Elliptical trainers for heavy users

Losing weight can feel like a daunting task, especially if you have to go to the gym. But nothing is stopping you from losing weight in the comfort of your own home.

While it might seem expensive, it prevents you from having to go to the gym every week and investing in a personal trainer. So, if you’re feeling self-conscious, we’ll give tips to help you find ellipticals better suited for heavy people.

In this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about the best elliptical machines for heavy people and how they can benefit you. There are so many elliptical machines on the market, and it’s essential that you know which one is the right one for you. Depending on your options, you may want an elliptical trainer with preset programs, especially if you’re worried about contacting a personal trainer for any reason. So, let’s take a look at some of the best options available for you.

Elliptical trainers – Review

Best elliptical machine for heavy people

These are the best elliptical trainers we’ve found for anyone overweight, and the equipment should reach up to 400 pounds in maximum weight capacity. Of course, when you buy any exercise equipment, you must ensure that it aligns with your health goals.

Everyone has a different reason for exercising, and if your goal is to lose weight, then a heavy-duty machine is undoubtedly the way to go forward.

We’ll be taking a look at the size and specifications of each trainer and then a brief look at the warranty and pros and cons of each of these machines. Knowing what to look for will help you decide which of these is best for you.

Sole E95

Sole Fitness is a company that prides itself on being accessible to everyone of all fitness levels, and the Sole E95 elliptical is an excellent example of its accessibility.

Size

Before we discuss the more in-depth elements of the Sole E95, let’s talk about how big it is. After all, you need to know it can fit in your house first. The E95 is 71 inches (180 centimeters) tall, 82 inches (208 centimeters) long, and 31 inches (nearly 79 centimeters) wide. It has a step-up height of 14 inches (35 and a half centimeters) and a maximum weight capacity of 400 pounds.

Specifications

Now, let’s talk a little bit more about the E95’s specs, where we’ll be delving into more detail about what elements it uses. See, the E95 Elliptical has a 10.1-inch TFT LCD workout display; you can access the pre-set programs on that display.

There are six standard programs that you can use, along with two custom and two heart programs. You can even check on your heart rate monitor using pulse grips and a chest strap, with a chest strap even included in the box.

It has a sound system, and you can connect your Bluetooth to the E95 to listen to music. Not only can it do that, but you can also connect it to your Bluetooth speaker and charge your phone or tablet as you work out.

It charges your phone or tablet through a USB charging port that it can reach from the tablet/phone holder. As an added plus, you don’t have to carry your water bottle, as there’s a water bottle holder included by your workout display and a built-in fan.

The flywheel weight is 27 pounds. The foot pedals are cushioned and adjustable, fitting in 10 positions, so they’re comfortable to use. The E95 uses ECB resistance, and the power incline is fully adjustable. You can adjust the level between 1 and 20. You can enjoy a stride length of 20 inches, and the drive system only goes forward.

Warranty

The Sole E95 Elliptical has a generous warranty, with the steel frame having a lifetime warranty. However, both the electronics and parts are covered under a 5-year warranty. There is also a 2-year warranty for labor.

However, let’s go into a bit more detail about the warranty. Sole Fitness offers wear and tear coverage, so if you buy it from the official website, they shouldn’t penalize you for using your device. Of course, all their warranties are in place with no charge to the customer.

If your unit is broken to the point that a local tech dispatch can’t fix it on the field, then Sole will cover the repair costs as long as you’re still under warranty.

Review

Sole Fitness is a top contender in the world of fitness for a reason. There’s a reason the Sole E95 is so popular. While you may fear the hefty price tag, many features make the Sole E95 stand out among its competitors. It’s incredibly comfortable when you’re using it, allowing you to successfully do upper-body and lower-body exercises with ease thanks to its D-shaped handles.

While the pulse grips aren’t the best for accurate heart rate readings, it doesn’t matter if you have the chest strap attached. It provides an accurate reading to the heart rate monitor, and you can easily adjust the elliptical to your needs. I only have a few complaints, as it’s too heavy to move around, so don’t expect a portable device here. But the heaviness is acceptable because the assembly process is challenging, so you’ll want to build it exactly where you want to put it.

Pros

• The chest belt provides excellent and accurate readings to the monitor.
• The warranty is brilliant.
• Great for upper body and lower body workouts.
• A good range of adjustability options.

Cons

• The assembly process is complicated.
• Too heavy to move elsewhere, so you need to make sure you build it exactly where you want it.

Niceday Elliptical Machine Cross Trainer with Hyper-Quiet Magnetic Driving System

The version of the Niceday Elliptical Machine we’re looking at today is the CT11, which comes with some bright orange coloring.

Size

Before we go into the specifications, you’ll want to know how big the Niceday Elliptical machine is. The CT11 is 48 inches long (122 centimeters). It’s 25 inches wide (63 centimeters wide) and 62 inches tall (157 centimeters). Don’t let its small size fool you. It has a stride length of 15.5 inches (roughly a little over 38 centimeters). Yet it may surprise you to find that the maximum weight capacity of the Niceday elliptical trainer is 400 pounds.

Specifications

When you consider the Niceday Elliptical trainer’s specs, it’s essential that you remember that this is a budget exercise machine. You have a small digital monitor that needs to have batteries to work. You won’t be able to enjoy any interactive workout programs, as you can only expect some basic stats to be available. However, because of that, it doesn’t have to be plugged in to use it. You could easily use it without the digital monitor.

Unfortunately, you can’t connect your device to it, so don’t expect to use Bluetooth while working out. I found that when I was using it, the heart rate sensor wasn’t the most accurate. The heart rate monitor relies on the pulse grips, so you should monitor your heart rate with an app of some sort.

In terms of extras, you’ll find that it has a phone holder, so you can quickly put in your device and listen to music as you work out. Unfortunately, you only get a phone holder; for some reason, a bottle holder isn’t included.

However, the Niceday CT11 isn’t too bad in terms of manual usage. While it does have a light flywheel, weighing in at 16 pounds, and it has magnetic resistance. There are 16 resistance levels available; honestly, the CT11 is incredibly quiet. You’ll also find that it has textured foot pedals that are comfortable to use, and overall, the design makes it easy to move it into other rooms.

Warranty

You can only find the Niceday Elliptical CT11 on Amazon, as it’s essentially a budget-friendly model. While Amazon says there’s a lifetime guarantee that provides lifetime service for all parts, you must remember that Amazon can be hit-and-miss at times. So, if you’re lucky, you shouldn’t have a problem with your device, but if you do, you can return it within a thirty-day window.

Review

Overall, the Niceday CT11 is an excellent budget-friendly heavy-duty elliptical for someone who wants to get used to exercising. However, you should keep in mind that tall people might struggle with the small size of this device.

It’s easy to assemble, with a lightweight design with transportation wheels on the bottom to make it easier to move between rooms. Due to its lightweight design, it’s incredibly quiet, but it’s geared more towards shorter users than taller ones.

Pros

• It’s budget-friendly and affordable.
• Easy to assemble.
• Quiet.
• Lightweight and easy to move.

Cons

• Technology is limited.
• Not suitable for tall users.

Schwinn 430

Size

The Schwinn 430 model is 70.1 inches long (a little over 178 centimeters), 28.2 inches wide (a little over 71 centimeters), and 63.2 inches high (a little over 160 centimeters). It has a maximum user weight of 300 pounds, with a stride length of 50.8 centimeters, as stated on Schwinn’s official website. It even has a stride length of 20 inches, which is high for your average budget-friendly machine.

Specifications

The Schwinn 430’s specs appear surprising as it shows you how much you can get on a budget, especially considering the technical aspects of this machine. With two DualTrack LCD displays on your monitor, you can have two users track their goals without worrying about changing the settings every time you swap between users.

You’ll have access to 22 programs on display and find that the display reads all of the key factors you need. Along with the required specs that you would require on the display like the time, calories burned, heart rate zone indicator, and your pulse, you’ll also find that you can challenge yourself more by seeing the distance you’ve traveled, the speed you’re moving, and the goal tracker technology.

Using the goal tracker technology, you’ll be able to see how close you are to achieving your pre-set goals and adjust them based on the other factors on display. It’s a great way to keep yourself encouraged. Along with the display, a good number of extras are included too.

When you’re working out, you’ll have access to a water bottle holder and a tablet holder so you can multitask as you exercise. If you want to listen to music, you can, as the Schwinn 430 comes with a sealed acoustic chamber. To add to your comfort, a built-in fan has three adjustable speeds.

When working out, you’ll have twenty levels of magnetic resistance to work with and a high-speed weighted flywheel. You’ll find that you can adjust your incline with a manual ramp with six positions available and a ten-degree range. Changing the resistance is simple, with ten quick keys to do just that with a click of a button.

You’ll find that the handlebars themselves are both moving and static, so You can adjust these based on how you prefer to work out. The actual elliptical trainer is powered through an AC adapter, so you’ll need to keep it in one place at a time.

Warranty

The Schwinn 430 has a 10-year warranty for the frame. There’s a 2-year warranty for mechanical parts and a year for electronics. There’s also a 90-day labor warranty. As a whole, the warranty is pretty good for a budget-friendly machine but not great for a long-term investment.

Review

With a 20-inch stride length, the Schwinn 430 is an excellent choice for tall users, but the flywheel has no specific weight advertised. I find that the Schwinn 430 can last for an extended period so long as you perform maintenance on it every now and then; without it, the Schwinn 430 may have a shorter lifespan. Overall, it’s a budget-friendly machine that works as a great entry point for anyone who wants the tech on a budget.

Pros

• Good stride length that makes it comfortable for taller users.
• A goal tracker makes it easier to arrange your weight goals.
• Technology is more than expected for a budget machine.
• Easy to assemble.

Cons

• Flywheel weight isn’t advertised, so it’s assumed it’s lighter than expected.
• No Bluetooth, so you can’t connect it to external apps.
• Not the most durable elliptical machine.

Nautilus E618 Elliptical

The Nautilus E618 Elliptical is an excellent machine for heavy users, even if it is higher than the price range. It’s easy to understand why it’s so expensive once we review the many specs available.

Size

The E618 is 73 inches long (185 centimeters), 27 inches wide (68 centimeters), and 67 inches (170 centimeters) in height. It has a stride length of 22 inches and a maximum weight limit of 300 pounds.

Specifications

The Nautilus E618 is an elliptical trainer with an excellent reputation. Not only is the tech impressive, but you can also connect it to Bluetooth to easily monitor your weight goals. Alongside this, you have access to an Explore the World app, which will help you monitor and track your goals with any fitness app partner. It’s a great way to run alongside others in real-time and gives a sense of freedom to your workout.

You’ll find 29 training programs to help you with all sorts of training options. From heart rate to interval, and weight loss, you can even customize your training options to fit your needs. Naturally, you’ll find a water bottle holder, a media holder, a built-in fan, and integrated speakers to make your exercise routine more comfortable.

Compared to other elliptical trainers, it has a heavy flywheel that weighs around 30 pounds, making for significant resistance levels. You can adjust your resistance with 25 different settings and a motorized incline that can increase the intensity of your routine. To check how you’re doing, there’s also a chest strap included that helps you monitor your heart rate while using the Nautilus.

Overall, the Nautilus promises a comfortable workout, with flexible options allowing you to choose to focus on your upper body, lower body, or whole body exercises.

Warranty

There is a 15-year warranty on the Nautilus’s frame and a 5-year warranty on parts and electronics. You can also find a 2-year labor warranty. Overall, it’s got a great warranty, especially for an elliptical that costs under $1500.

Review

If you’re a heavy and tall user, then you’ll love the Nautilus E168 elliptical trainer. The 22-inch stride works great for a comfortable workout for tall people, while it might not be for shorter users. You can easily monitor your heart rate and work on an entire body workout, and with Bluetooth included, you’ll find that it’s easier to monitor your progress over time.

Pros

• Great for taller users.
• A heavier flywheel means more resistance.
• The app included makes the exercises more immersive.
• A chest strap makes it easier to monitor your heart rate.

Cons

• Not great for shorter users
• The display screen is smaller than other models.

Elliptical machine – Why should you use one?

Ellipticals are one of the most popular exercise machines. If you were to go to the gym to use one, you could be waiting in line for a while. But what makes them so popular? Let’s look at some of the reasons you could benefit from an elliptical.

Shed body fat

Elliptical trainers are a great way to reduce excess body fat in a shorter time frame. If you work out at high-intensity intervals, you’ll be able to shed some of your fat quickly, and you can always pedal slowly during your recovery periods.

Burns calories

One reason that ellipticals shed your body fat so quickly is that they burn calories fast. The number of calories you burn depends on how much you weigh. One of the best ways to burn calories is by focusing on high-intensity workouts.

Boosts stamina and Cardio

Since ellipticals are cardio machines, they can strengthen your heart and lungs. You’re focusing on aerobic exercises when you’re on the elliptical machine, so your heart and lungs need to work harder to give your muscles better access to blood and oxygen. These can build up your stamina and endurance, and you’ll be able to switch between high-intensity intervals and steady and consistent cardio workouts.

Upper body and Lower body workout

Elliptical trainers don’t only focus on one area of your body, but both your upper body and lower body. Of course, this depends on how you use it. If done correctly, you should distribute your weight and resistance evenly to move your arms as fast as your legs. If you do this correctly, you’ll be able to target the muscles in both sections of your body.

Easy To Learn

As an exercise machine, ellipticals are straightforward to use. There’s an easy learning curve, and if you’re concerned, you can contact a personal trainer for advice on how to use it. You don’t necessarily have to go to the gym, but it wouldn’t hurt to ask for advice if you’ve never used an elliptical before.

After all, different features available allow you to change your exercise routines, and they may feel overwhelming. Until you’re used to how to move on them, you’ll be able to move from only using your foot pedals to using the handles.

What to look for when buying an elliptical trainer

When looking for your first elliptical machine, knowing what you’re looking for can be challenging. After all, there are many specifications to remember off the top of your head. However, the good news is that I can offer some help so that you can buy the right one for you.

Maximum weight and Height capacity

Generally, you’re going to need to get one that you can actually use. So, if you’re reading this, you’ll be looking for a heavy-duty elliptical machine. All the ones I will mention later will suit anyone with a maximum user weight of 400 pounds. You’ll also need to know the maximum user height, or else there’s a risk you may strain yourself and ruin your posture when you’re using it.

Size and Portability

You’ll also need to know whether the elliptical is a good size and if it’s portable. Depending on where you live, you might be unable to leave it out every time you use it, as it can take up a lot of space.

Noise

If you’re not used to elliptical machines, you might wonder how loud they are. Ideally, they should be quiet when you’re operating them. If you’re not accustomed to them, you might think this is the usual, but it’s not.

Adjustability

You’ll need to know how adjustable your elliptical trainer is too. Many good machines will allow you to adjust your resistance and incline. Changing these enables you to ensure that your elliptical will offer you more intense workouts as you progress.

Comfort

When you’re buying an elliptical machine, it shouldn’t be uncomfortable. It should allow you to move naturally and allow for smooth motions. If you struggle with this, you might want to get a different one. Due to this, you should also know whether the stride length is comfortable. Although this falls into understanding your machine’s size, it will also help you comprehend if you need to find another elliptical that is better for you.

Features available

Now, you’ll want to know what electronic features are available on the elliptical machine’s console. They often have pre-set programs available, but you’ll want to take a closer look at the features so that you don’t struggle to understand how they operate. If a machine is too complicated, it can easily make you not want to use it.

Once you’ve narrowed down the features that are most important to you, it should make the buying process simpler for you.

Final thoughts

These are four of our favorite elliptical machines on the market today, all covering different price ranges. All of these exercise machines are perfect for anybody looking for a 300 or 400-pound elliptical trainer.

While losing weight is a challenge, setting fitness goals can be the best way for anyone to shed their body weight. While you might be nervous about going to the gym, contacting a personal trainer can help you find the right advice on how to lose weight safely.

Regardless of where you are on your weight loss journey, with these elliptical trainers, you won’t regret taking the next step in improving your health. After all, elliptical trainers don’t just cover lower-body workouts but are also perfect for a full-body workout. However, even if you’re not getting advice from a personal trainer, you should be able to successfully lose weight with the help of the preset programs on your device if they’re available.

If an elliptical machine is not right for you, you may to to check out the recent Extra Large Living review that we completed on Heavy duty treadmill.

No matter what elliptical trainer or exercise machine you decide to use, you should still be able to meet your goals for your fitness journey.