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Thinking about buying an Epic Treadmill? Here's what you need to know:

Epic is a subsidiary of ICON Health and Fitness, one of the largest producers of treadmills in the world. They also produce brands like Nordic Trac, Healthrider, Proform, Weslo, Image and Reebok.

Epic is an older treadmill brand that was recently relaunched and is sold mainly through large retail stores like Costco.

So are Epic treadmills a good buy for you? Here's what you need to know to help you decide for yourself:

Strengths:

#1) Affordable - The Epic T60, 400 MX, and 425 MX are all under $1000, depending on where you buy them. This makes Epic a viable option for buyers on a budget.

#2) Sleek Design - Because Icon has over 200 engineers designing and constructing treadmills, these units are sleek, attractive and offer some popular features like EKG pulse grips or built-in workout programs.

#3) Large Walking Areas - Most Epic treadmills do offer a sizeable walking area with longer treadmill belts. However be careful that you have the motor power to back it up or you'll quickly burn out your motor (at least 2.0 Continuous Duty HP).

Weaknesses:

Epic treadmills have been known to use fairly cheap parts in the past. They do not offer much in terms of cushioning or motor power. This may be improving however as warranties have been getting better lately - which is usually an indication of the quality of parts.

Also, note that the very popular Epic T60 treadmill was recently recalled by Icon due to serious safety issues with the design. Customers should stop using this treadmill immediately as parts of the shock could hit a by-stander causing injury under certain circumstances.

We've also had some feedback from Epic tread mill buyers complaining about Icon's customer service, for example, getting charged service fees, despite the treadmill still being under full warranty.

These are some pretty serious weaknesses and worth considering if you're thinking about an Epic treadmill.

Bottom Line:

Epic treadmills may seem like a great deal and some people are quite happy with them.

However due to their shaky reputation, poor customer service and past safety issues, I wouldn't recommend them. There are just too many other similarly priced treadmills offering you more for your money.