Treadmills are a great investment and provide a convenient way to get a workout in the comfort and safety of your home no matter what the weather condition.

Many find that having this convenience is a great way to motivate themselves to maintain an active lifestyle - what can be a better investment than your own health! 

Plus, treadmills are much easier on sensitive joints like the knees and hips, and make a great tool for people who are prone to injury or recovering from one.

Major Differences Between the "Budget" & $1000 Treadmills

However, I have found that the $700-$1000 budget range will afford you a quality treadmill with a larger motor (usually 2.7HP or higher), powered incline with higher incline percentages, higher speeds available, a larger running area, a longer warranty, many more entertainment features, and an overall more sturdy and durable machine that support “big and tall” runners.

Below you’ll find my picks for the five best treadmills under $1,000. Before you start digging into what makes them great, a few things that they all have in common.

The smooth running 60″ running deck is long enough for most runners and includes an optional FlexSelect cushioning setting.

Turn the cushioning on to increase shock absorption and get excellent joint protection.

Turn it off to simulate outdoor conditions and estimate your performance in outdoor competitions. A one-touch button lets you easily adjust the incline up to 15 percent.

This treadmill comes with a diverse array of 20 workout applications so you can work on speed, endurance or weight loss goals with programs that are customized to your fitness level.

The T6.5 is one of the top budget treadmills on the market because of it's tremendous value.  

It is iFit enabled, a feature that really differentiates this unit from it’s less expensive relative the C 970 (which is only iFit compatible, which means you’d need to add a module).

Using iFit requires a subscription, and then you can take your treadmill online.

You can download personalized workout programs, track your performance, compete in treadmill races with your Facebook friends, and virtually experience real-life running routes that you choose in Google Maps.

This feature makes using the 7″ backlit LED console even greater.

 ProForm is one of the top treadmill brands, especially in this price range.

 With 30 workout programs, a 60″ long-running deck, and a high quality 3.0 CHP motor, this is a great treadmill that surprisingly comes in under $900.

 Like NordicTrack, this ProForm treadmill (and most of their other models as well) are iFit enabled and ready to take you on a run anywhere in the world, track your progress, and compete with friends.

An integrated tablet holder keeps your tablet secure and conveniently close so you have access to all your training tools and entertainment must-haves.

Like other treadmills on this list, the ProForm Power 995i reaches a top speed of 12 mph and the convenient QuickSpeed buttons let you adjust your intensity instantly, so you don’t have to scroll through .5 increments to reach the speed you want.

In comparison to other treadmill’s on the list, this treadmill is actually smaller and has less power, the running deck is 56 inches long and the motor is 2.5 CHP.

I do like the easy to read menu. Larger letters and bigger buttons. When you are running hitting small buttons can be frustrating! 

While you can buy treadmills under $1,000 with better specifications, this treadmill offers a ton of unique features. 

Simply insert a USB drive into the built-in port and your results are automatically saved every 20 seconds.

When you’re done with your workout, you can re-insert the drive into your personal computer to upload minutes, calories, heart rate, distance, and step count data right to your running log or onto your favorite fitness tracking app.

I put my IPad on the front in this photo and it was able to hold it with out a treadmill book holder. 

The LCD system hosts more than 21 different kinds of program options for any level of runner. This treadmill also has an iPod compatible speaker system as well as a pedometer feature that allows you to keep track of your steps.

Here is a great, more comprehensive review of the TR1200i. 

Let’s face it – if you’re planning on tossing the big bucks at a treadmill, you’re serious about your fitness goals.

The Goal Track capability of this treadmill allows you to set exercise goals so you can stay accountable.

This machine is powered by a 2.75 continuous horsepower motor. The 20” x 55” track features Soft Track cushioning technology to make your jog as comfortable as possible.

The LCD screen displays your stats, such as time, distance, speed, laps, calories, and incline level for current workouts.

The 22 workout programs offer a workout plan for every fitness level and the StrikeZone cushioning system provides comfort and support your ankles, knees, hips and back.

The console features a 3” x 5” high-resolution blue backlit LCD monitor to track your workout time, distance traveled and calories burned.

I really like this treadmills warranty and LCD monitor. For an even more in-depth review, check out this article. 

This treadmill supports data exchange with their own fitness tracker, Nautilus Connect, as well as the more well known MyFitnessPal.

Similar to other fitness tracking apps, Nautilus Connect allows you to upload, analyze and track your workout data through their website after you create a free account.

Looking For A Budget Treadmill?

I’ve written a similar article to this one that covers treadmills in the “budget category” and they were all less than $700.

While many of the treadmills I covered in that article are great options if you are looking for a basic no frills treadmill.  

I’ve found that there is a significant increase in quality past the $700 mark.

Treadmills in the “budget category” may get the job done well, but they often don’t have long warranties (if a warranty at all), have less stable construction (and don’t support high weight limits or exceedingly tall individuals), and typically don’t have strong enough motors to support powered incline and high running speeds.

If you are just now starting your treadmill research, I highly recommend that you start with that article - you may be surprised to find what some of the treadmills in the budget category can do and find that one of them would be a perfect fit!