Best Treadmills Under $300

If you are really on a budget and are looking to find the best treadmill under $300, you have come to the right place. Maybe you didn’t think a treadmill could be found for under $500, but we have a few worth considering under the ultra budget price of $300.

Reasonable Expectations

Obviously you are not going to find a super sturdy, finely crafted machine in this price range. The heavy duty features found in machines costing more than $1000 are not to be found in machines at this price point. However, the other trade-offs aren’t too bad and are probably something you could live with.

Weslo Cadence G 5.9 Treadmill (Model # WLTL29609)

Weslo makes a couple well-rated budget treadmills. The G 5.9 is the number one seller on Amazon and with nearly 2000 reviews, should be taken seriously. In fact, 75% of all reviewers gave the G 5.9 a four or five star rating. The unit is relatively easy to assemble by most accounts, but not everyone fared so well noting difficulty with the instructions or parts not matching up correctly. The Weslo has enough features to satisfy many users, but not those expecting all the bells and whistles. There aren’t any full size treadmills in this price range, but this model is pretty sturdy if not large and weighs in at 112 pounds. The G 5.9 is fairly narrow at 16” wide with a surface length of 60”.  This machine is a bit noisy, but about the same as others in this category and most users claim it gives a reliable smooth performance.

Features

Users can select between 1 to 8 MPH with a touch of a button with a maximum of 10 MPH. There are two positions of incline, one at 1.5% and a second at 6% – both manually adjusted. There are six workout settings, a thumb sensor heart rate monitor and a basic LCD readout for speed, time, distance, pulse, and calories burned.

With any treadmill, especially ones in this price range, there are negative reviews. Sometimes these can be chalked up to poor assembly, unreasonable expectations or the X number of damaged or broken units upon delivery. Most of the negativity regarding the Weslo G 5.9 are centered around a shorter than expected product working lifespan. Three months, five months, seven months – not what these folks were looking for, but again, somewhat to be expected with a very low cost treadmill.

Treadmills at this price point usually last about 2 – 4 years of normal use. One of the problems with buying online is packing it up to send it back if it fails within the return period, no small task. Overall the one star ratings on the Weslo G5.9 is 13%, higher than the risk averse would normally like to gamble on. To top it off Weslo only gives a 90 day parts and labor warranty with a full year on the motor only. Not enough to allay the fears of those suspecting the unit to give out, but just long enough to help out those who get the dead-on-arrival units or those that break down very quickly.

Weslo Cadence R 5.2 Treadmill (Model # WLTL29712)

The Weslo Cadence R 5.2 is almost exactly the same as the Weslo G 5.9 above, so instead of writing a review we point out the stated similarities;

• Running surface: 16” x 50” (same)
• Measurements: 64.5” x 29” x 55.5” (same)
• Motor: 2.25 continuous horse power (same)
• Weight limit: 250 pounds (same)
• 2 position manually adjustable incline (same)
• Six built in workouts (same)
• Price: $299 ($12 higher)
• Amazon Review Rating: 4.2 out of 5 (vs 3.9 on the G 5.9)

Several Web sites show a variation in specifications, but the owner’s manual for each dispel many of those marked differences. The reviews are slightly better on the R 5.2, so it is possible that Weslo put this unit together a little better than the R 5.9. There is a $12 difference in price on Amazon, but that gap is wider on other sites with the R 5.2 selling for $20 – $50 higher.

Weslo Cadence G 5.9 or Weslo Cadense R 5.2?

Both Weslo’s offer a good value, but because they are both in high demand their prices tend to fluctuate based on availability of suppliers on Amazon.

Check here for current prices for the Weslo Cadence R 5.2

Check here for current prices for the Weslo Cadence G 5.9

Confidence GTR Power Pro (Model: NHCFT-1200)

The Confidence GTR Power Pro treadmill is best for walking or very light jogging. The GTR from Confidence is super light and very short. This will be a definite turnoff for many potential buyers, but just the ticket for someone looking for a light, compact unit for an apartment or just because you don’t want to lug around a heavy machine. Weighing only 62 pounds, this treadmill is a good option for those users and it is easy to put together also. If you are looking for a sturdier treadmill, either Weslo unit in this review will give you that for about the same price.

The GTR Power Pro is well rated (4.1 stars with more than 200 reviews) on Amazon. In fact, more than 75% of all reviewers gave this model either 4 or 5 stars.

The GTR Power Pro tops out at 7.5 MPH, but for walkers, this won’t be a problem at all. Some users mentioned they converted their treadmill into a walking desk. The unit is very quiet, something you need in a walking desk or if you like to watch TV on something less than 100% volume. Setup and ease of use are also pluses with the GTR Power Pro too.

There are 12 built in fitness programs, twice as many as the two Weslo models in this review. Take a look at the arms on the GTR Power Pro, they are very short. Some users loved that they didn’t get in the way, but other users will want more surface area to hold onto. If you will be using this treadmill as a walker, you may be glad they are out of the way, but for potential buyers that need a walker due to balance issues, you might want something that you can hold onto better.

One annoying nuisance is the distance is measured in kilometers and not miles. As mentioned above, this unit is small measuring only 52” L x 25” W x 52” H and a very short walking/running length of 43.5”. The belt width is about the same as the Weslo units at 15.75”. The motor is only 1.5HP and this Confidence model is almost half the weight of the Weslo models above. The GTR Power Pro just won’t hold up to heavy duty running for too long, it isn’t made to do that. However, for a walker, this could be a great choice. One advantage over the Weslo models is the warranty – a 12 month limited warranty on the entire unit, not just on the motor as is the case with Weslo.

Check here for current prices for the Confidence GTR Power Pro

There you have it, the three best treadmills under $300. We are sure one of them will meet your needs even on a limited budget.