Best Manual Treadmills

Manual treadmills appeal to those in search of a quiet, simple machine

Many owners reason that since a manual treadmill has no motor and fewer moving parts, less can go wrong. However, this tends to be false. In fact, finding the best manual treadmill seems to come down to picking one with the best customer service and fewest durability complaints.

All three of the manual units whose reviews we evaluate have the same general characteristics: They're lightweight, portable and compact models that fold for storage. Even our Best Reviewed model, the 66-pound Weslo Cardio Stride 2.0 (*Est. $140), has a few durability concerns. However, it edges out the 56-pound Stamina InMotion II (*Est. $190) with its quieter operation, easier setup and a belt that stays in place.

Despite complaints about noisy operation and low handlebars that force taller users to bend over, the InMotion II is a worthy second choice; Stamina's excellent customer service draws many owner compliments. The 45-pound Phoenix 98510 Easy-Up (*Est. $150) also earns customer service praise, but tall users may struggle with the size; one describes it as "built for a toddler." In addition, its 13-by-41-inch belt is narrower than both the Cardio Stride 2.0's 17-by-41-inch belt and the InMotion II's 17-by-42-inch belt.

The 98510 also gets the most complaints about durability, with numerous owners voicing concerns about wires that broke or fell out of place, and a belt that often won't stay put. It's the only manual treadmill in our report that requires you to remove two screws every time you fold it up, and replace them when you lay it flat again.