My Treadmill Recommendation for Peter

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Dear Treadmill Sensei,

Thank you for all your wonderful help thru your website. You are truly helpful.

May I ask your opinion…I am torn between 2 treadmills (NT 1750 vs Sole f85).
I just ordered the NT, but am having second thoughts now. The NT hasn’t shipped yet, so I believe it’s not too late to cancel the order, if I opt for the Sole.

From NordicTrack website:
NordicTrack 1750 at $1394 total delivered
(=$1499-5%-10%+Tax+1cent delivery)

From Sole website:
Sole f85 at $1898 total delivered
(=$1799+$99 delivery, No Tax, Free Mat)

This is my first treadmill, but my wife & I plan on using it daily. My main concern is RELIABILITY over its lifetime, (not the iFit stuff, although it does seem cool). I am a 40 yr old male, who is jogging a little now (~6 miles/week) but plans on jogging on the new treadmill 4-5 times/week (~10-15 miles/week). My wife will use it daily for brisk walking. We are willing to spend a little more now if it will be worth it down the road.

QUESTION:
Is it worth it to spend $500 more now to get the Sole f85, which may be more reliable & less likely to fail? I get the impression that Sole is more reliable, prob better customer service, less likely to require costly repairs down the road.

QUESTION:
Is the NT more likely to fail, given the electronics (Android touchscreen)? And is Icon customer service will be as easy to work with. I think I got a good deal ($1394 delivered) on it, but is the NT more likely to cost me more than the Sole f85 down the road?

I respect you for your knowledge & helpfulness, so I would appreciate your advice on this. Maybe, I can hear from you in time before the NT order goes thru.

Thanks, Sensei.
Peter

Peter,

Thank you very much for the question. You have picked two very great treadmills and they have both received a “Best Buy” award. From the looks of things, they both have similar warranties. I believe that they both have a 5-years parts/electronics, 2-years labor, and they also have a lifetime warranty on the frame/deck/motor. So they are pretty similar machines, the main difference being that the NordicTrack 1750 has the built-in browser with the iFit LIVE compatibility and all that. The interesting case here is that you can get the treadmill that has more features for a lower price than the other one that just has the basic treadmill features.

To answer your first question, I would have to ask you where the NordicTrack’s technology lies in your priorities. Do you view the browser and iFit technology as a necessity? It can serve as a good source of entertainment, which I’m sure will be convenient if your wife will be using it for walking daily. But then I must bring to your attention that there actually have been reports of the NordicTrack 1750’s technology failing rather soon after purchase; which will most definitely be costing you down the road, as the treadmill cannot function if the browser/display is not working. I have personally tested the 1750 and there was an issue with the incline not working. I think that should answer your second question as well.

I believe that the wiser choice would be the Sole F85 even though you would be paying more money. It seems it would be worth it just so you could eliminate the chance of failing technology, since it would render the treadmill unusable if it were to malfunction. But at the same time the NordicTrack technology is very nice, and for a cheaper price it is twice as nice! It comes down to your preferences, Peter. If you don’t see the technology as a priority, then the Sole might be a wiser choice so you can avoid the chance of the NordicTrack browser failing, despite the higher price. I hope that this answers your question in time; so that, if you choose, you can change your decision. If it is too late and you wanted to change it, rest assured you will still be getting a high quality treadmill that may only have a small chance of failing. I hope that I’ve helped you and I hope this all works out for you. Like I said, either way you will be getting a very high quality treadmill. Good luck!