6 Best Compact Ellipticals (2024): Big Value in Small Packages

For those who live in compact spaces like me, you’ll know that sometimes we have to get creative. Whether this means getting a sofa that doubles as a guest bed or getting a pair of the best adjustable dumbbells to save space, finding products that are small or multi-use is key to maximizing your home or garage. 

The same is true for cardio equipment, including the best ellipticals. Finding the best compact elliptical doesn’t have to be challenging or even impossible. Our fitness equipment experts at Garage Gym Reviews have personally tested more than 30 elliptical machines, rating them on factors that include

• Footprint and Portability: We assess if home gym owners could accommodate and move the machine
• Programming: We perfer machines that offer built-in or streaming workouts
• Durability: We rate machines highest when they have weight capacities of 300 lbs or more
• Workout Performance: We test several workouts on these machines, rating their functionality

Besides our cardio knowledge, we have a variety of fitness certifications under our belt––we’re certified personal trainers, nutrition coaches, and CrossFit coaches. 

6 Best Compact Ellipticals   

• Best Compact Elliptical Overall: ProForm Carbon E7
• Best Compact Elliptical Under $500: YOSUDA E6 Compact Elliptical Machine
• Best Budget Compact Elliptical: Sunny Health and Fitness Magnetic Elliptical
• Best Compact Elliptical for Streaming Classes: Bowflex Max Trainer M6
• Best Compact Elliptical with High Weight Capacity: NiceDay Elliptical
• Best Folding Compact Elliptical: Gazelle Elliptical Glider

Best Compact Elliptical Overall: ProForm Carbon E7

Good for: Those who want a machine that takes up very little space and offers a lot of functionality

Best Overall

ProForm Carbon E7 Elliptical

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Product Highlights

* Comes with 3 years of iFIT Pro membership * Footprint: 25” W x 66.5” D x 66.5” H * 24 digital resistance levels * 7-inch full-color display

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Excellent warranty
• Front-mounted transport wheels for moving
• 19-inch power adjustable stride
• Adjustable, cushioned pedals
• CoolAire workout fan and Bluetooth speakers

Cons

• Weight capacity is only 275 lbs
• Doesn’t include accessories, like dumbbells for cross-training
• Doesn’t fold

Bottom Line

The ProForm E7 Elliptical is a bargain at under $1,500, considering you get a compact machine with 24 digital resistance levels, a 19-inch stride, and 3 years of iFIT programming included with your purchase. The E7 also features a 7-inch full-color touchscreen that displays your training metrics and workouts.

ProForm, sister brand to NordicTrack, has a line called the Carbon Series, which are a series of elliptical machines made with home use in mind. While we haven’t personally tested the ProForm Carbon E7 at present, we have reviewed similar models from the series, such as the Carbon EL and the Carbon E10 elliptical trainers. Our expert fitness equipment testers found them to be extremely solid while in use and gave them high marks for adjustability/ergonomics and their tech capabilities.

One of the reasons we chose this as the best compact elliptical is because not only does it deliver a fantastic workout, but it is compatible with iFIT—you’ll receive a three-year membership with your elliptical purchase. As you can read in our iFIT review, this interactive programming delivers thousands of live and on-demand workouts directly to your machine. With automated control, the E7 will automatically adjust its 26 resistance levels along with the workout.

The ProForm E7 has a modest 7-inch touchscreen that streams iFIT workouts. You’ll also find Bluetooth speakers, a water bottle holder, and a cooling fan. Although, it doesn’t appear that this elliptical has a media shelf, so you may be unable to stream services like Netflix on the machine itself. 

Thanks to its vertical design, the ProForm E7 is around just 2 feet wide and only about 5.5 feet deep. This is much shorter than traditional ellipticals, which tend to be around 7 to 8 feet high.

RELATED: ProForm Ellipticals Review

Best Compact Elliptical Under $500: YOSUDA E6 Compact Elliptical Machine

Good for: Light to moderate workouts on a budget

Best Under $500

YOSUDA E6 Compact Elliptical Machine

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Product Highlights

• 16 levels of resistance
• Priced affordably
• Pedals move forward and backward
• No outlet needed

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Priced under $500
• Quiet machine
• 16 levels of resistance
• No electricity needed
• Move forward and backward

Cons

• Short, 13" stride
• Very basic monitor
• Low weight capacity of 235 lbs

Bottom Line

The YOSUDA elliptical is a budget-friendly machine that offers up to 16 levels of resistance. This would be best suited for people looking for a cheap machine to do light to moderate workouts.

Full disclosure: We haven’t gotten to test this elliptical yet. However, when we were looking at compact ellipticals from brands we know, this one popped up. We have an in-depth YOSUDA indoor cycling bike review. We trust that we can convey a little about this machine by combining our knowledge of ellipticals and our experience with YOSUDA.

The most noticeable aspect of this elliptical is the price: It’s listed for $330, and it’s often on sale. That’s attractive to home gym owners on a budget. It’s also really compact. YOSUDA doesn’t list a footprint for the overall machine, but it has a very short stride at just 13 inches.

A short stride means a small machine. It also potentially means discomfort from taller users. If you’re over 6 feet, this isn’t the elliptical for you.

We do like that there are 16 levels of resistance on this elliptical, which you adjust by turning a knob. We have tested this kind of resistance mechanism on several machines, including the NiceDay elliptical. While it may not be convenient, manual resistance does mean you avoid a loud motor.

The YOSUDA elliptical has a very basic display that runs on batteries. And since it doesn’t have a motor, you don’t have to plug it in anywhere. Therefore, you can move it all around your home without worrying about being near a plug.

The 8-pound flywheel seems very light, so we predict you’ll experience some shaking on this machine. There is also a pretty low weight capacity at 235 pounds.

Best Budget Compact Elliptical: Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Elliptical Machine

Good for: Those looking for a smaller elliptical that won’t break the bank

Best Budget

Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Elliptical

GGR Score: 4.1

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Product Highlights

• Just 105 pounds and easy to move
• Supports up to 330 pounds
• Fixed and moving handles for upper body workout
• 24 built-in workouts

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Easy-to-follow built-in workouts
• Under $600
• Machine is smooth and doesn’t shake
• 16 levels of resistance

Cons

• Warranty is below the industry standard
• Unclear assembly instructions
• Short stride length of just 15.5 inches

Bottom Line

Pack a cardio workout in the comfort of your home with the SF-E3912 Pre-Programmed Elliptical Trainer by Sunny Health & Fitness. Stride 15.

The best budget fitness equipment offers good quality at an affordable price. You can certainly find ellipticals for less than the Sunny, but many of them are cheap and break down easily.

GGR editorial team member Kate Meier personally tested the Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Elliptical Machine, which is priced at just under $500 on Amazon. “Whether you move forward or backward, or increase resistance, the machine is incredibly smooth,” Kate says. “There is no shaking when you exercise.”

Kate gave this machine a 4 out of 5 on her overall workout experience. “I liked this a lot more than I thought,” she said, calling out that this machine has an impressive 24 built-in workouts, far more than other machines in this price range typically have.

Also impressive: The Sunny elliptical has a weight capacity of 330 pounds, especially surprising because it weighs only 105 pounds. One downfall for durability is that this is a motorized elliptical. Many ellipticals have flywheels, which offer increased sturdiness and also are less susceptible to breakdowns.

Kate personally assembled this elliptical, and she warns that the instructions aren’t very clear. Instead of step-by-step, the images combine several steps in one. Therefore, Kate gave it a 3.8 out of 5 on the GGR assembly rating. She said it took her a little over an hour to assemble.

For more, check out our Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Elliptical Machine review.

Best Compact Elliptical for Streaming Classes: Bowflex Max Trainer M6

Good for: Technology lovers and programming enthusiasts who enjoy interval training

Best For Streaming Classes

Bowflex Max Trainer M6

GGR Score: 4.2

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Product Highlights

• Gets harder as you get stronger
• Stair-stepping design targets muscle development
• Compatible with JRNY app
• Ideal for HIIT workouts

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Stair-stepping design targets muscle development
• Compatible with JRNY
• Ideal for HIIT workouts

Cons

• No interactive touchscreen
• Pretty basic display
• Expensive

Bottom Line

The Bowflex M6 provides a heart-pumping, low-impact workout that resembles stair-stepping.

According to the Bowflex website, the Max Trainer M6 requires two times less space than the average treadmill. Plus, it’s compatible with JRNY programming, so you can easily follow along with classes. As of the time of this publication in June of 2023, Bowflex is offering a free year subscription to JRNY with the purchase of the M6. After the year is over, your credit card, which will be on file, will be charged. 

It is worth noting that you’ll have to use your own device to stream the programming, but there is a generously sized magnetic device holder on the M6 to soften the blow. 

This machine is very stable while in use and has a maximum weight capacity of 300 pounds, which hits what we expect industry standard-wise. You’ll also be able to take advantage of the 16 levels of resistance in order to make your workout even more challenging. 

RELATED: Best Elliptical Workout

However, for the $1,500 price, the M6’s warranty is subpar. You only get two years for the frame plus parts and 90 days for labor. I have no clue why it’s exceptionally short, because Bowflex doesn’t really skimp on their warranties generally speaking.  

Find out more by reading our Bowflex Max Trainer M6 review.

Best Compact Elliptical With High Weight Capacity: NiceDay Elliptical

Good for: Heavier folks up to 400 pounds

Best With High Weight Capacity

Niceday Elliptical Machine

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Product Highlights

• Designed with 90% pre-assembled pieces makes installation simple
• 16-lb flywheel offers 16 levels of smooth resistance with a high gear ratio
• Extra-thick steel frame is exceptionally sturdy and able to hold weights up to 400 pounds
• Fits individuals 4’9” inches to 6’2”
• Minimal noise emission measuring only 20dB

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Simple assembly
• 16 levels of resistance
• No electrical source required
• Stable
• High user weight capacity

Cons

• Short stride of 15.5 inches
• Circular stride versus oval may feel awkward
• Basic display reportedly breaks easily

Bottom Line

With eight levels of magnetic resistance, a sturdy frame, and 400-pound user weight capacity, the Niceday Elliptical Trainer may be a good choice for those needing higher weight limits.

Though the NiceDay Elliptical is little, she is fierce. And that’s especially true when it comes to its weight capacity, which goes up to 400 pounds. Other space-saving gym equipment usually come with smaller weight limits due to being smaller in size, but that’s no problem here. 

And if you’re like GGR Performance Editor Anthony O’Reilly, who has a size 15 shoe, you’ll appreciate the oversized pedals that will keep your foot secure throughout your cardio workout. 

Beyond being a sturdy elliptical, this machine also comes with 16 adjustable resistance levels and is quiet enough that you can use it without disturbing your roommate or partner. It’s made with steel, so we’re confident that it will remain in good condition for many years. But if something were to happen to it, it comes with a lifetime parts warranty so you’re in good hands. 

As with any budget machine, there are some drawbacks to this machine. For one, the stride length is only 15.5 inches (the industry standard is around 18-20 inches), so it’s not the best choice for taller people, and it doesn’t come with a water bottle holder. 

Check out our entire NiceDay Elliptical review.

Best Folding Compact Elliptical: Gazelle Elliptical Glider

Good for: Individuals with solid balance who want to try something new

Best Folding

Gazelle Elliptical Glider

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Product Highlights

• 10 exercises in one machine
• Dual action split suspension allows for full range of motion
• Pulse grip heart rate monitor
• Small monitor displays heart rate, speed, distance, time, and calories
• Folds for easy storage
• Comes with 2 DVDs, an exercise manual, and nutritional guide
• Joint-friendly

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Folding design
• Large water bottle holder
• Pulse grips to monitor heart rate
• Doesn’t require power outlet
• Expert assembly option for additional cost

Cons

• Can be tricky to get the hang of the motion
• Reports of grinding noise when in use
• Basic monitor

Bottom Line

If you’re looking for a joint-friendly piece of cardio equipment that facilitates muscle tone as well as cardiovascular health, the Gazelle Freestyle glider is a good choice for beginners and more experienced cardio junkies alike.

Celebrity personal trainer Tony Little created the Gazelle Elliptical Glider in the 1980’s, and the machine has stuck around ever since. On Amazon, the under $230 elliptical trainer has over 1,000 reviews with an average rating of 4.6 out of 5. 

The Gazelle is easy to fold, and it can be stored away in a closet or under a bed when it isn’t being used. Plus, you don’t need to find an outlet for this elliptical––it is self-powered! Simply step on and start striding on this low-impact machine. 

After trying the Gazelle Glider, I was impressed with just how entertaining it is to use. Although there isn’t any adjustable resistance or incline, I had a nice time swinging my legs, and could even feel my heart rate creeping up. This compact machine is a great option for someone looking to stay active on a budget.

I will say––the Gazelle can be challenging to mount and dismount. If you have bad balance, you’ll likely struggle to safely step on the moving legs of the machine. Once you get going, it is less of a problem, but the lack of resistance contributes to just how easily the legs move. 

Read our full Gazelle Freestyle review.

Other Compact Ellipticals We Researched

Exerpeutic Elliptical: Although the actual compactness of the Exerpeutic Elliptical is decent, it isn’t the most portable. Garage Gym Reviews editorial team member Kate Meier, CPT, reported the transport wheels are oddly located in the back, which makes the moving process more difficult than it needs to be. Typically, you’ll find elliptical transport wheels on the front of the machine, so you can tilt it towards you easily. You can read more in her Exerpeutic Elliptical review.

NordicTrack FS10i: We’ve reviewed the NordicTrack FS10i and were impressed by its versatility and sturdiness. However, it certainly isn’t a compact machine at 284 pounds. It cannot be folded or easily moved around. 

Nautilus E618 Elliptical: The Nautilus E618 has a typical elliptical footprint. It doesn’t fold and isn’t obnoxiously large, but it wouldn’t be considered a compact option. Check out our full, honest review here.

How We Picked and Tested The Best Compact Ellipticals

We take into consideration a lot when deciding which pieces of fitness equipment belong on a list. Here are some of the main questions we asked ourselves when testing various compact ellipticals:

• Size and Portability: What is the footprint of this elliptical? How does this compare to the average elliptical? Can it be stowed away easily? 

• Foldability: Does the machine fold?

• Warranty: What does the warranty look like for the frame, labor, and parts?

• Price: How expensive is this elliptical? 

• Stride length: What is the stride length? How does this compare to the industry standard?

• Delivery and Setup: How was the delivery of the machine? Are the assembly instructions simple to follow along with? Do you need a second person to assist in the assembly process?

• Weight capacity: What is the user capacity of the machine? Is it inclusive?

• Handlebars: Are there dual handlebars? Are the handlebars cushioned at the top for a more ergonomic experience?

• Durability: What is the machine made of? Are there lots of plastic components? 

• Workout experience: Does the machine shake while in use? Is there any play in the frame? Was the experience enjoyable? 

• Resistance: What type of resistance does the machine have? Is it magnetic resistance?

• Flywheel: How large is the flywheel? How does it compare to the industry standard?

• Technology: Is there a touchscreen, LCD display, or LED display present? Can it be connected to interactive programming? How large is the screen? Are there preset workout programs? Is there Bluetooth connectivity?

• Extras: Is there a cup holder, accessories holder, device or tablet holder? Is there an included heart rate monitor?

• Adjustability: Are any of the foot pedals adjustable? Does it have an adjustable stride?

Benefits of Compact Ellipticals

Certified personal trainer and Garage Gym Reviews Staff Writer Anthony O’Reilly knows a thing or two about cardio equipment. Here’s his take on why you should purchase a compact elliptical.

“Compact ellipticals provide a full-body workout and have the same cardio benefits as larger versions with the added benefits of fitting in apartments and smaller home gyms,” Anthony explains. 

Makes sense to me. In fact, compact ellipticals are usually much easier to store than their larger counterparts. Although few and far between, there are a couple ellipticals that actually fold (I’ve recommended a few of my favorites above) for an even smaller footprint. 

Plus, compact ellipticals are generally cheaper than something like a full-sized, commercial elliptical you’d find at your local YMCA or Planet Fitness. You’ll likely be able to save money, and have a smaller machine that takes up less space. Win-win!

Buying Guide: What to Look for in a Compact Elliptical

Still not sure what to look for in a compact elliptical? Here are the five main components I’d keep in mind before choosing a new machine. 

Footprint

Analyze the space you plan to use to house your elliptical. You’ll need to carefully measure the dimensions to make sure you have enough room for your new cardio machine.

Portability

Transport wheels can be a handy feature on elliptical machines to help the owner move the machine with ease around a room. It can also be worth noting the overall weight and foldability of your potential elliptical, especially if you plan to move the machine up or down the stairs. 

Weight Capacity

Since compact ellipticals are, well, compact, they may not always have a weight capacity that matches up with the industry standard of 300 pounds. Make sure to check before purchasing, especially if you’re a heavier individual.

Warranty

The industry standard on an elliptical frame warranty is 15 years to life, but if the machine is a budget option, don’t expect this to always be the case. You’ll have to weigh the pros and cons of spending more money now for a longer warranty versus getting a cheaper elliptical with a traditionally shorter warranty.

Price

Again, make sure to decide your price range ahead of time. If you’re interested in a high-end elliptical but can’t afford it all at once, check to see if there are financing options available. It is also worth waiting for a holiday sale, like 4th of July or Black Friday if you need to save cash.

Best Compact Elliptical FAQs

Caroline Lubinsky, CF-L1

Caroline is a former NCAA D1 Women’s College Soccer player who also played in the WPSL, the second highest level of professional women’s soccer in the United States. Although soccer was her first love, Caroline eats, sleeps, and breathes all things fitness. She credits her high school’s football coach, Jason Estep, with teaching her how to properly use a barbell at 15 years old and inspiring an enduring love for strength training. Caroline is also a CrossFit Level 1 Trainer. Content wise, Caroline has a background in Public Relations and previously worked in the Communication department at Appalachian State University. When Caroline isn’t writing or working out, she works with dachshund rescue groups and listens to way too many true crime podcasts.

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