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I adore having a folding treadmill at home, because, living in a smaller space, I can easily stash it away or bring it out for a go. And this time of year, when there's sleet and snow? I don't want to miss out on a workout.
If you're like me and you want to be able to run a treadmill at home, but you can’t give away valuable space to a huge piece of fitness equipment? We get it. There’s a solution, though: A folding treadmill gives you the ability to pack up and store your ’mill between runs. Their compact size and light weight comes at a cost: They often don’t have as many convenient features we expect from a top-of-the-line model, nor do they offer huge inclines and top speeds. That said, most can do the basics effectively when you need them, then fit in your closet when you’re done. The best folding treadmills, as we see them, offer a range of sizes and prices for casual runners and athletes in training.
Best Folding Treadmills
- Best Overall: Echelon Stride-6 Treadmill
- Best Value: Urevo CyberMega Smart Treadmill
- Best Premium: NordicTrack Commercial 1750 Treadmill
- Easiest to Operate: Horizon Fitness 7.0AT Treadmill (2024)
- Best for Walking: WalkingPad C2 Foldable Walking Treadmill
Full Reviews
The dream of shoving your treadmill under your bed between runs is alive in the Echelon Stride-6. This high-performance mill features a full-size, 20.5- by 60-inch running deck that can hit a max speed of 12.5 mph, but still manages to fold up tight. Personally, I store mine upright against a wall, sometimes hidden behind a curtain. It takes up about as much space as a few snowboards or a couple of winter coats. No, I'm not kidding, it's just that compact.
The Stride-6’s belt features low-response cushioning that creates a ride that feels closer to outdoor road running than treadmill running, which I love when I’m training for road races. Also, as an autistic sensory seeker, sometimes I really enjoy beating the hell out of the deck after a bad day. Are you also a sensory seeker, or have one in your life? If so, this is a solid choice. At full speed, with a 12 percent incline, this machine gives as good as it gets, too.
This treadmill does not have a touchscreen, though. Instead, it syncs directly to a running watch or tablet, for which it has an extra-large holder. The pre-loaded running programs are fine and dandy, but nothing to write home about. Echelon produces a paid workout video library like NordicTrack’s iFit, which you can access via an app, but it’s no different than any other virtual workout platforms without native support on the treadmill.
Let’s talk a little more about the folding mechanism, though, because that’s the reason to buy this treadmill. It is one of only a handful of options that doesn’t require any assembly. Unbox this beauty, unfold it, plug it in, and you’re good. It has an “autofold” feature that makes collapsing the treadmill feel seamless. All that you do is press the foot pedal, and the crossbar and board fold onto the surface of the treadmill. You can then store it flat on the ground or upright, which is a win for anyone who doesn’t have the permanent floor space available.
Also, after testing treadmill after treadmill in my house, I can confidently say my cats prefer the Stride-6, and I have no idea why. They're obsessed and I can't figure it out. It is also the easiest to store, fun to run on, and it's by far the easiest to move around.
When this treadmill is folded, it practically disappears. Fully folded, it drops to under 11 inches tall, which is easily flat enough to slide under a bed or stand upright in a closet corner. For anyone training for a marathon in an apartment, a spare bedroom, or a shared space, you know the value there. The SwiftFold mechanism handles it in one motion, and there’s no assembly required.
What I appreciate is that folding this flat usually means compromising on the machine underneath. This one doesn’t. You still get a dual brushless 4.0 HP motor, a 0–12 percent auto-incline, a 12.5 mph top speed, and a 300-lb weight capacity that matches most treadmills in its class. The 51.18 x 18.9-inch deck is a touch narrow for tall runners, and that is, admittedly an issue.
But, when you add the real marathon course maps and an AI coach, along with that magical fold? At around $900 to $1,000 it’s a ‘mill that’s hard to say no to.
Urevo CyberMega Treadmill Review
If you’re looking for a serious running machine that also happens to fold, then you can’t do better than the NordicTrack Commercial 1750. Both Dengate and I really appreciated the feel of running on this machine, which has he called “Goldilocks” cushioning. The deck is firm enough that you don’t feel like you’re running on rubber but soft enough that it wasn’t as hard on our joints as a road run would be. We were also sold on the quick controls for both speed and incline changes, which are both easy to identify and toggle. I found that it stops a bit more abruptly than other NordicTracks: It’s not “knock you off your feet” fast, but there’s a little learning curve.
The Commercial 1750 has a large running surface, which I appreciate as someone who tends to wander on the ’mill a bit. All NordicTracks come with a trial subscription to iFit, the brand’s virtual workout library, which gives you dozens of programs, like marathon training companions, guided runs, and more. It costs extra after the first 30 days, but I think it’s a distinctive and worthwhile option if you like a guided workout. Of course, you can run on this treadmill without iFit, too.
On to the folding: The frame is huge–it weighs over 300 pounds–so it needs the hydraulic lift help that gets it to fold. The process could be a hair easier, but the balanced weight makes it fairly simple. Moving the 1750, on the other hand, is tricky. Sure, it technically has wheels so that you can roll it around, but that requires tipping the machine and balancing it while you do. Once you place it, you can fold it, but you’re better off leaving it where it is.
The Horizon 7.0AT was the easiest treadmill to get started and learn how to use, but its simplicity holds it back from being the outright best. It’s an old-school treadmill with no touchscreen display or video components, and that limits options for programming. That being said, it’s a very affordable option that gets the job done so long as you don’t need a guided workout or on-board entertainment.
The Horizon 7.0 does exactly what you expect and does a great job of it. It has a 20- by 60-inch running deck that’s plenty large enough for the majority of runners. I wish that it felt a little firmer underfoot, but other members of our team did not have the same complaint. The pre-loaded programs are easy to find if you know your way around a treadmill. (Most of the runners I spoke with are “set and forget” or running with program apps—which you can link through your watch or tablet—so it’s not a worry.) The toggles for speed and incline are intuitive and easy to use.
Folding this one is nice and easy, thanks to a hydraulic assist mechanism. Moving it around is pretty easy, too: The wheels line up in a better place than the 1750. It shrinks by nearly 40 percent when folded, which is genuinely impressive when you consider its massive build and huge incline range. One thing to keep in mind, though: That steep incline lifts you fairly high, so I do not recommend it for basement gyms unless you plan on running flat, or you live in a fancy place with 9-foot basement ceilings.
Read Full Horizon 7.0AT Treadmill Review
I’ve never met a treadmill that folds up smaller than the WalkingPad C2. In keeping with the brand, it’s only made for walking, with a top speed of 3.7 mph. And honestly? It’s so compact that you could reasonably put one of these in your home as a more portable complement to a standard, non-folding treadmill without feeling cramped. Use it as an under-desk treadmill or move it around to wherever you can find some free space.
It’s a fantastic treadmill for anyone who wants to get moving when they’d otherwise be sitting around. It features a smaller deck, super-responsive cushioning, and whisper-quiet motor. You could walk on it during a Zoom call with your microphone unmuted, and people would be hard-pressed to hear it. The cushioning means that you’re not going to wear yourself out while you work, and keeps you from bouncing around so badly that you can’t type.
One little thing I like about this folding treadmill is its smart “automatic mode,” which automatically detects your speed changes depending on where your feet are hitting the deck and adjusts as you go. That alone is worth the cost of the machine.
Folding this treadmill is a cinch, and so is storage, thanks to its low weight and small footprint. Even if you store it in a different room from where you use it, it’s only 55 pounds, so you can just haul it from space to space without any issue.
How We Test
The team at Runner’s World has been testing all things running for decades. We work year-round on everything from shoes to treadmills. Personally, I have been running for over 20 years, running multiple marathons and ultras, and treadmill training is a huge part of my regimen. And I’ve been professionally reviewing products for nearly a decade.
Runner-in-Chief Jeff Dengate designed a rigorous testing protocol to measure a number of critical features in each and every treadmill that we test, and I wrote a specific rubric to test folding treadmills based on that protocol. This year alone, I have run on over 40 models, racking up almost 200 miles in the past several months. Dengate, who is “never not running,” has also put in miles on many of these models. With folding treadmills, there are several specific qualities we examine to separate the best from the just ok:
- Size: For folding treadmills, the size of the frame–both folded and unfolded–is a make-or-break feature.
- Feel: The running surface on a treadmill, called the “deck” is typically about 20 by 60 inches, which is both wide and long enough to accommodate most running strides. Some of the more compact folding treadmills provide a smaller platform, though, which might not work for all people at every stride. We run on the treadmills, taking into account how the decks feel, the level of cushioning, the space between the crossbars and the boards, and how they run at different speeds and inclines.
- Portability: We check out how easy each treadmill is to move when folded and unfolded, testing the wheels and the general ease of placement.
- Folding: Folding and unfolding your treadmill should be straightforward and easy. If it isn’t, you’re less likely to use it. More than once during testing, I’ve gone to set up a ’mill and thought, This is where I die, crushed under a treadmill. That is not what any of us want.
- Speed Limit and Incline: Most traditional treadmills top out between 10 and 15 miles per hour. But it’s rare to find a folding treadmill that hits that–most stop at 10 or 12.5 mph. Likewise, incline settings vary greatly among folding treadmills. There are a few that do not incline at all on this list, while high-end models rise up to 15 percent incline. NordicTrack Commercial 1750, our best overall, can also decline, but is the only one we recommend with this feature. We consider any mill with a max speed under 6 mph to be a “walking pad”-style treadmill (like the aptly named WalkingPad C2), and most of those lack a crossbar so they can be used under a desk.
- Weight Limit: Most folding treadmills will support up to 300 pounds. Some can accommodate up to 350.
- Features: Niceties like a console with a touchscreen, access to virtual workouts, smartwatch connectivity, and even built-in fans can make your running life easier. They aren’t essential, but we like them, so we look for them.
What to Look For
Having the ability to fold should not make a treadmill any less useful. While it’s impossible for them to maintain all of the features of certain non-folding treadmills, many or most of them are every bit as good. Some are so good that they even appear on many of our guides.
Make Sure You Have The Space
Even with a compact folding model, it’s important to plan ahead and measure out the spaces where you plan to use and/or store your treadmill. Keep in mind that you need at least 2 feet of clearance surrounding your treadmill in every direction while you’re running. As someone who has put a Cat-shaped hole in the wall of her basement because I lost my footing, I cannot recommend this enough.
There’s a Right Way to Fold and a Wrong Way to Fold
This sounds like a no-brainer, but a folding treadmill should become more compact and easy to store when folded. There are a ton that technically have a folding mechanism but are not all that much smaller in their folded form. If the folded treadmill is too tall for a room, or if it doesn’t clear very much floor space, it doesn’t make sense.
Check The Running Deck
A small running platform can prevent you from feeling comfortable at your full running stride, so we generally think that longer is better. (There are exceptions, of course: A walking pad doesn’t need a long belt.) Width is crucial for people with a wider stride or who tend to wander a bit, or those of us who run a bit duck-footed. A narrow belt can feel constricting when you’re running.
Don’t Worry Too Much About Max Speed and Incline
With folding treadmills especially, you only want as much power as you actually need. A faster max speed requires a bigger motor, which makes for a bigger, heavier treadmill. Most people will be just fine with 10 mph for running, and 3 or 4 mph for walking, so a huge motor isn’t necessary.
Inclines are controlled by a separate motor, so the same rule applies. Most of us don’t want to pretend we’re climbing Everest at the gym, so a 15 percent incline is overkill. It’s nice to have occasionally, but not a dealbreaker to go without.
Expert Q+A
With Brooks Training Physical Therapist Mallory Behenna
What are some ways to stay safe on the treadmill while training?
With the treadmill setting the pace for you, it is important to select a pace that you feel capable of walking or running at, and use the safety equipment provided. Be sure you know where the automatic stop switch is and where the speed adjustment buttons are before starting to run/walk.
Should I adjust my mileage while using a treadmill?
Because treadmill running can be easier than road running, you may need to increase your mileage (or adjust speed and incline) when training on the treadmill to get the same level of workout you get from running outdoors. However, many people find treadmill running far less mentally stimulating, making it difficult to do longer distances indoors.
Is a treadmill a good way for newbie runners or walkers to start?
There are benefits of starting your training on a treadmill. The external pacing of the treadmill allows you to set a desired pace, then not have to think about maintaining it once it’s set. Treadmills are also indoors, which means inclement weather can’t stop you from running. They also can have screens attached, allowing you watch shows or follow a video workout instead of just listening to music. However, walking outdoors has been shown to be beneficial for mental health with the changes in scenery as you walk, increased vitamin D production from being in the sun, and decreased sensory stimulation with the absence of screens.
