Horizon Fitness Elliptical Machine Reviews
Horizon Fitness Ellipticals
Horizon Fitness is a hugely successful manufacturer and supplier of exercise accessories, machines, and equipment specifically designed for use at home. Their many lines of machines focus on three specific categories – exercise bikes, elliptical trainers and treadmills.
The company is owned by and operates under Johnson Health Tech, the Taiwanese group that specializes in high-quality commercial and home gym equipment.
The company has been in operation for the best part of 30 years and during that time has set itself apart by designing and manufacturing some of the most innovative and durable training equipment for affordable prices. What makes Horizon Fitness products so special?
Their commitment to premium quality builds using durable components and convenient, innovative features. Features like ECB Magnetic Brakes resistance system and the Six Star Certified Frame that provide users of their many great machines with a smooth and reliably sturdy experience.
Front-Drive Elliptical Trainers
The current and latest offerings from Horizon Fitness in the elliptical trainer market are front-drive, easy to use and very compact. Although some people find front-drive machines to be difficult to use, others praise the experience they’ve had using them. Let’s look at the three main series of models:
Elite Series Elliptical Trainers
The crème de la crème of the company’s offerings, the Elite Series from Horizon still only maxes out in price at the $2,000 mark. The Elite E7 and E9 models benefit adjustable stride sizes that can be altered electronically and an extra heavy and robust flywheel for a more natural and smooth experience.
The differences between the two models are found in the display consoles. While the E7 has a widescreen blue LCD display, the E9 is bolstered by touchscreen functionality with hands-free heart rate monitoring, ViaFit (the company’s wireless connectivity platform) and a total of 42 workout plans.
Evolve Series Elliptical Trainers
The Evolve Series of elliptical trainers from Horizon Fitness are extremely compact, compared to the other offerings from the company. Despite their space-saving size, though, their Evolve 3 and 5 elliptical trainers have the blue LCD display console, electronically adjustable stride size, and up to 30 built-in workout programs.
QuickStart Series Elliptical Trainers
Horizon Fitness has designed the QuickStart Series of elliptical trainers for customers with a tight budget. They are not as packed with features as other models but noted for their affordability and their comfortable design and functionality. A model like the EX-59 does not have all the latest additions and features but does feature a generous 18-inch stride length, a 4.5-inch yellow/green LCD display console and the choice of 10 different levels of resistance and 10 preprogrammed workouts.
Highlights and Lowlights of Horizon Fitness Ellipticals
- ViaFit – a program that offers an easy and fuss-free way to set and monitor your goals, it also provides you with Wi-Fi connectivity to open further opportunities to customize your workouts
- Features that can be fully customized, like 3-position pedals and electronic resistance levels
- Remarkably affordable prices considering the build quality of the machines
- Sturdy and durable frame, Six Star Certified
- Only one model, the Elite E9 elliptical, comes with a touchscreen console. Others are very basic, compared to much of the competition
- Lack of lifetime warranties across their full range
- Although many are compact, there is only one foldable trainer that is easy to store
- Front-Drive Design – although praised by many, many more find this type of design uncomfortable use and require a lot of getting used to.
CONCLUSION
When it comes to elliptical trainers, Horizon Fitness offers a comprehensive and varied range of models. While some are very basic with no customization or entertainment features, others are higher-end and come with elite-standard features, including various adjustable functions and settings, along with cutting-edge entertainment options.
The main thing that really makes Horizon Fitness stand out above others in the sea of at home gym equipment manufacturers is their prices. Considering most of their elliptical trainers fall below the $2,000 mark, all the while offering the same standard in design and construction, it’s hard not to see the attraction. If you could get past the front-drive design and the fact that some are slimmer in terms of their features, the price you must pay for them more than makes up for these slight shortcomings.