Sole Fitness E55

The Sole E55 elliptical trainer fares well with reviewers: Owners and experts like its sturdy design, articulating foot pads, smooth operation and general reliability. Another plus is that the 20-inch stride makes it comfortable for people more than 6 feet tall. There is some debate among reviewers about whether the addition of a heart-rate mode in this model makes it significantly better than its sibling, the less expensive and top-rated Sole E35 (*Est. $1,300). At least one professional reviewer names it a best buy, and it enjoys positive owner-written reviews. Most say the elliptical is relatively easy to assemble, and owners note that it feels stable while exercising. Sole has a reputation for providing good customer service, but we saw a number of complaints on that front for this elliptical and the Sole E35. Some users also report that the bolts loosen easily.

The Sole E55 elliptical gets good coverage from expert reviewers at TreadmillDoctor.com. TreadmillDoctor.com, run by fitness equipment specialists Clark and Jon Stevenson, has an excellent reputation for short but well-informed reviews of treadmills and elliptical trainers. Fitness-Equipment-Source.com also has a long entry on the Sole E55, and Fred Waters makes space for customer reviews alongside his own in-depth analysis. Owner-written reviews at Amazon.com round out the picture.