Picture this: You’re on your home treadmill, feet pounding, sweat pouring, when aha! You remember that your machine has a cooling fan. You turn it on, and sweet relief—suddenly, your running experience is a lot less uncomfortable.
This could be you, if you purchase a treadmill with a fan. If you don’t know where to start in this process, read on for our roundup of the best treadmills with fans to help you narrow down your decision.
We Make Buying Gym Equipment a Breeze
Our expert product testers, who are also certified personal trainers, CrossFit Level 1 Trainers, and former college athletes, have reviewed dozens upon dozens of treadmills, ellipticals, rowing machines, and more. We know how to evaluate a treadmill on all the important specs, which is how we settled on the list you’ll read about below. From the best treadmills with screens to the best treadmills for bad knees, we have a roundup for just about everything. (Poke around, we dare you!)
5 Best Treadmills With Fans
- Best Treadmill With a Fan Overall: NordicTrack Commercial 1750
- Best High-End Treadmill With a Fan: ProForm Carbon TLX
- Best Budget Treadmill With a Fan: Horizon 7.0 AT
- Best Folding Treadmill With a Fan: Sole F63
- Best Treadmill With a Fan Under $1,000: Echelon Stride-8s
Best Treadmill With a Fan Overall: NordicTrack Commercial 1750
Good for: Runners who appreciate interactive programming
Best Overall
NordicTrack Commercial 1750
Product Highlights
- Spacious running deck
- Compatible with iFIT
- 14-inch touchscreen
- Incline and decline training
- Financing available
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Compatible with iFIT
- 3.5 CHP motor
- Free trial of iFIT subscription with purchase
- Treadmill with incline and decline training
- Foldable to save space (EasyLift Assist)
- Run that feels similar to road running
- Financing options available through NordicTrack
- Generous speed range
- Wide running deck
- Cooling fan
Cons
- Big footprint
- Heavy and not the easiest to move
- Price is around $2,000
- Warranty is voided if the treadmill is used/stored in a garage
Bottom Line
If you’re looking to add a workhorse of a treadmill to your home gym, we recommend the NordicTrack Commercial 1750. It’s one of the few treadmills that has decline training capabilities and is compatible with iFIT, one of the best training programs.
There are plenty of reasons why we’ve named the NordicTrack Commercial 1750 our all-time favorite treadmill in many a roundup on our site: Its 3.5 continuous horsepower motor and spacious running deck are suitable for walkers and runners alike, plus the decline training option is something that’s not seen on a ton of treadmills on the market.
According to our lead product reviewer, Lindsay Scheele, the machine is quiet when transitioning from the incline to decline levels. She also liked how the buttons are located in two places: the side of the touchscreen and underneath the touchscreen. She rated it 5 out of 5 stars for customizations.
Like other NordicTrack treadmills, the 14-inch touchscreen allows you to follow along with an iFIT workout program, where personal trainers will lead you on runs in beautiful locales all over the globe. Lindsay gave the NordicTrack 1750 another 5-star rating for programming, saying, “With iFIT, you have all the treadmill workouts you could ever possibly need. Whether you’re looking for beginner walking workouts, want to improve your speed, or do incline training, iFIT can suit almost any workout need.”
RELATED: Best iFIT Workouts
But another thing we really like about this foldable treadmill is its AutoBreeze fan. The fan is built into the horizontal handlebar, providing ideal placement for the air to cool you down. And while the latest version of the 1750 doesn’t have the Runner’s Flex cushioning seen on previous iterations, we like the ergonomics of this machine overall.
One big downside to this machine is that it’s heavy and hard to move, so you’ll need a dedicated space for it in your home gym. Lindsay gave it 3.5 out of 5 stars for portability. It’s also fairly complicated to put together, so grab a friend to help. Kate Meier, GGR’s Senior Director of Content who assembled the previous version of the 1750 by herself, said, “The instructions are clear and well put together, but assembly is a bit labor-intensive. Most people probably should hire someone else to put it together.”
Check out our in-depth NordicTrack Commercial 1750 review for more comprehensive thoughts about our top pick.
| Fan | 1, AutoBreeze |
| Footprint | 80” L x 38” W x 65” H |
| Weight capacity | 400 lbs |
| Motor | 3.5 CHP |
| Display | 14” touchscreen |
Best Treadmill With a Fan Under $1,000: ProForm Carbon TLX
Good for: Those on a tight budget
Best Under $1,000
ProForm Carbon TLX
Product Highlights
- Affordable folding treadmill
- 3.0 CHP motor
- 60″ belt
- 0-12 mph speed range
- 12% incline
- 7-inch display
- iFIT-enabled
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Durable with a 3.0 CHP motor
- 300-lb weight capacity
- 60-inch belt length
- 12% incline
- Cushioned running deck
- iFIT-enabled
- Foldable
Cons
- Only a 1-year parts warranty
- No touchscreen display
Bottom Line
The ProForm Carbon TLX is an affordable folding treadmill that would be suitable for a small space. It's durable, with a 300-pound weight capacity and 3.0 CHP motor, plus it offers up to 12% incline. Also take advantage of iFIT for virtual classes on this machine.
Finding a decent treadmill under $1,000 is no easy feat, and you’ll definitely have to sacrifice in some key areas if your budget falls in this category.
First, the good news: The ProForm Carbon TLX comes equipped with some nice extras, like a built-in fan and water bottle holders. Its 60-inch-long running deck is suitable even for taller individuals, and the 3.0 CHP motor would sustain both walking and running. Lindsay Scheele, GGR’s lead product reviewer and a certified personal trainer, gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars for durability and construction. She didn’t notice any shaking or wobbling when running at high speeds.
These factors also led Lindsay to rate the ProForm Carbon TLX 5 out of 5 stars for value. “For the price, you do get a lot. There aren’t a lot of bells and whistles, but this is still a really great treadmill,” she said.
That said, we gave the ProForm Carbon TLX just 4 out of 5 stars for conveniences. We wish it had pulse sensors for heart rate monitoring—something we’ve seen on several other budget-friendly treadmills. And while Lindsay likes that there’s a device holder, she noted that a large tablet could block the workout metrics displayed on the console.
The Carbon TLX is foldable and comes with transport wheels, but at 250 pounds, it may be difficult to move on your own. Lindsay scored it 3.75 out of 5 stars in the portability category, noting that it’s a treadmill you’ll probably want to leave in one spot.
Learn more about this treadmill in our in-depth ProForm Carbon TLX review.
| Fan | 1, CoolAire |
| Footprint | 74.3” L x 35.1” W x 59.1” H |
| Weight capacity | 300 lbs |
| Motor | 3.0 CHP |
| Display | 7” high contrast, multi-color display |
Best Budget Treadmill With a Fan: Horizon 7.0 AT
Good for: An entry-level trainee who wants a solid machine without all the tech features
Best Budget
Horizon 7.0 AT Treadmill
Product Highlights
- Priced under $1,000
- Spacious 60-inch running deck
- Bluetooth connectivity
- QuickDial controls for both the speed and incline
Pros & Cons
Pros
- 60” running surface
- 3.0 CHP motor
- Bluetooth connectivity with apps like Zwift, Peloton, and Nike Running Club
- 325 lb weight limit
Cons
- Heavy machine at over 250 lbs
- No included touchscreen
- 3-year parts warranty and 1-year labor warranties are less than the Horizon 7.4 AT Treadmill
Bottom Line
For under $1,000, the Horizon 7.0 AT is a great option for people who want to use their treadmill to run.
If you want a high-quality treadmill with nice specs, but also need it to fold so you can maximize space in If you’re on the search for a treadmill with a fan that’s on the lower side of the price range, check out the Horizon 7.0 AT. It’s part of Horizon’s Studio Series treadmill lineup and is the least expensive option in the series, costing around $1,000. Our expert product tester Lindsay Scheele gave it 4 out of 5 stars for value, because while it does have a lot to offer, you won’t find too many advanced features.
The 7.0 AT does come with a fan, of course. Other ergonomic features we like include the 60-inch long cushioned deck and QuickDial controls for smooth speed and incline transitions. It goes up to a max speed of 12 mph and a max incline of 15%. These specs helped it earn 3.75 out of 5 stars for customizations. We have tested treadmills that offer higher speeds and incline levels, but according to Lindsay, the 7.0 AT can accommodate most people who want to run indoors.
RELATED: Best Incline Treadmills
We also like that this is an open-platform treadmill, meaning you can stream a variety of fitness apps and on-demand classes with the machine’s Bluetooth connectivity including Peloton, Zwift, and Nike Run Club. You’ll need your own device, though, since the 7.0 AT doesn’t have a built-in touchscreen monitor. For this reason, we only rated it 3 out of 5 stars for tech capabilities.
This machine features a hydraulic folding mechanism, making it easy to fold and unfold, plus folding it will take back about 3 feet of floor space. We will warn you though, this machine is heavy at 277 pounds, so moving it won’t be a walk in the park.
Read our full Horizon 7.0 AT treadmill review for more on this machine.
| Fan | 1 |
| Footprint | 76” L x 35” W x 66” H |
| Weight capacity | 325 lbs |
| Motor | 3.5 CHP (estimated based on our testing) |
| Display | 7.25″ high contrast LCD Screen, 4 high contrast LED windows |
Best Folding Treadmill With a Fan: Sole F63
Good for: Casual runners and walkers who want a quality machine that folds
Best Folding
Sole F63 Treadmill
Product Highlights
- Folding treadmill
- Costs around $1,200
- Bluetooth speakers, USB port, and cooling fans
- Powerful 3.0 HP motor
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Financing is available
- Bluetooth speakers
- USB port
- Device holder
- 15 different levels of incline
- Cushioned deck
- 20" W x 60" L belt
- 325-lb weight capacity
- Lifetime frame and motor warranty
Cons
- Heavy machine
- No touchscreen
Bottom Line
The Sole F63 Treadmill is an affordable option for people who want a powerful, reliable machine that folds without breaking their budget.
If you want a high-quality treadmill with nice specs, but also need it to fold so you can maximize space in your home gym, consider the Sole F63, a machine we like for its simplicity, sound mechanical specs, and price. It’s also portable despite weighing 224 pounds. Lindsay Scheele, one of GGR’s product testers who owns the F63, notes that it’s easy to move around on concrete or gym flooring.
It comes equipped with dual fans above the monitor that can be switched on and off using a switch down below. We found that this fan placement isn’t ideal for folks of all heights—our product tester is on the shorter side at 5 feet, 4 inches and it tends to blow toward the top of her face. For that reason, we couldn’t quite give it a perfect score for conveniences. But we did still rate it 4.8 out of 5 stars for this category because we appreciate the other features it offers, like a device holder, storage tray, and cup holders.
This machine has a lot more to like: A 60-inch tread belt is suitable for serious runners and taller exercisers, while the 325-pound user weight capacity is inclusive to more people. Despite this, we did find that the machine shakes a bit when you get it up near its max speed of 12 mph. We gave it 4 out of 5 stars for durability.
Lastly, this machine doesn’t have a touchscreen, just an LCD display that displays varying metrics like time, distance, calories burned, speed, and more. It also has 10 built-in treadmill workouts. For more variety, you can use Bluetooth to connect to Sole+, the company’s interactive workout programming.
Read the rest of our thoughts in our full Sole F63 treadmill review.
| Fan | 2 |
| Footprint | 77” L x 35” W x 67” H |
| Weight capacity | 325 lbs |
| Motor | 3.0 HP |
| Display | 6.5” LCD |
Best High-End Treadmill With a Fan: Echelon Stride-8s
Good for: Runners with larger budgets who want a quiet treadmill with a fan
Best High-End
Echelon Stride-8s
Product Highlights
- Modern design
- Changing LED lights under the belt
- Quiet but powerful 3.75 CHP motor
- Swiveling 22″ touchscreen monitor
- 12 levels of incline
- 20-inch deck
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Modern design
- Changing LED lights under the belt make running fun
- Quiet when changing speeds or inclines
- Powerful 3.75 CHP motor
- Swiveling 22" touchscreen monitor
- Long 20-inch deck
- Minimal assembly required
- Wireless charging pad
Cons
- Monitor can be wobbly when changing speeds or inclines
- Treadmill deck may be too firm for some runners
- Inconsistent volume on the built-in workouts
- No decline options
- Not foldable
Bottom Line
The Echelon Stride-8s is a sleek treadmill with unique features (like color-changing lights under the belt) that help make your workouts more engaging. However, for a similar price, you can find other treadmills that offer much more.
If you have a bigger budget and are looking for a heavy-duty treadmill with a fan, you’ll want to check out the Echelon Stride-8s. This bad boy is a runner’s dream: the 3.75 CHP motor, 20-inch-by-60-inch running deck, 22-inch monitor, and quad cushioned deck provide all you need to hit your next treadmill run PR. Add in the adjustable cooling fan, and you’ll be extra comfortable while you do it.
GGR’s expert product tester Lindsay Scheele really liked the aesthetics of this treadmill. “There are LED lights on the sides under the tread belt that change color based on your speed and make running on this machine a lot of fun,” she said.
Lindsay also noted that the Echelon Stride-8s is a quiet treadmill. “It hardly makes any humming noises when you’re changing speeds or inclines,” she commented.
RELATED: Best Quiet Treadmills
This cardio machine does come with a high price tag—about $2,250, plus a monthly fee of about $40 for the Echelon Premier membership. At this price, we would have liked to see more customization options. For example, other treadmills at this price point that we’ve used have decline options, which the Stride-8s doesn’t. It also only goes up to a max incline of 12%, while other treadmills go up to 15% or more. Our product testers gave it 3.5 out of 5 stars for customizations.
Additionally, while Lindsay appreciated how quickly and smoothly the treadmill responded when she adjusted the incline, she found that speed adjustments weren’t as seamless.
“The machine took several seconds to respond to my speed changes. I was waiting for a while wondering if it was working, and then the speed changed really quickly. There was no gradual adjustment, which I didn’t love,” she said. We rate the adjustability and ergonomics 3 out of 5 stars.
| Fan | 1 |
| Footprint | 67.2” L x 33.6” W x 63.6” H |
| Weight capacity | 300 lbs |
| Motor | 3.75 CHP |
| Display | 22″ touchscreen |
Other Treadmills With Fans We Tried and Researched
There are a few other treadmills that made our short list for this best treadmills with fans roundup, but ultimately, didn’t make the cut:
Sole F80: The bigger sibling to the F63, the F80 has some more advanced features, as well as a significantly higher price. Check out our Sole F63 vs Sole F80 comparison for the deets, but long story short: We think they provide very similar experiences.
Bowflex T10: For about $2,000, the T10 is super stable, has a generous incline and decline range, and its 10-inch touchscreen can stream apps like Netflix and Disney+. At this price point, we prefer the NordicTrack Commercial 1750 with iFIT programming.
ProForm Pro 2000: Priced around $2,000, the Pro 2000 boasts some impressive specs, but we don’t like that the fan isn’t adjustable.
How We Picked and Tested the Best Treadmills With Fans
Having a fan was the main criterion, but how else did we evaluate this list of the best treadmills with fans?
- Motor: Will it allow consistent running, or is it only suitable as a walking treadmill?
- Deck: How long and wide is the deck? Is it best for walkers, or would tall people and serious runners have enough space to stride?
- Cushioning: Is there any shock absorption system on the running surface?
- Speed and incline: What’s the top speed, and is there at least some incline option?
- Technology: Is there a touchscreen display on this treadmill? Can you use any interactive programming with it? Are there Bluetooth speakers?
- Extras: Does this treadmill come equipped with a heart rate monitor, water bottle holders, tablet holder, or any storage? Are there preset training programs built into the machine?
Why You Should Have a Treadmill With a Fan
The main benefit of purchasing a treadmill with a cooling fan is for temperature regulation. Temperature matters when you’re running, and if you’re a runner, I’m sure you know this anecdotally. But there’s research on just how much it can affect you, too.
According to a 2023 study published in the Medicine & Science in Sports Exercise1, an air temperature between 10 and 17.5 degrees Celsius (50 to 63.5 degrees Fahrenheit) was optimum for peak performance in endurance runners from 1,258 races from the year 1936 to 2019. For every one degree outside of these conditions, performance declined by .3 to .4%.
The University of Connecticut’s Korey Stringer Institute2 cites convection, or air movement, as one of the ways athletes can thermoregulate their internal body temperatures. If thermoregulation is not controlled, it can lead to decreased performance.
So while a treadmill fan won’t make a difference in the air temperature, it will circulate the hot air away from you and help sweat to evaporate quicker, making you feel cooler overall. Plus, it just feels good, amirite?
How to Choose the Best Treadmill With a Fan for You
If a fan is a must-have feature on the treadmill you purchase, great! That narrows down the options considerably. But, there are other important factors you should keep in mind, including:
Budget
Although it would be nice to pick out any treadmill your heart desires, a majority of us have to be realistic about what we can afford. Decide if you’re in the budget sub-$1,000 camp, the mid-range $1,500 camp, or the high-end camp and then narrow down your options from there. You can purchase directly from the manufacturer, or a third-party retailer like Amazon or Walmart. Be aware that a built-in fan is not a feature you’ll find on a super-budget treadmill.
Space Constraints
Depending on the size of your home gym, you’ll probably need to evaluate the functionality of your space and what size treadmill can reasonably fit. Guidance is usually to leave a few feet on each side of the machine for safety, so factor that in. Bonus points if the treadmill folds and can give you some floor space back when you’re not using it.
Motor Power
Evaluate your fitness goals—are you a walker or a runner? Will you be using the machine a few times a week for 30 minutes at a time, or for hours while training for a marathon? This will affect what type of motor you’ll require. We recommend at least a 2.0 CHP motor for walkers, 2.5 CHP motor for joggers, and 3.5 CHP for serious runners.
RELATED: Guide to Understanding Treadmill Motors
Speed and Incline Ranges
Especially if you’ll be running on your machine, you’ll want at least a 10 MPH top speed. Incline options are useful as well, especially for interval training. Ten incline levels should be more than enough for most people’s home workouts.
RELATED: History of Treadmills
FAQs on Best Treadmills With Fans
Do NordicTrack treadmills have a fan?
This is dependent upon the model. All of the treadmills NordicTrack currently manufactures have fans; the C700, which is on closeout, does not.
Does a treadmill have a fan?
Many treadmills from top brands like NordicTrack, ProForm, and Sole Fitness have at least one cooling fan, though some have two. Some of the more basic, inexpensive treadmills you may find on sites like Amazon may not have a fan at all. If this is an important feature to you, make sure you check the specs before buying a treadmill.
What is a cooling fan on a treadmill?
A cooling fan on a treadmill is a built-in fan you can turn on or off to help you stay comfortable during your workout. It won’t affect the air temperature, but it can circulate hot air away from you and help sweat evaporate faster.
What is the number 1 treadmill brand?
In our experience, NordicTrack is the best treadmill brand because they consistently build sturdy, high-performing machines. Sole Fitness, ProForm, and Horizon are other brands we trust whose treadmills are known for their durability, high-quality construction, and ability to suit most people’s needs.
References
- Mantzios K, Ioannou LG, Panagiotaki Z, Ziaka S, Périard JD, Racinais S, Nybo L, Flouris AD. Effects of Weather Parameters on Endurance Running Performance: Discipline-specific Analysis of 1258 Races. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2023 Jan 1;54(1):153-161. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000002769. PMID: 34652333; PMCID: PMC8677617.
- How Thermoregulation Can Give Athletes An Edge (Mission AthleteCare). University of Connecticut Korey Stringer Institute. 2015, May 17.
