Best Manual Treadmill

The Stamina InMotion II is Best Reviewed in this iffy category

When you use a manual or non-motorized treadmill, you become the motor, pushing the belt back with every step you take. The absence of a motor means these are always the cheapest, lightest and most compact treadmills. However, they still suffer from all the ills of any bargain model, including flimsy components such as rollers that break or belts that wear through when subjected to heavy use. Many users report that lightweight manual treadmills are wobbly, and getting the belt started -- and keeping it going at a steady pace -- is more difficult than they expected. If you're light, you may have trouble getting and keeping the belt moving at all; if you're tall, you could feel cramped on a manual treadmill belt that's typically about 40 inches long.

The key to being happy with a manual treadmill is knowing what you're buying. People looking to run or use a manual treadmill frequently are often disappointed by its flimsiness, small tread belt and uneven operation. But as a general rule, people who want to use a machine for nothing more than occasional, light walking are happy with an inexpensive purchase that folds up to a very small footprint and is light enough to move around easily. Also, because manual treadmills don't have a motor to plug in, they won't add to your electric bill. (According to Brian Palmer at Slate.com, every workout on a motorized treadmill is equivalent to burning 50 light bulbs.)

In general, experts say even the cheapest motorized treadmill will probably be a better purchase than a manual unit. Learning to keep the belt moving can take some getting used to, you must grasp the handlebars almost constantly, and if your stride falters the belt's speed does, too. It's definitely a good idea to try out a manual treadmill in-store before you buy. Long-term durability is also a concern: Most manual treadmills come with short warranties of one year or less. Despite all this, if you believe a manual unit will meet your needs, some models get relatively high marks in user reviews.

The Stamina InMotion II (*Est. $165) earns better reviews than most manual treadmills, and has an unusually spacious tread belt (42 inches long by 17 inches wide) compared to other manual units. A few tall users report that they could walk briskly on this model by keeping their stride close to the front of the belt, but others were frustrated with the belt's length. Most manual treadmills are set at an automatic incline and the Stamina InMotion II is no exception; you can manually adjust it to either an 8-percent or 10-percent grade.

Two of the most common complaints about the InMotion II are louder-than-usual operation (most manual treadmills are very quiet) and difficulties in getting the belt to ride smoothly in the proper position. "I thought it would be a lot quieter than it is, but it's definitely quieter than any of the motored ones," says one owner. A number of Amazon.com users say the belt settled into place after a few adjustments, and that silicone lubricant helped the belt move more smoothly and quietly.

The Stamina InMotion II's one-year frame warranty and 90-day parts warranty are fairly standard for a manual unit, and its 250-pound weight capacity is a little higher than usual. Overall, more than 100 Amazon.com users give this treadmill a solid 4 stars out of 5. "I personally think it's a great value; I was never ever going to spend $600 for a motorized treadmill," one owner says. Users on Walgreens.com are also pleased with how light, small and easy to use this model is, and Amazon.com and Walgreens.com reviews praise the unit's easy, fast assembly -- which often takes less than 30 minutes. About a dozen reviewers on Walmart.com give the Stamina InMotion II a 4.5-star out of 5 average rating, far better than most manual treadmills but not enough to distinguish it among motorized models than often garner more than 100 positive reviews.

The discontinued Weslo CardioStride Plus (Discontinued) , a bare-bones manual treadmill that can accommodate users weighing up to 250 pounds, receives extensive positive user reviews on Amazon.com and Walmart.com. This machine is scheduled to be replaced by another model in December 2011, but with a 4- out of 5-star average rating at these two sites, it's worth purchasing at closeout prices if you really want a manual treadmill.

Other manual units get mixed ratings at user-review sites. The Phoenix 516 Easy-Up Manual Treadmill (*Est. $130) earns a 3.5-star rating out of 5 on Amazon.com and 2.9 stars out of 5 on Buzzillions.com, where multiple owners say the belt slips or sticks, making the machine feel unstable. "My main con is that it sticks and so I am unable to keep a smooth gait," says one owner. Users also post mixed reviews about the Cory Everson Manual Treadmill (*Est. $130) at Amazon.com, giving it an average 3.5-star rating out of 5. A number of owners say this model's monitor malfunctions often, and that the belt slips easily and is hard to keep centered.