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An interesting phenomenon is happening in the treadmill market these days: a lot of home treadmills are being called 'commercial grade treadmills'. This can be very confusing for the treadmill buyer.

What's the difference between a 'commercial grade' treadmill, a home treadmill, and an actual commercial treadmill?

First of all there are 2 main categories of treadmills: commercial and home treadmills.

Commercial treadmills differ from home treadmills in that they are made for harsher environments, like the gym or health club, and they are built to withstand frequent use. Because of this they are built with a much higher grade of components and subsequently cost more.

For example, most commercial treadmills come with a 4 ply treadbelt instead of the 2 ply treadbelt standard to most home treadmills. They also usually come with a much higher powered motor, built with heavier duty commercial parts.

Commercial treadmill prices are much higher and many of them start at $4000+ whereas home treadmills can range from $400 to $3000.

Here's where it can get confusing: Although there used to be more of a difference between commercial and home treadmills, the line is blurring as more and more people buy 'commercial grade' treadmills for their homes.

Because of this, brands like Landice put out 2 versions of their treadmill lines: the Limited (or LTD) series of treadmills - built for high end home or light commercial use, and the Club series- built for heavy club or gym environments.

And former commercial treadmill brands like Sole, (who have been supplying treadmills to hotels like Hilton for years) are now making their treadmills available to the home market - for a home treadmill price.

These treadmills can truly be called 'commercial grade' meaning they could be used as a commercial treadmill but is mainly suited for the high end home gym.

However I've noticed that even the cheaper brands of home treadmills are now starting to call their higher end treadmills 'commercial grade'.

This doesn't necessarily mean it is suitable for a health club or even a high end home gym. In my opinion, it simply means that the treadmill was built with heavier grade components than other treadmills in that brand's line up. It may still be a great buy if you like that brand name.

However, if I wanted to buy a commercial grade treadmill for my home I would not choose these cheaper brand names - but that's just my preference.

Bottom line? When looking at commercial treadmills for a health club or gym, consider the brand. Make sure it is a well known commercial brand with a solid reputation. Some examples are Landice, LifeFitness and Star Trac.

When looking for a higher end 'commercial grade' treadmill for your home gym, consider a 'lighter' version of a commercial treadmill model or a home treadmill brand that is known for higher end machines. It will serve you just as well and cost you thousands less.

One last note: Keep in mind that commercial treadmills take up a lot more space than home treadmills and they're also much heavier. They may not fold so make sure you have several strong lifters when you have the treadmill delivered.

Good luck and have fun!