I was skeptical about paying for such a large item. I am please to report that this machine is better than I expected, especially for the price! The reviews from others definitely helped me to choose this particular model. Here are some of my favorite features of this item:
** it is fairly easy to put together! My husband had brain surgery recently and could not lift, but I was able to easily assemble most of this with the provided tools.
** the resistance levels are amazing.
** the preset workouts are great.
** the stride is nice for a home unit.
** It is large, but moveable if necessary.
There are a few "negatives," but not enough to impact my rating.
-on certain resistance settings, there is a mild click.
-when I assembled the surrounds on the base of the arm bars and the back of the pedal pieces, I had to use a "better screwdriver." The one that came with it just wasn't cutting it.
Again, that's pretty much it, so the negatives aren't really that big of a deal. My kids love it, I love it. Make sure you have the space - read the dimensions! The photo is a fairly accurate representation for the size. Heart rate works best when you're standing still, however, I'm far more interested in the length of time spent on the machine and the distance ran on the elliptical. I never trust the calorie calculations and don't bother with calories, as I primarily eat a whole food diet, therefore counting calories is ultimately irrelevant (calories in/out is a farce, in my opinion...that is opening up the opportunity to consume packaged, processed foods...stepping off my high horse now HA!).
If you're contemplating this item, please know that you're getting an amazing item for the money! If you're trying to compare this to a $1000 elliptical, you're comparing apples to oranges. This is affordable, relatively compact (comparing to my brother's super fancy $2000 machine, again, apples to oranges), reliable, gives you a good workout, and assembles easily.