Helpful Tips: You may be tempted to shop from either magazine catalogs or television infomercials, however, if you want a quality, durable treadmill you must go to where treadmills are displayed to try them out first. We suggest you buy from a specialty fitness store, as opposed to a department store or sporting goods warehouse where the salespersons will be little educated in the product, the market, and physical fitness in general and therefore less likely to help you make an educated decision. A specialty sales person trained and certified in physical fitness will be both able and to spend more time in helping you make a good decision and encourage you in your fitness goals. Warranty: Quality treadmills should have a lifetime warranty on the frame, 2 or more years on moving parts, especially the belt and rollers, and 2 or more years on the motor and electronic components as well. Make sure parts will be readily available for a long time to come. Labor should be for one year. Some stores may offer extended warranty plans on labor, but avoid manufacturer warranty plans that require you to pay extra to extend a short warranty period. Manufacturer should provide adequate warranty. Horsepower: Treadmills need to have a strong motor, at least 1.5 continuous duty horsepower or you'll easily wear it out, even with moderate use. Check for the continuous-duty rating for the motor's true horsepower and watch out for misleading terms such as "treadmill duty" and "peak horsepower" which are misleading terms used to unrealistically raise the horsepower. To be sure, have a look under the hood to see for yourself the continuous-duty h.p. rating stamped on a metal plate on the DC motor. A continuous-duty horsepower rating of at least 1.5 h.p., is necessary to withstand regular use impacts that cause the motor to work harder to maintain a steady speed. Continuous-duty is the horsepower rating for steady, continual, 24 hour motor usage. Peak horsepower is the motor's maximum potential at various moments in usage, but cannot be maintained for a considerable length of time. Frame: When shopping for a Treadmill be sure to buy frames constructed of high alloy steel which are more durable than all others.. Also, make sure that a steel frame is well coated to prevent rust corrosion. Be wary of a flimsy apparatus, if it feels cheap then it probably is. "You get what you pay for." Welded frames are preferable to bolted. Avoid all-plastic frames. Heavier treadmills should have wheels attached at the bottom for easier mobility and storage. Safety: All motorized treadmills should have an emergency shut-off. Features to limit incline and speed, a gradual start and stop, and accessible hand rails for both runners and walkers. A safe starting speed is 0.5 m.p.h. or less. It's also a good thing for a treadmill to have its own circuit breaker to prevent the motor and electronics from burning up in case of power problems.

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