It doesn’t take a genius to understand why at-home exercisers might want to find the best compact treadmill on the market:
Whether you’re a casual walker or a marathon runner, treadmills can be a great way to step up your cardio (pun very much intended).
But they can also be big, bulky, and eat up way more floor space than a lot of other home gym equipment.
Fortunately for cardio enthusiasts who can’t spare much space, foldable and compact treadmills provide an excellent solution.
Smaller and easier to store away, compact treadmills offer (almost) all of the health, fitness and weight loss benefits as full-size treadmills, but with a lot less downside to your interior design.
To help you find the best small treadmill to suit your space, in this post I’ve rounded up some of the best compact treadmills for homes or apartments that don’t have a ton of excess square footage.
The Best Compact Treadmills for Small Spaces
Rounding Up the Best Small Treadmills for Home Use
Overall Best Compact Treadmill ↓
MaxKare Folding Treadmill
- Dimensions:
- Overall: 61.3” x 30′ x 52” (L x W x H)
- Folded: 38” x 30” x 52”
- Speed: 0.6 to 10 MPH
- Weight Capacity: 300 lb
- Incline: Adjustable from 0 to 15%
- Price Category: $$
The best compact treadmills offer as many features and options as the expensive treadmills you’d find at the gym, but take up a lot less space.
By that metric, MaxKare’s three horsepower foldable treadmill is easily the top pick, and quite possibly the single best home treadmill on the market.
With a top speed of 10 MPH, automatic incline control that can be adjusted up to 15%, a built-in heart rate monitor, and an LCD display that can track your time, speed, distance, calorie burn and more, the MaxKare provides maximum performance.
And the best part? In addition to being easy to fold up and put away, it arrives 95% assembled, making it easy to set up and get started.
Promising Review:
“I spent many hours comparing treadmills, my main objective was quality, motor size, noise level, warranty etc. This machine has it all. It arrived in perfect condition, and only took about 30 minutes to put together. It is very quiet and easy to use… The motor is plenty strong enough for fast paced walking and running.” – LG
ProGear 190 Manual Treadmill
- Dimensions: 47′ x 23″ x 51″
- Speed: Manual
- Weight Capacity: 230 lb
- Incline: 2 levels – 6 degrees or 10 degrees
- Price Category: $
Easily one of the best manual treadmills on the market, this compact model from ProGear uses twin flywheels on either side to let the belt roller move smoothly with your pace.
In addition to being small and foldable, the fact that it’s manual means it’s also quite practical:
You can place it anywhere you want since you don’t need to plug it in.
Promising Review:
“With the subzero temps and foot of snow recently I was unable to get my 30 minutes of walking in each day. This treadmill is easy to assemble, great for staying on track with my exercise and the price was very reasonable. Takes up little space, and can be easily folded for storage.” – sandy7898
XTERRA Fitness TR150 Folding Treadmill
- Dimensions:
- Unfolded: 63.4” x 28.75” x 51.4”
- Folded: 28.5” x 28.75” x 61”
- Speed: 0.5 to 10 MPH
- Weight Capacity: 250 lb
- Incline: None
- Price Category: $$
XTerra’s TR150 model is a straightforward treadmill that gets the job done, but doesn’t come up with a lot of fancy features (or the price tag they usually bring).
With that said, it does offer 12 preset speed programs that provide a variety of different workouts, so even though it might not be the most technologically advanced option, you can still get in quite a good run.
Promising Review:
“Very happy with this. Price was great, not a lot of bells and whistles which is what i wanted. Great solid quality! Amazingly quick delivery! Im super impressed! Easy set up.” – Mel H
Sunny Health & Fitness SF-T4400
- Dimensions: 62″ x 25.5″ x 50″
- Speed: 0.5 – 9 MPH
- Weight Capacity: 220 lb
- Incline: Three levels – 0%, 2%, 4.37%
- Price Category: $$
Quite possibly the best reviewed folding treadmill on Amazon, Sunny’s T4400 model is great for people of any fitness level.
In addition to three different incline levels, it has a large LCD screen that shows your time, distance, speed, calories burned and pulse, and comes with nine preset workout programs.
It has a maximum speed of 9 MPH, but also comes with “quickspeed” buttons that let you easily jump between 2, 4 and 6 MPH.
Promising Review:
“Figured after three years of use with usually anywhere form 4-5 30+ minute workouts weekly it’s worth the review. Works great still! Love this little treadmill. Helped me lose 40 pounds and keep it off. I prefer working out at home rather than the gym and this is a great little machine to do that with. Definitely recommend!!” – Shawna
Best Treadmill for Heavy Person ↓
Sole F63 Treadmill
- Dimensions:
- Foled: 75″ x 33″ x 58″
- Unfolded: 68″ x 43″
- Speed: 1 to 10 MPH
- Weight Capacity: 325 lb
- Incline: 0-15%
- Price Category: $$$$$
Sole’s F63 model is a heavy duty treadmill for people who want to hit high speeds or go on a long run from the comfort of your home.
In addition to a foldable design, it has a large running area (20″ x 55″), built-in speakers, an integrated tablet holder and a quiet motor that won’t disturb other people in the house.
It’s great for anyone who wants the full gym treadmill experience, and with a weight capacity of more than 300 pounds, it’s one of the best treadmills for taller runners and people on the heavier side.
Promising Review:
“This is our first treadmill and we are very pleased with it so far. It is well built, easy to use and not overly complicated like some models. A nice plus, that was not expected, is that it is also fairly quiet.” – D.Miller
Nautilus T616 Treadmill
- Dimensions: 57.6″ x 35.2″ x 72.2″
- Weight Capacity: 300 lb
- Incline: Up to 15%, motorized
- Price Category: $$$$
At 57 inches in length, the T616 is admittedly pushing the definition of a “compact” treadmill, but since it’s foldable it still offers easy storage.
(And it’s considerably smaller than the Nautilus T618, which clocks in at 78 inches long, while having many of the same top-of-the-line features.)
But while it may be slightly bigger than some of the other models on this list, the T616 is packed with a lot more features, and a great option for serious runners.
It comes with bluetooth connectivity and syncs with both Nautilus’s Personal Trainer app and the RunSocial App, which uses the 2.5 inch display to let you run through 19 locations with 27 routes alongside people from all over the world in real time.
In addition, it comes with 26 preloaded programs and features a cushioned deck that makes the running surface more comfortable than what you’d normally find on cheap treadmills.
Promising Review:
“This is the third treadmill I’ve iwned and it’s by far the best. My husband is a big guy (260 lbs) and it doesn’t shimmy or shake like an inferior product would. It’s solid, but not so big that it takes up too much room. There are three of us that use it, and we don’t have a single complaint between us.” – Rev holy mother
Lifepro Pacer Compact Treadmill
- Dimensions:
- Folded: 32.1″ x 27.2″ x 54.5″
- Unfolded: 59.4″ x 27.2″ x 53.1″
- Speed: 0.6 to 9.9 MPH
- Weight Capacity: 220 lb
- Incline: Range of 0 t 12%
- Price Category: $$$
Lifepro’s Pacer treadmill is one of the best options for those who like to listen to music while running, but find that ear buds fall out too easily.
It has built-in bluetooth speakers that let you rock out while you run, along with a large easy-to-see LED screen where you can keep track of your incline, distance, time, calories, pulse and speed.
It also comes with a running belt that wraps around your chest, allowing you to measure your pulse and check your BMI.
Promising Review:
“So far so good in all ways! Love the display in particular, and how it can tilt back for extra support for a laptop on top of the “shelf” if I wanted to do that too. The lifetime warranty really “sold me” though, that is a sign of commitment to quality behind your product, well done!” – Leighton
NordicTrack Commercial 700 Folding Treadmill
- Dimensions:
- Folded: 62.5″ x 33.5″ x 34″
- Unfolded: 57″ x 33.5″ x 66″
- Weight Capacity: 300 lb
- Incline: 0 to 10%
- Price Category: $$$
NordicTrack has long been known as one of the best manufacturers of at-home cardio equipment, and the C700 has a host of impressive features that you won’t find in many other foldable treadmills.
When you buy the C700 you automatically get a free one-year membership in Nordictrack’s iFit personal training program.
In addition to gaining access to boutique studio classes (ala Peloton), you’ll also get access to an iFit trainer who will design personalized workouts that you can stream on the C700’s 7″ smart hd touchscreen.
Promising Review:
“This treadmill runs great and I really like the one year of included iFit way more than I thought I would. All of the interactive workouts make the time go by fast and keep it interesting and entertaining. There are thousands of workouts to choose from, and many different trainers who offer fitness advice, reminders, and fun facts.” – Glorybound333
WalkingPad C1 Foldable Treadmill
- Dimensions: 42.2″ x 16.4″
- Speed: Manual
- Weight Capacity: 220 lb
- Incline: None
- Price Category: $$$
This one might be the best choice for people who have very little storage space:
At only 2.2 inches in height, you can slide it under a bed or couch when it’s not in use.
But unlike a lot of treadmills, the Walking {ad comes without some key safety features, namely the railing.
That makes it even easier to store in a small apartment or other small space, but also means it’s better for walking or very light running, because reaching higher speeds could potentially be a bit dangerous.
Promising Review:
“I’m loving my foldable treadmill. It’s very compact. The max speed is close to 4 miles an hour. I can easily jog on it as well. With the cooler weather coming, this will help keep my step numbers up.” – Tami S.
Best Folding Treadmill for Small Space ↓
Sunny Health & Fitness ASUNA 8730G
- Dimensions: 59″ x 30.5″ x 40″
- Speed: 0.6mph to 8mph
- Weight Capacity: 220 lbs
- Incline: None
- Price Category: $$$
Sunny’s Asuna model is not only one of the best folding treadmills on the market, but one of the slimmest.
The Asuna foregoes a large display console in favor of a slim safety bar and easy-to-use control panel, reducing the unit’s overall size and making it easy to fold up and store away when not in use.
Promising Review:
“The treadmill is so slim and compact it can hide under a low platform bed. It’s fairly easy to move around which makes storage easy. Note that it does not have incline (as that would definitely make the treadmill bulkier) but I find that I can get a great workout without it!”
Famistar Electric Folding Treadmill 9028S
- Dimensions:
- Folded: 26.7″ x 27.5″ x 53.1″
- Unfolded: 61.4″ x 27.5″ x 49.2″
- Speed: 0.5 to 9 MPH
- Weight Capacity: 300 lb
- Incline: 0 to 15%
- Price Category: $$$
With a 3.25 hp motor, a maximum weight of 300 pounds and a running surface that’s 47 inches long and 16 and a half inches wide, the 9028S is a workhorse that can provide a good workout.
It comes with 12 preset programs, a large LCD display that’s easy to read, and built in heart rate sensors on the safety rails that make it easy to check your bpm while running.
Promising Review:
“I needed a small compact treadmill that is decently priced to work out in my crowded garage. This works good, it is smaller than the ones at the gym which makes it easy to move. I like having the option to fold it up, it takes up less space.” – YTN
Sunny Health & Fitness SF-T7632
- Dimensions: 49.5″ x 26.5″ x 47″
- Speed: 0.5 to 7 MPH
- Weight Capacity: 220 lb
- Incline: 12%
- Price Category: $$
This might just be the most affordable and overall best treadmill for small spaces, but there’s a bit of a catch:
With a running space that’s just 44.5 inches long and 14 inches wide, this is one of the smallest treadmills on the list.
Unlike some of the bigger models, the incline on the T7632 is fixed at 12%, which is steep enough to give you a good workout, but not so steep that beginners or novices should be scared away.
Promising Review:
“I highly recommend this treadmill as it does everything that’s promised! Although it is for lighter-weight people as it has a low weight limit recommendation it gives a thorough workout. It came on time, securely packaged. It was easy to assemble, I did it without a helper.” – Amazon Customer
UREVO Portable Compact Treadmill
- Dimensions: 55.2″ x 38.2″ x 27.8″
- Weight Capacity: 260 lb
- Incline: None
- Price Category: $
Urevo’s portable treadmill is one of the most affordable on this list, coming at just a price point just slightly over $300.
It doesn’t have many of the extra features you get with more expensive models – for instance, it doesn’t provide any incline options – but it’s a small, solidly built machine that gets the job done for casual runners on a budget.
Promising Review:
“This is a very good starter machine. Works great so far. Assembly was easy, took me about 15 minutes. It’s not very wide, but I guess I’m just used to the gym treadmills. It’s not huge, so if you are looking for a space saver-this is it. For the price, I am convinced that you wont find a better treadmill.” – xiaoyun
Exerpeutic TF900 Walking Electric Treadmill
- Dimensions: 47″ x 29″ x 51″
- Speed: 0.4 to 4 MPH
- Weight Capacity: 350 lb
- Incline: None
- Price Category: $
As it’s name implies, Exerpeutic’s TF900 is a slower speed treadmill than most other models on this list, and is designed specifically for walkers in mind.
With a weight capacity of 350 pounds, it can handle people of a larger size, but with a maximum speed of only 4 miles per hour, it’s not appropriate for those who want to do some serious running.
Promising Review:
“I just got this in today and already walked/ran a mile on it. I’m am super happy with it. It was easy to assembly runs smooth and fits well in the spot I chose for it.” – Essie
ADVENOR Motorized Small Treadmill
- Dimensions:
- Folded: 34.25″ x 27.17″ x 54.72″
- Unfolded: 63.78″ x 27.17″ x 51.97″
- Speed: 0.6 to 8.7 MPH
- Weight Capacity: 220 lb
- Incline: 3 manually adjusted levels
- Price Category: $
Advenor’s portable treadmill is one of the smaller ones on this list (and comes at a more affordable price), so it’s especially good for people who are short on extra space.
The running deck measures just 47.3″ long x 17″ wide, which is a little too small for people who want to train for marathons, but perfect for casual joggers or walkers.
With that said, this is still a very sturdy treadmill, and with three manual incline settings, you can definitely still push yourself and get a good workout in.
Promising Review:
“This treadmill is worth the investment… This treadmill is similar to the machine I use at my local gym and it has different speed settings. Its good that the treadmill is foldable because my living room space is small and it easily unfolds.” – Judy
FAQ
More Great Stuff From Irreverent Gent:
- How to Start (and Stick to!) a Workout Plan
- The Best (Affordable!) Workout Clothes for Guys
- All Men Need to Have These 7 Healthy Habits
- Beginner Weightlifting Tips: What I Wish Someone Had Told Me About Weightlifting
- 42 of the Coolest and Most Fun Toys for Men
- The 15 Best Electronic Stores like Radio Shack
- The World’s 25 Top Nike Competitors
- The Best Heavy Bag & Punching Bag Stands
- The Best Weight Gainers for Skinny Guys Who Struggle to Build Muscle
- The Best Free Standing Punching Bags for Adults
