The 9 Best Treadmills For Walking, To Optimize Your Health & Your Time Indoors

When you think of a folding treadmill, you probably don’t picture high-end features. Well, this option is bound to impress the most dedicated walkers and runners. It has a 4.5-foot deck that allows for a wide stride, with a built-in screen and eight pre-programmed workouts, including nature hikes and walks. This cardio equipment can support up to 12 miles per hour at 12 incline levels, and even has heart rate monitors on the handlebars. 

What’s more, its lightweight design and wheels make storage easy. Either wheel it over to another area, or fold it up and store it in the closet or under the bed.

While this treadmill is loved by walkers, joggers, seniors, and athletes, it’s also one of our top picks for best compact treadmills and comes highly recommended by plenty of reviewers on the company’s website. One reviewer who uses this treadmill for walking writes, “Never thought I could love a treadmill this much! Amazing hiking and walking classes programmed.”

From one the top treadmill brands, this NordicTrack model maximizes durability and intensity with a top speed of 12 miles per hour and an incline up to 12%. Added bonus: running on inclines can amp up your cardio, burn more calories, and activate the lower body muscles. 

A 10-inch HD smart touch screen offers extensive training options with interactive studio workouts ready to stream, plus access to live classes through an optional paid membership. For walkers, the brand has sessions that take you on hikes from national parks like Yosemite to cultural walks in Lisbon, Portugal. Perhaps the coolest feature is the auto-adjust technology that pairs your treadmill’s speed and incline with the program selected. 

Since we’ve selected this as the best treadmill for walking with incline, it’s worth noting that it boasts the unique ability to decline, too, which is great for strengthening leg muscles. If you’re on the fence, its almost-perfect 4.9 out of 5 star average rating on the brand’s website from over 2,000 customers might persuade you.

For a high-performing treadmill at a reasonable price point, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better compact unit than this. With interactive training from iFit, this is a great compact treadmill for walking that can give you the same tech-savvy training programs as the NordicTrack—you just have to use your own tablet to view them. There’s no built-in screen, but there is a tablet holder. This treadmill also has a strong motor that can handle running and sprinting up to 8 miles per hour. 

Customers rave about how easy the setup is. One writes, “Out of the box and ready to go in about 10 minutes. I love that it’s compact.” Another says, “This machine’s build quality is sturdy and the belt motor is solid.” Bonus: the City L6 has a minimal footprint and the ability to stow away easily.

Multitask while you work with this under-desk pick. It’s no frills, budget-friendly, and easy to use. Because the max speed is 6 miles per hour and there’s no ability to add incline, this treadmill is designed for walking or jogging only. But what it lacks in intensity, it makes up for in sleek design. 

You’ll be able to track calories burned, steps, time, and distance on the LED display, plus you can even listen to your favorite music or podcast via Bluetooth speakers. Best of all, this machine is quiet and steady. Your coworkers won’t even realize you’re exercising during that Zoom call. 

With over 1,000 ratings on Amazon, this under the desk treadmill has an average rating of 4.4 stars. Reviewers rave about this product’s ease of use and discreteness. One customer writes, “This treadmill is so sturdy and not loud at all. I've asked my coworkers if they can hear it on Teams meetings or on the phone and no one could hear it. It’s the easiest treadmill to put together–it basically comes ready to go. Just plug in and walk!”

Instead of sitting at your desk all day (which can take a toll on your health), take a walk on this treadmill which fits perfectly underneath it and comes outfitted with Bluetooth speakers. When you're ready to expel some energy, simply lift the handrail to engage running mode, which will take your speed up to 7.5 miles per hour and give you a proper place to position your phone. Note, this speed is likely not going to impress the most intense sprinters, but is great to have for casual runners and joggers.

Beyond its five-layered non-slip, shock-absorbing belt, what makes this model stand out from the pack is that it comes in seven fun colors, to compliment any aesthetic. 

Almost 10,000 people have rated this budget-friendly treadmill, and it’s earned a 4.1 out of 5 star average rating. One remote worker writes, “I wish I’d bought this sooner! This treadmill fits perfectly under my standup desk, is relatively quiet, and super easy to set up! Upon opening the box, it was assembled and ready to use. The Bluetooth speaker is nice. This is a great little treadmill and has helped me to get more steps in every day since arriving.”

If you have joint issues or shin splints that flare up from taking long walks, you might want to test out this pick. The Amazon-favorite checks all the boxes for a great treadmill for walking, with five layers of shock-absorbing material, a low-noise motor, and a space-saving design. It also comes with 12 pre-set training programs for the most efficient workout sessions, plus fitness tracking. 

The reviews on Amazon are quite stellar—we’re talking 4.2 out of 5 stars and over 1,000 ratings. One reviewer exclaims, “This is a great walking treadmill. I couldn't ever buy a treadmill because I never had room for one, but this product makes it possible because of how compact it is! The deck is also cushioned well. I get shin splints often and I haven't gotten them since I've been using this. Even my mom, who has knee problems, went for a walk on it and she didn't hurt the next day.”

A sturdy frame and a large, backlit, easy-to-use interface make this a great choice for seniors. This treadmill has all the must-have features, like 30 pre-programmed workouts, a fitness app for tracking, a magnetic safety tether, and a built-in fan to keep you cool (though, some reviewers say it’s not very powerful). When you’re done with your walk or run, the Lift Assist and wheels help you store the machine away without fuss. 

While the reviews for this treadmill are stellar, most stress that paying for assembly is very worth it. Otherwise, it can be an hour or two of mild frustration. One reviewer shares, “I am super happy with this treadmill. The best decision we made was paying for the assembly. The delivery team was incredible. They carried it downstairs and assembled it exactly where I wanted it. They were on time and super efficient.” You should know that the treadmill weighs 200 pounds, so if you’re not up for the exercise in weight lifting, definitely consider the set-up service.

This manual treadmill pick is the top choice from our expert, Sponaugle, who uses TrueForm as the track of choice in her home gym and in her professional fitness studio in Tampa, Florida. The proprietary Responsive Belt Technology® makes walking and running on a TrueForm a superior experience. By this we mean, your balance, posture, hip position, and foot strike will react more closely to the way they would on outdoor terrain. What’s more, the manual belt is designed to help you improve core strength as you walk and run. Just keep in mind, Kathleen Leninger, P.T., DPT, physical therapist and RRCA coach at Custom Performance, previously told mindbodygreen you should never run long distances on a curved treadmill. So, if you do plan on running, keep it to shorter sprints.

With a design that’s definitely unique, the brand has a cult following. One reviewer writes, “This treadmill is one of the best I've ever used for running and walking. My body feels incredibly supported while using it. I immediately feel when my posture’s not right and can correct myself. I feel a difference on and off the treadmill. It takes a minute to get used to, but it's worth the learning curve.”

Calling all power walkers, hikers, joggers, runners, and boot campers, whether you’re in multi-task mode or in a fun-run mood, the Peloton Tread makes every step count. It offers real-time tracking of speed, mileage, pace splits, heart rate zones, elevation, and more that’ll help you stay motivated as you build your own custom workout routine. The brand offers classes for just about every kind of training, including on-tread programs such as walking, hiking, and running, plus off-tread courses like boxing, strength training, and barre. 

The speed and incline knobs easily adjust controls without breaking your stride. If you’re taking a class, simply adjust your settings to auto-incline and the machine will automatically follow your instructor’s cues, no manual adjustments necessary. Its impressive 23.8-inch HD touch screen and sleek body give this treadmill modern appeal—and its most unique feature is the Body Scan which shows you the muscles you’ve targeted in your sessions. 

While this machine is applause-worthy, the reviews lay it bare: the treadmill itself is not the only reason people choose to buy Peloton. It’s for the classes and community. One reviewer writes, “This treadmill is one of the best I've ever used. My body feels incredibly supported while using it. Not only is it a high quality treadmill, but when paired with the workouts from Peloton, it's a wonderful way to keep up with my miles over the winter and even throughout the year. I love the extra motivation from the instructors.”