Proform 3.6 Treadmill Review

The Proform 3.6 treadmill has been around since 2008, meaning that it has stood the test of time! This review has been updated to reflect the changes the marketplace in the sub £500 treadmill market.

In late 2008, the value of the UK pound dropped against the US Dollar by some 30%. This, coupled with rising costs in the far east have resulted in a significant reduction of specifications of machines that now compete in the sub-£500 treadmill market.

The key point of difference between the Proform 3.6 treadmill and similarly priced treadmills on the market is the running deck. The vast majority of the competition have running decks that are 40cm wide and 1.2m long. The Proform 3.6 has a 46cm wide deck – this additional 15% width makes the difference between a treadmill that it’s possible to actually run on, rather than jog. A 40cm deck is simply not wide enough for the vast majority of people to safely run on! The length of the cushioned running deck is 130cm and the extra 10cm over similar machines is also pretty important in being able to use this treadmill as a running machine, rather than a jogging machine!

It does have the standard features you’d expect to find on any machine plus a few more such as a calorie counter you can enter your weight so it’s more accurate than an estimated value. At the end of a strenuous run you’ll know exactly how many Mars bars you have burnt up! It also has single touch buttons to change the speed and incline at .1% gradients where other models in this price range only step up in 0.5 or 1% intervals.

It has a solid feel and the frame barely moves when running at the top speed of 10mph. The 1.75 HP motor seems very capable of handling the belt and was fairly quiet in operation – it’s also covered for 5 years under the warranty which is one of the best in this price range we’ve seen.

We liked the look of the machine, it folds up into a compact size for storage and is easy enough to move. The running deck is wider than most of its competitors – handy if you’re new to running on a mill – and has a comfortable feel thanks to the ProTech III Impact Reducing Cushioning system that helps to reduce stress on the joints – an important factor if you’re currently overweight or recovering from an injury.

It has 9 pre-set programmes including 5 preset speed and incline adjusting programmes which will take you through a gradual progression of difficulty levels to build up stamina, plus specific 4 weight loss workouts to help shift the excess pounds. Whilst other machines may have more programmes the variation on the 3.6 is more than enough for most treadmill users to keep you training without getting bored. Think of it like a washing machine – how many programmes does yours have? And how many do you really use?

So basically, you can get fit, tone-up and lose weight in the comfort of your own home with this machine for around £500! Who could ask for more…

Another feather in the cap for this machine is the warranty. It has a lifetime frame cover, 5 years for the motor and 2 years full manufacturers on site parts and labour warranty. Please note that in order to get the full warranty, you need to register your machine with the manufacturer within 28 days of purchase.

IMPORTANT: Due to the weight of this product, ProForm’s warranty is invalid if delivered by a one-man team without special lifting equipment. We can confirm that Sweatband (see below) complies with the terms of the warranty.