#1 Horizon Fitness Elliptical Review

Horizon Fitness ellipticals make for budget-friendly options for people who want to stay in shape. Every model comes with a decent assortment of preset workouts as well as resistance levels. With Bluetooth capabilities, it's never been easier to keep tabs on your progress via a wide array of fitness tracker apps.

Is the Horizon Fitness Elliptical best for you?

Horizon Fitness ellipticals are known for their durability. But to give you even greater peace of mind, the frame comes with a lifetime warranty.

While numerous Horizon machines are out there, they all come with certain similarities. You can always find tablet racks and built-in speakers regardless of the elliptical you buy. However, if you really want to take your workout regimen to the next level, then you may want to opt for a high-end model that comes with ViaFit and/or Passport connectivity.

Consider a Horizon Fitness Elliptical if...

• You need to share workout data. Horizon ellipticals come with ViaFit connectivity. This allows you to connect the machine to your smartphone or tablet. You can keep track of your progress and even share that data between devices.
• You want a good selection of workout programs. While the Horizon EX-59 may come with 10 preset programs, the more advanced Evolve series provides you with 30. No matter how many programs you want, there's a machine for you.
• You like watching Passport videos. Horizon machines come with Passport connectivity available. This allows you to sync the machine to the program, giving you access to videos of trails, so it looks like you're exploring areas around the globe right from your home.

Avoid a Horizon Fitness Elliptical if...

• You prefer a touchscreen. Unfortunately, Horizon doesn't make any ellipticals with a touchscreen display. Instead, you get LCD screens.
• You want easy storage. Only some of the Horizon ellipticals are able to fold in on themselves. This may make it tricky if you find yourself needing to push the machine out of the way from time to time.
• You like a rear-drive design. May ellipticals come with rear-drive settings, which offer more natural movements. Horizon puts front-drive settings into its machines, which some users think doesn't feel as good.

Horizon Fitness Elliptical pros & cons

Pros

• SixStar frame
• MP3-compatible speakers
• Oversized foot pedals
• Reading rack and accessory tray
• Water bottle holder

Cons

• Outdated console
• Rear-drive design

Construction and design

• Flywheel: Horizon ellipticals can provide you with flywheels ranging in weight from 14 to 30 pounds. The heavier the flywheel, the better your workout is going to be.
• Pedals: Oversized pedals are standard for Horizon machines. These provide you with a firmer foundation for when you start exercising.
• Handlebars: The handlebars are optimally-spaced to keep you in total comfort during your workouts.
• Console: The consoles include LCD display screens to show off all your stats. You can also use the screen to cycle through the various programs at your disposal.
• Resistance: There are anywhere between 10 and 20 resistance levels depending on the exact machine you get.
• Built-in Programs/Features: The more affordable models give you 10 preset programs while others can go up to 40.

Key Horizon Fitness Elliptical Specs

Reasons to buy a Horizon Fitness Elliptical?

1. You want to go easy on your joints. It's a good idea to exercise on an elliptical if you think running may be too hard on your ankles and knees. This particular brand makes machines that run smooth, so you can work out for a long time without feeling discomfort.
2. You need a standard stride. Most Horizon ellipticals you find come with a stride length of 20 inches. This is suitable for most people regardless of height, so everyone in your household can work out in peace.
3. You're on a budget. The exact price of your elliptical depends on which model from Horizon you buy. For the most part, they come at reasonable prices, especially if you opt for one of the older models.

Reasons to avoid Horizon Fitness Elliptical?

1. You don't want to plug something in. Horizon ellipticals require power to an outlet. Meanwhile, other models just need batteries. If you don't like the idea of having to stay near an outlet while working out, you may want to consider a different brand.

What real Horizon Fitness Elliptical reviews say

We spent 18 hours scouring the web (reading over 253 customer reviews). Our conclusion? Horizon Fitness ellipticals receive high praise! Our average consolidated user rating sits around a 4.6 - 4.8 (across several hundred reviews). Horizon Fitness ellipticals scored higher, on average, compared to their closest competitors.

What reviewers like

1. "The elliptical works great and I feel I get a great workout every time."
2. "I like having the ability to charge my phone right on the machine."
3. "Runs quiet and smooth."
4. "Extremely sturdy. Feels as close to gym level without spending thousands of dollars."
5. "It was easy enough to put together, it took me probably a good hour to do it."

What reviewers dislike

1. "The power plug is finicky."
2. "The heart rate monitor is OK at best."
3. "Level one is med-hard and level 2 is hard ... Anything higher than that is very difficult."
4. "Trying to locate a manual for setting up the [Bluetooth]."
5. "The [problem] I am having now is that the entire electronic console shuts off after about a minute after being turned on."

Our verdict

Horizon Fitness ellipticals are great to look into. Even the higher-end models don't cost a ton of money, and you wind up with a good amount of features.

The front-drive design is a bit of a let-down. It doesn't make the machine as comfortable as what you might find at the gym. However, a lot of current owners don't seem to mind. All in all, it's a great brand to add to your home gym.

Where to buy Horizon Fitness Elliptical

Numerous Horizon Fitness ellipticals are for sale at great prices on Amazon. You can find the best one for you by perusing the Horizon Fitness Store on the site. Plus, take advantage of Amazon's fast, free shipping.