The Horizon Fitness T101 Treadmill is the perfect treadmill for the budget conscious fitness fanatic who wants to spend less but retain a high degree of value for money.
Competitively priced at around $600, the T101 has a 20 inch by 55 inch running surface which should satisfy the majority of average sized runners.
There is also the ability to set a maximum 10% incline and the included LCD screen has 9 pre-programmed workout routines and displays other important metrics like distance, calories and your heart rate.
As far as bells and whistles are concerned, there are surround speakers with MP3 compatbility and direct cooling fans make you feel more comfortable whilst working out.
Designed for persons up to a maximum weight of 300 pounds, the T101 treadmill carries a lifetime warranty on the frame and motor and an additional 12 months on labor and all other parts.
Overall Score: 4 out of 5 stars
Best Place to Buy the Horizon Fitness T101 Treadmill – I’ve found the best prices and overall customer service at Amazon.com. You can find the latest discount they have on the T101 (or the Horizon Fitness T101-3 treadmill, which is the 2012 model) by clicking here: Find the Latest Price on the T101 by Horizon Fitness
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Our Review of the Horizon Fitness T101 Treadmill
This particular treadmill is a great buy in the budget treadmill market. When you look at this treadmill for the first time, you will notice that it is quite a sleek and stylish unit.
It has a large, clear LCD screen and all of the controls are within easy reach. It is possible to use this machine at speeds of up to 10 miles per hour at a 10 degree incline as noted above.
The 2.25 HP motor is not the most powerful in the world and to guarantee maximum product life, should only be used for walking and jogging at the most.
Advantages
- Extremely good value for money.
- Although not the sturdiest treadmill on sale, the lifetime warranty on the frame and motor will definitely help alleviate any concerns about longevity that you may have.
- Equipped with music capability and cooling fans to help you get through each exercise session.
- Smooth running operation and a very quiet motor too.
- Intuitive setup and easy to operate.
- Good customer service from Horizon Fitness the majority of the time.
- The best treadmill in this price range.
- Adjustable incline feature is a real winner.
Disadvantages
- Rated at around 200 pounds out of the box, this treadmill is heavy. Consider getting a friend to help you assemble it if you think you may have trouble by yourself.
- Can be noisy at the higher end of the speed scale.
- The heart rate monitor is not wireless and you must come into contact with the sensors on the dashboard. Some people may find this uncomfortable or distracting during exercise.
- There are also rare cases of the treadmill arriving damaged. This may be due to shipping procedures, the weight of the treadmill or the general way that it is packaged.
- The belt must be untensioned and lubricated when you are first setting the treadmill up. It can be difficult and complicated and many people cannot understand why it would not just come from the factory already lubricated. If in doubt, ask for help!
-The accuracy of the heart rate monitor has also been questioned, so if you are the sort of person who loves accurate data to track their progress then consider something else too.
Who Is This Treadmill Best Suited For?
It is definitely meant for individuals who have a reasonably light frame, or who wants to run less than 10 MPH – the sort of person who wants to tone up and lose a few pounds for the summer or who wants to get in a bit of quick exercise before or after work or before the kids come home and need attending to.
It is rated to 300 pounds and this in combination with the fact that is never going to be as stable as the higher end treadmills means that you should exercise caution if your weight falls even within 25 pounds or so of the quoted limit. If you need additional stability, or will be running at high speeds and be putting the treadmill to the test everyday, I would recommend spending a little more money and buying either the Sole F80 or the Precor 9.33 models.
It may also be suited for people who are buying their first treadmill and don’t want to have to commit to spending large amounts of money without knowing what they are getting.
Conclusion
The Horizon Fitness T101 Treadmill is not perfect but the attractive price point and reliable performance means that it will have great appeal to a wide audience of fitness lovers.
It has enough of the features you need to track your progress and make fitness more enjoyable to be a serious consideration for your next purchase, and the lifetime warranty on the important bits is a nice addition too.
You may find that the most frustrating part of this treadmill is the setup, but theoretically you could persuade one of your friends to help or even outsource it to an assembly company if you wanted to.
Best Place To Purchase the Horizon T101:
Again, so far the best price I’ve found is just under $600 at Amazon.com. I also like buying from Amazon because they have a good return policy and great customer service. Also note: The T101-3 is the 2012 model, so that is the recommended model to purchase.
