Buying an elliptical? You may want to look at several elliptical trainer ratings before buying to get an idea of which one is best for you.
Before you look at elliptical ratings however, here are a few things you should know about how they're rated:
#1 Elliptical Trainers are Rated in Specific Price Groups
There are really 3 categories of machines: Economy Buys, Mid-priced and Commercial Grade ellipticals.
Economy buys range from about 0 to 00. Mid-priced units range from 00-00. High End or Commercial machines range from about 00 and above.
When experts go to rate elliptical trainers they usually compare within price class.
So just because an economy elliptical trainer gets 5 stars and a mid-priced machine gets 4 stars, that doesn't mean the economy unit is better than the mid-priced unit. It just means that compared to other economy crosstrainers, that one is superior.
#2 Experts Value Elliptical Features Differently
Ever wonder why certain elliptical trainers get rated highly by some experts and not by others? It's because different raters value some features over others.
So for example, while Consumer Reports may give more weight to long warranties and stability, Consumer Guide may value smoothness of ride or ease of use.
It doesn't mean one crosstrainer is better than another - it could just mean they are rated using different criteria.
#3 Use Caution When Reading User Elliptical Ratings
In addition to expert elliptical ratings, there are also websites that allow people to write a personal review of their crosstrainer. While these can be helpful when shopping, be cautious of basing your decision just on these ratings.
Exercise equipment is big business and some companies are not above having one of their employees post negative reviews on their competitors.
Also, no one elliptical brand has a perfect track record - sometimes even the best brands make a dud. And those are usually the people that go online to post a negative review. Those people who are happy with their elliptical are less likely to post a comment.
Bottom Line? Take user ratings with a grain of salt and compare them to your own research when deciding on your crosstrainer.
So those are three things to keep in mind when looking at elliptical trainer ratings. Remember to take your time, search around and find a machine you can get excited about using.
No comments:
Post a Comment