From WIRED · Boutayna Chokrane · · 4m
Walking pads beat treadmills for working from home
Slim, quiet machines let you rack up steps while answering emails. WIRED tested the best ones.
In brief
Slim, quiet machines let you rack up steps while answering emails. WIRED tested the best ones. Walking pads offer a space-saving alternative to treadmills for home office workers seeking to increase daily steps and improve health without sacrificing productivity. Originally reported by WIRED.
Why sitting all day hurts
Sitting at your desk all day is terrible for your posture and takes a toll on your physical and mental health. Even taking walking breaks leaves you spending most of the day on your tush.
Walking pads boost productivity
Walking pads make you more productive. Daily use can boost your energy levels, mood, and cardiovascular health. You crush your daily steps before five pm.
What makes a walking pad work
Walking pads are slim, portable machines that slide under standing desks or fit anywhere in your home. Unlike bulky treadmills, they are quiet and space-saving.
Size and storage matter
Walking pads are typically much smaller than traditional treadmills. Check product dimensions to ensure the footprint works for you. Foldable models with wheels offer better portability.
Belt size affects stability
The deck size depends on the product's dimensions. Generally, wider and lengthier belts feel more stable to walk on, especially if you are taller or have a longer stride.
Weight capacity varies
Walking pads have lower weight capacity than treadmills.Check the machine's limit to ensure it works for you and anyone else in your household.
Speed range for your lifestyle
Most models offer speeds up to four mph, covering gentle strolls and brisk walks ideal for home office use. Walking pad-treadmill hybrids offer faster paces if you want to jog.
Inclines strengthen your legs
Some models remain flat, but adjustable inclines let you customize cardio intensity. Walking at an incline strengthens lower body muscles and reduces anterior knee loading.
Tracking your metrics
Most walking pads have an LED display tracking steps, distance, time, and calories. Some include a remote control and app that syncs metrics to your phone.
Price ranges widely
You can find a solid, no-frills walking pad for under three hundred dollars. Higher-end models with more features cost five hundred dollars or more.
How WIRED tested them
Remote team members evaluated each walking pad from their home offices during real workdays. Testers of different heights and stride lengths walked for hour-plus stretches while working.
Best overall: Urevo CyberPad
The Urevo CyberPad for Home costs five hundred dollars, on sale for three hundred ninety dollars. It offers a fourteen percent incline, one of the highest on the market, and weighs about seventy one pounds.
CyberPad features and limits
The CyberPad is easy to set up and control.It has a Bluetooth remote and app that log workout data.Speed tops out at four mph.The incline capability makes it difficult to store under furniture.
Best foldable: WalkingPad C2
The WalkingPad C2 Foldable Walking Treadmill costs five hundred ninety nine dollars, on sale for three hundred ninety nine dollars.
C2 setup and app challenges
The C2 was a bit of a pain to set up.Getting the Bluetooth remote and KS Fit app to connect was a struggle.
Best compact: Urevo Strol 2S Pro
The Urevo Strol 2S Pro Treadmill costs five hundred fifty dollars. It doubles as a treadmill with an adjustable handrail and offers impressive speed and incline ranges. Top speed is seven point six mph.
Strol 2S Pro app and stability
The Strol 2S Pro remained firmly in place even at top speed and incline. The companion app was intuitive and synced well with the machine. It showed daily step counts and logged workout data automatically.
Other strong contenders tested
WIRED also tested the FlexiSpot MotionX Ultra Auto Incline Walking Treadmill for three hundred seventy dollars, the Merach UltraWalk W60 for four hundred dollars, and the Umay U20F Folding three in one Walking Pad for…
Avoid Sperax models
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission warned consumers to stop using several Sperax walking pad and treadmill models.
Here's the gist
Walking pads offer a space-saving alternative to treadmills for home office workers seeking to increase daily steps and improve health without sacrificing productivity.
