This treadmill is good. Could it be better? Of course. But for the amount you pay for this you could do worse. It makes a bit more noise than I'm used to with a treadmill and it was difficult to put together when only one person is working on it. Two of the screws were not in the box so I had to go find suitable screws. Folding the treadmill is difficult and there is only a single latch to hold it in place in a hard location to attach. If you can afford it, go for a more high-end model. If not, this is good for the beginner just getting into exercise. If you're an advanced runner, invest the money for a better treadmill and skip this. Performance It works for a beginner with light usages but there's no way I'd recommend this for an advanced and/or frequent exerciser or runner. Comfort It feels fine. Ease of Use If you can read a manual and press buttons, you can use this. Durability I still have it and it still works, but I mostly use it for warm-ups only on slow walk. Design I despise the design of this. The pin to secure it when it's folding makes me nervous and it's extremely hard to move.

OnionCookie

USA

We have had this treadmill for about 2 years now. We were looking for a treadmill that would work great in our home for basic walking and jogging. We love the perks that it came with as well. Assembling and putting it together wasn't too bad with my husband and I together. It can fold up nicely and compact (as a treadmill can be) in a way that can be moved easily to another room or to put off to the side in a room. Some of the great bonuses that I enjoy using on the treadmill are the programmable plans already made on it. If you are working on trying to build up for a 5K the option is there a different levels; if you are looking to lose weight that option is there too. You can plug in your weight and it will help calculate. It has a great incline option to feel like you are going uphill, and you can increase or decrease it as you go. There are speed options as well, which makes a nice workout to get the heart rate up. You can test your heart rate by wrapping your hands around the front bars, but it doesn't work consistantly. I enjoy having the option of the fan at different speeds and also an MP3 plug in option, so my music doesn't distract others. It does have a nice hum to it, but for the price I think it was a great deal.

suzyb82

Sheffield, IL

Good for the money paid,  did quit working once because we leaned on the control stand, had to take it apart and reset it.  I enjoy using it,  My husband likes the MP3 player capability, and I like to 10 incline levels.

mspivey

Huntersville, NC

I got this treadmill about 2 years ago and it still works like it's brand new. I wanted something with a lot of features but without the huge price tag that fitness equipment has. I think it's a great buy. It has a great feature that allows you to plug your MP3 player into it and you can hear the music through the speakers. I really like this. Since I use this in my home, this is an especially great feature so I am not completely blocked out of what's going on around me, like I would be if I had earphones in. My only complaint is that the volume doesn't go as loud as I would like, but it's not that big of a deal. I also love the fan feature. It has two settings but I normally use the high when I run. This makes a huge difference and you don't have to worry a huge fan taking up room just for the treadmill. It has two sections for beverages or other items. I will say that these aren't enclosed. So depending on the size of whatever you put up there, it could fall off. I have had a water bottle slip off a couple times. I am really impressed with this treamill and it takes a beating being used several times a week and still acts like it came from the package. I love all the workout settings. There are so many to choose from and they really give you a run for your money. One of the only irritating things I have found is the emergency stopper. It's placement is really bad. It's magenetic and it sits right in the center of the treadmill about waist to chest high (depending on how tall you are) and there have been numerous times I have hit the stopper in the middle of my workout by switching speeds or reaching for something. It stops your workout completely. I wish they could find a different place for it.    

grover22

Warrensburg, MO

The Gold's Gym 550 Treadmill is great for everyday cardio.  Besides me, there is one other person in my family that uses this on a daily basis for walking.  We average about 30 to 45 minutes apiece 6 or 7 days a week and after six months it's held up great and shows little sign of wear. It has a fan on the console which I thought was a great feature, but it's so noisy that I usually just turn the ceiling fan on.  One of the best features (especially for such a reasonably priced treadmill) is the automatic adjustable incline.  Its great to be able to keep walking and be able to adjust the incline without getting off.  It also has a great programmable feature that helps you lose weight and automatically adjusts the speed and incline.  While I think this is a great treadmill for everyday use and stands up to the amount of walking we do, I don't think it would be great for runners.  The few times I've tried jogging on it, it just doesn't seem like it would hold up to that amount of abuse for long.

Charlieswife1

Oklahoma City, OK

**We bought a Gold's Gym Trainer 550 Treadmill two years ago.  I had been walking outside but the weather was not always cooperative.  Noe I walk in the house and am grateful for such a great machine.  I love the extras on this treadmill.  I listen to my Ipod while walking.  We've had no problems with the motor or the tread.  This is a great treadmill to have to walk and run on and not have to depend on the weather.  Looking for a way to exercise without the high cost of a gym-this is it!**

cluedn

Frankston, TX

This treadmill helps me rock to my workout with the built-in Compatible Music Port for iPod. Featuring a built-in storage shelf and a premium sound system, you'll be jamming to your tunes while you burn fat and lose weight as well. This treadmill is also equipped with 2 Distance Workouts, 2 Heart Rate Workouts, 4 Personal Trainer Workouts and 4 Weight-Loss Workouts. The guesswork has been taken out of your workout so the only thing you have to is press start! The Trainer 550 also features a Weight-Loss Center that makes it easy to customize a calorie-burn workout that matches your goals. We bought this on sale- so we got a really good price.  Overall I'd say it's an attractive treadmill for the price.

iamdandy

Fond Du Lac, WI

I love the Golds Gym Trainer 550 treadmill. I bought it after my youngest son was born to help walk off some of the baby weight! It comes with four pre-programmed workouts for walking and four for serious runners. I started with the first workout and have worked my way up to the fourth one. I couldnt be happier. It tells me when it is adding incline, or changing speeds before it does it. And it has a light that comes on when the workout works best with the handheld weights it came with.   I would recommend this treadmill to anyone. Not super fancy, or expensive. Just a solid workout.

bethaabtie

Bremen, IN