Best Ellipticals at Dick’s (2024): Big-Box Store Offers Top Name Brands

Dick’s Sporting Goods is the largest sporting retailer in the United States and sells everything from soccer cleats and duffle bags to dumbbells and rowing machines. It’s pretty much the epicenter of fitness equipment, whether it be playing team sports or working out in your home gym. 

If you’re looking to increase your cardiovascular fitness level and get in a full-body workout, an elliptical trainer could be the machine for you. Ellipticals offer all the same heart-healthy benefits of treadmill running with less overall impact to your joints. 

If you’re ready to upgrade your home gym through America’s biggest sporting goods store, we’re here to help. We’ve gone through the website and hand-picked the best ellipticals at Dick’s—from budget to high-end machines and everything in between. 

Elliptical Experts at Your Service

Every single machine featured on this list has been used by one of our expert product testers. Not only have we had our hands (and feet) on every machine, we’re also a group of fitness geeks ranging from former college athletes and certified personal trainers to CrossFit Level 1 Trainers and nutrition coaches. We put machines to the test so you don’t have to.

Best Ellipticals at Dick’s 

• Best High-End Elliptical at Dick’s: NordicTrack Commercial 14.9
• Best Durable Elliptical at Dick’s: Sole E25
• Best Budget Elliptical at Dick’s: ProForm Carbon EL
• Best Compact Ellipitcal at Dick’s: Bowflex M6 Max Trainer
• Best Elliptical Warranty at Dick’s: Horizon Fitness EX-59 Elliptical

Best High-End Elliptical at Dick’s: NordicTrack Commercial 14.9 

Good for: Anyone looking for a cross trainer with a top-notch interactive workout experience

The NordicTrack 14.9 is one of our most popular picks when it comes to ellipticals for home gyms. This machine has an iFIT-enabled 14-inch touchscreen that is easy to read and navigate while you workout. 

iFIT offers a vast library of on-demand workouts led by world-class trainers. Upon your purchase of the NordicTrack 14.9, you currently receive a 30-day trial of iFIT interactive programming.

The front-drive paired with the auto-adjustable stride length gives you a smooth gliding feel. You will have the option to pump up the incline for more challenge and cycle through 26 levels of magnetic resistance. It also has a 32-pound flywheel—which is well above industry standard—that offers a significant amount of challenge to your workouts and prevents unnecessary shaking.

Best Durable Elliptical at Dick’s: Sole E25 

Good for: Anyone who wants a solid machine without committing to touchscreen technology

The Sole E25 might be the brand’s base-model from the Sole elliptical lineup, but don’t let that fool you. The Sole E25 has a solid, heavy-duty steel frame, a 20-pound flywheel, and a lifetime warranty on the frame. All three qualities are what we look for in machines that are durable and built to last. 

Sole Fitness has an impressive lifetime warranty on most of its exercise equipment, and takes pride in not punishing customers for working out and using equipment to the fullest. 

Additional features we like are the 20-inch stride length, 20 levels of resistance, and $1,000 price point. The Sole E25 also has two sets of handles—one moving with the pedals so you can engage your upper body, and one stationary set to make getting on and off the machine easier and safer. 

One thing you won’t see on the Sole E25 is a touchscreen display. You will however have an easy-to-read console, a tablet holder above the console that doesn’t cover the metrics, a USB charging station, and an auxiliary port for your own music. 

This machine is equipped with 10 built-in programs that do not require an internet connection. However, if you don’t mind spending an extra $20 per month, Sole Fitness recently launched its own on-demand fitness app called STUDIO. 

Best Budget Elliptical at Dick’s: ProForm Carbon EL

Good for: Anyone looking for an entry-level, low-impact cross trainer for at-home workouts

The ProForm Carbon EL is a solid machine priced around $600 at Dick’s, which is about $200 less than the price I’ve seen on the ProForm website. Unfortunately, at this budget price, you won’t get a built-in touchscreen with iFIT at the touch of your finger. 

However, if you use your own tablet or smartphone—voila—you’re in business. You can connect your own smart device via Bluetooth to the Carbon EL and get the same iFIT on-demand programming and auto-adjust technology that lets your trainer adjust the resistance based on coaching cues. 

The Carbon EL has its downsides, though. Namely the fairly light 15-pound flywheel and lack of incline training options. No machine is right for everyone—this is a solid entry-level elliptical that could make a valuable addition if you’re just getting started in your cardio journey.  

Best Compact Ellipitcal at Dick’s: Bowflex Max Trainer M6

Good for: Anyone who needs serious cardio machine perfect for smaller spaces

The Bowflex Max Trainer M6 is a well-liked machine among our expert product testers. There are a few things that set this machine apart from other ellipticals: The foot pedals are designed to move in a vertical pattern (like stepping up stairs) versus a horizontal pattern (like walking). 

What is nice about this design is that the footprint is overall a lot smaller because it’s essentially an upright design. Secondly, even with fairly low resistance settings, this machine creates a lot of work for the lower body because you’re basically walking up stairs from the moment you step on to the M6. 

The Bowflex M6 has a basic LCD display, which is a little disappointing for the price sitting around $1,500. However, the M6 can connect to the brand’s app, JRNY. Right now, Bowflex is even offering a one-year membership of JRNY included with the purchase of the M6, which is noted directly on the Dick’s website.  

JRNY features a library of outdoor destination workouts with Explore the World in addition to on-demand workouts taught by personal trainers. Much like other interactive programming, JRNY offers strength training sessions in addition to workouts on other cardio machines like exercise bikes and treadmills.  

Best Elliptical at Dick’s for Beginners: Horizon Fitness EX-59 

Good for: Anyone new to conditioning who doesn’t want to overspend 

The Horizon Fitness EX-59 will be a valuable addition to your home gym if you’re just introducing cardio workouts to your routine. The 14-pound flywheel and 10 resistance levels won’t challenge you if you’re quite conditioned to cardiovascular exercise. 

This machine is also a fabulous choice for beginners because it has an affordable price tag sitting right around $700. We also like that this cross trainer has a 300-pound user weight capacity. The 18-inch stride length does fall within the industry standards we like to see on ellipticals, but it’s worth mentioning if you stand around 6 feet tall, it’s likely not going to be enough for you. 

RELATED: Elliptical Workouts for Beginners

Other Ellipticals We Tried and Researched 

We’ve put plenty of other ellipticals to the test—here are just a few more worth considering if you plan to purchase your elliptical at Dick’s:

• Sole E55: An elliptical machine worth looking into, however the specs are extremely similar to the Sole E25, but the E55 is about $400 more. 
• Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Elliptical: A quality budget machine that didn’t quite make the list because our budget pick for this roundup (ProForm Carbon EL) is iFIT-enabled. 
• Schwinn 411: A compact elliptical with a vertical stride pattern, similar to the Bowflex M6 and worth comparing if you’re interested in a stair-stepping cardio workout.

How We Picked and Tested the Best Ellipticals at Dick’s

Dick’s has a variety of different brands and price ranges when it comes to cardio machines. Deciding what machines made it on the this roundup of best ellipticals at Dick’s, I considered the following questions: 

• Price: How expensive is the elliptical and where does it fall on the spectrum of high-end to budget machines? 
• Stride length: Does this machine fall within the industry standards of the 18- to-20-inch stride length?
• Resistance: What type of resistance does the machine offer and how many levels or resistance will you be able to cycle through?
• Footprint: Is this a large machine or a compact cross trainer? 
• Warranty: What do you get for a warranty and how does this compare to the industry standard for frame, labor, and parts?
• Extras: Does this elliptical trainer have extras like Bluetooth speakers, an included heart-rate chest strap, cushioned pedals, a water bottle holder, or a tablet holder?
• Programs: Does this machine have connectivity to interactive programming like iFIT, the JRNY app, or Explore the World? If not, does it have built-in programming?
• Display: What do you see on the console: LCD or a smart touchscreen? 
• Weight capacity: Does the user weight capacity meet or exceed industry standards?

Benefits of Buying an Elliptical From Dick’s

There are a few benefits of buying from your local Dick’s Sporting Good store. I particularly like that if you qualify, you can have two different options for financing: Affirm offers monthly payment options with 0% APR while Afterpay offers a payment plan broken into four scheduled payments. 

Additionally, depending on your location, Dick’s might also be able to offer you a free in-store pick-up option instead of paying for delivery to your home. I also noticed that if you do want your elliptical delivered right to your home, Dick’s offers in-home assembly options (for an additional fee) on some of its products. 

Buying Guide: What to Look For in Ellipticals at Dick’s

When buying any large piece of cardio equipment, you’ll want to make sure you consider a few things, including:

Your Unique Needs 

You’ll have to consider your own unique needs (and wants) because the best piece of gym equipment is the one you actually use. When choosing an elliptical machine, keep your height and bodyweight in mind to find the most compatible machine for you. Taller people will want to pay special attention to stride length, while heavier folks will need to pay attention to user weight capacity. 

Measure Before You Buy

It’s always a good idea to measure your pre-determined gym space before you go on a shopping spree. It’s also not a bad idea to consider overhead height because ellipticals typically send you bobbing up and down during your workout. 

Big gym equipment is kind of like furniture: Even the most beautiful couch will be a big disappointment if it doesn’t fit in your living room. 

Stick to Your Budget

The sky’s the limit when you’re shopping for gym equipment. Ideally you’ll set a budget before you start shopping to determine what machines are actually in your price range. If you’re not planning to pay for a machine outright, and plan to finance, it’s still a good idea to decide how much you’re willing to pay per month for a new machine. 

Best Ellipticals at Dick’s FAQs

Lauren Strong, CPT

Lauren is an NSCA-Certified Personal Trainer working with clients of all ages and skill levels. She specializes in coaching the squat, bench, and deadlift and enjoys introducing beginners to barbell training. Before becoming certified, she worked in marketing roles after graduating from the University of Maine with a BA in Journalism. Writing for Garage Gym Reviews blends her two passions: writing and lifting. Lauren spends her leisure time in the kitchen, reading fiction, and taking nature walks. She's also an avid downhill skier, learning how to ski when she was just two years old. She lives in Maine with her husband and two cats.

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