Fitness Experts Share The Best Foldable Treadmills for Your Home

We updated this article in March 2023 to add more information to each description based on testing and evaluation done by the Good Housekeeping Institute.

For many people, a traditional treadmill can be the ultimate fitness tool for your home. Whether it's pouring outside or it's simply too late to go for a stroll outdoors, having the convenience of a treadmill steps away can be key to working toward a healthier active lifestyle. However, not only is this piece of home exercise equipment costly, but it can also take up a considerable amount of space.

That's where foldable treadmills come in. Designed to help save space, this versatile choice can be a game-changer when it comes to home fitness and small spaces. What's more, you don't have to sacrifice quality either — newer entries into the foldable treadmill space are offering competitive features and capabilities that you would expect from a regular treadmill, all with the added bonus of saving space when not in use. But some foldable treadmills are more compact than others, and some are ideal choices for high-intensity runs whereas others are better used for leisurely walks to stay active.

What's the best foldable treadmill for most people? Our top-tested model for 2023 is the NordicTrack EXP7i, which is suitable for a wide range of fitness levels and training modalities. We appreciate that it delivers high running speeds up to 10 mph and incline capabilities up to 12 percent, but still folds to save space and comes in at a moderate price point. Plus, NordicTrack treadmills have performed well in our previous treadmill tests. If you're on a tighter budget, we recommend the Sunny Health & Fitness Foldable Manual Walking Treadmill SF-T1407M.

Our fitness pros, including certified personal trainers and technology experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute Wellness Lab, evaluated a wide variety of foldable treadmill options to find the best ones for every type of living space and every level of physical activity. To choose the best foldable treadmills, we vetted our picks for ease of use, high-quality performance, safety and more. We also considered key criteria like the length of each treadmill’s running belt, storage dimensions, weight capacity, maximum speed, incline and whether it includes extra features like a built-in screen.

Our top picks:

You can learn more about how we evaluate foldable treadmills and standard treadmills — including tips for finding the best option for you and your home gym — at the end of this guide. Looking for other tools to help you stay active? Check out our top picks for the latest workout apps, the best running shoes and the most popular exercise bikes.