The best treadmills for incline: Mastering the climb to ultimate home fitness

Make home fitness superior with your very own incline-ready treadmill.

The best treadmills for incline

by Jack Barrell |
Updated on

No home treadmill is complete without intuitive incline functions. The best treadmills for incline offer an unmatched platform for uphill walks (or runs, if you're brave) from the comfort of your own front room. If you’re looking for a great treadmill for home use, and incline is a non-negotiable feature, look no further than the greatest treadmills for incline, as detailed in the article below.

Finding a treadmill with the right incline capabilities is the easy part, running machines of today come with a range of additional features and clever tech that might take your fancy. Some units come with Bluetooth capability, HD screens, remote controls, and so much more. When looking at treadmills for the home, you’ll be pleased to come across various fully foldable treadmills, which promote a more efficient home gym setup.

The best treadmills for incline of 2024 at a glance:

Best for overall: Nordic Track EXP5i Treadmill - View at Argos
Best smart treadmill: JTX Sprint-7: Smart Home Treadmill XL - View at JTX Fitness
Best for incline walking: Pro Fitness T1000 Folding Treadmill - View at Argos
Best folding treadmill: BodyMax T80 Folding Motorized Treadmill - View at Powerhouse Fitness

Having an effective and functional incline treadmill in your home is a huge advantage if you want to stay fit and healthy, and you want the added convenience of not having to leave the house. You can get a seriously good deal on an incline treadmill if you know just where to look. This is our buyer’s guide for the best incline treadmills, here’s to finding exactly what you’re looking for. All that's left is for you to strap on your new running shoes and get moving.

The best treadmills for incline in 2024:

Please note: All prices are correct at the time of writing. Prices, stock and deals are subject to change without notice.

The best treadmill for incline overall

Nordic Track EXP5i TreadmillArgos

The Nordic Track EXP5i Treadmill combines state-of-the-art technology with comfort, featuring a powerful motor and a wide running surface. You also get an interactive training experience with iFit compatibility. Even if you have to pay extra for this, the Nordic Track EXP5i is still the perfect choice for both beginners and seasoned runners.

Pros

  • Folds for better storage
  • Whopping 20 incline levels
  • Well priced for what you get
  • Bluetooth compatible

Cons

  • iFit membership required for the best experience

The best premium treadmill for incline

NordicTrack X32i Incline TrainerPowerhouse Fitness

The NordicTrack X32i Incline Trainer is a premium fitness machine offering an immersive workout experience with its striking 32-inch HD touchscreen, up to 40 per cent incline, and -6 per cent decline. Integrated iFit technology provides global workouts and personalized training plans, ideal for all fitness levels. It might demand a lot of space, but if you do have the space, you have to consider the X32i.

Pros

  • Both incline and decline
  • Great quality screen
  • Bluetooth connectivity
  • Over 16,000 programmes

Cons

  • Requires significant space

The best folding treadmill for incline

BodyMax T80 Folding Motorized TreadmillPowerhouse Fitness

The BodyMax T80 Folding Motorized Treadmill offers a compact, user-friendly design ideal for home use. With variable speeds, incline settings, and pre-set programs, it caters to all fitness levels. Its foldable design ensures easy storage, making it a space-saving workout solution. The screen might appear a little dated, but the functionality of this treadmill is still second to none.

Pros

  • One of the sturdiest treadmills out there
  • Can be stored with ease through folding feature
  • Well priced considering the specs

Cons

  • Screen is slightly dated

The best budget treadmill for incline

The Mobvoi Home Treadmill is tailored for those seeking an efficient incline workout at home. With its reliable motor and adjustable incline settings, it challenges users at every fitness level. You get all this with a compact, foldable design for easy storage. Bluetooth connoisseurs might not be 100 per cent satisfied though, this is based on the Mobvoi's Bluetooth being a little bit touch and go at times.

Pros

  • Very good value for money
  • All the incline you could need
  • Modern design

Cons

  • Bluetooth connectivity can be touch-and-go

The best treadmill for incline with warranty

The JLL S300 Digital Folding Treadmill ensures a secure investment in your fitness journey with a five-year warranty. It features a foldable design, diverse workout programs, and intuitive controls, catering to all fitness levels for effective home workouts. Despite no flashy touchscreen, the tech on the JLL S300 is still more than up to modern standards.

Pros

  • Up to date tech
  • Generous five years of warranty
  • Super sturdy treadmill

Cons

  • No touch screen

The best treadmill for incline walking

Pro Fitness T1000 Folding TreadmillArgos

The Pro Fitness T1000 Folding Treadmill grants efficiency and convenience to your home workouts. Its foldable frame, intuitive operation, and varied speed settings cater to all fitness levels. Compact and reliable, it's perfect for achieving fitness goals in any home environment.

Pros

  • Fair price
  • Foldable design saves space
  • 15 incline levels makes it great

Cons

  • Still needs space despite being foldable

The best smart treadmill for incline

JTX Sprint-7: Smart Home Treadmill XLJTX Fitness

The JTX Sprint-7: Smart Home Treadmill XL offers advanced features for a dynamic workout experience, including Kinomap connectivity for immersive routes, although this does unfortunately require an additional subscription. With its robust build and spacious running deck, it's ideal for enhancing home fitness routines.

Pros

  • CushionStep deck makes for a smooth ride
  • 7-inch display powered by an advanced CPU
  • Built-in speakers

Cons

  • Bluetooth connectivity is through Kinomap, which you have to buy

The most comfortable treadmill for incline

DOMYOS Extra-Comfortable Smart Treadmill W900Decathlon

The DOMYOS Extra-Comfortable Smart Treadmill W900 elevates home workouts with superior comfort and advanced features. However, be prepared for a significant, time-consuming assembly process. You'll be more than ready when it's set up, for its user-friendly interface and durable design offer a premium running experience.

Pros

  • Wide walking surface
  • Comfort Walk cushioning
  • Versatile frame

Cons

  • Assembly is a big job

The best walking pad treadmill for incline

The Kiddoza Walking Pad Treadmill integrates smart LED lighting, enhancing safety and ambience during workouts. While its sleek design is ideal for small spaces, note that the belt requires occasional adjustments to maintain optimal performance. It's a stylish, functional choice for light, daily incline walking.

Pros

  • High-quality walking pad
  • A slight incline is enough to make a difference
  • Smart LED lighting

Cons

  • The belt sometimes needs adjusting

FAQs

Incline treadmill benefits

The incline function on treadmills is incredibly beneficial and can have a real, positive impact on your workouts. All that incline does is change the gradient of your walks/runs, the angle of the treadmill is altered, making for a more challenging session. If you make use of the incline feature on a treadmill, you can burn more energy and you can even strengthen the muscles in your legs.

Does incline walking build muscle?

General walking has plenty of benefits, but incline walking can affect things like muscle development. Walking at an incline for extended durations will strengthen the muscles in your legs and improve endurance.

While it may build some muscle, incline walking isn't going to stimulate muscle growth in the same way as dedicated, targetted strength and resistance training.

Is incline walking better than running?

Many will argue that yes, incline walking can be far more beneficial than running. Incline walking is a far more manageable and sustainable form of exercise when compared to running, especially for beginners. Today, you can find walking treadmills that promote these very benefits. Running puts more unnecessary strain on your joints and muscles, so recovery time may be longer, too.

Incline walking is still an exercise that can burn much energy depending on how you configure the incline level and speed functions. Due to the increased gradient, more muscles are recruited for the exercise.

Jack Barrell is a Tech and Fitness Writer for What’s the Best. He is invested in all things entertainment and keeps well up to date with the latest sports and exercise trends too. On his off days Jack can usually be found doing one of two things; lifting heavy weights – or watching his favourite Star Wars for the thousandth time.

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