Elliptical Trainer Reviews

Horizon Fitness EX-57 Elliptical Trainer

Welcome to the Elliptical Trainer Reviews website. We feature real reviews and feedback from actual customers which allows you to make an informed buying decision.

Search our top picks and latest reviews on the left or at the bottom of each page you'll find a link to the sitemap for easy navigation and to view the rest of the Elliptical Trainer Reviews and Ratings. Please browse the website and enjoy.

User Reviews Send this to a friend

Horizon Fitness EX-57 Elliptical Trainer

Manufacturer: Horizon Fitness
Customer Rating:
List Price: $899.00
Sale Price: $540.00
Availibility: Usually ships in 24 hours
Free Shipping Available
Buy Now

Product Description

Bring the gym into your home and enjoy an efficient, high-caliber workout with the Horizon EX-57 elliptical trainer, which works your legs as well as your upper body. Perfect for rigorous training routines, the EX-57 offers an eight-level electronic resistance system, along with a heavy 14-pound flywheel that maintains pedal and arm momentum while offering a smooth, quiet operation. More significantly from a user perspective, it offers nine goal-oriented programs. You can choose one of three different goals (time, distance, and calories) and one of three terrains (manual, reverse train, and hills). The crisp LCD screen, meanwhile, offers key workout feedback, helping you develop an effective training regimen.

Horizon employs a heavy-duty flywheel that provides continuous velocity, so as your feet move the pedals, the flywheel's momentum carries you through the complete motion. As a result, the trainer feels very natural and not at all choppy. Plus, the flywheel is extremely quiet, making the trainer ideal for home use. Horizon also applies a magnetic brake to the flywheel, creating more consistent resistance during a workout. And the instep-stacked flywheel design--where the flywheel sits above the pedals rather than in line with them--delivers a lower step-on height for easy access, along with a stride length that's longer, more natural, and more versatile regardless of the user, workout type, and fitness level. As an added benefit, the unit is smaller and shorter than other ellipticals, so it fits in almost any room, including low-ceiling basements.

Horizon's Ergoflow elliptical geometry is built around your body, not the machine's components. The distance between the pedals have also been narrowed to create a more natural walking motion, and the pivoting footpad imitates how your foot's position changes as you move forward. And a more natural, ergonomic movement means less stress on your knees, hips, and lowers back, so you enjoy longer workouts and faster results.

Elliptical Trainer Features:

Resistance: Electronic
Resistance range: 1 to 8 resistance levels
Flywheel: 14.3-pound flywheel for fluid, quiet motion
Step-on height: 9.8 inches
Stride length: 18 inches
Pedal spacing: 2.8 inches
Screen: Non-backlit LCD (2.4 x 4.8 inches)
Programs: 9
Program type: Choose 1 of 3 different goals (time, distance, calories) and 1 of 3 terrains (manual, reverse train, and hills)
Weight capacity: 275 pounds
Dimensions: 29 x 67 x 55 inches (W x H x D)
Weight: 163 pounds
Warranties: Lifetime on frame; 20 years on brake; 1 year on parts and labor

About Elliptical Trainers
Elliptical trainers represent the next wave of advancement in low-impact cardiovascular exercise machines and continue to grow in popularity. By simulating motions experienced through walking, stepping, cycling, and skiing, elliptical machines allow for a smooth and fluid motion while building strength in the arms and legs. Similar to the exercise position for treadmills, elliptical trainers are used by standing in an upright position while holding the handrails of the machine. With elliptical trainers, however, your feet remain in the foot pedals throughout the exercise regimen and circulate in a smooth and seamless motion, resulting in little to no impact on the knees, back, and hips.

Elliptical trainers are compatible for all ages and fitness levels and allow you to select the difficulty level through the incline and intensity settings. Additionally, elliptical trainers allow you to determine the complexity of your workout based on your needs, all while listening to music, watching television, or reading a magazine while exercising in the comfort and safety of your own home.

Many elliptical trainers include an array of challenging programs, forward and reverse directional movement, EKG grip pulse handles, a lightweight portable design with easy fold-up capability, and a monitor displaying calories burned, distance, speed, time, and heart rate. Other types of exercise machines, namely treadmills and bikes, offer excellent cardiovascular exercise and muscular training for the legs in a forward-motion exercise. Elliptical trainers take this to the next level by offering an upper and lower body workout with dual motion, challenging and diverse programs, and a low-impact exercise machine that won't strain sensitive joints.

About Horizon Fitness
Horizon is part of Johnson Health Tech, one of the largest manufacturers of fitness equipment in the world. The company is committed to designing, engineering, and manufacturing superior products for health clubs and homes. Horizon's manufacturing facilities rank among the most sophisticated in the industry, with an intricate mix of robotics and skilled workers that maintain the highest standards of accuracy and quality. Every stage of manufacturing undergoes a testing phase, and 10 percent of Horizon's products go through a rigorous quality inspection that includes completely taking them apart and reassembling them.

Product Details

Elliptical trainer with 8 electronic resistance levels and heavy-duty 14.3-pound flywheel
9 goal-based program options; extra-low 9.1-inch step-on height
Non-backlit LCD display; 18-inch stride length; 275-pound capacity
Efficient flywheel maintains pedal and arm momentum while offering smooth, quiet operation
Measures 29 x 67 x 55 inches (W x H x D); 20-year warranty on brake

Video Reviews

No video reviews found for this product.

Customer Reviews

Gym Quality Workout on a Solid Machine!

Review Date: September 30, 2009

Reviewer: R. Godfrey, Alabama

Horizon EX-57 Review:

After a lot of research (I narrowed my decision down to the EX-57 and the Schwinn 430), I decided on the Horizon because of the warranty. Plus, I was able to try the machine out beforehand at my local Sears. I knew I wanted a front fly-wheel, since the ellipticals I've tried with rear flywheels feel wobbly. Both the Schwinn 430 and Horizon EX-57 have excellent reviews online, but the Horizon offers one year of labor versus Schwinn's 90 days, and the machine was actually a little less expensive.

Delivery:
I elected for Free Super Saver Shipping. Two business days after ordering, I received a call from the shipping company, ABF. A very polite man made a delivery appointment with me for the following week. My item arrived just five business days after ordering. On the day of delivery, ABF called to say they were in the neighborhood and would be arriving in 15-20 minutes. The delivery guy was very polite and friendly, and he carried the box inside to my living room floor. The box itself was in good condition, only a little dirty with some slight gouges in the top layer of cardboard, nothing that alarmed.

Since we have a townhouse apartment and the elliptical was going upstairs, we opened the box downstairs and carried the parts upstairs. All were in excellent cosmetic condition. We had already purchased a gym mat from Kmart at a great price - less than thirty dollars.

Assembly:
There were three or four small bags of parts that were full of grease. Keep that in mind. You will want to have some paper towels or rags handy. We just used one of the larger pieces of packing styrofoam as a tray for all the greasy parts. I even added a little WD-40 to a few of the bolts and washers during assembly, to ward off squeaks. We took inventory and there was one missing part - the "console mast boot" - a small rubber ring that goes over the opening where the mast enters the flywheel. This part would not otherwise interfere with us putting the machine together, so we continued with installation. (**More about the process of getting this part from Horizon below**). It took my mildly handy husband and me one and a half hours to assemble the elliptical, and we moved at a comfortable pace, carefully reading the directions. I had borrowed a ratchet set from a friend, but we did not need any tools other than those provided by Horizon. It was very simple to assemble.

**We could technically do without the console mast boot, but there's no way I'm letting that go, since this machine cost a small fortune for us. I called Horizon about the missing part and got an automatic response system that told me to leave a message. Next day, I got a call-back as an unknown number and screened it (mistake). I had to leave another message and did not hear back from them until the following day. However, the Horizon representative was polite and helpful and, after registering my product for me over the phone, he put in the order for the part and offered to have tracking information emailed to me. A couple of days later, I got the email with UPS tracking information for my missing part. It arrived less than one week after the elliptical. I snapped it on without having to rearrange any other parts.

Usage:
My husband is 6' tall and I am 5'2", so a comfortable stride, comfortable distance to the handle bars, and plenty of head clearance was crucial for both of us, since we have to share one machine. Our ceiling is 8', and we had to push the elliptical close to a wall instead of in the center of the room, since my husband's head was too close to the blades of the ceiling fan. I find the stride and handle bar distance perfectly comfortable. My husband said that the stride could be a little longer for him, but he is not uncomfortable on the machine. He did say, however, that someone much taller than 6'2" would probably be a little uncomfortable with the length of the stride.

The EX-57 is very quiet during use. I am able to listen to music at a normal volume, and it doesn't bother my husband in another room or downstairs. There are some small, inoffensive noises now and then, but think about this: the flywheel operates almost completely silent. If you have greased the bolts and all the parts have been tightened to the right level, then the machine won't give off any ambient noise that might drown out the occasional click of a pedal or other small sound. After having worked out on my friend's expensive Cybex, I've learned that most machines make a sound or two now and then.

Since I am a beginner at regular exercise, I started at level 1 resistance, and good thing. I was whipped after 25 minutes. My resistance will undoubtedly increase with regular use, but the EX-57 is at a stronger base resistance than some other machines I've used, including the aforementioned Cybex. So, I would counsel beginners not to get too excited about resistance levels right off the bat. Veteran gym folks should be pleased with the levels of resistance offered too.

The heart monitor may or may not be accurate. It is not so important to us. I am of a mind that most of these machines are off when it comes to that, even at the gym. If heart rate is important to you, I recommend getting a separate monitor.

The screen reads fine in indoor lighting; no worries about it not being backlit.

The cup holder is too low to be convenient while working out. You would have to slow or stop first. I just use a nearby table top.

Final Notes:
In another review, someone commented about cheap looking plastic parts, so I was on the lookout for this. After getting it all set up and using it a few times, I really think the machine looks nice, and I have no complaints about the plastic panels and pieces.

After a month of near daily use by two people, we could not be happier with our Horizon EX-57. Everyone needs to do their own research to find the right fit, but I highly recommend this elliptical.

Good for a tough workout in your own house.

Review Date: March 22, 2009

Reviewer: B. Evans, Texas

I was debating between the Schwinn 430 and the Horizon EX-57 - what really pushed me over was the warranty on the Horizon 1 year vs the 90 day Schwinn warranty.

I'm very happy with my decision and have had my EX-57 for around a month now. Delivery was fast and the driver, was professional and alerted me to a potential problem due to a torn box. Luckily nothing was wrong with the unit and I was able to put the unit together in around 2 hours. I did use ALOT of greasePermatex 81981 White Lithium Grease, 16 oz Aerosol canthat left a strange smell in the living room for around 48 hours, but I'm glad I did because there are no squeaks or any noises (and I've worked this thing out hard.)

I did have some trouble putting the hand rails on the right side (even though they were labeled correctly Left/Right) and thus the hand rails were way too far away for me. After fixing that I've been able to work out whenever I want.

I highly recommend this product to anyone looking for an elliptical and since the EX57 wasn't found at any places here in town, I tried out another Horizon elliptical in the same price point and think the quality is spot on. This machine feels gym quality.

One last thing is that this elliptical is very nice and the footprint is very small - so the machine takes up less room than I would have imagined.

Great machine at a great price

Review Date: June 25, 2009

Reviewer: Juniorverse1,

I love this machine so far, especially for the price. I've actually become quite addicted to using it!

First off, the box is BIG and HEAVY, so plan on two people carrying it and taking out the largest piece. Assembly wasn't difficult, it just took some time. All parts were clearly labeled and the instructions were well-written.

The ride is smooth, and it's not too loud at all. I was actually quite pleased at how quiet it was.

The computer works well, although the contrast seems to be a bit off as it could be easier to read than it is. Also, I'm not sure if the heart rate monitor is working all that well, as others have reported. It seemed to work great the first day, but now I suspect that it is reading too low.

This machine allows you to freestyle, selecting your own resistance as you go along or you can set up goals like TIME, CALORIES, or DISTANCE. You select how much time you want to spend on the machine, how many calories you want to burn, or how far you want to "travel" then you select whether you'd like to manually set the resistance as you go along or you can select the "hills" option which will automatically change the resistance every minute. You can also adjust the terrain higher or lower as you're using the "hills" option if you want to slow things down or pick up the pace. There is also a "reverse train" option, which allows you to pedal in reverse and the computer will still track stats like distance correctly. The reverse train option automatically switches between forward and reverse and at different terrain levels so the workout is constantly changing.

The manual also gives helpful tips on maximizing workouts depending on your goals, whether it be weight loss, improved body shape and tone, increased energy, or improved sports performance or cardiovascular endurance.

The machine has wheels on the front of it, so you can lift it from the rear and transport it more easily. But it's still difficult to maneuver around because the wheels only go straight, so you have to do a lot of pushing forward and backing up if you're moving it out of a straight line.

All-in-all, I'm very happy with this machine. I especially like the 1 year electronics and parts and the 1 year labor warranty. This machine is a great deal.

What a beast

Review Date: April 10, 2010

Reviewer: 13 Ways And Counting, Omaha, Ne

Let me give you some specs on me first:

Age 26 Weight 260 Height 6ft 1in

I have struggled with being fat then fit then fat then fit etc etc. I've had a desk job now for the last 5 years. I'm the biggest I've ever been at the time of writing of this. I have a gym membership and go with a buddy a couple of times a week tops. I now have a new baby so my free time to work out in the past two months has dropped and waist line expanded.

My fiance and I decided it was time to invest in an eliptical for the both of us to slim down. I believe this will do the trick.

Due to my height and weight - obviously I'm not a little guy - I thought a home fitness machine would be something I would break or feel uncomfortable on. I've tried a Nordictrack before and frankly I don't know who feels good after getting off of one those wooden disasterpieces. Not the case here. This machine easily accomidates me and doesn't feel tiny. I don't feel like I'll break it; more like it might break me :) My fiance has stated issue with not being able to reach the handle bars easily but she's short and should have considered that when we were looking at specs - make sure you do too. If you wanted to do a "dry fit" most Sear's locations carry these in stock. Step on and try it out but buy it on Amazon, you will not be able to beat the price.

The machine has a number of programs but I go manual for now. The timer is certainly a nice function but what machine wouldn't have that? The interface is smooth and you won't need to bother looking at the book to figure out how to work the electronics. On it's lowest resistance setting it feels higher/more difficult than one you find at say 24 hour fitness on one of their Lifetime branded machines. Not a big deal but be prepared for an adjustment period of sorts. You will not be able to knockout 30 minutes. After 3 minutes you'll be feeling the burn as they say. I would typically go 30 minutes a session at the gym and I'm up to 20 minutes a session on this machine now.

Assembly had a few pain points mainly because I should have had another person helping me but it only took around an hour. You will want a second set of hands when assembling the peddles. There are some washer-grease-peg moves that left me swearing under my breath at the parts.

I live in a 2 bedroom apartment and this is currently in my dining room... on the way to fridge :) It's nice and quiet. The keyboard I'm typing on makes more noise than this thing. Honestly it's perfect for an apartment setting. You will not disturb your neighbors or a sleeping baby. Most apartments have eliptical machines in their fitness areas but I swear only the smallest women can fit on those and they always feel like cheap and flimsy junk.

So far I've had this for about 2 weeks and can't complain. The quality is reflected in the price. It's not quite gym quality but is VERY close. This is no cheap piece of junk and a worthy investment if you're trying to shed some pounds. I did shop this around and Amazon is cheaper than any website or retail store in my area. I would stress to find one locally to make sure it fits your stride and height. Ranty review of sorts but you get the point.

Buy one.

GREAT

Review Date: September 12, 2009

Reviewer: bookscdsdvdsandcoolstuff, USA

For the price, this is an EXCELLENT elliptical.

It delivers health club quality and construction at an affordable price. It will require assembly when it arrives (by freight) and you will need to transport the heavy box from the curb to your house.

The instructions however are excellent, the unit is very well constructed, and it goes together easily. We have had it now for several months and have been using it and are very pleased by how it works.

This was an excellent purchase.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Comments are closed.