EmailBest Reviewed
Elliptical Trainers
- Best elliptical trainer Sole E35 *Est. $1300
- Club-quality elliptical trainer Smooth Fitness Agile DMT *Est. $3000
- Good value, but a few tradeoffs NordicTrack AudioStrider 990 *Est. $850
- Budget elliptical trainer Schwinn 430 *Est. $600
Get info about new reports and updates
- Smooth motion
- Inexpensive
- Number of programs
- Very short (15-inch) stride length
- Could be more stable
- Durability
The Fitness Quest Eclipse 1100/HRA is a popular model, mainly because of its low price. According to experts, short and lightweight users are most suited to this model, which weighs only 90 pounds. The 15-inch stride length is much shorter than other ellipticals -- even most budget models have at least an 18-inch stride length. The Fitness Quest Eclipse 1100/HRA is compact and has wheels, and it is easy to store in a closet when it's not in use. It offers upper- and lower-body workouts, and has 12 programs in all, including two heart-rate-controlled programs. It has a one-year warranty on parts and labor. However, reviewers caution that the Eclipse 1100/HRA will not hold up under heavy, long-term use. A better choice for budget shoppers might be the Schwinn 430 (*Est. $600), which has an 18-inch stride length and is slightly sturdier, but has only a 90-day labor warranty.
Fitness-Equipment-Source.com and Building-Muscle101.com provide the most extensive reviews of the Eclipse 1100/HRA and offer divergent assessments of it. ConsumerGuide.com assigns numerical ratings in five categories along with a brief review, and About.com gives the 1100/HRA a very short write-up. Owner-written reviews on Walmart.com provide a good picture of owner satisfaction with the 1100/HRA.
| Featured Stores | Store Rating | Notes | Total Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  1175 store reviews | In Stock. | $519.95 | See It |
 |  168 store reviews | In Stock. Fantastic prices with ease & comfort of Amazon.com! | $499.99 | See It |
 |  3378 store reviews | In Stock. | $499.99 | See It |
| See All Stores | ||||
Our Sources
Fred Waters has worked in the fitness industry for many years, and he reviews a broad range of ellipticals on his site. Waters does not think much of the Eclipse 1100/HRA; he praises only its price, and notes that the short stride length, compact size, and light weight of this machine restrict the movements of heavier and taller users. He is also skeptical about the warranty, because the Fitness Quest website states that the machine comes with a one-year limited warranty without further explanation.
Review: Eclipse 1100/HR Elliptical Trainer Review, Fred Waters
Weight-lifter Blake Bissaillion reviews a number of elliptical trainers; he is upfront about the fact that he's a fitness enthusiast rather than an expert, but entries here are insightful nonetheless. He recommends the Eclipse 1100/HRA, based on its "blend of performance and cost-effectiveness." Bissaillion praises this model's sturdiness, and takes the manufacturer's listed maximum user weight of 275 pounds at face value. He also lauds its stability and smooth motion.
Review: Eclipse 1100/hr Elliptical Trainer Review, Blake Bissaillion
This is called an "expert review," but there is no information about who wrote it or whether the machine was tested. The reviewer gives the Eclipse 1100/HRA high numerical ratings. The brief review itself describes the 1100/HRA as durable, with a smooth motion and an unusually large number of pre-set programs for its price, including two heart-rate-controlled programs.
Review: Fitness Quest 1100/HRA Elliptical Machine, Editors of ConsumerGuide.com, Aug. 21, 2006
4. About.com
This article names the Eclipse 1100/HRA second out of the top five elliptical trainers, but provides only a brief description of it. On the plus side, according to About.com exercise guide Paige Waehner, the 1100/HRA is sold in many discount stores, and potential buyers can try it out before they buy it. Waehner goes on to say, however, that because "you get what you pay for," owners should not expect it to last as long as a more expensive model would. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)
Review: Top 5 Top Elliptical Trainers, Paige Waehner, Jan. 24, 2007
5. Walmart.com
Of the more than 325 owner-written reviews posted to Walmart.com, most are highly positive. Many were written when the owner had been using this elliptical only a few weeks, however. Several long-term owners report that their Eclipse 1100/HRA developed problems after less than a year, but most seem quite satisfied with Fitness Quest's customer service. The most frequent complaints are of noisiness, lack of stability and a short, bouncy stride.
Review: Eclipse 1100/HRA Elliptical Trainer, Contributors to Walmart.com
Elliptical Trainers Runners Up:
2 picks including: Amazon.com, TreadmillDoctor.com…
2 picks including: Amazon.com, TreadmillDoctor.com…
2 picks including: Walmart.com, TreadmillDoctor.com…
2 picks including: Prevention Magazine, TreadmillDoctor.com…
