Previously when I thought about “treadmill”, the images that came to my mind were always the electric or motorized treadmills that we often see plenty of at the gyms. A fan of outdoor running myself, I’m not really fond of running on a treadmill. That is until I heard about manual treadmills, started researching them, and saw their benefits.
If you are a bit lost while looking for the best manual treadmills to use at home, then you’ve come to the right place. I have done thorough research and have come up with the 5 best manual treadmills that I think are most suitable for home use. Each one is the best in their category.
But first let’s dive into what you need to know before you make your purchase decision.
What is a manual treadmill?
A typical treadmill that most people know is the type of motorized treadmill that uses an electric power source to roll the tread belt for people to walk or run on. You can adjust the rolling speed of the treadmill to fit your ability, or even adjust the steepness of the surface to increase difficulty. More expensive models come with training programs already installed or even a touch screen like on a tablet so that trainers can keep themselves entertained while using the machine.
A manual treadmill is basically a treadmill without an electric motor. It uses your own speed as the power source to roll the tread belt. It may still use a battery and have a monitor for speed or heart rate tracking, but it does not require electricity to run.
Manual treadmills vs motorized treadmills
To see if a manual treadmill is suitable for you, let’s compare it with motorized treadmills. After all, a manual treadmill might not be the right fit for everyone.
| Motorized treadmills | Manual treadmills | |
|---|---|---|
| Features | More features: pre-built training programs, steepness adjustment (incline/decline), connect with fitness app | Less features: often no preset programs or incline adjustment |
| Flexibility | Less flexibility due to reliance to electricity and also often heavier | More flexibility: do not require electricity, and less heavy |
| Cost | Higher cost | Lower cost |
| Energy burn* | Burn less energy | Burn more energy |
*A motorized treadmill might be more effective for beginners when using a proper preset workout program, compared to a manual treadmill when they do the workout at their own pace. However, for intermediate or advanced trainers, a manual treadmill is proven to be more effective at burning calories.
Types of manual treadmills
There are two main types of manual treadmills categorized by sled type: flat sled and curved sled. These two are very easy to tell apart since the designs are quite different. You will have no hard time differentiating them from each other based on their looks.
However, they are not only different in looks. Each has their own characteristics and may fit different use-case scenarios depending on your training purpose.
Flat sled
This type of manual treadmill has a flat sled surface and tends to be a bit smaller than the curved one. Since manual treadmills basically use gravity (your own weight) to power the rolling of the sled, the flat sled has to be inclined for the motion to work.
There are many electrical treadmills that look almost identical to the flat manual treadmills, so it would be easy to mistake the two. If you see a treadmill with a flat sled surface that is horizontal (not inclined), then it is definitely motorized, not manual.
This type of manual treadmill works best for walking, but you can run and sprint on it without any trouble. Also, since they are incline, it is suitable for mountain climb training as well.
One advantage of flat sled treadmills over curved ones is their mobility and their price. They are smaller, lighter, and most of them are foldable, which makes them very mobile and handy for home use and even office use where there is little space. And since they use less material to make them, they are less costly compared to curved sled treadmills, making them a good fit for beginners.
Curved sled
As the name suggests, this type of manual treadmill has a curved (convex) sled surface. This ignores the need for an incline surface, since the curvature of the sled already makes variations of angles by itself, allowing users to create the rolling motion naturally.
This type of manual treadmill has a very distinct look, and you will have no hard time telling them apart from other types of treadmills.
The curved sled treadmills tend to be bigger and heavier than the flat ones. They are most suitable for running and sprinting, and also for high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Generally, you have more control over your own speed on this machine compared to the flat sled treadmills. You can definitely use the curved sled just for walking, but that would be a waste of its full potential.
Since they are heavier and require more material to make, the curved sled treadmills are less mobile and more costly than the flat sled treadmills. Also, they are better fitted with experienced trainers.
Best manual treadmills to buy in 2024
1. SB Fitness Equipment CT700
- Type: Curved
- Material: Rubber
- Weight: 308 lbs
- Dimensions (LxWxH): 76 x 34 x 62 inches
- Maximum capacity: 475 lbs
This is the best overall manual treadmill that is worth every penny. If you’re an intermediate- or advanced-level runner, this is for you.
It’s gonna take every effort you can give, both mentally and physically, if you want to go toe-to-toe with this treadmill. With 8 levels of resistance, it is going to challenge you in every way you can imagine and even in ways you cannot. The only limitations this treadmill has are yours. If you want to get faster, stronger, and in the best shape of your life, you’ll need a machine that will constantly adapt to your very best and be able to push you no matter how good you are or how much better you become.
It’s very easy to see your max speed while you’re running. When you stop it goes back to zero and after 4 minutes turns off to conserve the battery.
This treadmill is probably the best value for the money, the options, functions, warranty, customer service, and outcome for what you can use it for when compared to other machines of this type on the market.
Pros:
- 8 levels of resistance
- Safe and spacious running area
- Very durable
- Great customer service
- Good value for money
Cons:
- Speed unit is miles per hour only
2. RUNOW Curved Treadmill
- Type: Curved
- Material: Alloy Steel
- Weight: 287 lbs
- Dimensions (LxWxH): 67 x 62 x 32 inches
- Maximum capacity: 330 lbs
This treadmill stands out for having the most features. It’s a multi-functional machine that fits for both commercial and home running.
This treadmill is equipped with a 5” mini LCD screen that tracks your time, distance, calories, energy consumption, speed, pace, and load, which helps you record important data during exercise. There are also custom functions to help you achieve your sports goals.
It is very suitable for sprinting, jogging, sprinting, and HIIT training; it has two easy-to-move transport wheels, the side of the armrest has a cup holder and four-speed manual resistance adjustment, which perfectly adapts to your fitness plan. The four resistance adjustment modes are: Free Running, Race Walking, Flat Side Stride, and Sprint Training.
Pros:
- Multi-functional
- Anti-skid & shock absorption
- Multifunctional wrap-around grip
- 4 levels of resistance
Cons:
- Price is a bit high
3. Sunny Health & Fitness Asuna Manual Treadmill
- Type: Flat
- Material: Aluminum
- Weight: 167 lbs
- Dimensions (LxWxH): 27.5 x 30.5 x 57 inches
- Maximum capacity: 440 lbs
This flat sled manual treadmill is one of the best treadmill for sprinting.
Despite being pretty light weight, this machine is actually heavy duty. Heavy-duty frame made with high-grade steel and a maximum weight capacity of 440 pounds. Handlebars are sweat- and slip-resistant coated for a secure grip. The soft drop hydraulic mechanism assures safe, hands free unfolding. No longer will you fear scuffing your floors when dropping your treadmill’s base. Fold your treadmill for storage and unfold your treadmill when it’s time to work out.
It has 8 adjustable levels of resistance, and incline positions from 6 to 10 degrees. If you are a hardcore sprinter, you should set it to maximum or so incline level, otherwise you can only really walk. The amount of resistance is good even at the easiest settings though.
Pros:
- Incline: 6 – 10 degrees
- 8 Levels of Resistance
- Soft drop system
- Comes with lube
Cons:
- Unless the incline is set you can’t really run
- The tension on the treadmill belt is a bit too tight
4. SB Fitness Equipment CT400
- Type: Curved
- Material: Alloy Steel
- Weight: 145 lbs
- Dimensions (LxWxH): 72 x 31 x 62 inches
- Maximum capacity: 375 lbs
This manual treadmill is very effective for HIIT training.
As the manufacturer claims, it has the best shock absorption you will find on a treadmill. Ultra-thin, flexible track slats absorb shock the best, putting less stress on joints and getting muscles to work harder. This makes workouts more intense and burns more calories per minute.
If you are someone looking to get moving again but are worried about the impact on your joints, this would be the perfect product to help you do so. The running track does not have rubber grips on it like other curved treadmills, but after using it there’s no difference between one with a rubber track and one without.
The track has really good resistance with the ability to increase the resistance if needed. Some curved treadmills are really loose which makes it tough for someone who is needing it for simply walking and moving again; this product does not have that problem.
Pros:
- Best shock absorption
- Quiet
- No maintenance required
Cons:
- Calorie counter is not very accurate
5. Fitness Reality TR1000
- Type: Flat
- Material: Cast iron
- Weight: 24.5 kg
- Dimensions (LxWxH): 47 x 23 x 51 inches
- Maximum capacity: 230 lbs
This is the most affordable manual treadmill in this list, and with good reason. It’s only suitable for walking. If your sole purpose is walking, this is the best one.
Being as simple as it is, it has an LCD display featuring elapsed time, distance walked, calories burned, speed, and scan. It also has two incline levels of 6 and 10 degrees.
This is definitely not the same as the big treadmills at the health club, but neither is it advertised as such. It doesn’t take up much space, and can be folded up easily for storage and can be moved with included transportation wheels. You can get a decent little workout from using it. Maybe not if you’re a Boston Marathon participant, but if you just want to keep the muffin top away and be able to get in some cardio in the middle of winter when it’s sixteen below.
Pros:
- Easy to assemble
- Very sturdy
Cons:
- Not ideal for running
- Make some noise
Summary
- Best overall: SB Fitness Equipment CT700
- Most features: RUNOW Curved Treadmill
- Best for sprinting: Sunny Health & Fitness Asuna Manual Treadmill
- Best for HIIT: SB Fitness Equipment CT400
- Best for walking: Fitness Reality TR1000
In case you have some joint problems or simply want to try other methods of cardio, you might want to consider taking a look at reflex bags, which focus more on your upper body movements, or try some cardio machines.
Or, if you’re really short on budget but still want to lose some weights, check out these most effective weight loss excercises that you can do at home.
