Elliptical Trainer Review: Horizon Fitness E401 Elliptical Trainer
Elliptical Trainer Rating: 3/5 for smooth motion, but few special features and a defective handle
I think I mentioned on Sunday in a short little post that I took a trip to Dicks’ Sporting Goods. Dick’s sells mostly Livestrong, Sole, Horizon, and Proform treadmills and elliptical trainers. I spent a huge chunk of my weekend testing and then retesting these treadmills and I’m ready to start writing about them. I write in order that I took notes and it seems that I stepped on the Horizon E401 Elliptical Trainer first. So, let’s start there.
When I tried out the Horizon E401 Elliptical Trainer there were lots of good things and lots of bad things. Let’s start out with the good. The best thing about the Horizon E401 Elliptical Trainer is that it was smooth. I didn’t feel any shaking or rattling. If you have a chance to compare the Horizon E401 Elliptical Trainer to other elliptical trainers side-by-side you’ll notice that the base of the Horizon E401 Elliptical Trainer is much shorter than the base of most oEther elliptical trainers. The short base of the Horizon E401 Elliptical Trainer means the stride will be more vertical than horizontal. As a result, users will feel more like they’re on a stepper than they are and elliptical trainer. This is not a bad thing, just more of a preference thing. When I worked out on the Horizon E401 Elliptical Trainer I felt more work in my quadriceps than I usually do on an elliptical trainer with a longer base.
I’m also happy to say that there was no scraping or scratching noises coming from the flywheel. But, something still wasn’t right. My left hand was moving forwards and backwards when it should not have been. My right hand however, was sturdy and stable. It seems that the left handlebar on the Horizon E401 Elliptical Trainer was installed improperly or this unit happens to be vulnerable to wear and tear. Either way, when I tried out the Horizon E401 Elliptical Trainer a handlebar was loose. Ughh, this left a bad taste in my mouth. If you happen to own the Horizon E401 Elliptical Trainer and you have a problem with the left handlebar please let other people know in the comments.
Features
The Horizon E401 Elliptical Trainer is on the low-end of the price range and does not have a lot of features. This elliptical trainer comes with six fitness programs. I do believe I have seen more in terms of fitness programs on elliptical trainers from Horizon Fitness in the same price range in the past, another reason why I didn’t click with the Horizon E401. The console is simple. There are two red LED displays that show time, calories burned, and a lot more.
Compared to a lot of other elliptical trainers from Proform and NordicTrack the Horizon E401 Elliptical Trainer is practically barren when it comes to the extras. I can pretty much expect built-in speakers and lots of fitness programs from anything by Proform and NordicTrack. Built-in iPod compatibility should be a standard by now and I really would like to see Horizon Fitness integrate iPod compatibility and speakers on their low-end units just like Proform and NordicTrack have.
Final Analysis
I’m going to be honest; the Horizon E401 Elliptical Trainer is an okay elliptical trainer. The feel is pretty good, but going to the store discovering loose handlebars did leave me feeling skeptical about the Horizon E401 Elliptical Trainer. There were no other major mechanical problems.. As far as features the Horizon E401 Elliptical Trainer left me wanting a lot more. What would really make up for just about everything is adding speakers and an iPod auxiliary in jack. The Horizon E401 Elliptical Trainer is not worth buying simply because there are too many other elliptical trainers out there that offer equivalent or better quality and have a lot more features.
