I'm never going to be one of those people who loves to run [1]. I've tried over and over again, jogging on tracks, treadmills [2], and through the woods. I just don't enjoy it. But I do enjoy walking. Getting in steps is my favorite way to spend my lunch hour, and my husband and I look forward to walking our dogs as our designated family time. Walking is a big part of maintaining my healthy lifestyle [3], but living in central New York where cold temps and dangerously icy sidewalks abound, I find that I have a difficult time reaching my daily step goal during the winter [4]. I recently purchased the Goplus 2.25HP 2-in-1 Folding Treadmill [5] ($330, originally $560) for my home, and now I wish I'd bought it years ago.
I'm fortunate that my home is fairly sizable. That being said, I still didn't want to designate a large area in my house to a bulky treadmill. My husband and I already have a weight bench, an indoor bike, and basically every piece of fitness equipment [7] under the sun, so we wanted to keep our treadmill footprint small. In my search for the perfect compact treadmill, I came across the Goplus. (It can also connect to your phone or Bluetooth, and you can play music out loud while working out!) I promptly ordered the treadmill, excited to increase my winter step count, and have been using it every day for a few weeks. Turns out, it's awesome. Here's why I love it.
1. It really is small. This isn't one of those beast treadmills. It's a dainty 49"x27" pad with a small bar at the front. Its compact frame also means it's fairly easy to move. While I probably won't be hefting it over my shoulders anytime soon, it's more than light enough that I can drag it where it needs to go.
2. It folds! You can fold the handles on this treadmill, making it perfect for placement underneath a standing desk. It's also small enough once it's folded that it could be slid under a piece of furniture, such as a couch or a bed. I'm not sure I would want to be dragging it out on a daily basis, but it would be perfect for using and storing in a guest room, as it would be easy to make room for the occasional visitor.
3. It's inexpensive. Even though it's only been a few weeks, I feel like I've already gotten my money out of this treadmill. In my quest to purchase a home-walking solution, I quickly learned that most treadmills come at an elevated price tag [8]. Is the Goplus 2.25HP the fanciest treadmill on the market? No. Does it get the job done? Absolutely.
4. It's versatile. Honestly, this little treadmill is more versatile than I initially gave it credit for. While I purchased it for walking, my husband has also been using it every day to run. The treadmill speeds range from 1 to 12 km/hr, which means you can, in fact, use it to go for a decent jaunt and get your heart rate up [9].
As someone who loves to walk, this treadmill has really been a wintertime lifesaver. My daily step count has been dramatically higher [10] since adding this little piece of fitness equipment to my home, and as a result, I feel so much happier and healthier. If you, like me, enjoy walking but can't always physically get outside, I encourage you to hit "add to cart."