How To Find The Best Cross Trainer

Who’s going to be using it?

A shared cross trainer has to suit more than one body profile and usually clocks up a lot more hours than a machine used by one person.

• How many people will use it? One person doing three short workouts a week is a very different workload to three or four people training most days. If usage is going to stack up, I’d lean towards a heavier, more robust semi-commercial grade machine.

• What weight is the heaviest user? Make sure they’re comfortably below the stated maximum user weight. I wouldn’t sit right on the limit; where possible I’d leave at least 10% headroom so the machine isn’t spending every workout working at the edge of its rating.

• How tall are the users and what stride do they need? Height is a useful starting point, but the important figure on a cross trainer is stride length because we’re all built in slightly different proportions. You’ll need a stride length which doesn’t restrict your movement. If users vary a lot in height, an adjustable stride can be well worth having.

What sort of workouts will it get?

Cross trainers are used for everything from gentle low-impact exercise to intense interval sessions, so think about the most demanding use rather than the easiest.

• How often will it be used? Add up the total weekly use across everyone in the household. Frequent sessions and multiple users push me towards a more substantial frame, smoother drive system and a resistance range with plenty left at the top end.

• How hard will the workouts be? If you’re mainly doing easy steady-state cardio, you won’t need the same machine as someone planning hard intervals and long sessions. The more force you’re putting through the pedals and handlebars, the more you’ll appreciate a robust frame and smooth motion.

• Do you want incline? Adding incline to your cross trainer workout is more about working additional muscles rather than increasing intensity in my opinion. If you’re going for an incline cross trainer, check whether it’s manual or digital incline and also how high in the air you’ll be at full incline (pedal distance from floor at full incline) to avoid banging your head on a low ceiling!

Where’s it going?

Cross trainers can be very bulky and their moving parts make the usable space larger than the footprint may suggest.

• Check the assembled footprint. Measure the full length and width, then leave enough space to get on and off comfortably. Also make sure the moving handlebars and pedal arms aren’t going to clip a wall, radiator or piece of furniture.

• Check the pedal height, not just the machine height. You’re standing above floor level when using a cross trainer. If the machine has incline, find the highest point the pedal reaches at maximum incline, add the height of the tallest user and make sure your ceiling still leaves comfortable headroom.

• Think about access. Boxed dimensions matter when the machine is going through doorways, around stair corners or into a lift. A cross trainer can fit beautifully once assembled but still be impossible to get into the room in its box.

• Check the power requirements. Some machines run from batteries or generate their own power, while other models may need a mains socket, in which case make sure one’s nearby.

Stride length

Stride length is the distance your feet travel through the elliptical movement. If too short your movement will feel restricted and unnatural.

As a rough starting point, these are the sort of stride lengths I’d keep in mind:

These are ballpark figures rather than set-in-stone height rules. Leg length, body proportions and personal preference all affect what feels comfortable, so try the machine beforehand where possible.

Resistance

Quiet magnetic resistance

Most home cross trainers use magnetic resistance of some description. You’ll usually see either manual adjustment or electronically controlled magnetic resistance.

• Manual magnetic resistance – usually changed using a dial.
• Electronically controlled magnetic resistance – adjusted through buttons on the console. This is what I’d generally choose if budget allows because it’s easier to change on the move and lets built-in programmes alter resistance automatically.

Resistance levels

Don’t assume a machine with 32 resistance levels is twice as difficult as one with 16. More levels can simply mean smaller jumps between the easiest and hardest settings.

The lowest resistance should be manageable for warm-ups and easier sessions, while the top end needs enough bite that you don’t outgrow the machine after a few months.

Incline

Incline changes the pedal path and works additional muscles in the lower body. It’s not essential, but if you enjoy varied workouts it can be a very useful feature.

Manual incline involves stepping off the machine to physically adjust the incline. This is less practical than digital incline, especially if you want to adjust incline throughout your workout.

Digital incline is far easier and more practical as you can change the incline via the console while still exercising. On some machines it can also adjust automatically during built-in or interactive workouts.

Dimensions and pedal height

For a cross trainer, the standard length × width × height figure is only the start. I’d check all of the following before ordering:

• Assembled length and width – the basic footprint of the whole machine.
• Maximum pedal height – especially important if ceiling height is tight.
• Pedal height at maximum incline – use this figure for your worst-case headroom calculation.
• Moving clearance – check whether the pedals or handlebars extend beyond the static frame dimensions.
• Boxed dimensions and boxed weight – these tell you whether you can physically get it to the room where it’s going.
• Folded dimensions – only applicable if a model is promoted as folding.

Maximum user weight and machine weight

Maximum user weight is primarily a safety and suitability figure, so make sure the heaviest user sits comfortably inside it. As mentioned earlier, I’d leave some breathing room rather than choosing a model where you’re right on the cusp – say 10%.

Machine weight is a different figure altogether. A heavier frame can be a good sign when you want something stable for hard workouts, but it also makes the cross trainer more awkward to move. Transport wheels help, although you’re still going to have to lift part of the machine onto them.

Console type

A simple LED console will normally show the essentials such as time, distance, speed, RPM, calories, resistance level and heart rate. For a lot of people that’s all they need, particularly if they’ll be watching the television or using their own phone or tablet while exercising.

Touchscreen displays are more common on higher-end cross trainers and come loaded with workout content and virtual routes, usually requiring a subscription of some sort.

App connectivity and subscriptions

If a machine is advertised as Bluetooth or smart it doesn’t mean it’ll work with every app. If you have a preferred training platform, check that exact app is compatible before buying.

Find out whether workout data is simply sent from your cross trainer to an app, or if it’s two-way where an app can alter the machine’s resistance or incline automatically throughout a workout. Check both the machine and the app’s capability to do this.

Check whether the machine is locked into a specific app/platform e.g. IFit, which may rule out connecting to third party apps like Kinomap (however, some apps do offer a workaround in cases like this so just check the app’s website for further info).

Built-in workouts

Even if you’ve got no interest in apps, built-in manufacturer programmes can be worth having to add some variety and structure to workouts – you may get bored of the same 30 minute workout at resistance level 6 each time! Plus they don’t cost any extra. You’ll commonly find interval, hill, calorie, distance, heart-rate programmes as well as being able to create your own custom ones.

Wearables and heart rate

Many cross trainers have pulse sensors on the fixed handlebars. They’re okay for an occasional reading, but you have to keep your hands on them and I wouldn’t expect them to match the accuracy of a wearable like a chest strap or watch.

If heart-rate training is important to you, check whether the machine can receive a continuous wireless heart-rate signal and whether it supports the device you already own. Some built-in heart-rate programmes can then automatically change resistance to help keep you within a target zone.

Warranty and Return Policies

You obviously hope never to use the warranty, but there are a lot of moving joints, bearings, electronics and adjustment mechanisms on a cross trainer. I’d check the detail rather than just looking at the biggest warranty number in the advert.

• Parts and labour – around 1–3 years is common for domestic machines. If anything goes wrong an engineer will normally come to your home to fit any new parts.

• Screen – check whether there is a separate warranty for the console if it’s a touchscreen display.

Delivery and Assembly

• Check whether delivery is doorstep, ground-floor or room-of-choice.

• Check the boxed weight as couriers will generally refuse to take anything of 80 kg or more upstairs, despite how much you beg or moan! If this is the case either find yourself some strong friends, hire a third party (e.g. a removals company) or check with the seller if there are any further arrangements which can be made.

• Compare the boxed dimensions with any doorways, lifts, stairs and tight corners it’ll be navigating to the room-of-choice. Again, couriers can be in a position to refuse to take a machine into a room if access is too restricted.

• If the worst happens and the box turns up looking smashed to bits, take pictures and try and get hold of the seller as soon as possible while the couriers are still there to try and resolve it. Don’t feel pressured by the couriers as they’ll be wanting to flee to their next delivery! If you can’t get hold of the seller and the courier genuinely needs to go, you can simply refuse delivery and explain to the seller afterwards to sort out a solution. And make sure you have photos to back up your claim!

• Cross trainers are one of the more difficult pieces of cardio equipment to assemble because they’re bulky and have lots of moving parts. I’d consider paying for an assembly service if possible. It can save a lot of time and reduces the risk of assembling it incorrectly.

• If you’re paying for assembly, check who actually carries it out. You’ll want a specialist engineer with knowledge of your particular brand of cross trainer, rather than a general flat-pack assembly service.

• Don’t assume delivery and assembly happen together. An assembly appointment can be up to 7 working days after the machine has been delivered.

Maintenance

• Read the manual! Different cross trainers use different joints, rails and resistance systems, so follow the maintenance schedule for the machine you’ve actually bought.

• Wipe it down after use. Sweat gets into fixings and around electronics if it’s repeatedly left to dry on the machine.

Check reviews

• Have a look at independent customer reviews on the likes of Trustpilot or Feefo, but don’t panic because you’ve found a few bad ones. Any company selling enough large pieces of fitness equipment will have the odd unhappy customer. See if there is any trend in the bad reviews e.g. highlighting a particular feature issue that may affect you.

• Some reviews can be along the lines of ‘5 stars! I haven’t actually got it out the box yet but it’s great!’… Look for quality reviews that give an indication of product performance for a usage similar to yours, spare-parts availability, engineer visits, warranty claims, refunds and whether customer service actually responds when something goes wrong.

• Delivery complaints need some context because many fitness companies use third-party couriers. What I judge the retailer on is whether they take ownership of the problem and help get it sorted.