NordicTrack Elite 1000 Folding Treadmill Review

With a rich history of designing and building treadmills over many decades, it’s fair to say that NordicTrack has successfully introduced high-quality running machines into the market consistently over a long period of time, which is of course a good sign that the teams there have a good idea of what they’re doing. NordicTrack treadmills usually have some sort of perk over and above other models, whether it be price vs spec, innovative features, or simply quality for the money, its range usually contains a model somewhere that will suit a particular type of runner in a particular way. With a huge range of models on the market right now it’s easy to feel like a kid in a candy shop so we took a look at the NordicTrack Elite 1000 to find out just what it’s like and what type of runner it’s going to suit. Here’s what we found…

As ever, before you can go for a run, you need to set up the treadmill and the Elite 1000 is no different. The instruction manual is clear and while there are a few steps to follow, as long as you have 2 people, it takes about an hour to put this machine together and isn’t difficult. Even if you’re not particularly good at building flat-packed furniture, the Elite 1000 isn’t going to present a particularly difficult challenge. The trick here is just to take it step by step and not make the mistake of thinking that “this bit obviously goes here so I won’t bother reading the manual on this part”! As long as you avoid overconfidence, the build is straightforward enough. Once built, it’s obvious that this model is not lightweight, an assertion that’s backed up by the 99kg (218lbs) weight of this treadmill. It’s not just the weight though, the Elite 1000 looks modern yet there’s also an unmistakably industrial look to it. With a max user weight of 136kg (300lbs), this is a heavy-duty treadmill and it looks it every inch of the way.

The footprint of this treadmill, when unfolded and in the running position, is 198cm x 89cm (78” x 35″) making it slightly more compact than the NordicTrack models on either side of it in the range, yet it features the same size 51cm x 152cm (20” x 60”) running area so you don’t lose anything but gain a touch of floor space. The deck is easily large enough for even the tallest of runners and offers plenty of space to move around which makes it great for both sprinting and beginners starting out. It’s not always easy to get used to a treadmill if you’ve not owned one before but a running area of this size makes things easy, as well as safe. The cushioning system does plenty of work and really takes the sting of the shock out of each landing footstep without making it too soft and springy. It strikes a nice balance and while it’s not adjustable it has been set up well making it suitable for people that don’t want to go too far away from real-world running on real-world surfaces as well as people that have sensitive joints and want to protect them. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that NordicTrack has managed to balance this element so well, but it’s definitely a very welcome feature.

With a maximum speed of 12mph (19kph) the Elite 1000 is going to be suited to pretty much all runners apart from those who regularly compete at pro or semi-pro levels. Combine that top speed with the 12% incline however and you’ve got a machine that will quite easily have the vast majority of runners out of breath in next to no time at all regardless of their fitness levels. This combination of speed and incline offers a stern test for just about everyone.

Powering all of this is a 3.0 horsepower continuous-duty drive motor which, as far as we can tell, does not really ever have to try very hard, no matter the size of the runner, or the speed and incline selected. While not as large as that to be found on some other models, it’s still easily powerful enough to just absorb with ease pretty much anything you can throw at it, remaining relatively quiet throughout. This bodes very well from a longevity point of view and having put this through its paces over a couple of weeks we can say with confidence that there’s no problem here. The motor is powerful, quiet, and responsive to speed changes making it suitable for long runs as well as short bursts if you’re into HIIT sessions.

The rollers, front and rear are 1.9 inches in diameter which helps to both keep the noise levels down and increase the lifespan of the machine. It’s nice to see that NordicTrack, despite the relatively low price tag given what you’re getting, has not tried to reduce costs by installing thinner rollers which is something that we do see from other manufacturers. You can’t see rollers, so it’s an easy element to cut back on if you want to, but NordicTrack hasn’t done this here which is encouraging when it comes to assessing the build quality.

The fundamental setup here is very good indeed and provides a great running platform for runners of all sizes, ages, and abilities. And that’s really what the physical elements of this model are all about – providing a platform and a rock-solid foundation for the iFit experience, which is at the very heart of this machine. Rather than having a number of preset onboard workouts that are accessed via menus, the Elite 1000 features a 10″ full colour HD touchscreen that has a WiFi module built into it so you can connect to the internet and log into your iFit account directly via the console rather than having to use a tablet or even a phone. There are no onboard workouts here apart from the manual mode which allows you to simply press start and then control the speed and incline manually via the physical buttons on the console that include one-touch keys so you can reach the speed or incline level you want with a single push of a button. The manual mode is the only mode on this model that works without an internet connection. All other workouts are accessed via the touch screen and come in the form of streamed high-quality videos, and to make life simple the Elite 1000 comes with a whole year of iFit subscription included in the price which means that you get everything this treadmill has to offer as a complete all-in-one package. Once you’ve set up your iFit account (easy to do via the built-in console) you instantly get access to a range of more than ten thousand workouts that you can select from a massive library. The videos come in the form of global runs in beautiful locations all around the world, with a personal trainer coaching you all the way through your run from start to finish, and as on-demand studio classes which are also led by elite personal trainers, and as map based workouts that enable you to either map out your own running route or follow one of a silly amount of preset routes that include official marathon routes making this an ideal model if you want to train for a marathon or half marathon. The studio classes and global runs are further broken down into sub-categories of targetted outcomes such as weight loss, cardio improvement, HIIT training, and so on meaning the number of training options is really bordering on the really quite ridiculous!

It doesn’t stop there either as iFit has now added a whole range of classes that don’t involve just running and various ways of running. You can now choose to participate in Yoga classes, Mindfulness classes, and strength training classes, all delivered on-demand so you can incorporate them into your training routine. While there are lots of different interactive training services out there at the moment, the only truly comparable service to iFit is Peleton. But iFit is constantly evolving and a new feature has been recently added that works in conjunction with all the various studio classes and global runs and that’s the AutoAdjust function. This is turned on by default and you can switch it off if you like but we found it to be really very good indeed. It works by using AI to gauge your fitness levels over the first few workouts. It sets the speed and incline levels automatically and you can override the setting to make the workout harder or easier. After first few runs it learns your fitness levels and then after it’s got a grip on the situation so to speak, it then adjusts those settings automatically. The more you train, the more it pushes you, but sensibly and over time. The end result is that you get on, select your desired workout and the AI and the personal trainers do all the rest. There’s no need to touch the buttons, you simply run and over time it’ll push you hard to improve your fitness. It works and it works well and we’re impressed.

There are lots of other iFit functions too and you can also race against other iFit members’ times on particular courses, get access to nutritional and sleep information and so on. Other features of the treadmill itself include a cooling fan, speakers, wireless Bluetooth heart rate receiver, and water bottle holder.

The NordicTrack Elite 1000 is covered by NordicTrack’s lifetime frame, 10-year motor, and 2-year parts and labour warranty (you must register within 28 days of purchase to get the 2nd year of coverage)