Treadmills come in many shapes and sizes, and while you may think that all treadmills have an incline function this is not always the case. Also, the quality of that incline function can vary from brand to brand. Some treadmills can incline to a high degree seamlessly, while others struggle to incline even a little bit. In this article we will be looking at the best home treadmill with incline.
What are the Benefits of an Incline Function?
Incline capable treadmills allow you to train at a higher intensity without having to increase your speed. They also allow you to train at maximum incline as well as maximum speed (theoretically at least), increasing the difficulty of the workout compared to a non-incline capable treadmill.
Walking at an incline is low impact but will raise your heart rate more and help you to burn more calories during a session. Incline settings also allow you to perform hill sprints, one of the best calorie burning workouts you can do on a treadmill.
A treadmill with a good incline function is therefore a superior treadmill. Some of the best treadmills also offer a decline setting, allowing you to simulate running down a hill as well as up one. This can be quite fun and is really good if you are following a virtual map but isn’t that necessary for success.
But what is the best incline to run on treadmill? For regular runners, a very small incline is all you will need to recreate the rigours of outdoor running. If you are walking, then a medium to high incline can be beneficial (provided you don’t hold onto the handrails during the workout). For hill sprints, you want the highest setting.
Best Treadmills with Incline
In this section, we will provide a table of the eight best incline treadmills that you can buy. We’ve looked to include a foldable treadmill with incline, and a compact treadmill with incline, but the rest will be good solid regular treadmills with a good incline function.
We rate the treadmills on value for money, durability, the quality of the incline and decline settings (if they have decline), and power. Each category is marked out of 5, and the total is out of 20.
| Best Treadmills with Incline | Value | Durability | Incline | Power | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NordicTrack Commercial 1750 Treadmill | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 19/20 | Check Price |
| OMA 5923CAI Folding Treadmill | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 15/20 | Check Price |
| ProForm Performance 400i Treadmill | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 15/20 | Check Price |
| NordicTrack T 6.5 Si Treadmill | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 17/20 | Check Price |
| ProForm 305 CST | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 16/20 | Check Price |
| Horizon Fitness T202 Advanced | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 16/20 | Check Price |
| SOLE F63 Treadmill | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 17/20 | Check Price |
| ProForm 905 CST Treadmill | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 18/20 | Check Price |
As you can see, we have a clear winner, with the NordicTrack Commercial 1750 treadmill scoring highest on our list. But that doesn’t mean that it is necessarily the right treadmill for your needs. It is quite expensive, and while the power is impressive, if you’re planning on just running normally (rather than sprinting) you may get more use out of a less powerful and cheaper model.
Or if space is an issue, you may want a treadmill that folds up a bit better. Something that we haven’t scored for on this table. So, check out the individual reviews of each treadmill to find out which one suits your needs best.
Best Treadmills with Incline #1: NordicTrack Commercial 1750 Treadmill
We’re starting off strong, with the highest scoring treadmill on our list, the NordicTrack Commercial 1750 treadmill. This treadmill comes with superior incline settings, allowing you up to a 15 degree incline and a -3 degree decline. This is better than any treadmill on this list.
The motor is excellent too, a 3.75 horsepower motor which allows for a top speed of 12mph. This treadmill allows you to sprint up 15 degree hills at top speed. Making it perfect for people who are very fit or are serious about getting there using their treadmill.
It is more expensive than the competition on this list, but for your money you are getting a truly excellent treadmill. One that could well be the last treadmill you ever buy. It is very well made and allows a maximum weight of 350lbs.
It comes with a 10 year frame warranty, a 2 year parts warranty, and a 1 year labour warranty. Meaning that NordicTrack have a lot of confidence in their treadmill! NordicTrack treadmills are always in lists such as this because the company is a class apart of most of the competition. Selling treadmills that are well made, reasonably priced, and high quality.
This treadmill is ideal for fit people who already have a degree of fitness, they are also ideal for someone willing to invest in the best to avoid having to buy a replacement in five years!
Best Treadmills with Incline #2: OMA 5923CAI Folding Treadmill
While pretty much everyone has heard of NordicTrack when it comes to treadmills, the OMA 5923CAI folding treadmill was unknown to us. We’re happy to have learned about it though, as this is an excellent treadmill. Sure, the power is a bit low, but in terms of durability, value for money, and incline ability, this treadmill does fantastically.
One of the best things about this is that it is a fold up treadmill with incline ability. Considering the price, this treadmill has a very decent top speed of 11.2mph, but due to a 2.5 hp motor we don’t think that it’s as quiet as the company claims.
Still, this is a treadmill with a 15 degree incline, that also folds away when not in use. That’s pretty impressive. The treadmill’s durability is excellent too, allowing a max weight of 300lbs is good for a treadmill. The cushioning on the belt is also very good.
This is an excellent treadmill, that is a good price, and is only let down by a slightly underpowered motor. If you are not planning on sprinting, but are instead interested in a longer distance runs, then you won’t even notice the power. This is an excellent treadmill for beginners, and while it’s not as compact as some treadmills it does fold up and takes up substantially less space than a non-folding treadmill.
Best Treadmills with Incline #3: ProForm Performance 400i Treadmill
The first thing that you notice when you look at the ProForm Performance 400i treadmill is how neatly it folds away after use. A real space saver! It’s well priced for such a high quality treadmill and has good incline ability. This is a very durable incline treadmill; it’s only let down slightly by the 2.5 hp motor.
You get a top speed of 10 mph here, and a maximum incline of 10 degrees. This does not compare favourably with the NordicTrack Commercial 1750 treadmill, but then again this is a lower priced option.
As with the OMA folding treadmill, the ProForm Performance 400i is perfect for intermediate runners, or ones who prefer to focus on longer, slower runs. Rather than HIIT or sprinting. If you are looking for a durable treadmill that will allow you to walk or jog on a decent incline, then this could well be the treadmill for you.
The durability is excellent, and like the OMA folding treadmill it allows a 300 lbs max weight capacity, which is very good for a folding treadmill. The treadmill comes with a lovely 7 inch Smart HD Touchscreen and a 1 year subscription to iFit which gives you access to live studio workouts. The running deck is excellent, with great shock absorption and cushioning.
This is a really well built treadmill that may provide a pleasant surprise for anyone who buys it. Great for beginners, and a treadmill that will last for years and years.
Best Treadmills with Incline #4: NordicTrack T 6.5 Si Treadmill
This is the second NordicTrack treadmill on this list, and a significantly lower priced version. Obviously, this will mean a slight drop in power, incline features, and durability, but it’s still an incredible treadmill and the value for money is off the charts.
Boasting a 10 degree incline and a top speed of 10mph, the NordicTrack T 6.5 Si treadmill can compete with almost every treadmill on this list when it comes to power and incline ability. It uses a durable 2.6 CHP motor which allows it to operate at top speeds without making too much noise, or the motor struggling. This will increase durability too.
The treadmill folds up well when not in use, only taking up 66 x 38 inches of space when fully folded. It also comes with a 1 year complimentary subscription to iFit, a home personal training program that you can use to spice up your workouts and get the most out of your machine.
The treadmill has a 300 lbs max capacity, a 10 year frame warranty, 2 year parts warranty, and a 1 year labour warranty. Which demonstrates how durable it is, and that NordicTrack have a lot of faith in their design.
When you consider the price (compared to similarly performing incline treadmills) this treadmill is superb value for money, built by a company you can trust. Perfect for beginner and intermediate runners, and long distance racers.
Best Treadmills with Incline #5: ProForm 305 CST
The ProForm 305 CST is one of the lower priced treadmills on this list, yet it still provides 10 degree incline settings, and a top speed of 10 mph. The motor is just 2.5 CHP, which is a little lower than the NordicTrack T 6.5 Si treadmill, but not by much, and it is in a lower price range. So overall it does well from a power to price ratio point of view.
As with the NordicTrack T 6.5 Si treadmill, the ProForm 305 CST tops our value for money category with a score of 5 out of 5. While we would be the first to admit that the treadmill is not the most aesthetically pleasing, it has some excellent features, and is very robust.
The 5 inch high contrast multi colour display helps you to view all of your running stats in beautiful sharpness, with a control panel that is very easy to learn quickly. Getting the incline to work is seamless, just one button away.
The warranty is pretty decent, 5 years for frame and motor, and a 90 day parts and labour. Not as good as NordicTrack perhaps, but it has a similar durability reflected in its identical max user capacity of 300 lbs.
One of the coolest things about this treadmill is the adjustable cushioning, using ProShox Plus Cushioning you can decide what running surface you prefer. A harder one allows you to run at a higher intensity, while a softer surface is better for shock absorption, great for people with knee pain, or those who are running longer distances.
Best Treadmills with Incline #6: Horizon Fitness T202 Advanced
The Horizon Fitness T202 Advanced is an interesting addition to this list, it’s basically a great compromise between price, durability, and performance. Boasting a 2.75 CHP motor puts it at the higher end of the power market but doesn’t do enough to compete with the big boys. It does allow a top speed of 12 mph though, which is as good as any treadmill.
The incline goes up to 10 degrees, and the process is surprisingly fast, which is great for those of you who enjoy certain treadmill workouts where incline is used to vary intensity. As with the ProForm 305 CST, the Horizon Fitness T202 Advanced is not a particularly pretty treadmill. Very bulky, and looks a little dated.
But despite that, it is still a fantastic treadmill with a great incline feature and it is sold at a competitive price. It has a max user weight of 325 lbs, which makes it slightly more durable and stable than some of the other treadmills on this list.
The control panel is a bit poor, no colour screen here! But the settings are simple to learn and easy to implement. Which is the most important thing. This is not exactly a fancy treadmill, but it gets the job done very well. Great for beginners but definitely still useful for expert runners.
Best Treadmills with Incline #7: SOLE F63 Treadmill
SOLE Fitness is not too well known, but they’ve been making treadmills for a while now, and their work is usually very good. The SOLE F63 Treadmill is another example of a high quality treadmill sold at competitive prices.
The incline features are superb, offering 15 incline settings, but it is slightly let down by a 2.5 CHP motor. Not bad, but not close to the most powerful treadmill motors out there. A top speed of 10 mph is not surprising given the motor, but as is always the case, the majority of treadmill users will have no need for top speeds! So, it doesn’t matter too much (unless you are a sprinter).
The display screen is pretty cool, if not as good as some of the top treadmills on this list, like the ProForm treadmills, it gets the job done well. The manufacturer’s warranty is the best we’ve seen, with a 20 year motor warranty and a 3 year running deck warranty. The frame has a lifetime warranty! This demonstrates how confident SOLE are that their treadmill is durable and well made.
If you are looking for a no-frills, robust, and well performing treadmill and you aren’t too fussed about hitting top speeds (beginner or longer distance runner) then the SOLE F63 treadmill could be a perfect fit.
Best Treadmills with Incline #8: ProForm 905 CST Treadmill
Yes, this is the THIRD ProForm treadmill on our list. What can we say? ProForm make excellent all round treadmills, and the incline settings are superb. Each of the three ProForm treadmills we have listed suits a different price range, with the 905 CST representing the top of the market. This is close to the NordicTrack Commercial 1750 treadmill in terms of quality and deserves its place on this list.
The 905 CST has a 3 CHP motor, allowing for a top speed of 12 mph, and providing excellent support for sprinters or people who want to perform HIIT. The incline settings go up to 12 degrees, which is very decent, though not quite as impressive as the SOLE F63’s 15 settings.
There are 30 workouts programmed into the display, which is a 5 inch backlit display. Not as good as some of the HD smart screen designs, but perfect for runners who aren’t interested in virtual reality or watching TV.
There is a 300 lbs max user weight, and a ten year warranty, which both point to a treadmill that is very durable, though not quite as durable as some on this list. This is reflected in the lower price though.
Overall, the ProForm 905 CST treadmill performs well, with a good motor, excellent incline settings, and a robust frame that can take a lot of damage and remain in mint condition. A superb addition to any house.
Final Thoughts
The first treadmill we mentioned in this article, the NordicTrack Commercial 1750 treadmill remains our number one incline treadmill. But if you don’t quite have the budget required, any of the other treadmills on this list would suit your needs perfectly.
