Horizon Fitness T71 Treadmill Review

Horizon T71 Treadmill Review
Horizon T71 Treadmill Rating: 4 Stars out of 5 for smaller running area and lower horsepower than the Horizon T81
Price: $599
Buy The Horizon T71 Treadmill

A little known fact about the treadmill industry is that most manufacturers re-release old treadmills under new names. Most companies make cosmetic improvements, better colors, sleeker frames etc; but the better companies like Horizon Fitness will re-release treadmills with substantial improvements. The Horizon T71 Treadmill has already been replaced, but this provides me a perfect opportunity to explain how treadmill upgrades work and deliver an excellent review of a bargain treadmill.

Comfort
The Horizon T71 Treadmill has an 18” x 50” running area. This was an extremely impressive specification when the Horizon T71 Treadmill made its debut a little more than a year ago. Horizon Fitness now offers the Horizon T81 Treadmill with a 20” x 50” running area. It may not seem like a lot, and if you’re under a $150 lbs. or 5’5” it probably won’t be, but anyone larger will definitely appreciate the extra two inches worth of running space. I would also like to remind my readers that the Horizon T81 retails for the same price as the Horizon T71 Treadmill.

The Horizon T71 Treadmill uses a GelCell shock absorption system. The GelCell system is far superior to most other shock absorption systems in the $600 price range, but once again Horizon T81 Treadmill has the Horizon T71 Treadmill beat. The T81 was upgraded with an AirCell shock aborsption system that absorbs impacts better and increase the longevity of your treadmill.

Features
The Horizon T71 has a much smaller console display compared to the Horizon T81. It works, but the Horzion T81 Treadmill console is preferable to the Horizon T71. The Horizon T81 was also built with a significantly more powerful 2.0 HP motor compared to the 1.75 HP of the Horizon T71 Treadmill.

Price
The Horizon T71 is still an extremely cheap $599 and will deliver superior performance compared to most treadmills in this price range. If you’re looking for a bargain treadmill the Horizon T71 is a good choice, but I would rather see you go with the upgraded Horizon T81. It has more horsepower enabling the Horizon T81 to withstand more use and larger users, a larger running area, and bigger console display. You can read a full review of the Horizon T81 Treadmill right here.

**There’s a good chance some retailers will reduce the price of the Horizon T71 Treadmill to make room for the T81 models. You might see it for $25 or $50 cheaper if you’re patient. If you want instant gratification and the most bang for your buck, go with the Horizon T81.