6 Best Elliptical For Small Spaces: Reviewed & Compared

Elliptical for Small Spaces Compared

Who Can Benefit from a Space-Saving Elliptical?

A space-saving elliptical is a must-have if you:

And don’t worry, space-saving ellipticals provide more-or-less the same quality of workout as standard-size counterparts; they’re just designed to be more compact and easier to store in small spaces.

These days, smaller types of ellipticals still offer excellent performance. The only real tradeoff is the max user weight is lower than standard size models.

Choosing an Elliptical for Small Spaces

Type vs Individual Needs

There are several different types of space-saving elliptical machines out there. The right one for you will depend on what you’re looking for.

For example, if you don’t have a permanent setup and want to store your elliptical out of sight when not in use, you’ll probably want to opt for a folding model rather than an upright model. If you want something that’ll fit in the office, an under-desk elliptical might be a better choice. We’ve covered each of the different types of space-saving ellipticals in more detail further below.

You’ll also want to think about whether you want a front, rear, or center-drive elliptical trainer. Center-drive configurations are usually the most compact and will take up the least floor space but also typically require more clearance space as the pedal arms extend further.

Elliptical Size vs Room Space

Make sure you measure your available space before you buy an elliptical and choose one that’ll fit. It’s important to not just look at the dimensions, but the total footprint of the elliptical. Elliptical pedals usually extend beyond the body of the elliptical itself, so the actual space required is greater than the total length/width of the elliptical.

As a rule of thumb, you’ll want to choose an elliptical that’ll fit in your available space with at least 15” of clearance from all sides.

Build Quality

While size and space might be your number one priority, it’s still important to look at other factors too, like the build quality. Some space-saving ellipticals will be more durable than others. Look for an elliptical with a sturdy frame built with durable materials. It’s also worth looking at the existing customer reviews to see what other users are saying about the build quality.

Safety Features

As with any gym equipment, safety is paramount, so it’s important to make sure you choose an elliptical with good safety features. This is especially important if you’re elderly or have pre-existing conditions that put you at greater risk of injury.

Safer ellipticals will have strong frames to aid with stability and minimize wobble. You can look at the weight capacity to get an idea of how stable it is. Typically, the greater the weight capacity, the more stability it’ll offer.

Other safety features to consider are automatic warm-up and cool-down programs, handrails for extra balance, and pin locks.

Performance Features

Extra Elliptical Features

Price

And of course, you also need to think about the price. We’ve tried to include only the elliptical machines that offer the best value for money in this list.

Expect to pay anywhere from under $100 to $500 for a good quality elliptical but you even find value for money space-saving ellipticals at the $300 mark. More expensive models will be more durable, customizable, and offer better performance than cheaper models.

1. Schwinn Compact 411

The Schwinn 411 is an excellent option if you're looking for a compact elliptical with a decent stride length. Despite only being small in size, the Schwinn 411 has a stride length of 18", making it one of the best ellipticals for small spaces.

This machine has 16 different resistance settings to choose from, meaning you can easily vary your workouts and increase the resistance as your fitness levels improve.

The Schwinn 411 has a streamlined console that displays time, speed, calories, heart rate, and distance. It also has a media rack that holds tablets and phones so that you can watch workout videos or tv shows while working out.

The Schwinn 411 features moving and fixed handlebars so that you can choose your preferred style of workout. Both sets of handlebars have heart rate sensors too.

What's great about purchasing a Schwinn elliptical machine is that you can also access the 'Around the World' app, which allows you to immerse yourself in different locations around the globe as you work out. The app has some free courses to try, but you can also purchase an additional subscription.

All in all, it's a durable and compact elliptical machine which is why it's our top pick for small spaces.

2. Sunny Health & Fitness SF-E902

The Sunny Health & Fitness SF-E902 Air Glider is a great option for someone who is looking to save as much space as possible. The glider has a relatively simplistic design, but it folds away easily when not in use, making it perfect for smaller spaces.

The elliptical has an impressive stride length for a small machine at around 30". It also has a convenient abdominal cushion that will support your muscles while working out. In addition to this, the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-E902 Air Glider has ergonomic handlebars and easy-grip pedals.

If you're on a budget, this elliptical offers real value for money and is by far the best cheap elliptical trainer for small spaces. Although the elliptical doesn't include any fancy features like heart monitoring or high-end tablets, it does have a small monitor that can help you to track your workouts properly.

It displays many important statistics, including the length of your workout, total distance, and calories burned. The only real downside to this machine is that it doesn't have any functions to change the resistance of your workouts.

If you're looking for a low-cost option that can help you to stay on top of your cardio workouts, this is it.

3. Cubii Pro

The Cubii Pro is the perfect choice for people that have really limited space. Whether you want to burn some extra calories while you binge Netflix shows or stay active around the office, this is the compact elliptical for the job.

The Cubii Pro is one of the best small under desk elliptical machines as it is whisper quiet which means you won't distract the people around you if you plan on using the machine at work.

In addition to this, it is lightweight, so you can easily move it around your home and workout in different locations. One of the great features of the Cubii Pro is that it has Bluetooth connectivity. This means you can use the app to track all your workouts and sync the information with your FitBit or Apple data. The app also includes access to Cubii workouts and the Cubii Community.

The tiny machine also has 8 different resistance levels, so you can even scale up the intensity as your fitness improves.

The Cubii Pro is for anyone who wants to make the most of their time and get fit while they sit. It fits easily under any desk and is a great addition to any office setup.

4. Exerpeutic 1000XL

We think this heavy-duty elliptical from Exerpeutic is the best quiet elliptical for small apartments. It’s absolutely whisper-quiet thanks to the superb, precision-balanced, dual-direction flywheel and V belt drive, so you can watch TV or listen to music while you workout without any annoying mechanical noise interference. If noise levels are a big concern, this might be the elliptical you’re looking for.

It has one of the most heavy-duty constructions we’ve seen in this price range and an impressive 300lbs weight capacity, making it a great choice for big and tall users. It’s a little on the heavier side and doesn’t fold away, but you can still move it around from room to room easily enough thanks to the transportation wheels on the front. Just lift it up from the back and push it along.

It’s pretty compact, too, and the pedals don't seem to extend too far out beyond the body of the machine, so you don't need to give it too much clearance. That being said, the pedals get pretty high off the ground, so make sure you leave at least 21 inches of clearance from the ceiling.

It comes with a heart rate monitor, magnetic tension knob with 8 adjustable levels, large LCD monitor that displays distance, calories burned, speed, time, pulse and scan, and more.

5. Sunny Health & Fitness SF-E3804

Moving on to the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-E3804, another one of the best home ellipticals for small spaces. It features 8 levels of adjustable magnetic resistance, transportation wheels, a performance monitor, a heavy-duty steel frame, and full-motion arm exercisers.

The arm extensions utilize a full range of motion to engage more muscle groups and stabilizer muscles in your pecs, traps, biceps, and pecs.

Considering the price range, this is impressively high-tech. The performance monitor provides a ton of data and displays everything from your RPM to your heart rate, temperature, and more.

And speaking of heart rate, this also comes with an advanced pulse sensor that monitors your heart rate while you workout. You can also take advantage of the built-in sixty-second recovery heart rate test to monitor your recovery time and check your heart health.

Not only that, but the SF-E3803’s heart rate monitor even doubles up as a body fat percentage tracker, so you can monitor your body composition to track changes in your lean body mass and body fat over time.

6. Stamina Inmotion

Last but not least, we have the Stamina Inmotion 55-1602, another super popular space-saving model by a leading exercise equipment brand.

This is another under desk model or 'mini strider.' It’s really tiny and designed to slot neatly under your desk so that you can work out while you’re gaming, working at the office, watching TV, or anything else.

It’s a passive, low-attention way to keep moving and burn calories throughout your day even while you're sitting down, so it's great for busy professionals who don’t have a lot of spare time to exercise.

It’s very robust and durable, with a sturdy steel frame and strong, textured foot pedals. You can use it standing, sitting down, or put it in ‘reverse mode’ to activate different muscle groups and change things up. It’s also very adjustable; you can turn the tension knob to increase or decrease the resistance and tailor the workout to your goals.

And despite being so small, it still includes a monitor (albeit a tiny one). The small multifunction monitor displays all the key stats to help you monitor things like your stride count, calories burned, and exercise time.

People Also Ask (FAQs)

How much space does an elliptical take up?

The size of ellipticals varies from machine to machine, but a typical elliptical would be somewhere around 70” long by 30” wide, give or take. You’ll also need to leave adequate clearance space for the pedals, so all in all, you'll probably need around 100" length and 50" width of floor space.

How much clearance do I need for a small elliptical machine?

We’d recommend leaving at least 15” of clearance space on all sides of the elliptical, but the exact amount of clearance you’ll need will depend on the model of elliptical you’re using and how far the pedals extend out when in use.

Are smaller ellipticals worth investing in?

Yes, if your goal is to lose weight or tone up your arms and legs. Mini ellipticals are just as effective as full-sized models for burning calories and provide enough resistance to give your leg and arm muscles a good workout. More expensive brands offer more features and functionality if you want spend more cash.

Which muscles are targeted by these small elliptical machines?

It depends on the machine. Small elliptical machines with movable arms will work all the muscles in your arms (biceps, triceps, forearm muscles, etc.) and legs (quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves). 

Those without movable arms mainly target the leg muscles. Ellipticals can also activate your core muscles and give your abs and, to a lesser extent, your back and chest a workout.

How long do ellipticals last on average?

It depends on how often you use it, but elliptical machines last 10-20 years on average.

Where is the best place to buy small-sized elliptical machines?

You can get some fantastic deals on small-sized elliptical machines on Amazon. It’s also worth checking the websites of the most popular elliptical brands.

Conclusion

So, let’s recap: what is the best space-saving elliptical? In our opinion, it has to be the Schwinn Compact 411. It’s a fantastic, compact little machine that offers excellent performance and durability.

We hope you found this guide to the best ellipticals for small spaces useful. Good luck!