Fitness Quest Eclipse 1100/HRA

1. Fitness-Equipment-Source

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

2. Building Muscle101.com

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

3. ConsumerGuide.com

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.comDetails/Subscribe

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