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The 7 Best Treadmills for the Heavy or Overweight Person
Let’s be honest here. I am a curvy girl. I love that we live in an era where we are allowed to be confident in our bodies and feel great about the way we look. My scale goes up and down, but one thing is for sure – I will always be curvaceous. It’s just the way I’m built. However, heart disease runs in my family, and I know the importance of good cardio health. Because of that, I have been looking into equipping myself with a treadmill to keep my heart healthy, so I am sharing my research on the best budget treadmill for heavy people.
A Note About Walking
Before you get worried about jogging and feeling like you need to run a marathon to get heart healthy, consider walking. Yep. Walking. It’s that simple. We need to keep moving to improve our health. This article from the Mayo Clinic addresses the many health benefits of walking. Here are some of the benefits listed by the Mayo Clinic:
“For example, regular brisk walking can help you:
- Maintain a healthy weight and lose body fat
- Prevent or manage various conditions, including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer, and type 2 diabetes
- Improve cardiovascular fitness
- Strengthen your bones and muscles
- Improve muscle endurance
- Increase energy levels
- Improve your mood, cognition, memory, and sleep
- Improve your balance and coordination
- Strengthen immune system
- Reduce stress and tension”
Have I sold you on the benefits of a treadmill for home use? Even if weight loss isn’t your goal, there are many great reasons to walk daily.
Important Features
High Weight Capacity
When looking for a treadmill that will work for a heavy user, you must first consider the weight capacity. Of course, consider all the members of your household. You may not even be the heaviest person in your home, but another family member may want to jump on and take a turn, so be sure to consider who will be the person with the most pounds that will want to use your new treadmill.
A great choice is a treadmill with a max capacity of 350-400 lbs. Some even come up to a 450-lb weight limit.
Deck Width
Heavy duty treadmills with a higher weight capacity will also have better shock absorption and a wider running surface (belt). I am not overly coordinated, so I appreciate the extra space for my need to flail about while walking or jogging. Be aware of the width of the running deck in proportion to how much space you’ll have to place your treadmill at home.

Portability & Storage
Not everyone has a home gym, so for those with a small area to place the treadmill, consider whether your new treadmill offers an easy storage option, such as the ability to fold or fit into small spaces. The best treadmill for you may be the one that you can slide under the couch when you have company.
Speed Ranges
Since I don’t anticipate running any marathons, the perfect treadmill for me doesn’t need to have a super-fast top speed range. However, if you plan to jog or your spouse or teen wants to hop on, that may be more important to you. Keep an eye on the speed range when shopping to ensure that the maximum speed will be fast enough for your needs.
Incline Features
Some treadmills operate as a flat surface at a stable 90-degree angle. Some have an incline feature that allows you to walk uphill. In this case, the treadmill belt will rise at a particular angle. This feature gives you a chance to work out different muscles. Some treadmills have an automatic incline feature, and some have a manual incline, which means you will adjust it yourself before stepping on.
Bluetooth Connectivity
Another essential feature to look for is Bluetooth connectivity. When I’m at the gym, I connect my earbuds to the port to listen to the gym tv, but I have been known to get tangled in the cord while walking. The last thing I want to do is strangle myself to get my heart rate up!
You won’t need to connect to the TV at home, but you may want to forego earbuds and steam your music or show while you walk. For this reason, when you’re shopping, you’ll want to note what treadmills have Bluetooth connectivity.
The 7 Best Treadmills for a Heavy Person
Best Treadmill Designed for Family
Botorro R5 Folding Treadmill
- Max Capacity: 265 lbs
- Deck Width: 18 inches
- Assembly Required: No
- Speed Range: .6-9.0 mph
- Incline: None
- Features: Bluetooth speakers, Folds easily, two wheels for easy movement
- Amazon Reviews: 4.5 of 5 stars
Best Treadmill for Up to 400 lbs Max Capacity
Sole TT8 Treadmill
- Max Capacity: 400 lbs
- Deck Width: 36 inches
- Assembly Required: Yes
- Speed Range: .5-12 mph
- Incline: 15 settings
- Features: Integrated tablet holder, USB port for charging, Bluetooth audio
- Amazon Reviews: 3.7 of 5 stars

Best Treadmill with Highest Amazon Rating
Treadmill 350 Plus
- Max Capacity: 350 lbs
- Deck Width: 19 inches
- Assembly Required: Yes, but reported to be very easy
- Speed Range: 1 – 10mph
- Incline: 15 settings up to 15 degrees
- Features: Smart console with large LED display, easily folds and moves with one person, built-in workout programs
- Amazon Reviews: 5 of 5 Stars (only two reviews at the time of publishing)
Best Budget Treadmill for Heavy User
Exerpeutic TF1000
- Max Capacity: 400 lbs
- Deck Width: 20 inches
- Assembly Required: No
- Speed Range: max speed 12mph
- Incline: 2 manual incline positions
- Features: Easily folds, speed adjustment on handrails
- Amazon Reviews: 4.1 of 5 Stars
Best Deluxe Treadmill with Max Weight Capacity
Bowflex T10 Treadmill
This great treadmill has a built-in 10” console so you can conveniently watch any of your favorite steaming accounts while you work out. With a wide running deck of 22” and a max weight capacity of 350 lbs, this excellent choice by Bowflex will give you all the features you need.
- Max Capacity: 350 lbs
- Deck Width: 22 inches
- Assembly Required: Yes
- Speed Range: max speed 12mph
- Incline: motorized decline/incline from -5% to 15%
- Features: Built-in console, JRNY membership allows world exploration and coaching, and feedback in realtime
- Amazon Reviews: 3.8 of 5 Stars
Best All-Around Budget Treadmill for Heavy People
Sole F80 Folding Treadmill
- Max Capacity: 375 lbs
- Deck Width: 22 inches
- Assembly Required: Yes
- Speed Range: .5 – 12mph
- Incline: maximum incline percentage of 40
- Features: 6 built-in programs, easy assist folding deck design, 7.5” LCD screen with integrated speakers
- Amazon Reviews: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Best Under Desk Portable Walking Treadmill
UREVO 2 in 1 Under Desk Treadmill
This fantastic treadmill is perfect for the home office. Dare I suggest you could even place this treadmill beneath your table-style desk and work while walking!? Kill two birds with one stone on this bad boy that folds up and comes with a handy remote!
- Max Capacity: 265 lbs
- Deck Width: 16.9 inches
- Assembly Required: No
- Speed Range: max speed 7.6mph
- Incline: none
- Features: Easily folds, stores easily beneath furniture, foldable design and transportation wheels make it easy to move and store, LCD screen shows speed, distance, time, and calories burned
- Amazon Reviews: 4.5 of 5 Stars
BONUS PINK TREADMILL
Best PINK Treadmill for the Stylish User
Sunny Health & Fitness P8700 Pink
You know the Hip Grandma has to recommend a pink treadmill! This one has excellent function in addition to being the best color ever! Note that this one is meant for the smaller user with a max weight capacity of 220 lbs and the narrowest of the deck widths. But hey – pink!
- Max Capacity: 220 lbs
- Deck Width: 15.5 inches
- Assembly Required: No
- Speed Range: max speed 9 mph
- Incline: 3 options of manual incline levels
- Features: Easily folds, 9 built-in workout programs, pulse sensors in handrails, easily foldable and movable
- Amazon Reviews: 4.5 of 5 Stars
Wrapping it All Up
There are hundreds of heavy-duty treadmill options available. If you do your homework and look within your price range, you can narrow it down to your most important options. This list is not exhaustive but is designed to get you started in looking at the choices available and deciding what means the most to you.
In the long run, what will mean the most to you is to get yourself healthy and keep yourself fit and healthy for your loved ones!
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