12 Best Cardio Machines For Weight Loss of 2024

Cardio exercises are especially beneficial for weight loss. Treadmills, exercise bikes, and elliptical training machines are the best choice for cardio exercises.

Here are the best cardio machines for weight loss you can buy in 2024:

• Best Overall (Treadmill): NordicTrack T Series
• Best For Beginners (Treadmill): XTERRA Fitness TR150
• Best For Lighter People (Treadmill): Sunny Health & Fitness SF-T4400
• Quiet (Treadmill): FUNMILY Treadmill
• Best For Bad Knees (Recumbent Exercise Bike): Marcy ME-709
• Multifunctional (Stationary Bike): BulbHead Slim Cycle
• Best For Endurance Training (Indoor Cycling Bike): PYHIGH
• Best For Heavier People (Exercise Bike): Sunny Health & Fitness SF-B2721
• Best Overall (Elliptical Training Machine): Bestlucky
• Best For Heavier People (Elliptical Training Machine): Sunny Health & Fitness SF-E3912
• Best For Advanced Users (Elliptical Training Machine): GOELLIPTICAL V-450X
• Interesting Fan Resistance (Elliptical Training Machine): Body Rider

Treadmills

A treadmill is the most effective equipment to burn your belly fat. Running and walking are cardiovascular exercises that not only burn a lot of calories but also improve your overall health.

However, walking and running on a treadmill puts a lot of stress on your knees and ankles. So, if you have some issues with your knees and ankles, consider an exercise bike or an elliptical training machine (below).

Best Overall (Treadmill): NordicTrack T Series

NordicTrack T Series

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NordicTrack T Series Treadmill is my pick for the best treadmill. It features a powerful motor with 2.6 peak horsepower. The treadmill reaches up to 10 MPH and 10% incline, offering you various choices of practice preferences.

The running belt size is pretty large, 20 x 55 inches, giving you plenty of room while running. The deck is cushioning and supportive, so reducing stress on your joints. With sturdy and stable construction, NordicTrack T Series Treadmill supports up to 300 lbs. Moreover, the treadmill is easy to fold up and maneuver for storage after use.

When purchasing NordicTrack T Series Treadmill, you’ll have 1 month of iFit membership. This app is connected with the treadmill via Bluetooth connection. It will be your personal trainer, which automatically adjusts the speed and incline of the treadmill to fit your personal needs. Besides, you can play music through the auxiliary music port and dual 2-inch speakers. However, after this 1 month, you’ll have to pay subscription fee to continue using the app.

Best For Beginners (Treadmill): XTERRA Fitness TR150

XTERRA Fitness TR150

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XTERRA Fitness TR150 is another good choice. It features an XTRASoft cushioned deck to reduce the risk of joint injuries. The running belt is not as large as the NordicTrack T Series, yet comfortable enough for running and walking. An advantage of XTERRA Fitness TR150 over the NordicTrack T Series is hand pulse sensors as heartbeat per minute is an important indicator of your health and the effectiveness of your workouts.

XTERRA Fitness TR150 features a large 5-inch LCD console for you to track your workout progress. It shows speed, incline, time, distance, calories, and pulse. Moreover, with the console, you can choose among 12 preset workout programs.

XTERRA Fitness TR150 uses a 2.25 HP motor, which is not as powerful as NordicTrack T Series; however powerful enough to reach up to 10 MPH at 3 incline levels. In return, the treadmill only supports up to 250 lbs.

All the features are of good quality; however, when you run very fast, the treadmill may make some noise, which is pretty annoying. So I recommend this treadmill for beginners, who do not intend to do intense workouts.

Best For Lighter People (Treadmill): Sunny Health & Fitness SF-T4400

Sunny Health & Fitness SF-T4400

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Sunny Health & Fitness SF-T4400 is less expensive than the two treadmills above. It is of great quality though. The deck features a shock absorption system to provide you with supportive steps, reducing stress on your joints.

Despite being affordable, Sunny Health & Fitness SF-T4400 features heart pulse sensors and an advanced large LCD console. With the LCD, you can monitor your workout progress, as well as choosing among 9 preset exercise programs. On the handrail, there are also quick controls for you to adjust the speed and incline to fit your current preferences - pretty convenient.

Sunny Health & Fitness SF-T4400 is also pretty easy to fold up and fold out thanks to a soft drop system. This treadmill is not as powerful as the other two above, so it supports only 220 lbs and can reach up to only 9 MPH. However, at the given price, this treadmill is unbeatable.

Quiet (Treadmill): FUNMILY Treadmill

FUNMILY Treadmill

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FUNMILY Folding Electric Treadmill is my pick for the quietest treadmill. The working noise is lower than 60bd, which is quieter than a conversation in workplaces. The treadmill ensures that you’ll experience quiet and smooth workouts.

Other features on FUNMILY Folding Electric Treadmill are pretty decent compared with other treadmills above, from the LCD console, cushioned running belt to sturdy, stable construction, and fold-assist system. This treadmill seems a bit behind when it comes to speed - it features a 2.25 HP motor but only reaches up to 7.5 MPH. The running belt is also not very large.

Exercise Bikes

Exercise bikes vary a lot in terms of design, purposes, and target muscles. In general, there are four types of exercise bikes. They are upright bikes, recumbent bikes, indoor cycling bikes, and dual-action bikes.

Upright bikes are the most traditional ones. They have an upright design, so you’ll have so straight your back up riding these bikes. This posture puts less strain on your hip, knees, and ankles. However, your back might get fatigued after a while. This is the type of exercise bike that is good for cardiovascular and lower body workout. Upright bikes take up less space than other bikes, often can be folded up in half for storage. Moreover, the price of an upright bike tends not to be so expensive.

Recumbent bikes are the easiest and risk-free type of workouts. They are the best choice for low-impact legs exercise, which reduces stress on your joints, ankles, knees, hips, and back. When working out, you sit on the bike like sitting on a chair, with your legs reaching towards the pedals ahead. Your back is supported by the backrest, moreover, the handlebars let you add further support to the hips and the lower back. Your legs move in a circular motion, practicing your glutes, quads, hamstrings, and lower legs.

Indoor cycling bikes are designed similarly to real road bikes. When cycling, they create a feeling like riding a real road bike on a long-distance road. This experience is very exciting, also pretty effective to train your glutes, hamstrings, quads, thighs, and calves, as well as strengthen your joints and overall stamina. This is the most serious type of exercise bike.

Dual-action bikes have handlebars moving back and forth in sync with the pedals' movement. So, this kind of bikes helps riders in practicing not only the lower body and cardiovascular but also the upper body.

In this section, I’ll review some models of upright, recumbent, and indoor cycling bikes. I’m not a fan of dual-action bikes because if you want to practice your full body, an elliptical training machine would be a better choice. I’ll review some elliptical machines in the section below.

Best For Bad Knees (Recumbent Exercise Bike): Marcy ME-709

Marcy ME-709

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Marcy ME-709 is a recumbent bike, which is ideal for the elderly and those with bad knees. Despite being very affordable, the bike is of great quality. It suits 5ft to 6ft 7in users with inseam length from 27 to 36 inches. The frame is constructed with 14-gauge steel tubes with powder-coated finish for sturdiness, stability, and durability.

Marcy ME-709 has a step-through design, which makes it pretty easy to get on and off the bike. The seat and backrest are large and thick padded, along with raised foam-covered handlebars, for full-body support. The large pedals with straps keep your foot secure and comfortable; moreover, they are counterbalanced, making it also easy to get in place to practice.

Marcy ME-709 gives you quiet and smooth workouts with the magnetic tension mechanism. You can easily adjust the tension level with a knob to fit your exercise preference. It features an LCD to let you track your workout progress. However, Marcy ME-709 may be a bit too easy for those who want to get weight loss fast.

Multifunctional (Stationary Bike): BulbHead Slim Cycle

BulbHead Slim Cycle

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BulbHead Slim is a multifunctional exercise bike. In the upright position, it offers you high-intensity workouts for burning fat. In the recumbent position, it gives you relaxing cardio exercises. Moreover, with the resistance bands, you can practice your arms and shoulder while practicing your lower parts.

BulbHead Slim has strong construction that stays stable even during intense workouts. The rides are smooth and quiet. The bike can be folded flat, so you can store it under your bed. Moreover, the bike comes with a free Slim Cycle app - you can get 10 free exercise classes through the app.

An important advantage of BulbHead Slim over Marcy ME-709 is that it has heart pulse sensors. As said above, heartbeat per minute is a very important indicator of your health and the effectiveness of your workouts.

The only drawback of BulbHead Slim is that the inseam length is pretty short. It is from 26 to 29 inches, which is not suitable for people with long legs (who is taller than 5ft9).

Best For Endurance Training (Indoor Cycling Bike): PYHIGH

PYHIGH

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PYHIGH Indoor Cycling Bike is an indoor cycling bike. As said above, this type of exercise bike is for serious training. Its construction is pretty solid that stays firmly and stably during intense workouts. The bike provides you with reliable rides. Moreover, the pedals with anti-skid raised patterns and cages keep your feet secure in place.

In terms of comfort, PYHIGH Indoor Cycling Bike features a wide cushioned seat; however, it is recommended riding without your bottom reaching the seat to create a dynamic posture, which is more effective for endurance training. Besides, the bike’s inseam length can be adjusted from 25 to 38.5 inches to fit a wide range of users.

The only drawback of the bike is that it uses brake pad resistance. This type of resistance gives you a realistic feeling of riding a real bike on the road; however, is not so smooth and quiet. Moreover, you’ll have to replace the pad pretty often.

Best For Heavier People (Exercise Bike): Sunny Health & Fitness SF-B2721

Sunny Health & Fitness SF-B2721

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SF-B2721 is a multifunctional bike like the BulbHead Slim. SF-B2721 does not come with resistance bands; however, would be a better choice for heavier people. The bike’s construction is pretty strong and durable that supports heavy users well.

You can adjust the bike to an upright position or to a recumbent position for the right types of exercises that you want. The extra-large padded seat and backrest are pretty comfortable. SF-B2721 also features heart-rate sensors and an easy-to-read LCD for you to monitor your workouts progress.

An advantage of SF-B2721 over the BulbHead Slim is that it has 10 levels of resistance - two more levels. Like the competitor, SF-B2721 also has a drawback of having a short inseam, which is quite inconvenient for tall users.

Elliptical Training Machines

Elliptical training machines have handlebars moving back and forth in sync with the movement of the pedals. Overall, elliptical machines are great to burn calories quickly and strengthen lower body muscles, including abs, quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves. Elliptical machines are also a great choice to improve balance and stamina.

Best Overall (Elliptical Training Machine): Bestlucky

Bestlucky

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Bestlucky Elliptical Training Machine features a smooth and quiet magnetic resistance system that provides you with reliable and firm rides. You’ll have 8 levels of resistance - with a simple turn on the knob, you can choose the exact tension level that you want to practice at.

Bestlucky Elliptical Training Machine features a dual-arm system. A linkage armrest matches the pedal rhythm to drive the arms and shoulders for full-body workouts. When you want to rest your arms, and just practice your lower body, there is a fixed handle.

The LCD lets you monitor your workout parameter, including speed, time, distance, and calories. The sensors on the fixed handle are used for measuring your heart rate per minute. This is useful information to know that you are at the peak of the workout. Besides, the machine supports up to 300 lbs, which means for everybody. Overall, there is nothing to complain about this Bestlucky Elliptical Training Machine.

Best For Heavier People (Elliptical Training Machine): Sunny Health & Fitness SF-E3912

Sunny Health & Fitness SF-E3912

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SF-E3912 is a great choice for those who are heavier and taller than the average. The machine supports up to 330 lbs and has a longer stride - 15.5. Thanks to that, taller and heavier users ride comfortably and effectively on the machine.

Like Bestlucky Elliptical Training Machine above, SF-E3912 also features a magnetic resistance system and a dual arm-rest system for versatile ways of use. However, SF-E3912 is not as quiet as the Bestlucky elliptical training machine, which is a considerable drawback. SF-E3912 also features pulse sensors and an LCD monitor.

As an advantage, SF-E3912 has 16 resistance levels and a very large LCD that comes with 24 unique workout modes. So you have various choices for your workouts, keeping them interesting every day. Besides, you’ll have a bottle holder and a device holder, pretty convenient for a home gym.

Best For Advanced Users (Elliptical Training Machine): GOELLIPTICAL V-450X

GOELLIPTICAL V-450X

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GOELLIPTICAL V-450X is the choice for advanced users. It supports up to 300 lbs with an extra-long stride - 18 inches. This stride length will give you a very wide and dynamic motion, ideal for serious training.

V-450X is a fully adjustable machine. You’ll have 24 levels of resistance, 3 arm positions, 8 pedal positions, and unlimited programmable exercise modes. Definitely, you can find a setting that is perfectly fit your preference.

Like two elliptical training machines above, V-450X features dual arm-rests and heart rate sensors. As an advantage, this machine also comes with a heart rate control program that lets you target a desirable heart rate per minute. Besides, the machine is MP3 and iPod compatible, has a bottle holder and tablet rack. However, it is pretty difficult to assemble the machine. It may take you several hours.

Interesting Fan Resistance (Elliptical Training Machine): Body Rider

Body Rider

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Let’s travel back in history when magnetic resistance had not been invented. Body Rider Elliptical Trainer is a pretty interesting fan-based resistance exercise bike. Instead of a heavy flywheel, the machine features a resistance fan. As you pedal faster, the fan turns faster. And as the speed increases, the resistance becomes stronger. This type of resistance is not as convenient and quiet as magnetic resistance; however, it offers you a fluid workout - a pretty interesting experience that keeps your workouts always fun. You can also adjust the resistance level with the turn of a knob.

Other features on this Body Rider Elliptical Trainer are also pretty standard. It features dual armrests, an LCD monitor, and a seat that can be adjusted vertically and horizontally.

Body Rider Elliptical Trainer won’t give you a comfortable and quiet ride like other magnetic machines. However, if you like the feeling of pedaling against the wind, you’ll this machine.

How To Choose The Best Cardio Machine For Weight Loss?

For weight loss, a treadmill, an exercise bike, or an elliptical machine would be an appropriate choice.

• Treadmills: Running and walking are cardiovascular exercises, which not only consume a lot of calories but also improve your overall health. Yet walking and running on a treadmill places a lot of tension on your knees and ankles. So, if you have trouble with your knees and ankles, a treadmill may not a good choice.

• Exercise Bikes: When it comes to exercise bikes, the four common types are: upright bikes, recumbent bikes, indoor cycling bikes, and dual-action bikes. Overall, exercise bikes offer mild cardio exercises, suitable for physical therapy, or for those who just want to maintain a healthy lifestyle but do not want a demanding workout. If you have issues with your knees, ankles, or back, a recumbent bike or an upright bike may be a suitable choice.

• Elliptical Training Machines: Elliptical machines are perfect for burning calories fast and strengthening lower body muscles, including abs, quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves. Elliptical machines are also a great option for improving balance and endurance.

In addition to the type of machine, there are some specs that you need to put into consideration before purchasing. They are: max user weight, stride length, resistance levels, heart pulse sensors, LCD, pre-set programs, and so on.

Which Brands Make The Best Cardio Machine For Weight Loss?

Nordic Track - Treadmills

Nordic Track is my pick for the best treadmill brand. Since being founded in 1975, Nordic Track has successfully built its worldwide brand on quality treadmills and other gym equipment, such as exercise bikes, ellipticals, rowers, and strength cages. The biggest advantage of Nordic Track's products is their superior quality. Besides, the iFit is also a signature app that comes with Nordic Track's gym appliances. The app works as your personal trainer, and automatically adjust the appliance to fit your fitness goals.

Marcy - Exercise Bikes

Marcy is my pick for the best exercise bike brand. A fun fact about Marcy is that it was the provider of workout equipment for Bruce Lee’s home gym. Nowadays, Marcy belongs to Impex - one of the world leaders of health and fitness equipment provider. Their gym appliances are well-known for being high-quality, innovative, affordable. Besides, customer services are also an advantage of the brand.

Marcy provides a wide range of home health and fitness appliances, from recumbent bikes, upright bikes, indoor cycling bikes to weight benches, home gym cages, dumbbell, and barbell sets. Overall, this is the to-go brand when it comes to exercise bikes.

Sunny Health & Fitness - Elliptical Training Machines

Sunny Health & Fitness is my pick for the best elliptical training machine brand. They have a wide range of elliptical training machines for all types of users and purposes. Not only elliptical training machines, but Sunny has also always been known for being a reputational importer and distributor of health and fitness products, including treadmills, ellipticals, bikes, rowers, steppers, weights, and other fitness accessories. Their main competitive advantage is high-quality products at affordable prices. With more than 15 years of good reputation, Sunny is a brand that you can trust.

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Conclusion

Remember that consistency is a crucial factor. Whether you exercise with a cardio machine or simply just jog for about 30 minutes a day, you have to do it daily in order to lose weight. I hope you will achieve your fitness goals and get a shaped body.