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The best treadmills for walking, running and cardio workouts in 2025, recommended by experts
At-home fitness has shot up in popularity over the past couple of years and the best treadmills have evolved at a similar rate. The global treadmill market is worth $3.59 billion, according to Research and Markets – that’s equivalent to around £2.94 billion. That makes them the most lucrative product in the fitness industry, with famous names like Peloton, Nordictrack and Proform taking the lion’s share.
The home fitness industry was on the cusp of a breakthrough even before the pandemic, thanks to advances in technology and a desire for exercise to fit into our lifestyles, rather than the other way round. Whether it’s yoga-ing with Yoga with Adriene or investing in a rowing machine or exercise bike, so many people are choosing to work out at home rather than the gym. None of these come cheap – and treadmills are one of the most expensive investments you can make. It’s important to choose the best.
We asked experts from the world of sport and physiotherapy to recommend the best treadmills currently available. Their full reviews are further down this article, followed by some advice on how to lose weight on a treadmill. But if you’re in a hurry, here’s a quick look at our top five:
Which are the best treadmills in 2026? At a glance
How to choose the best treadmill
Treadmills can cost between £600 and £3,500. How much you spend should depend on how regularly you’ll use it and whether you want live classes, like with Peloton or NordicTrack. Look for one which monitors your time, pace and incline. It will need to be wide and long enough and have a motor powerful enough to maintain a consistent speed for someone of your weight, size and power output, says Matt Roberts, celebrity personal trainer to the likes of Adele and David Cameron.
“In the most basic terms,” Roberts says, “a treadmill should not leave you feeling that your foot is close to the end if you have a long stride length. The motor needs to be a minimum of around 2.5 horsepower if you intend to run at all and should be that same level for walkers in order to retain a consistent speed. Lesser motors will alter their output as the foot strikes.”
Ready to be put through your paces? Whether you’re looking for the crème de la crème of studio-standard treadmills or a budget model to get you started, these are the best treadmills available for your home gym.
