***Update 12/21/2007***
Well, I've had this machine for about two weeks now and it works great. I am completely satisfied with this purchase. I was a little concerned about shipping, but mine came in perfect condition. Like others, it took me little under 3 hours to put it together. If you can put a screw in and follow directions, you'll be able to put this together. The machine is so smooth and quiet. It's no problem for others in the room to watch TV at the same time. After a week, I started to notice a clicking sound and it turned out I had tightened the screw that connects the handle bar to the foot pedal bar too tight. Loosening it a little fixed the problem.
***Original review***
- I should start by saying I just bought the Schwinn 431 from Amazon, but haven't received it yet so my total usage of it is only the 15 minutes or so I spent trying a demo model at a store. However, I spent a lot of time demoing various brands and some of my research may help you decide what's best for you. My price point was also under $1000. You can definitely find better, but you'll pay for it. First, just some general things I found while demoing ellipticals.
* Machines with the wheel in the front seemed to have a better, more natural feeling movement than those in the rear.
* Stride length of 18" worked best for me (I'm 5'5"). Some low end models had 16" stride, but I found this to be too short. Others had 20" or 21" but these were too big for me.
* I don't think you'd want to buy an elliptical for less than $500. They're just too cheap feeling.
I narrowed my search to three brands, based on the reviews I read on Amazon and also on a website that has lots of reviews of treadmills and ellipticals ("treadmill sensei").
Horizon
Most chain stores carry the Horizon brand. I looked at two models: Horizon Ex56 (Horizon EX55 seems to be the older model) and Horizon EX66. These two are basically the same, with the EX66 just having a few more bells and whistles (i.e. more programs, etc.). I believe the internal mechanisms to be pretty much the same. These were well sized to fit into my smaller house. $600-$800. Overall, these seemed like a nice machine, and I almost bought the ex56, as I didn't think the extra $200 really gave me much more. The EX66 does look a bit more sleek and has 2 extra support legs that could provide better stability.
Sole
I wanted to try the Sole 25, but the store I looked at only had the next model up, the 35. These machines are a bit pricier, actually the 25 was "on sale" for $999 with a MSRP of $1999 (I don't think anyone every pays the MSRP though) and the 35 is more. Both have a 20" stride length, and this was just too big for me. For a taller person, this might be fine. The machine itself is bigger and I would have a harder time fitting it into my house. In general, the motion was very smooth. This seems like a well built machine if you have the space and money. Sole seems to have a pretty good warranty too.
Schwinn
I didn't expect Schwinn to make ellipticals. Actually, they don't. This brand falls under the Nautilus brand, which also makes bowflex, nautilus and stairmaster. I looked at the 430 and 431, (431 seems to be the later model and has more bells and whistles, like more programs, a fan and rubber pads on the foot pedals instead of just hard plastic ones on the 430, a bigger cup holder!). Consumer reports actually recommended the 418. The model numbering is strange, the 418 and 438 go together, and the 430 and 431 are similar. The 431 is smaller in size, about the same as the Horizon EX56. The price for the 430 is $600 and the 431 $800. I ended up going with the 431 (there is a promotion going on for a $100 gift card so that brings the price closer). In general both the 430 and 431 felt the same, except the rubber pads on the pedals did feel nicer with better grip for your shoes. This machine actually feels better than the horizon line due to the 25lb flywheel, vs. only 14lbs for the Horizon. This really makes the stride feel smoother. This machine also felt more solid than Horizon. The only problem with this brand is that it was hard to find a demo machine. Another potential drawback is the warranty, which is 15 year frame, 1 year parts, and 6 months labor.
Your best bet is to actually get on the machine and try them out before you buy! Good Luck! Schwinn 431 Elliptical Trainer
I just bought one of these from a local "Play It Again Sports" location and I must say I'm impressed with the sturdy manufacturing. (I'd recommend you ask your local store for a price. I saved $100 over Amazon's price!) It has a very smooth ride and feels very sturdy even when I ride it at a quick rate. I'm 215 lbs and I have it set up on Berber carpet and it still feels very sturdy!
The assembly took me about 2 hours and it wasn't very difficult. Schwinn (er, Nautilus) did a good job of packing all of the nuts and washers in a very organized way where there is no doubt what is what. The instructions were very easy to follow and didn't require any tools other than the ones included in the box.
I'm very happy with this unit. It has a wonderful selection of 20 different programs built in and has 16 levels of resistance as well. The heart rate monitor is well placed and seems to work well for me. The lack of a chest strap compatibility feature wasn't a big deal for me since I don't use a chest strap and have never liked them, but be aware of this short-coming if that option matters to you.
Overall, I think this is a good deal and a solid machine. Now I just need to start getting up and using it every morning! - Schwinn 431 - Sturdy - Affordable - Schwinn'
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