Whether you want to workout at a gym or health club, or do it from the comfort of your own home, the elliptical trainer is the machine for you. It is now a very popular exercise machine due to the excellent cardio workout you get, with very low impact on your joints, so far fewer injuries and a lot less pain. This means a huge range of people can use them, even those with more brittle bones or with existing injuries. For both weight loss and fitness the elliptical trainer works out all of the body, upper and lower, and makes a very wise investment. So here is a little advice if you are thinking of buying one.

The wide range of choice means there is an elliptical trainer for nearly everyone and prices range from $500 to $5000 but you do get what you pay for. The component to be focused on when buying an elliptical is the flywheel. It is what makes the circular motion of exercise and is also what allows you to change resistance to increase your workout intensity.

The lower priced machines, while tempting at their affordability, have components that just won’t last that long. The flywheels are cheaply made and use belts to create resistance. After not a lot of use these belts will need replacing. Ideally if you can afford it, look for an elliptical machine that has a flywheel that uses a magnetic system to alternate electrical current to get the required resistance changes.

Where the flywheel is on the trainer is also something to pay attention to. Usually models have one big flywheel that is places at the back of the model. The drawback to this design is the machine is long and big. Lately more modern designers have created shorter fatter models by putting on 2 smaller flywheels side by side. The benefit to this change they claim is the model becomes more stable and the motion is even smoother.

Very importantly you need to check the flywheel mechanisms warranty. You need a warranty on this part, and most decent brands will at least offer a year, though some have warranties that are as long as 5 years or fall somewhere in between. Make sure you opt for a known brand that can be trusted, check out the reviews of models you are considering and pay particular care to the flywheel.