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Boost your step count and cardio by walking while you WFH.
AFTER A LONG (and weird) couple of years, many of us are returning to the office (you remember that place with other humans and file folders and real, live, in-person meetings?). But, many more are still working from home. Unless you're making a concerted effort to do normal human things like take a shower, walk the dog, and put on actual pants "for work" each day, there's a good chance you're moving a lot less. Hourly trips to the refrigerator don't count. According to the Mayo Clinic, the average American was taking 3,000 to 4,000 steps each day pre-COVID (which is still less than ideal). These days, if you're not careful, that number could be less than 2,000.
But, there is hope for breaking up your unintentionally sedentary workdays. For anyone who spends their days stuck at a work station, one easy way to get moving while working from home is by investing in a treadmill desk. And with the common trend of hitting 10,000 steps a day still a goal for many of us, this will definitely help get you there.
You'll burn significantly more calories too. According to our own Craig Ballantyne who cited a 2007 Mayo Clinic study, "When sitting in chairs, the [seated] subjects burned 72 calories per hour. However, when using the walking workstation at 1.1 mph, subjects burned an average of 191 calories per hour." The payoff? "The researchers concluded walking workstations used for as little as 3 hours per day could help people lose up to 60 pounds in a year," said Ballantyne.
There are about 2,000 steps in a mile (assuming an approximate stride length of about two feet), according to Colleen M. Brough, PT, DPT, MS, board certified orthopedic clinical specialist and director of Columbia RunLab at Columbia University. And according to the American Heart Association, they recommend 30 minutes of exercise each day for cardiovascular health—which translates to about 1.5 miles of walking. Read more: Best Treadmills
Walking while working will help you reach those activity guidelines. So if you're looking to add a treadmill desk to your work-from-home setup, we researched the best treadmill desks to help you reach your daily cardio and step goal in 2022.
This folding treadmill has five layers of non-slip texture for plenty of cushion and support, as well as removable handles. What truly sets this one apart is the maximum speed. It tops out at 2.5 miles per hour with the handrail lowered. But, lifting the handrail opens this treadmill desk up to a respectable 8-mph top speed. While that's not on par even with most budget treadmills (and certainly not with any high-end treadmills), it's decent enough to get a quick desk-side run in. The belt is on the small side, however, so serious runners will need to be cautious or consider upgrading to a more generously sized model.
The 2.5-horsepower motor is powerful enough, plus it's quiet and runs smooth even at its maximum setting. The maximum weight capacity is listed at 265 pounds. But, many buyer reviews we researched cautioned keeping it closer to 200 pounds for safety, especially while running.
The built-in wheels and foldable design are ideal for stowing away under your desk or under a piece of furniture. Other features include an LED display with a phone holder that shows time, speed, distance and calories. It's also Bluetooth-enabled to help keep you motivated while you move.
What do buyers say? Out of more than 6,900 Amazon reviews, 98% recommend the Goplus 2 in 1 Folding Treadmill with at least a 4-star rating
Read more: Best Standing Desks
This under-desk treadmill by Citysports is one of the most affordable options we found this year. With a decent feature set, it's a step up from more barebones models. Integrated Bluetooth speakers allow you to pair your smartphone or tablet directly with the treadmill to stream tunes, audiobooks, or podcasts. A built-in LCD screen also displays basic metrics like your speed, steps taken, time elapsed, and distance traveled.
Even among budget under-desk treadmills, it's on the slow side with a top speed of just 3.7 mph. While that's certainly not enough to get in a good run, it's adequate for a decent walk, even power walk, while you work to help get your steps in. We also like that the speed is easily adjustable with the included remote control. The lack of handrails may be an issue for some, however, especially anyone subject to vertigo or who gets dizzy easily.
Overall, the whole thing packs down into a slim footprint, and dual wheels make moving it around your home office a breeze, even for one person.
Read more: Best Home Office Essentials
What do buyer say? "I highly recommend this if you work from home and need something to do to stay active during meetings," said one Amazon reviewer.
Unlike traditional treadmills, you don't have to spend north of $500 for a decent treadmill desk. This 2-in-1-folding under-desk electric model is one of the best value models we've seen, striking a good balance between price and features. At right around $280, it's the most affordable treadmill in our roundup.
Like the Goplus above, this 2.25-horsepower model boasts a run-friendly max speed of 7.5 miles per hour—not quite as fast as a full-blown treadmill, but plenty fast to get in a decent jog in your WFH setup. The speed is also widely adjustable (using the included remote control), starting at just 0.6 miles per hour, making this is a great option if you're just starting out with walking/running but plan to increase your fitness level substantially over time.
Beyond that, it boasts a solid list of features (particularly for such an affordable treadmill desk). The integrated LED display connects to your smartphone via the Fitshow lite app to track essential workout metrics like speed, distance traveled, elapsed workout time, and calories burned in real time.
Along with integrated wheels, the compact design folds nearly flat, making it easy to setup and breakdown if you happen to be limited on space.
What do buyers say? Out of more than 1,200 Amazon reviews, 82% recommend the Murtisol 2-in-1 Folding Treadmill with at least a 4-star rating.
Read more: Best Home Gym Equipment
At just 2.3 inches tall, Rhythm Fun's Super Slim Under Desk Treadmill is one of the shortest, most compact models we've seen this year. The folding, lightweight design (less than 80 pounds) is compact and easily transportable wherever you need it in your home office setup. Fully collapsed, it fits neatly under almost any bed, sofa, or even in a closet.
It requires zero assembly, and is very low maintenance. Just follow the directions to add lubricant to the oiling position, and you're ready to roll—er, walk.
The 18-inch wide running belt provides a smooth, anti-slip, shock-free walk/run platform. The 1.5-horsepower is among the smallest on this list, but is still powerful enough to provide a max speed of up to 3.7 miles per hour—more than enough for most WFHers. Plus, the durable alloy-steel frame is solid and stable enough for anyone up to 220 pounds.
The included remote controls many of this treadmill desk's functions. And a large LED display tracks essential metrics like elapsed time, distance moved, speed, and calories burned in real time. At under $500, it's the best mid-range treadmill desk we've found.
What do buyers say? "Absolutely love this product. 10/10 would recommend this if you are looking to elevate your WFH set up/raise your step count and keep active," said one Amazon reviewer.
Read more: Prime Day Treadmill Deals
Most treadmill desks and under-desk treadmills are designed for "set it and forget it" workouts. Just dial in the speed you want, and be on your way. This portable treadmill from Umay offers a dozen exercise programs and six speed options with a maximum speed of 4 mph. That's plenty adequate for a decent walk or even a slow jog—your call. It's all adjustable via the included remote control. Connecting your phone by Bluetooth with the SPAX app also allows you to control many of the treadmills features remotely.
The 1.5-horsepower motor is on the weak side. But the top speed should be enough for most casual WFHers looking to get their steps in. While the frame is durable alloy steel, it's only capable of supporting 198 pounds, making it the least sturdy of the treadmill desks on this list.
What do buyer say? "I love this for walking while at my desk working. It's quick, small, easy to put away, and easy to use," said one Amazon reviewer.
Read more: Best Cardio Machines
Most of the ultra-budget-friendly models we tested are barebones treadmill desks with modest features. The Unsit Under Desk Treadmill is in a class all its own. At nearly $2,500, it's the most expensive model we found. But, that premium price tag also sets this one well above every other model in our roundup too. The wide frame and belt provide 55% more usable walking space. That equates to easier, more comfortable walking with more naturally paced strides to help prevent soreness and injuries. It's also safer, because you're not trying to "fit" your natural gait into an unnaturally small footprint. This model is arguably the quietest on this list—"library quiet," according to Unsit and many reviewers. It's also built with heavy-duty, commercial-grade materials (supports up to 400 pounds) so it's designed to last for years.
It's also the only model we've found with a dedicated smartphone app. It connects the under-desk treadmill to your phone to track steps, distance, calories, and other stats all with a one-touch control setup.
On the downside, that beefy construction makes this the heaviest desk treadmill on this list at more than 160 pounds. Surprisingly, the maximum speed is only 2 miles per hour. But, this is definitely more of an under-desk treadmill designed specifically to use while you work, rather than a portable treadmill that happens to fit in your office. Because, really, who is literally running during their hourly Zoom meetings?
What do buyers say? "Love! Very easy to use. Well-made ... Best decision I made for my back!" said one InMovement.com reviewer.
Under-desk treadmills and treadmill desks aren’t that much different than traditional treadmills. So, shopping for them is similar. Here are the most important things to consider to find the best treadmill desk (for you):
We researched dozens of the most popular and best-reviewed treadmill desks currently on the market. We paid close attention to the most important features, including stability, noise level, adjustability, overall size, ease of assembly, and, of course, price. Our top picks took into account verified buyer ratings and reviews from top etailers and other sources we trust. The list above represents our carefully chosen picks of the best treadmill desks to consider in 2022.