!44: Smooth 4.25 Treadmill Review - Is This Compact Treadmill a Good Buy?

!±8± Smooth 4.25 Treadmill Review - Is This Compact Treadmill a Good Buy?

The Smooth 4.25 treadmill was Smooth's introduction into the compact treadmill niche. It was built specifically to be ultra compact and when folded, measured only 11" x 29".

So you could easily store the 4.25 treadmill under a bed, in a closet or any place you have 11" X 29" of floor space.

It also came with:

2.0 Continuous Duty HP Motor

0 - 8 MPH Speed

2 Incline positions - Flat & 7%

16" x 50" Treadbelt

Hand Grip Heart Rate Monitor

250 lb User Weight Capacity

Lifetime Frame, 10 Year Motor, 3 years parts and 1 year labor warranty

The bright blue backlit display console was simple but still easy to read and the 7 built in workouts included manual, target distance, time and calories, 45 minute speed intervals and 30 minute Diamond Head.

You may notice I'm talking in the past tense however - that's because Smooth no longer makes the 4.25 treadmill. It's been discontinued. I'm not entirely sure why as it was very popular and lots of people really want a portable, compact treadmill these days.

Obviously there are some drawbacks with a treadmill specifically built to be compact as the 4.25 treadmill was.

The incline options (0% or 7%) are limited, as is the speed and fitness programs. The belt is ultra-small and you really don't get much in the way of give (or cushioning) with the deck. However again, it was still quite popular as many people with small workout areas want a compact unit.

If you're really set on the 4.25 treadmill, you can still probably find a few of them kicking around on Craigslist or in your local classifieds. However be aware that most manufacturers will not honor the warranty on a second buyer. So if it breaks the day you get it home, you're out the money to fix it.

If however you just want a treadmill that's compact and easily portable, you have a few other options. There are 2 compact treadmills currently on the market that offer a bit more in terms of incline, iPod ports and more advanced consoles. For a full review of these option see the Compact treadmill review page.