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#1 NordicTrack Z 1300i review

Chris L.
January 12, 2021

The NordicTrack Z 1300i is designed for people who want the ultimate workout experience. With built-in fans and an iPad holder, you can customize your workouts however you'd like. It's pricey, but considering it comes with a 1-year iFit membership, it's well worth the investment.

Is the NordicTrack Z 1300i treadmill best for you?

The NordicTrack Z 1300i treadmill gives you full control of your workouts. With 32 built-in workout programs, a 12-degree incline, and speeds up to 12 miles per hour, you can go as easy or as intensely as you like. But, even when you're going full force, this treadmill knows how to keep you comfortable.

With Flex-select technology, this treadmill comes with shock-absorbing cushions that respond to each step. In turn, it limits the impact on your muscles. So you don't feel as worn out at the end of a run. Combined with other innovative features, this is one treadmill exercise enthusiasts are going to want to consider.

Consider NordicTrack Z 1300i if...

  • You need entertainment for your workouts. This treadmill comes with a tablet/phone holder. You can hook up your device to watch movies or read as you work up a sweat. It's a great way to focus on the task at-hand while catching up on your shows.
  • You want cooling fans. The NordicTrack Z1300i comes with a cooling fan within the treadmill itself. It keeps you comfortable and helps prevent overheating.
  • You like an incline mode. This treadmill boasts a 12 percent incline to help give you a more intense workout and to exercise additional muscles within your legs.

Avoid NordicTrack Z 1300i if...

  • You don't need built-in workout programs. Your purchase of the NordicTrack Z 1300i comes with a free year of an iFit Coach Membership. If you're only looking to workout every now and again, opt for a simpler treadmill without all the bells and whistles.
  • You don't want easy portability. The NordicTrack Z 1300i comes with an Easy Lift design to allow you to fold it effortlessly. But if you just want to leave your treadmill in one room without moving it around all the time, then it's superfluous.
  • You don't like the high price tag. This treadmill costs more than a lot of others out there. You can save some money with the NordicTrack C700 treadmill, but you'll be sacrificing a lot more features.

NordicTrack Z 1300i pros & cons

Pros

  • Powerful 3.0CHP motor
  • Shock-absorbing cushions with Flex-select technology
  • Built-in 3.0 Intermix Acoustics 2-inch speakers
  • Auto-breeze cooling fan
  • QuickSpeed controls

Cons

  • Expensive

Construction and design

  • Motor: 3.0CHP motor that gives you hours of continuous workouts without slowing down
  • Running Surface: 20-in. x 60-in. providing plenty of space for most runners
  • Touchscreen: While it doesn't come with a touchscreen, the NordicTrack Z 1300i does have an LED display to clearly show how fast you're going and what your incline is
  • Speakers: 3.0 Intermix Acoustics 2’’ speakers for playing audio files from your phone
  • Built-in Programs: 32 in-built workout programs with variations amongst speed, intensity, and incline point

Key NordicTrack Z 1300i Specs

Reasons to buy NordicTrack Z 1300i?

  • You want to feel comfortable during workouts. Getting in the mood to exercise is sometimes the biggest hurdle for people to get over. Knowing your treadmill features a fan, cushions, and Bluetooth speakers, you're going to feel like you're heading to a luxury gym in your own home.
  • You want to keep tabs on your health. The NordicTrack Z 1300i treadmill comes with heart rate monitoring in the hand-grip sensors. You just need to hang onto them for a few seconds, and you see what your heart rate is at any point. You can lower or heighten the speed accordingly from there.
  • You want a treadmill that lasts. The NordicTrack Z 1300i is backed by a lifetime frame warranty. If anything happens to the frame, then you're covered. Parts and labor come with 3-year and 1-year warranties, respectively. But that's still plenty of time to get some stellar workouts out of your machine.

Reasons to avoid NordicTrack Z 1300i?

  • You want a touchscreen. This treadmill allows you to place your phone or tablet at eye level. But some people just want everything right there on the machine. The FreeMotion treadmill comes with a 15-inch HDTV right there on the treadmill, which may be preferable for some people.
  • You don't want to deal with Bluetooth. Some runners love being able to play music directly from the treadmill. But depending on your home's WiFi, the connection can get spotty. If you're fine with just listening to music on headphones from your phone, then it's a feature you can go without.

What real NordicTrack Z 1300i reviews say

We spent 18 hours scouring the web (reading over 253 customer reviews). Our conclusion? NordicTrack Z 1300i receives high praise! Our average consolidated user rating sits around a 4.6 - 4.74 (across several hundred reviews). NordicTrack Z 1300i scored higher, on average, compared to their closest competitors.

What reviewers like

  • "I typically run between 3 and 5 miles about 4 times a week. This treadmill is sturdy and feels solid when you run with a good incline."
  • "Surprised how long the treadmill belt is. Especially like the fan. the panel has plenty of options to keep track of all kinds of stats."
  • "I've only used the ifit coach twice but am absolutely loving it!"
  • "The flexselect cushion feature is a nice touch."
  • "I love the ipad holder! I also downloaded the 1 year virtual workouts - extremely cool!!! Very happy with my purchase."

What reviewers dislike

  • "Only negative is to have Bluetooth but have to buy a separate phone jack to play my music through the treadmill speakers."
  • "Took me and my wife over 4 hours to put together."
  • "To start using the machine, it prompts to iFit activation and to the naive, it is pretty easy to subscribe to iFit service even if you don't want to and the manual conveniently hides the information to bypass it."
  • "They could have showed at least these five vital stats at the same time by limiting the other unnecessary buttons."
  • "You can’t save user profiles on the treadmill without ifit."

Our verdict

The NordicTrack Z 1300i treadmill has a lot of appeal. The fan, cushioning, and iPad holder offer the ultimate in convenience. Running has never been more enjoyable. And it all comes in a package that's built to last.

It's a great option if you have a lot of people in your household who all want to use it. The various features allow everyone to get in the precise workout they want. Plus, the iFit membership is great for staying committed to your new workout regimen.

Where to buy NordicTrack Z 1300i treadmill

The NordicTrack Z 1300i treadmill is available from several retailers. You can find a similar model, the NordicTrack T Series treadmill, available on Amazon for a great price. Plus, you get to enjoy Amazon's free, fast shipping!