Product Review: Brookstone Folding Manual Treadmill with Incline

If you are looking for a smaller version of a treadmill, or one that does not need to be plugged in and waste electricity, consider buying the Folding Manual Treadmill with Incline from Brookstone. This product is sold for $150, which is a fraction of the price of a traditional treadmill. I decided to purchase one because I live in a small apartment and needed something that I could fold up and put away, as well as carry by myself when I move each year.

The folding treadmill is full sized yet folds up fairly flat to store in a closet. It is not quite slim enough to fit under my bed. The incline on the treadmill is adjustable to give you a harder workout. While the treadmill is great for walking and jogging, I find that I am not able to run on it. The belt simply won't move fast enough and I would crash into the front. Sometimes I do wish I could run on it, but I remind myself why I chose a manual treadmill instead of a motored one and that I can run outside.

I really like that the treadmill does not require any power. Normal treadmills draw a lot of power and would drive up your electric bill if you were to use them often. Also, you can set it up anywhere and sometimes I even take it out onto my back deck when it is nice outside. There is an electrical component that runs off of 2 AA batteries. This tracks time, speed, distance, and calories burned. By holding onto the hand grips, you can monitor your heart rate and make sure you are exercising at the correct intensity for you.

This treadmill is also much quieter than a traditional treadmill with a motor, so it is easy to listen to TV while jogging on it. I find I can exercise much longer while the TV is entertaining me.

I find that the tread rolls smoothly and does not catch the way another version that I tested out did.

I believe this treadmill would be too small for someone over 6 feet tall. It says it is full sized, but I think their feet would be hanging off the ends. Also, the handrails are fairly low and cannot be adjusted for a taller person.

The product is mailed to you in pieces and you will need to assemble it yourself. I was able to put mine together in a little over an hour since the instructions were fairly clear.