The best ellipticals for stepping up your home gym setup

Perhaps the biggest selling point of the Sole Fitness E95 is its versatility. The pedals, stride length, incline, and more are all adjustable to your liking. 

It has a quiet drive system, which keeps noise levels to a minimum and makes for a smooth, whisper quiet session every time. It also has 20 levels of incline, allowing you to push specific body areas, plus a 2-degree inward slope on each pedal, with the option to adjust the angle suit your unique gait, which protects your knees and ankles in a way that other ellipticals don’t.

The machine also has 10 programmed workouts, as well as a built-in fan, tablet/phone holder, Bluetooth connected sound system, and minimalistic LCD screen.

Though it has a limited number of built-in programmes, the Sole Fitness E95 connects with the Studio workout app to offer a range of enhanced features, including dozens of extra programmes, real-time feedback, and coaching.

The Nautilus E628 is all about creating a comfortable workout experience for its users — you're already putting such a huge strain on your body, so why make it worse? 

The padded handlebars are designed to be ergonomic and provide optimal comfort, while a multitude of intensity options, a 22-inch path stride, and multiple programmes keep you on your toes. It also has a high-speed, high-inertia drive system that makes for easy start up and smooth, consistent workouts.

It's also compatible with the RunSocial app, has intuitive fitness tracking on its LCD display, and has an MP3 port so you can enjoy your favourite workout playlists during your sessions. 

Ultimately, the Nautilus E628 is an all-encompassing elliptical that has lots of features for a relatively moderate price. 

The NordicTrack C5.5 is a high-end, highly-rated machine. It’s not just a premium build, but it’s geared towards premium performance too.

It has all the great features that you’d expect, including 20 resistance levels, a 20% adjustable incline, and heart rate sensors built into the handles.

But it really excels when connected to the iFIT app. You get a free 30-day trial, which allows you to experience virtual coaching, global studio classes, and automatic control. That means your virtual coaches can remotely adjust the resistance and tilt, ultimately to help you drive performance and break your exercise habits.

Other handy features include dual Bluetooth speakers, a water bottle holder, and front-mounted wheels for transporting the elliptical between rooms. It’s worth noting that it’s a bit of a beast to assemble and will take more than one person to get it (and you) up and running.

As the name suggests, the ProForm HIIT L6 focuses on high intensity interval training.

Opting for a vertical stride rather than the standard horizontal, the ProForm elliptical simulates walking briskly up a long flight of stairs — but without the joint-damaging impact. It combines its unique elliptical path with upper body movements, giving you a well-rounded workout that's smooth but always challenging.

This ProForm elliptical is a very manageable size (just like its price) and will fit in whatever room you decide to convert into your home gym.

It comes with 23 resistance levels and iFIT connectivity for virtual training. If you want an intense, full-body workout without the high impact of other cardio exercises, the ProForm Cardio HIIT Trainer is a great choice.

The cheapest option on this list, the JLL CT200 is a magnetic trainer, meaning it uses magnets to create the resistance during your workouts. This makes it harder to adjust, but it keeps it at a really reasonable price since it lacks many of the advanced features of more expensive models. 

This elliptical still has some cool specs though, like a pulse monitor built into the handle grips and a digital screen. And though it's sparse on pre-set workout programmes, for obvious low-tech reasons, it does have four programmes to consider. Plus, eight levels of magnetic resistance.

It's also very lightweight and can be folded down small enough to fit in a closet. For all the things that the JLL CT200 doesn't have, it still provides a smooth, low-impact, and high-quality cardiovascular workout. 

If you're new to ellipticals, you may only know the name Schwinn from that bicycle that's been collecting dust in your garage for years. Indeed, it might come as a surprise that the same company that makes exercise bikes is also the manufacturer of one of the best elliptical machines on the market — and at one of the fairest prices, too. 

OK, so the Schwinn 570E isn’t what most folks would call cheap, but it’s stacked with adjustable features, making it great value in the grand scheme of things. It has 20 pre-set workouts and 25 resistance levels, plus an adjustable incline range of 10 degrees. Motion technology also simulates a natural running motion.

The Schwinn 570E includes some fun extras, such as a USB port, MP3 input, and holder for a tablet/phone. It connects via Bluetooth to various fitness apps, allowing to you gear your workouts toward specific goals and gains.

The ProForm Hybrid elliptical earned its spot on this list because of its versatile, 2-in-1 design. In a matter of seconds, you can convert the ProForm from your standard elliptical machine to a stationary exercise bike, and then back again.

That means two completely different low-impact workouts to choose from whenever you want, meaning you can easily switch up your workout without having to buy an entirely different piece of equipment.

If you want even more variety, it comes with a free 30-day trial for iFIT, giving you access to elite coaches and virtual workout classes. As with other iFIT compatible machines, coaches can automatically adjust the resistance levels.

It's more than fairly priced for what you're getting. Sure, the ProForm Hybrid isn't the most advanced option but it features 16 total resistance levels, an adjustable bike seat, and a shelf for placing your tablet or phone in front of you.