An elliptical machine is a simple method to get good exercise at home without having to pay for a monthly gym membership or wait in line at the fitness facility. An elliptical is a versatile piece of cardio equipment that provides a completely different workout than a treadmill. An elliptical machine can help to relieve tension and strain on your legs and knees. You may obtain a low-impact, whole-body workout by using the handles, which is akin to natural walking action.

To spare you the time and effort of browsing through hundreds of models and reading many more elliptical reviews, I compared and tested machines at home. Here are our top selections for the best elliptical to help you get the most out of your workout. Keep in mind that certain elliptical companies may not currently provide white-glove delivery, so fitness fanatics may have to assemble these machines themselves (like I did).

14.9 NordicTrack Commercial

With a customizable stride length, a 14-inch color touchscreen, huge cushioned pedals, auto-adjustment capabilities, and Bluetooth connectivity, the NordicTrack Commercial 14.9 has it all. This elliptical machine boasts one of the biggest flywheels on the market, weighing 32 pounds. When you combine that with magnetic resistance, you have a machine that is remarkably quiet and moves smoothly.

One of the features that sets this machine apart is its integration with iFit, an immersive training experience that provides you access to professional personal trainers and planned, guided exercises to help you reach your fitness goals. When you pick an iFit exercise, you’ll be guided through terrain in countries like Chile and the Canary Islands by an elliptical trainer, which will automatically alter the inclination and resistance on your machine as you go. It was even better and more realistic with the 14-inch touchscreen.

With the NordicTrack Commercial 14.9, you receive a year of iFit for free, after which it’s $15 per month for an individual plan or $39 per month for a family plan. You may still run the machine manually if you don’t want to use iFit, but the iFit experience elevates this elliptical trainer to new heights.

The only significant drawback to this machine is its size. Because it was developed for commercial gym use, this workout machine takes up a lot of room in a home gym, both horizontally and vertically. It’s not only the largest horizontally, but it’s also the tallest, so even at normal height, I felt like my head was very close to the ceiling when I stood on it. If you want all of the features of the 14.9 but want something a little smaller (and a little less costly), the NordicTrack Commercial 12.9 is essentially identical to the 14.9 but in a more compact form. It does have a smaller screen and a little lighter flywheel.

Carbon HIIT H7 by ProForm – Best Elliptical without Subscription

The size of a standard elliptical machine is one of the main deterrents to buying one. There are several tiny ellipticals available, but in general, performance must be sacrificed for compactness. However, this is not the case with the ProForm Carbon HIIT H7. Unlike other ellipticals that take up a lot of horizontal room in your home gym, the Carbon HIIT H7 features a vertical design that makes it look more like a stair stepper than an elliptical machine.

It takes up roughly half the area of a normal ellipse because of its design. However, it isn’t just about gym equipment space. The 10-inch vertical and 5-inch horizontal elliptical paths were purposefully mixed to provide a more intense exercise and increased calorie burn. The stride was distinct from that of a regular elliptical machine, but when I used it, my legs felt like they were on fire in all the greatest ways. It was notably noticeable on my glutes and the backs of my thighs, which are similar to the areas targeted by a stair climber. However, because your foot never leaves the foot pedal, it’s still a low-impact exercise that puts less stress on your body than stair climbing or other aerobic exercises.

Another feature that sets this elliptical machine apart from the competition is its silent operation. This elliptical was far less loud than some of the other higher-end ellipticals. That’s because it features Silent Magnetic Resistance, or SMR, a patented kind of resistance that’s smoother and quieter than air resistance. Even at high speeds on the cardio machine, it was quite stable, with no swaying or wobbling.

Because ProForm, like NordicTrack, is owned by Icon Health & Fitness, this machine comes with iFit, which is another significant positive, as it allows you to be coached through your exercise by a professional elliptical trainer. The iFit experience was also hyper-realistic and easy to navigate thanks to the console’s seven-inch HD display.

One of the things that worried me about the ProForm Carbon HIIT H7 was the lack of a tablet holder. This isn’t a big thing if you’re using iFit because you’re probably not paying attention to your tablet anyway, but I thought it would be a nice touch for people who have other exercise subscriptions. I was also annoyed by the lack of a power button. The machine has an auto shut-off feature, according to the handbook, however, it never worked for me. When I wasn’t using it, I had to unplug it to turn it off, which was annoying for a high-end system.

Teeter FreeStep LT3 Elliptical and Recumbent Cross Trainer – Best subscription-free Elliptical

Despite the fact that ellipticals are one of the lowest-impact cardio equipment, they might be too much for anyone suffering from joint discomfort, healing injuries, or mobility concerns. The Teeter FreeStep LT3 Recumbent Cross Trainer and Elliptical can help with that. Because of its recumbent — or sitting and reclined — posture, the Teeter FreeStep decreases tension on your joints and relieves the weight on your back, allowing you to enjoy a fantastic exercise without being overly fatigued.

It’s not only easy on the joints, but it’s also quite simple to use. The console is the easiest to use of the group, so you don’t need to be a tech whiz to get it up and running. You can shift between time, distance, speed, and calories by pressing one button. There’s also an adjustable knob just under the seat that allows you to vary your sitting posture and adjust the angle of the seat for a more personalized position.

One word of caution: this machine makes it simpler to call it in than others. Because you’re sitting rather than standing, it’s tempting to lean back and put in the bare minimum of effort to cross “work out” off your to-do list, but if you keep that in mind and maintain the adjustable resistance as high as possible, you’ll get a fantastic workout with practically no effect.