Club-Quality Ellipticals

Best high-end elliptical trainers

If you've used an elliptical trainer at the gym, it was probably a commercial machine. Reviews say these types of elliptical trainers are more expensive, durable and feature-laden than most people need at home, and experts question the value for most home users.

Still, if you want a high-quality elliptical trainer that can hold up to daily exercise -- and you have the budget -- an expensive model may make more sense. The Smooth Fitness Agile DMT (*Est. $3,000) gets several recommendations from elliptical experts. It includes 12 motion levels and 20 intensity levels, in addition to a variety of preset exercise programs. The stride length varies from 19 to 24 inches, which provides much more adjustability than less costly elliptical trainers. Other features include ergonomic self-pivoting pedals, wireless heart-rate monitor and handlebar controls.

TreadmillDoctor.com calls the Smooth Fitness Agile DMT the best new elliptical of 2009, saying it offers ''high quality with considerable adjustability.'' Overall, TreadmillDoctor's experts say you should seriously consider this elliptical trainer if money is no option. SNEWS, a sports-industry trade magazine, tests the Smooth Fitness Agile DMT for three months, and its testers say the Agile DMT elliptical is exceptionally smooth and provides a great workout. However, several small components broke during the test period, leaving SNEWS to wonder whether construction quality could be improved. Although the majority of SNEWS' testers recommend this elliptical, most say they wouldn't buy it for themselves because it is too big and expensive. The elliptical trainer is 73 inches long and 31 inches wide, and it will take up a considerable amount of space in any home gym. The Smooth Fitness Agile DMT weighs 390 pounds and has a maximum user weight of 400 pounds.

Assembly can also be a challenge, with one reviewer at Amazon.com calling it ''the Everest of assembly required.'' That same user says it took him eight hours to put the Smooth Fitness Agile DMT together, but he's happy with the elliptical once it's assembled. A quiet operation and lengthy warranty (lifetime coverage for the frame and braking system, five years parts and electronics, and two years labor) are also mentioned as pluses in owner-written reviews. Some users report minor damage during shipment, and we saw a few reports of components -- particularly the pedals -- breaking after repeated use.

Precor also ranks very highly in reviews for its commercial and home elliptical trainers. We found reviews for several models in Precor's lineup, but we didn't find consistent support for particular models, which start at about $2,100.

The Precor EFX 5.31 elliptical trainer (*Est. $4,000) performs very well in a recent independent test, where it gets very high marks for ergonomics and user safety. The elliptical has no arm rails and only provides a lower-body workout. TreadmillDoctor.com says it's one of the most ''solid'' elliptical trainers on the market, but the price tag is tough to swallow. Although Precor doesn't publish a weight limit for any of its home elliptical trainers, the manufacturer suggests that anyone weighing over more than pounds consider purchasing a commercial unit instead.

Fred Waters at Fitness-Equipment-Source.com picks the Precor EFX 5.23 (*Est. $3,000) as a best buy in the $3,000-plus price category. This model comes with eight programs, 16 resistance levels, an adjustable incline (from 15 to 25 degrees) and Precor's "variable stride geometry" to change the angle of incline and stride length (up to 19 inches). Waters particularly likes Precor's CrossRamp technology, which allows you to adjust the ramp angle to target different muscle groups. TreadmillDoctor.com also says the Precor EFX 5.23 is a high -quality elliptical if you have the money, adding, ''Precor has set a standard that is hard to beat.'' Precor has a rating of A from the Better Business Bureau, but none of its ellipticals costs less than about $3,000.

The SportsArt E83 (*Est. $2,600) is one of the three elliptical trainers recommended by Prevention magazine, based on a test that compared comfort and usability. It also posts decent scores in a recent independent test. The E83 features a manually adjustable 18- to 25.5-inch stride length, upper- and lower-body workouts, heart-rate monitoring, a pedal cushioning system, 14 resistance levels and eight programs. The E83 is relatively large and heavy -- it weighs 280 pounds - and has a maximum user weight of 400 pounds. It comes with a lifetime warranty on the frame, a warranty of five years on mechanical parts, three years on electronic components and one year on labor. TreadmillDoctor.com says the SportsArt dealer base is ''crumbling like a week-old cookie,''" and its ellipticals may be harder to find. You can find a list of dealers at SportsArtAmerica.com. This company has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.

The Octane Fitness Q47 elliptical (*Est. $3,800) also earns a recommendation from Prevention magazine. It offers a stride length of 18 to 26 inches, 20 resistance levels, 10 workout programs and moving arms for an upper body workout. The Octane Q47 weighs 290 pounds, and it can accommodate individuals up to 300 pounds. The Q47 also comes in Q47e (*Est. $3,800) and Q47ce (*Est. $3,960) models, which offer more features and additional workout programs and timers. Fred Waters at Fitness-Equipment-Source.com praises the Octane Q47 as a quality elliptical trainer; he says it's ''definitely worth considering'' if you're looking for a high quality elliptical.

TreadmillDoctor.com says the Octane Q47 is an ''excellent unit that certainly bears consideration,'' but the site's editors think Precor and Lifefitness elliptical trainers are better values overall. ''If you buy the Q47 series over Lifefitness and Precor, you may need to consider the fact that you are terminally stupid,'' TreadmillDoctor.com says. The Octane Fitness Q37e (*Est. $3,000), a step down from the Q47, also performs well in a recent independent test, but TreadmillDoctor.com thinks it's short on value. Octane Fitness does not have a report available from the Better Business Bureau.

Among Lifefitness elliptical trainers, TreadmillDoctor.com especially likes the Lifefitness X7 Advanced Cross-Trainer (*Est. $4,300). The site's editors pick it as a best buy in the $4,000 range, saying it's ''worthy of lust,'' although they note that you pay a price premium for the Lifefitness name. This elliptical trainer offers a wireless heart-rate monitor, movable handles, 10 workout programs and a stride length of 18 to 24 inches. Owners say the Lifefitness X7 Advanced is unbelievably quiet, but reviewers note that the price and size of the elliptical are significant downsides. The 250-pound elliptical can support users up to 400 pounds. The Better Business Bureau gives Lifefitness a grade of F overall. Eleven complaints have been filed over the last three years, which doesn't sound like many compared to more than 500 for Icon Health and Fitness, but Lifefitness hasn't responded at all to three of those claims, according to the BBB. Meanwhile, all but three of the 500-plus complaints filed against Icon have been resolved.