In the fast-paced lifestyle of the 21st century, millions of people are unable to spare time for a consistent workout routine. Working out is an essential part of staying active. Unfortunately, the capitalistic lifestyle of today has made any sort of me-time very hard to get.
After the arrival of the pandemic, working from home has become very common. This has eased up people’s schedules by eliminating travel time and other wasted minutes. To make working out easier during this time, people have invested in some of the best under-desk ellipticals.
These are elliptical trainers without the presence of the handles a standard elliptical has. This makes them easy to place anywhere. They are most commonly placed under desks and can be used while one is seated on a chair.
Under desk ellipticals and other cheaper exercise machines are in high demand since gyms are not very accessible. This is due to time constraints as mentioned above, and also insanely high monthly fees and low capacity at gyms due to the pandemic. This leads to people finding the best under-desk exercise to facilitate weight loss while working.
If you find yourself in such a situation too, we highly recommend you read this article and purchase an under-desk elliptical. It is a brilliant piece of machinery for people who work at desks for long hours, especially students. So you need not worry about missing your workout, it’s right at your desk!
When searching for an under-desk elliptical machine, some features to take into account are as follows:
Portability:
A person who wishes to utilize an elliptical machine in both their home and business may want to think about selecting one that is very small and light. For simple transportation, some also include a wheel and a handle.
Dimensions:
Knowing a device’s dimensions enables users to decide if their under-desk space will accommodate it and provide enough space for it to be used. Discover more on compact ellipticals here.
Noise:
People can exercise while working at a desk with an under-desk elliptical. In these situations, it is recommended to pick one with a silent operation mode to prevent disturbing others.
Pedals:
Pedals with a rough surface can help hold the feet in place and offer a solid grip.
Monitor with a display:
This is useful for keeping track of time, speed, calories burned, and other things.
List of the best under-desk ellipticals:
We will now be analyzing some of the best and most affordable under-desk ellipticals to make your day more productive than ever before.
- Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Under Desk Elliptical Machine Foot Pedal Exerciser Fully Assembled
- Stamina 55-1602 Inmotion Elliptical
- SereneLife Elliptical Under Desk Exercise Equipment
- Bionic Body Magnetic Tension Under-Desk Elliptical Mini Stepper Trainer with Resistance Tubes NS-1009
- Stamina InMotion Compact Strider with Cords
- FitDesk Under Desk Elliptical Trainer – Elliptical Bike Pedal Machine for Home Use or Office
- Sunny Health & Fitness Versa Stepper Step Machine w/Wide Non-slip Pedals, Resistance Bands, and LCD Monitor – SF-S0870:
- Women’s Health Men’s Health Bluetooth Cardio Stair Stepper with Adjustable Resistance Bands and with MyCloudFitness App
Top 8 Best under-desk ellipticals
We will now be analyzing some of the best and most affordable under-desk ellipticals to make your day more productive than ever before.
Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Under Desk Elliptical Machine Foot Pedal Exerciser Fully Assembled:
Specifications table:
| Model Name | SF-E3872 |
| Item Dimensions (LxWxH) | 24x19x11 inches |
| Resistance Levels | 8 |
| Digital Monitor | Yes |
| Colors | Grey and Pink |
| Material | Steel |
Description:
Why should you choose Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Under Desk Elliptical?
This is a very durable and easily operable under desk elliptical available for an affordable price of around 125 USD subject to delivery charges. You can purchase it in 2 different colors, namely grey and pink. It comes with a digital activity monitor so you can gauge the intensity of your workout quantitatively.
Weight and Structure: Being compact, it is a lightweight machine as compared to other conventional exercise machines.
Digital Monitor: A built-in digital system that helps track your calories, time, and speed. This is a very useful feature and certainly acts as a convincing selling point given the affordable price tag to facilitate an easy workout.
Let’s take a look at its pros and cons.
Stamina 55-1602 Inmotion Elliptical
Specifications table:
| Model Name | Stamina 55-1610 InMotion E1000 Elliptical Trainer |
| Item Dimensions (LxWxH) | 24.5 x 17 x 11.4 inches |
| Material | Metal |
| Colors | Silver, Black/Green, Black/Orange |
Description:
Why should you choose Stamina 55-1602 Inmotion Elliptical?
Color choices:
It comes in 3 different color schemes as mentioned above and each one has a different vibe to it. Silver is more elegant and classy, whereas black/green and black/orange have a more sporty feel to them. You can also get a bargain if you choose to opt for a color that is higher in stock, however, this depends on the circumstances and is highly subjective.
Multiple Options: The trainer’s pedals can move forwards and backward. It can be operated while sitting or standing based on your preference.
Passive Exercise: Promotes passive exercise i.e. does not distract the user from the task they are doing e.g. playing video games or working. Some people also face anxiety while working and shake their legs and what better way than to channel it into positive energy using the Stamina 55-1602 Inmotion Elliptical.
Price: Depending on your choice of color, expect the Stamina 55-1602 Inmotion Elliptical to only set you back around 110-120 USD. A very affordable price for a powerful machine.
Structure: It is a compact and light piece of equipment and the best thing about it is the fact that it is very quiet. There will be no noise interruption to disturb you, further complementing the passive workout point.
Let’s take a look at its pros and cons.
SereneLife Elliptical Under Desk Exercise Equipment
Specifications table:
| Item Dimensions | 23.62 x 16.92 x 11.81 inches |
| Weight Limit | 300 pounds |
| Material | Polypropylene |
| Resistance levels | 8 |
Description:
Why should you choose SereneLife Elliptical Under Desk Exercise Equipment:
LCD Monitor: It comes with the ability to measure time, count, calories, and total count. Resistance Levels: Comes with 8 resistance levels to help personalize your workout even more
Whisper Quiet Operation: SereneLife markets this product under this tagline and it is considered noiseless enough to be used in public office spaces without being noticed.
Design: It has a carrying handle and can also be disassembled and reassembled within 3-5 minutes. It is also lightweight and durable
Price: Around 140-150 USD
Let’s take a look at its pros and cons.
Bionic Body Magnetic Tension Under-Desk Elliptical Mini Stepper Trainer with Resistance Tubes NS-1009
Specifications table:
| Color | Black/Bronze |
| Material | Plastic |
| Item Dimensions (LxWxH) | 25x21x12 inches |
| Weight | 37 pounds |
Description:
Why should you choose Bionic Body Magnetic Tension Under-Desk Elliptical Mini Stepper Trainer with Resistance Tubes NS-1009:
Multipurpose: The resistance tubes mean that it can act as a mini elliptical trainer too. You can train both your upper and lower body in one place at one time.
LCD Monitor: Functions as an odometer and tracks total strides, strides per minute, time, and calories.
Slip-resistant pedals: This adds massively to safety and helps promote a better workout experience due to better grip on pedals.
Price: Around 140 USD currently, discounted from 200.
Let’s take a look at its pros and cons.
Stamina InMotion Compact Strider with Cords:
Specifications:
- Model: 55-1621
- Item Dimensions (LxWxH): 24x18x12 inches
- Color: Black/Green
- Material: Steel
Why should you choose Stamina InMotion Compact Strider with Cords:
Easy Assembly: The product is easy and quickly assembled despite having resistance tubes
Portable: Comes with a handle for easy carrying alongside being light and compact.
Passive Workout: As mentioned above in the review of Stamina 55-1602, the trainers made by the company promote a passive workout ideology. They are thus noiseless and don’t cause any disturbance to your work.
Resistance Tubes: The major difference in this product when compared to the Stamina 55-1602, is the presence of resistance tubes which makes it a piece of more multipurpose equipment.
Price: Comes in at around 140 USD, which is not a very big difference when compared to the Stamina 55-1602 considering the wide array of multipurpose usage you are getting. Thus it is a very affordable under desk elliptical to purchase.
FitDesk Under Desk Elliptical Trainer – Elliptical Bike Pedal Machine for Home Use or Office
Specifications:
- Model Name: FDP-3015-001
- Color: White
- Item Dimensions (LxWxH): 28.4 x 11.3 x 18.4 inches
- Resistance Mechanism: Magnetic
Why should you purchase FitDesk Under Desk Elliptical Trainer?
Works with low desks: The elliptical has the lowest pedal rotation height available in the market at only 8 inches. This makes it possible to carry out an easy workout even with smaller desks and cramped-up spaces.
Noiseless and Resistance Levels: Magnetic resistance systems (with 8 resistance levels) make it a very quiet and smooth machine to operate. The resistance is also adjusted using a lever, operated by foot so you need not use your hands i.e. you need not disturb your work on your desk.
LCD Display: The LCD Display comes with 6 different functions to display. It is also at an ideal location between the pedals and above the resistance adjustment lever.
Price: Comes in at around 145 USD. While this is a very cheap price for the brilliant and unique features not found in other machines, it is possible to get an elliptical trainer with resistance bands for the same price. It now depends upon personal need and interest to make a decision.
Sunny Health & Fitness Versa Stepper Step Machine w/Wide Non-slip Pedals, Resistance Bands, and LCD Monitor – SF-S0870:
Specifications:
- Material: Steel
- Item Dimensions (LxWxH): 21 x 15.5 x 12 inches
- Batteries: 1 AAA battery, included with the machine
- Color: Grey
- Weight: 22 pounds
Why choose Sunny Health & Fitness Versa Stepper Step Machine SF-S0870:
Structure: Due to having smaller dimensions this elliptical trainer can easily be transported. It also weighs only around 22 pounds thereby making it extremely lightweight. The usage of steel makes the machine dense and increases its portability while keeping it light.
Safety: The machine can support up to 245 pounds of weight making it extremely durable. It also has oversized foot pedals along with a textured finish that ensures a sturdy grip. This makes it the best under desk elliptical for seniors as well as teens due to its elaborate safety features.
LCD Display: It comes with a battery-powered LCD that keeps track of time, calories burned, total steps, and steps-per-minute. This further adds to it being user-friendly.
Resistance Bands: It comes with resistance bands included to help work out other parts of your body too. If you already own resistance bands you can attach them too.
Women’s Health Men’s Health Bluetooth Cardio Stair Stepper with Adjustable Resistance Bands and with MyCloudFitness App
Specifications:
Material: Steel
Batteries: 2 AAA batteries, included with the machine
Item Dimensions (LxWxH): 23 x 16 x 19 inches
Why should you choose Women’s Health Men’s Health Bluetooth Cardio Stair Stepper?
Durable: The trainer has a 250-pound weight capacity and is made from steel making it highly strong and durable.
LCD Display: It displays steps per minute, total steps, elapsed time, and calories burned. Along with this, it comes with a built-in connectivity option to MyCloudFitness App which can be downloaded on Android and iOS devices.
Adjustable Step Height: The trainer has 3 different locking step heights with a maximum step height adjustable up to 10 inches. This is a unique selling point and not many of the best under desk ellipticals include it.
Other: It comes with large anti-slip textured foot pedals and resistance bands to diversify the workout experience making it one of the best elliptical trainers for weight loss and muscle build-up.
Conclusion and Editor’s Choice:
The above is a comprehensive review of some of the best under desk ellipticals in the market. As a summary, we can divide them into two broad categories; with and without resistance bands. The ellipticals range from around 80 USD to 200 USD depending upon the number of features.
Every machine has its pros and cons, none of them are perfect. It is now down to the user to make an informed decision based upon the data at hand. For beginners, cheaper machines without resistance bands are just fine. For more experienced individuals, we recommend you choose an elliptical trainer with resistance bands to facilitate a more diverse workout experience.
According to the opinion of the editor, the best option within those mentioned above is the Stamina InMotion Compact Strider with Cords 55-1621 (number 5 on the list above). The reason for this choice is due to the diverse features it offers at a very reasonable price of 140 USD. It is noiseless and has all the necessary safety features making your workout experience seamless.
The cons that come with this specific under desk elliptical can be compromised upon such as a lack of color choices. Thus, making it the best value for money under desk machine in the Editor’s opinion.
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