Smooth Fitness 7.1 HR Pro Treadmill with Wireless Heart Rate Monitor Review

I did a lot of searching of user reviews and reviews by treadmill technicians, as well as asking friends, family, and store employees about treadmills. The Smooth 7.1 was consistently rated right up there as one of the best at a decent price. Because the machine is only sold online, I had to depend on these reviews for this particular company. And the reviews were on the money! I ended up buying a four year old Smooth 7.1 from another craigslister and I have not been disappointed.

The machine is definitely heavy. At 280 pounds, it is a monster to move. We only had to get it out of the van, around the back of the garage, and down seven stairs into the basement. It was a major endeavor. With the help of my hubby, my oldest son and eldest daughter, and the use of a pair of Forearm Forklifts, we manged to get it into the basement. Once on the concrete floor, it was pretty easy to move around.

Set up was a snap, too. I printed out the appropriate pages and had the the thing back in working order in about 30 minutes. The manual wasn't too detailed in how to use the treadmill itself, or the extra features, but I basically wanted it for walking and a little jogging, so I'm happy.

When using the Smooth 7.1, the feel is solid and sturdy. I can walk and jog and not worry about the machine. The belt is 20 inches wide, which means I'm not worried about where I put my feet. There's a wireless chest heart monitor, but it doesn't work that well for me. What I do like is the wave-to-change-speed feature on the treadmill. I don't see it on the newer models, but I sure do like it.

The folding feature works very nicely. It's smooth up and smooth down. And it's all electric, so I don't have to worry about dropping the deck. It doesn't fold up so it stands up straight, so it doesn't save a lot of floor space when folded. Someone suggested that it's more for sweeping underneath.

All in all, I am happy with this purchase and would recommend it.