders. It is truly a full-body workout and is ideal for keeping fit at home.

To Sum Up

Most people when they buy a piece of home gym equipment will have already used the professional models at the gym. Sometimes switching to another manufacturer that is sold at a lower price can feel like you are on a totally different piece of equipment that rocks, rattles, and just feels a little lightweight.

The Sunny Health & Fitness SF-E3865 Elliptical does not have that feeling. It comes over as a solid, quiet, and stable piece of kit that is (at least in the terms of its feel) as good as the gym.

I have previously written reviews of Sunny’s SF-E3912 and the Schwinn A40 and declared them to be the best option in terms of price, build-quality, and features, Now I am thinking that if you try this long stride and find it works for you that the SF-E3865 might also be worth consideration.