Looking for cheap walking pad to help build up my health, are they a waste of money or a good purchase?

[Stonecoldhandswarmheart]

Until a couple of years ago I had a really lovely expensive treadmill which I used on a daily basis but had to sell it as I needed the space and it was a very large gym type treadmill and due to some health issues I no longer have the energy to run.

However, I do really miss it, for walking on. We don't have the space for such a big treadmill now and I can't afford to go to the gym and due to my health issues I wouldn't always feel well enough to go to a gym anyhow.

I keep seeing these ads for walking pads and they look ideal for my needs.

I do get out for walks everyday with my dog but I'm looking for something that I could just pull from from under the bed and use on a daily basis to get some extra steps in and help build up my energy (I am on a quest this year to get better). I feel that a walking pad may be ideal as I just want to walk on it, I have no interest or energy to jog/run, I just want to move my body.

Does anyone have one of the cheaper walking pads and are they any good?

Which one do you have please? I'd like one to use with my standing desk so would love to know.

Sigh at those making sparky comments about pavements. I guess they are lucky enough not to have chronic illnesses that can make it very difficult to go out in case you discover you've overexerted yourself, and don't have the energy to get home again. Even so, I'm fairly sure anyone starting a thread about walking pads is doing so specifically because they need to walk at home.

We bought one like this and had to send it back as we both have long legs. It simply wasn't long enough to walk on comfortably as our strides were too long.

I got mine off Amazon I could have got it from tik tok but I heard some of them break after a while and I didn't like the idea of going back n forth with them if that should happen.

One benefit of going through Amazon is that I was able to pay a little extra for insurance for 2/3 years if anything should go wrong they'll send me a new one which gives me peace of mind . In total I paid £129

Im on about day 8 of walking for 30 mins a night in front of TV. The only think I would say is that its not as easy as it looks - its an effort to walk instead of just chilling! And they are quite noisy too so need subtitles on - its a bit annoying for my husband lol. But its increased my level of activity hugely, - waiting to find out the effect of that! Sounds perfect for you.

Why be such a dick? 🥴

I bought mine from Amazon in late 2024 and walk on it almost every day whilst watching TV. It doesn't have a bar but I place it close to my sideboard in case I need to balance myself, which isn't often. For around a £100 it's a very good investment.

I go out for a walk every day too but the treadmill is purely for when I'd otherwise be sitting watching TV.

Which one did you go for OP?

I’ve been thinking about getting one for a while but I would need one that can be stored away and even the fold down ones look quite bulky and hard to manoeuvre/manage ☹️

Which one do you have please?

All these people saying to go and walk in the fresh air are obviously not in the north coast where it has been blowing a gale for weeks along with rain and a bit of snow!

One by Merach on Amazon. It fits under the sofa and has wheels at the front so it can be wheeled around more easily. It doesn’t have handles but that hasn’t been an issue; I’d read that some of the cheaper ones with handles need them to be unscrewed before they can be folded down, and I couldn’t be doing with that!

Hi Puggy,
that looks great, is the handle easy to put up and down? I had one ages ago that required an alan key and was a pain to get in the right place. Is this one more simple?
TIA

I've tried all of that, they bore the hell out of me as do exercise classes. I'd rather use an exercise bike or walkingpad/treadmill in front of the tv or internet tbh, makes the time go by much quicker.

I bought one at Christmas.
It makes me really dizzy when I come off it for about 15 mins afterwards. I follow all the advice to slow down whilst you are on the machine, but that has no effect - I need to sit still completely for a while afterwards to stop the vertigo.
It's also heavy to move too.

Thank you for understanding x

https://www.debenhams.com/product/costway-folding-treadmill-2-in-1-electric-running-machine-walking-treadmill-w-led-display-remote-control_p-c9277da2-9bbd-4781-92cc-f257dc436327

I opted for this one in the end. Should be here tomorrow so I'll let you know what it's like 🤞

I used to get that from my old treadmill at first but my body got used to it in the end.

This is just so unhelpful. OP is living with a chronic disease. I have got one and there are days when I can barely move. She is trying to find a solution to help her get better, asked for clear advice about a specific thing, and you come in with this absolute gem.

Do you go up to people in wheelchairs and say "have you just tried using you legs?"

ooh do you have a link as one with a 10k speed would be good

Why do the dickheads and arseholes feel the need to come on to every thread with their sarky comments. It is clear that the OP is limited by health so telling her to just go outside and walk isnt helpful. She is specifically asking about walking pads. This is chat not AIBU. It would be nice to have a thread once in a while that didnt have these thinly veiled nasty responses.

@michealsmum1998 I bought mine in Oct 2024 - just went on Amazon to get you the link but that model is now unavailable. The brand is Sperax though and there are a few on there

Me too - the only thing I would say is I can see how if you are tall it would be an issue with stride length (I'm 5'2" ish and don't struggle but I could see if you wanted to walk rapidly anyone much taller would come up against a stride length restriction)

That definitely is a problem if you have long legs. We returned our walking pad because with me at 5'7" and DH at 6'2" we kept walking off the edge. These are not made for people with long legs.

This is a great idea. I wish we had known that these were even a thing while my Mum was still with us. My Dad was the same, couldn’t really leave Mum alone even to go out for a short walk. We did what we could but his day to day life was much more restricted after my Mum’s health declined. It would have made a huge difference to him if he had been able to take safe gentle exercise in the house. He is much fitter now but it would definitely have helped both his physical and mental wellbeing at the time if he’d had the walking pad earlier.

Dad has had his a bit over 18 months now, uses it at least a few times every week, no reliability issues. I hope my Dad’s story might encourage your Dad as well. Good luck.

That looks a good one OP and great price, let us know how you get on.

Sorry you've had to fend off patronising idiots telling you to go on a walk, maybe they can't read very well or have never had a chronic condition and have zero empathy, who knows ?

I've got failing eyesight, walking outside can be a bit hazardous, so walking pad looks ideal for me too.