Despite New Year's resolutions to get fit, sales of gym memberships are taking a downturn. That doesn't necessarily mean that people aren't exercising. In fact, home workout equipment sales are up, according to Consumer Reports. Their February 2009 issue will feature reviews on fitness products from heart rate monitors to treadmills. Lucky for you, you don't have to pick up the magazine to get a few product recommendations. Consumer Reports tested 40 conventional exercise machines, ranging in price from $200 to $3,300, for exercise range, ergonomics, construction, safety, and more. According to their website, "The pricier machines generally have sturdier designs and more features, but there are bargains that can offer a good workout." Based on their testing and evaluations, Consumer Reports recommends these 6 Best Buys:  The PaceMaster Platinum Pro VR non-folding treadmill, for $2,000 The Epic View 550 folding treadmill, for $1,300 The Sole F63 folding treadmill, for $1,000 The LifeCore Fitness LC985VG elliptical exerciser, for $1,100 The Spirit XBR25 recumbent stationary bike, for $1,200 The Omron HJ-112 pedometer for $30I'm not surprised that machines costing $1,000 or more would be of higher quality than inexpensive models or the too-good-to-be-true products that you see advertised on TV. Is it really a "best buy" to fork over that kind of dough to get fit? While these machines might offer cool features and good construction, I don't think most people are in the market to spend this much—not in this economic climate, at least. I'm still planning to read the full report, which ranks running shoes, smaller pieces of home equipment and, hopefully, some less expensive options. You could always buy a gym membership, which gives you access to far more than a treadmill, for less than $400 a year. And you can get fit for little to no money, too: Here are 25 ways to get in shape for $25 or less. Want to spend $0? Join SparkPeople.com to get all the best fitness tools, videos and workout plans that you can do at home or at the gym for free—now that's a deal! Do you think these "Best Buys" seem like good deals? What fitness products would you like to see reviewed? |
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