Octane Fitness Q47

The Octane Q47 elliptical trainer gets mostly positive reviews, although one expert reviewer says the Octane's pricing is "absurd." He acknowledges that the brand delivers quality, but he doesn't think it justifies the high price. Other reviewers call out some of this machine's positive features, including a program that automatically adjusts the stride length based on the user's height and speed. The Octane's range of stride lengths -- from 18 to 26 inches -- can accommodate many different body types, and the narrow distance between the foot pedals is intended to reduce knee stress.

Other features include 20 resistance levels, 12 workout programs and moving handlebars for an upper-body workout. It also comes with SmartStride, a feature that automatically adjusts the stride length to fit your walking, running or jogging pace. The elliptical trainer can accommodate users up to 300 pounds, and it comes with a lifetime frame, five year parts and one year labor warranties. Reviewers also like the Octane Q47's overall stability and quality build. If you can't get around the steep price tag, the SportsArt E83 (*Est. $3,000) offers many of the same features and comparable stability and durability. For even less, Sole's E35 (*Est. $1,170) is worth considering, especially given its two-year warranty on labor.

The best reviews of the Octane Q47 are from TreadmillDoctor.com, a respected review site, as well as FitnessProfessorReview.com and Fitness-Equipment-Source.com. Most of the reviews we found are quite positive, but TreadmillDoctor.com questions the Q47's overall value.