With One of These Smart Treadmills, You’ll Never Get Bored of Indoor Running

Treadmills have gotten a pretty bad rap over the years. Often referred to as “dreadmills,” many people think that treads simply can’t compare to walking and running outside. While some trainers are working to make classic treadmills more fun with sequences like the 12-3-30 workout and the now-famous treadmill strut from TikTok, there’s another way to make time on a treadmill anything but boring: Investing in one of the high-tech smart treadmills dominating 2023.

Since a variety of these fancy treads exist, ahead you’ll find the top four, along with pros and cons, key specs, and why they’re absolutely worth splurging for.

Four smart treadmills that make indoor running fun

• Best overall: Bowflex Treadmill 22, $2699
• Most affordable: Pro-Form Pro 9000, $2299
• Best With iFit: NordicTrack Commercial 2450, $2599
• Best splurge: Peloton Tread, $3495

Best overall: Bowflex Treadmill 22 — $2,699.00

The Bowflex Treadmill 22 surpasses all the other high-tech treads on the market for a number of reasons. For starters, it’s the only tread that lets users stream their existing Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and HBO Max accounts, making it hands-down the most entertaining machine to date. Beyond the ability to stream movies and shows, the Bowflex Tread 22 also stands out for its slightly wider running belt (two inches more than competitors), more inclusive weight capacity (up to 400 pounds), and larger decline and incline range (from -5% to 20%, letting you work on those downhill skills, too).

The machine is admittedly expensive (though, it is available for financing), and it requires a $19.99/month JRNY membership to access not only all of the immersive running and strength training content, but streaming capabilities, too. That said, all of the high-tech treads on the market require memberships to access content.

Footprint: 85″ deep x 39.6″ wide x 70″ tall | Screen Size: 22 inches | Speed: 0-12 mph | Incline: -5-20% | Programming: JRNY | Warranty: 15-year frame and motor, 5-year parts, 1-year electronics, 2-year labor

Pros:

• You can stream Netflix, HBO Max, Prime Video, and more
• Space-saving design
• 400-pound weight capacity
• Impressive decline and incline
• Comfort tech deck for a softer landing mid-stride
• Wider running belt

Cons:

• Requires JRNY membership

Most affordable: Pro-Form Pro 9000 — $2,299.00

For a little less money than the Bowflex Treadmill 22, you can snag the Pro-Form Pro 9000, which comes with more perks than just its price. The tread, which is available for financing, is iFit compatible, meaning users can indulge in immersive running and training experiences that essentially bring the expertise of a trainer into the comfort of your own home. That said, the iFit membership costs $39/month for a family plan, $180/year for an individual plan, or $396/year for a yearly family plan. Unfortunately, no individual monthly plans exist.

The only other downside of this tread is the fact that it has a 300-pound capacity, so it might not be accessible for all.

Footprint: 77.3” deep x 35.3” wide x 59.6” tall | Screen Size: 22 inches | Speed: 0-12 mph | Incline: -3-12% | Programming: iFit | Warranty: 10-year frame, 2-year parts, 1-year labor

Pros:

• Slightly more affordable than other high-tech treads on the market
• iFit compatible; comes with 30-day free trial
• Space-saving design
• Available for financing

Cons:

• 300-pound weight capacity
• The screen shakes slightly while in motion
• No streaming available
• Requires iFit membership after trial is up

Best with iFit: NordicTrack Commercial 2450 — $2,599.00

Originally $2999, on sale for $2599 at Best Buy

The NordicTrack Commercial 2450 is beloved for its sleek design, pivoting screen, and impressive iFit programming (though, like the Pro-Form Pro 9000, it requires a membership to access). The screen can move up and down as well as fully to the left or right, so you can see it from the belt, or any other parts of the room, which comes in handy if you’re doing an iFit-led floor workout. Additionally, the machine features a padded tread that makes landing more comfortable, so you’ll be less likely to develop shin splints while tracking miles on this bad boy.

Footprint: 78.5” deep x 35.6” wide x 65” tall | Screen Size: 22 inches | Speed: 0-12 mph | Incline: -3-12% | Programming: iFit | Warranty: 10-year frame, 2-year parts, 1-year labor

Pros:

• Screen pivots for easy viewing
• iFit compatible; comes with 30-day free trial
• Space-saving design

Cons:

• 300-pound weight capacity
• Console is sleeker but has less storage
• Requires iFit membership after trial is up

Best splurge: Peloton Tread — $3,495.00

The Peloton Tread has earned tons of praise on TikTok, with over 2.6 billion views of the subject. Like all the other treads on this list, the Peloton Tread requires a membership to access, though it’s more expensive at $44/month. Still, folks love it thanks to the many, many live studio classes they can access from its large, 23.8-inch screen (the largest of all the high-tech treads on this list). Additionally, the Peloton Tread has a nifty code feature that allows users to lock it after use. While this has earned mixed reviews, it’s actually a pretty great safety feature for households with kids and pets, for instance. Last but not least, the Peloton Tread is the smallest of all the high-tech treads (though, not by much: The belt is just an inch shorter than the others on this list).

Footprint: 68” deep x 33” wide x 62” tall | Screen Size: 23.8 inches | Speed: 0-12.5 mph | Incline: 0-12.5% | Programming: Peloton | Warranty: 5-year frame, 1-year touchscreen and parts, 3-year motor and belt

Pros:

• Largest screen of all the treads on this list
• Access to thousands of live classes
• Smaller footprint overall
• Can lock it with a code

Cons:

• Limited warranty
• No decline
• 300-pound weight capacity
• Need a Peloton membership to access all capabilities