The BH Fitness Pioneer Star treadmill (2008 model) is the latest offering in their innovative and distinctive range of fitness machines. The Star looks stunning and has a quality feel you'd associate with a much higher priced treadmill.
The first thing that catches the eye on this machine is the console - see below. Although it looks like something that would be at home in an Airbus cockpit it's actually very easy to use.
A treadmill often sinks or floats depending on it's console. A comfortable deck can often be undermined by fiddly speed and incline control buttons or an uninformative display. The Pioneer Star has both functional keys (some keys have Braille) and good-sized LCD windows to tell you everything you need to know.
The one minor moan we have is that both distance and speed are displayed in kilometres and kilometres per hour. However, it's something we soon got used to and it does give you some mental maths to do whilst training, i.e, 1.6km = 1 mile. Besides, we're all Europeans now!
We found it very easy to put together (we did it in 15 minutes) and it shouldn't provide an obstacle for even the most DIY challenged.
It's quite a compact machine - see dimensions below - that oddly enough feels bigger than its actual size. The running deck is reasonably well cushioned and is definitely up there in the top three of all the machines under £500 we've tried.
The 2.5 BHP motor easily shifts the deck up to 10 mph and is one of the quietest we've tried in this price range. If you're a sprinter you may prefer a machine that goes up to 12 mph but for the majority of runners 10 is more than enough to get fit and stay fit. Another bonus is that the warranty covers it for life!
The Pioneer Star has 6 pre-set programmes which offers enough variation to keep you motivated to continue to train on a regular basis. If you don't want to use a pre-set programme the well-designed console makes it very easy to alter speed and incline as you go depending on how much gas you have left in the tank.
It has an excellent warranty for a machine costing under £500. As mentioned earlier the motor is covered for life, as is the frame, and everything else has two years for parts and labour.
Available in UK for £499 from Inspire Fitness
Best UK Price Specification
Pros and Cons Reviewers Ratings
In brief:
The BH Fitness Pioneer Star offers plenty for a very good price. The compact size and very quiet motor make it a good choice for anyone with limited space or neighbours you don't want to upset. It's very easy to put together and use (we didn't even have to refer to the manual) and in our view excellent value for money. A quality machine with a comfortable running deck for under £500, you can't ask for more than that!"
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BH Fitness Pioneer Star Treadmill - Technical Bits
User reviews will follow after the technical information.
Specifications:
- Progressive Cushioning System (PCS) for deck
- 44 x 125cm walking/running surface
Dimensions:
- 175 (L) x 76 (W) x 140 (H) cm floor (open)
- 67 (L) x 76 (W) x 155 (H) cm fold-up (folded)
BH Fitness Pioneer Star treadmill console
BH Fitness Pioneer Star treadmill - User Reviews
The Pros:
It looks great.
The console is well-laid out and easy to use.
Easy to install.
A comfortable deck for the price.
A very quiet motor even at top speed.
The folding mechanism is very easy to use.
Its light and easy to move about but feels solid in use.
Excellent value for money.
The Cons:
The running deck is a little short.
The speed and distance being in KPH and KM.
BH Fitness Pioneer Star Ratings
Power
Appearance
Running Area
Comfort
Reliability
Noise
Ease of use
Controls
Warranty
Value for Money
OVERALL RATING
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- 8.5
- 9
- 8
- 8
- 8.5
- 8.5
- 8.5
- 8.5
- 8.5
- 9
= 85%
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Also see our Treadmill Comparison Table
Whilst every effort is made to give you accurate information we cannot guarantee the technical specification. Models change on a regular basis and may differ slightly from the tables above. We recommend you contact the retailer if you have a question regarding technical data. Please read our Legal Disclaimer
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