Many people adore ellipticals. These cardio machines offer a low-impact workout option, which is something you can’t get with a treadmill. Plus, many come with handles that allow you to get your upper body involved in the exercise, too, giving you a full-body workout experience.
Ellipticals are usually considered to be smaller cardio machines. After all, their footprints tend to fall below that of many treadmills and rowers. However, that doesn’t mean some ellipticals aren’t fairly large, making them less than ideal for small spaces.
Luckily, there are plenty of ellipticals that won’t take over your home or apartment. Here is a look at some of the best ellipticals for small spaces.
EFitment Compact Magnetic Elliptical
The EFitment Compact Magnetic Elliptical Machine Trainer with LCD Monitor and Pulse Rate Grips has a space-saving design that’s excellent for small spaces. The stride length is set at a shorter 11 inches, allowing this elliptical to be incredibly functional and surprisingly compact.
Plus, thanks to its transport wheels, you can even navigate this machine through tight spaces. Just tilt the elliptical to roll it and set it where you want it. You can then bring your elliptical into the middle of the room when you want a workout and then easily store it against a wall when not in use.
Along with the elliptical stride motion, you can also get a full-body workout thanks to the moveable handles. This model also comes with pulse rate monitors in the grip, making it easy to see if you are achieving your ideal heart rate. If you use your own heart rate monitor and a companion smartphone app, you can view it with ease thanks to the handy phone and tablet holder in front of the digital screen.
Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Elliptical
If you are looking for a highly affordable compact elliptical with extra features like pulse-rate grips and an LCD monitor, the Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Elliptical Machine Trainer is a solid choice. It has a 17-inch x 28-inch footprint, offering an 11-inch stride length.
Additionally, you get eight resistance levels, allowing you to make your workout easier or more challenging. You can have a lower body-only workout or use the movable handles to get your upper body engaged as well, providing you with options. As an added bonus, you can even pedal in reverse for more variety.
Plus, you can take advantage of the included transportation wheels, allowing you to move your elliptical with ease when the need arises. The leg stabilizers are also adjustable, ensuring you can get it to sit flat even on slightly uneven surfaces.
Stamina InMotion with Cords
If you need the smallest elliptical imaginable, the Stamina InMotion Compact Strider might be your best bet. It’s essentially a set of pedals attached to a base. The pedals sit low to the ground, and you can place this elliptical just about anywhere. Not only can you use this cardio machine when standing, but also while sitting at your desk or in your favorite chair. It’s that flexible.
By getting the version with cords, you can add some upper body resistance training to your workout. There’s also a small digital display that shows basic information like your exercise time and stride count.
When you need to move it, just grab this elliptical by the handle. Then, you can stash it in a closet, under a bed, or anywhere else to get it out of the way when not in use.
Just be aware that it takes a little practice to be able to use this elliptical while standing. You don’t have any rigid handles to assist with balance, so make sure to take it slow until you get used to it.
Schwinn 411 Elliptical Machine
The Schwinn 411 Elliptical Machine has a somewhat compact design but still offers a solid 18 inches of stride length. While it is certainly bigger than other ellipticals on this list, it doesn’t necessarily qualify as a large machine. Plus, it may be more comfortable for taller people thanks to the longer stride length.
This elliptical also has more features. Along with 16 resistance levels, pulse sensors in the grips, and a display screen, you can sync the machine with the RunSocial app, allowing you to virtually run alongside friends on any of the 27 available routes.
Putting this elliptical together is also easy, even if you have to do it alone. Additionally, the Schwinn 411 Elliptical runs quiet, so you won’t be disturbed by excess noise
It is important to note that this elliptical isn’t cheap. In fact, it costs far more than the others on the list. But, if you need a longer stride length and like the idea of syncing the RunSocial app, it’s worth considering.
Exerpeutic Gold Dual Trainer
If you want to incorporate some variety into your cardio, the Exerpeutic Gold Elliptical and Exercise Bike Dual Trainer gives you options and is still pretty compact. You can stand to use it as an elliptical or sit and use it more like a bike instead. The pedals can go forward or backward, giving you additional variety. Plus, you can also engage the workout arms to get some upper body exercise in, too, even when sitting down.
While it is larger than some of the other ellipticals on this list, it doesn’t have a massive footprint. Instead, it comes in at nearly 44 inches x 26 inches, which could work in many smaller spaces. The transportation wheels make it easy to move as well, so you can stash it near a wall when not in use.