Stamina InMotion E1000 Compact Strider

WOW. Where to begin? First things first: I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS PRODUCT. You need to know, right up front, that I'm unapologetic in my enthusiasm for the Stamina InMotion E-1000 Elliptical. I know my review is also pretty long, but you have GOT to hear about this!! I stumbled upon this item after an ad for a similar product (the "cubii" brand under-desk elliptical) came across my Facebook feed. I work in an office environment. I am sitting in meetings and at my desk for around 40 hours a week at the office (and that's not even including the sitting I'm doing during after-work tv watching or computer time at home, commuting time in my car, etc.). About a year ago, I heard an NPR interview with Dr. James Levine, who has done extensive research on the negative effects of sustained sitting and lowered levels of physical movement; he has written books on the topic (also available on Amazon). I read one of his books and I started trying to get more of what he calls "NEAT" ("non-exercise activity thermogenesis" -- i.e., deliberately trying to burn more calories each day just by consciously & intentionally moving more, but not necessarily by adding in "vigorous exercise minutes") into my daily routine. I also investigated the possibility of getting a "standing desk," which my work, unfortunately, would not provide for me absent a "medical reason," but which they were happy to let me purchase on my own dime. I priced them and, as a government employee, standing desks (especially mechanical "fancy" ones) were too rich for my blood. When the ad for the "cubii" elliptical caught my attention, I thought that an under-the-desk, constantly accessible mechanism for easily adding movement into one's daily routine -- while multitasking! -- might be just the ticket to help me improve my health with Dr. Levine's "NEAT" formula. Unfortunately, with the cubii's $349 price tag (BEFORE shipping!), it just wasn't in my budget. I was frustrated at the cost, and thought there surely had to be some similar alternative out there? Well, one Amazon search and some consumer reviews later, the Stamina InMotion E1000 Elliptical seemed to be the machine that was destined for my needs. At an $80 price point (with Amazon prime free shipping!), I realized I could, theoretically, buy FOUR of Stamina's under-desk ellipticals and still not spend as much as the cubbi's asking price! (OK -- I get the appeal: cubii is the newest hottest thing -- they reviewed it on NPR, for heaven's sake! -- and it's pretty cool if you're a gadget/tech/gear head (which I'm not), and you want your elliptical to be able to talk to your fitbit and connect to apps on your phone which, for example, will sound an alarm when you haven't put in enough miles that day, etc. -- BUT: if all you want is a simple way to add movement and burn extra calories while you're sitting at your desk -- the sitting at which, by the way, is something you'd ALREADY BE DOING ANYWAY -- then "low-tech" (and low-cost, relatively speaking) is the very reasonable and affordable way to go, says I). I was very excited by the positive feedback from customers that the Stamina InMotion E-1000 had gotten, and the weight-loss stories I had read on the Amazon reviews by those who have used it were very inspiring -- so I couldn't wait to try it out. I had a hard time waiting even the two days I get with Amazon prime shipping! My Stamina In-Motion E1000 elliptical arrived two weeks ago today. Note: this product arrives in a box but is "un-assembled." Now, the kind folks at Amazon will -- for a fee of $189!! -- assemble it for you, if you wish. However, it's really basic assembly and even I could do it with no trouble. My advice: Don't spend your money on the assembly charge, unless you've got Oprah's money and you don't mind wasting it. Once the machine was assembled, it was a simple matter of skimming the instruction booklet (a quick read), setting the elliptical in front of my couch, and giving it a (literal!) whirl. It took me less than half an hour to get used to the motion such that it became second nature and didn't distract me while I tried to do other things that required more concentration than just sitting and watching t.v. does (e.g., it took a little bit of coordination, at first, to keep the Stamina InMotion elliptical "in motion" while I attempted to write, read, or play sudoku). Once I got used to the motion, though, it ceased to be a problem and I now can do it without thinking, while attending to any other tasks -- even at work. I read a review here on Amazon where the reviewer suggested aiming for 20-30 miles per day to help with calorie burn ("NEAT," if you will) over the course of an entire day. Although it sounded like a lot of miles to me at first, I found that this was a very easy goal to meet, and on my very first day, I was able to surpass it and go 50 total miles without really having to work too hard at it -- I did all of it while sitting on my couch in my living room, doing leisure activities, watching t.v., writing emails, reading, etc. I did break up the time into small 10-15 mile sessions, with some leg stretches in between sessions to keep from getting too tired or tight in my muscles, and to avoid any potential "overuse" issues. If you use this equipment and go at only a VERY VERY slow 5 mph, it will take you a great deal of time to get in 20-30 miles per day, but I believe the speed you personally will be able to maintain on the Stamina InMotion E1000 will very much depend on your own personal current fitness level and/or on whether you're recovering from an injury or from surgery, or if you have any other health issues like chronic joint pain, inflamation, arthritis, etc.-- even asthma might affect that and limit it -- and you probably ought to talk to a doctor or other health-care professional about it if you've got any misgivings or concerns about your fitness level or personal ability to use this machine. I don't know. Just be aware that your own personal number of total miles you're able to achieve daily will absolutely depend on your current personal situation. The really great thing about this type of machine, in my opinion, is that it is easily adaptable to all levels of fitness and physique types. Even if you're severely overweight and cannot walk around the block or make it up a flight of stairs without oxygen, this machine is so low-impact (and remember: you're sitting down while using it), I truly believe that if you're able to move your legs -- even in a limited range of motion -- you should be able to use this machine to some degree and receive some level of positive benefit from it. You can raise or lower the resistance level; you can prop up the front end of the machine to change the angle and work different muscles more intensely; you can add ankle weights; you can use just one leg (think of a spinning class where you're instructed at one point to use just one leg to do all the work and the other one is just kind of hanging there, as dead weight, and "going along for the ride" -- it's like that, only in this case you can take the non-working leg completely off the machine and work just one leg, then the other -- then go the reverse direction on one leg, then the other, turn up the resistance, etc.). The possibilities for "shaking up" your routine are probably only limited by your ingenuity and imagination (while taking safety into account, obviously!). Of course - you don't have to do anything fancy or unique, either -- you can just do plain old round-and-round motion the whole time -- and it just stands to reason that it will still benefit you just from getting some movement in, right? My point was -- you can be as boring or as unique as you want with this exercise equipment. It seems that flexible! I googled some youtube videos and saw reviews/tutorials of the Stamina InMotion E1000 that were done by a pair of physical therapists. They own several of these machines and use them daily for several hours in all their PT clinics. They enthusiastically recommend this product, as they attest that it wears well over the long-term, with little to no external noise and very little maintenance needed, for a long period of time (e.g., several years). Since I've had mine for only 2 weeks, I can't testify to its longevity, but I will accept their word that having several patients use it for several hours per day, it still required very little maintenance and was very durable over a period of years. They also point out that it can be adapted (they show some modifications) to different fitness levels, but they also discuss how this is a perfect product for those recovering from surgery or injury, or -- for example -- ALSO ideal for elderly people who may be home-bound and not able to get much other exercise due to balance issues, recovering from illness or injury or the like -- but who are still capable of sitting on a chair or couch and pedalling the Stamina InMotion elliptical while watching t.v., or doing other light (seated) activity. *OK, people -- *DISCLAIMER:* I am not, nor do I claim to be, a physician or a physical therapist or any other "health professional," so my suggestions/observations/opinions, such as they are, are only that -- just suggestions/observations/opinions. I'm not personally "recommending" you use this product, nor am I making any sort of promise, express or implied, or any claim that to do so would treat any disease, condition, injury, or illness you (or your child/parent/spouse/hamster) might happen to have. You use the product at your own risk, no warranties. (Ridiculous that I should need to say this AT ALL -- these seem like "common sense" things to me, but the lawyer in me thinks I probably better write the disclaimer language here, just to be safe. . . . so -- now that we've gotten that out of the way. . . let's keep going). In short, the Stamina InMotion E-1000 elliptical is amazing. It is easy to use, easy to set up, easy to clean and maintain, and it slides under a desk or table to stay out of the way (Obviously, use your best judgment when using it around or leaving it accessible to young (crawling) infants or young/small animals that might get injured from the moving parts). It is quiet/low-noise -- I can talk on the phone while using it and nobody has once asked, "What's that sound?" It doesn't require me to turn up the volume on the radio in my office or my tv at home while using it. It does not bother people out in the hallway if passing my office, nor has it affected/bothered anyone in the offices next to mine -- they are not even aware that I'm using it while I'm working, unless they walk in to my office and physically observe me doing so. In that sense, the Stamina InMotion E1000 is perfect for use in an office environment where noise might be an issue and sensitivity to potential sensory impact on others around you is of concern. In using this product, with a personal goal of pedaling about 50 miles each day (some days more, some days less), I was able to put 330 miles in during the first week alone! This was easily done each day within about 3 to 4 hours max (I'm not going breakneck speed, either -- but have figured out that I average between 15 and 18 MPH -- on about a medium resistance level). I don't know how many calories I'm burning (I don't think the counter is very accurate in that regard on ANY "health equipment," so I just ignore that). HOWEVER -- if I am constantly moving my lower body for several hours, and I'm getting in 3 to 4 hours per day of additional NEAT movement (i.e., this is not "high-impact" or highly aerobic activity -- I notice that I usually break a very light sweat after about 20 minutes at the 15-18 MPH rate, and I am able to do all my 50 miles per day in my regular office/professional attire, without feeling like I'm going home drenched in sweat or looking like I just took a steam bath), then I figure I MUST be burning some decent calories over the course of each day. I'd love to know exactly how many, but I just don't. Sorry. Before my Stamina InMotion elliptical arrived, I took my hip and waist measurements, and weighed myself. In less than two weeks -- having used the machine every day now for 13 days, at an average of roughly 45 miles per day over that time, I have already lost TWO INCHES off my waist and ONE INCH off my hips, and have dropped two lbs! My clothes (especially my pants/skirts) are fitting better already, and I notice I have more stamina in general and am not exhausted at the end of the day like I used to be when finished with work and sitting at a desk for 8-10 hours a day! I am also requiring less sleep overall -- waking up earlier and not nearly as tired as I was before I started using the product. I was so pleased with this little beauty, in fact, that I ordered another one as a gift for my 24-year-old daughter, who also works a desk job -- and she is thrilled. She will text me at the end of the day with an excited "53 miles today, mom! Woo-hoo!" or the like. She loves to play video games in her "down time," and she says she can get in her 50 miles/day in the evening in front of the tv, and hasn't even bothered to take hers to work yet, since she's easily doing several hours each evening while doing something she already does anyway. . . man, multitasking is awesome! I was getting so addicted to using this machine for several hours a day that I seriously started to worry I would go through withdrawals and get cranky over a weekend if I didn't have it to "work out my frustrations" and get a few hours of movement in. Although the Stamina InMotion E1000 IS portable, it is nevertheless about 30 pounds and it doesn't "fold down" or become more compact, so it is a bit bulky and -- though I'm no shrinking violet and have plenty of upper body strength, this still would not be something I could easily move back and forth from my car to my 8th floor office (although I would do that if it were my only option). (NOTE: This issue -- size/weight/portability -- is also something users should be aware of and take into account when thinking how easily an elderly person might be able to use the product or move it around their space, for example). Well -- my husband also works a desk job all day long, and works from his home office between 3 and 5 days a week. He needs more exercise, too - don't we all? -- so I then ordered ANOTHER Stamina InMotion E1000 for our home so no matter where I am and no matter what my day brings I can "get in my miles." In just 2 short weeks' time, this product has become such an integral part of my day that I can't imagine not using it every single day I'm able! I'm very excited to see what the future brings in terms of my physical health -- it has already started improving my muscle tone and stamina, as well as my mood and mental health, so I can't help but think that's just going to improve as time goes on! One caveat: although the machine is meant to fit under a "typical" desk, I am 5'9" tall so I have had to modify my office set-up slightly to keep my knees from hitting the underside of my desk (I think the desk is low and my chair was fairly high, though). One of the modifications I've had to make was to move my wheeled desk chair away from my desk (because the moment I tried to use the elliptical while sitting in my regular desk chair, I "pushed" the pedals and my chair shot back away from the machine! Whoops!!). Now I just use a stationary high-backed chair, with a cushion propped behind my low back for support and comfort, set back slightly from the edge of the desk to keep my knees from hitting underneath it. I've relocated my mouse and my keyboard, and now I write on the desk surface to my right instead of in front of me, while I'm using the machine. Easy-peasy, and worth it (in my opinion) for the benefits. My husband, an engineer, has also suggested ways to raise my desk height up safely -- so I will be exploring some of those in the future, but for now, this setup works just fine and I'm able to type, read, write, etc., just fine while using the elliptical. I love this machine. I think you will, too! Let me know!! P.S. All opinions and assertions herein are my own and I have received no consideration, incentive, or compensation by Stamina InMotion or affiliated companies for writing this review.

I spent several hours reading all of the reviews and questions about this product before I decided to take the plunge and purchase one, and I must say, it has been money well spent so far. Assembly - as mentioned elsewhere, very easy to assemble. Takes about ten minutes, and the instructions are clear and easy to follow. The only tricky aspect is that the body of the Elliptical is awkward to maneuver, but I managed fine by myself. My desk is 30" high, I'm 5'8 with long legs, and I have adequate clearance - no problems with knees knocking into the desk as others have mentioned, although I don't think you could go much shorter than a 30" high desk. The clearance is fine, but it's only a few inches of wiggle room. My desk top is also glass, so it's a very thin top, which helps to free up a little extra clearance room. Very little noise - there's a little sound of the wheels running over the base board, and a slight kind of "whirring" (not the best descriptor, but it's all I got at the moment) that sounds much like an exercise bike. I work from home, so I don't have to worry too much about the noise being a disturbance, but it's definitely minimal in any case, so would probably be fine for an office environment. Tension is easy to adjust, (one knob - up or down) although resistance isn't the most extreme. I'm a naturally fit person, so it's not as challenging as I would have ideally liked, but it's better than nothing. And if I dial it way way up, then I do start to feel some benefits. I'm a restless person, so it gives my legs something to do besides constantly crossing, uncrossing, shaking, jittering, etc. Like most exercise equipment, it's fairly substantial, even for being such a small thing, so take care when getting up from your chair not to trip over it. This little machine is quite sturdy and well made, much better quality than I was expecting for the price. I also have used it while standing with free weights, and I really enjoyed it. Tension's trickier to adjust while standing, obviously. I worked out next to my desk, so I could drag it out and back easily, and it gave me convenient place to set my small weights down if my arms needed a break. Broke a good sweat during my 25 minute session, and was able to keep watching Downton Abbey, since the noise is so minimal. Take with care getting on and off, as it can tip a little - remember the see-saw principles of the playground! Calorie counter is obviously inaccurate (aren't they all?) so take it with a grain of salt (or maybe pass on the salt, because you definitely haven't burned as many calories as it says you have). If you wear a Fitbit or other pedometer, it won't count the seated steps if you keep it on your wrist. To get around this problem, you can tie it with your shoes laces. So far, I've had none of the squeaking that some of the other reviews mentioned. Here's hoping it stays that way.... Warning: make sure you have a desk chair that has lockable castors or is stationary. Mine does not, and I have to work pretty hard not to go sliding all over the place. Probably going to have to invest in a new chair...

Update (Mar 10, 2021): Still a good machine, no cranking sound, running smooth. Just a quick note if you consider adding a cadence sensor. I installed a Magene S3+ sensor to pair with my Oculus Quest for VzFit. The Magene is quite low profile, but since the clearance is narrow, it barely fits. You need to find a good spot for it so it does not rub as much AND to be detected properly. So at the end it works with the sensor but it makes a rubbing sound. That's one thing to consider if you are thinking of installing a sensor) If you are younger and very active, you probably will find this boring and useless. This equipment is good for: - older folks - people with temporary or permanently limited range of movement - people who work at desk a lot I bought it for my parents in their 70s to keep them moving. They recently retired, and with the pandemic + winter weather, they tend to sit a lot playing games on the tablet (yes as we get older we turn back into kids again!). They do play VR games (!) which work on their upper body. This machine on the other hand will work on their lower body and core. It is rather heavy when fully assembled, so pick a place to put it together and leave it there. Carrying it around is possible but not fun. Assembly manual is reasonably easy and understandable. I put it together myself in less than 30 mins. All parts including screws and L-wrench are included. One thing I have not figured out yet is the counter seems to be upside down. There must be a way to turn it? lol (Update: Oh! You just pulled it out, rotate it, and put it back) The counter shows exercise duration, calories, steps per minute, and total steps. One press to cycle, long press to reset. It is very quiet when in use. You can hear the whirling, but very minimal and not distracting. We can watch TV and have conversation normally and can hear each other. No squeaking sound at all that was mentioned by some reviewers. Movement is very smooth. Find the right chair with the right height or you might move awkwardly. The resistance can be adjusted with a dial. It is non-digital but I don't find it an issue. I tried standing on it. While it works, I don't recommend it to older people. Unless there is something secure to hold onto, it could be dangerous. My husband and I are enjoying it as well. I find it really works on my thighs, and if I sit right it works on the core too. After using it a while (especially after my husband as he uses a high resistance level), I do smell a bit of burning smell. Time to get some lubricant spray. Maintenance is important to keep it working.

[EDITED] re music license in the UK - see cons I will note both Pros and Cons First of all, Why did I want a compact elliptical trainer? in 2023 I had a 'knee replacement' due to arthritis. I had to wait 2 years for the operation (yeah I know NHS is fabulous but one does have to wait if going private is not an option). During my wait my doctor recommended I use a pedal exerciser (I wondered why given I was already bone-on-bone so thought this would aggravate the issue; but it did not as it kept the knee from seizing up so much - I have since learnt that for early onset of knee arthritis [which I now have in my other knee) pedal type exercisers help the existing cartilage to not wear so quickly due to encouraging cartilage molecules to the top layer [or something very similar]. So this time around my doctor gave me exercises and recommended a pedal exerciser. I did not want another that kept moving during use so something a bit more substantial was my choice; hence the stamina in motion e1000 compact elliptical. Pros A) Having researched compact elliptical exercisers on the internet for some time I noted this particular one was recommended by physiotherapists as being well made and lasting for years in a professional setting. Having arrived at my door it most certainly looked and feelt very well made B) At 25lbs weight and having both a metal pad with a softer non slip pad and two sturdy pads on the other end means the unit does not keep sliding away during use - something I had to contend with for 2 years before finishing with a compact pedal exerciser costing about a fifth of the price of this unit. The unit does not have a handle on the top but the long bar at the front is used to lift and move the unit. Carrying the unit upstairs was, I have to admit, a bit of a work out in itself (mind you, I am 70 and have Knee Arthritis - which is why I have purchased this unit in the first place) C) The unit can be used in both sitting and standing positions - I will not be using this in the standing position very much but I have the option whenever the mood takes me (being a compact elliptical it means the stride length is short and at 1m94cm[6ft4in] I found standing was not for me yet - maybe when I have toned the legs a bit I may give it another shot. D) The upper weight limit is a max of 250 pounds which is a little above 17st or 110 kilos approx - great for, I expect, the majority of senior aged people E) The MUUV app is somewhat helpful - see cons below or further clarification. In addition you can link MUUV to some smart watches, it sends data to my health area which is very helpful for me to monitor what is going on E) Easy to put together (back plate 2 bolts, front bar 2 bolts, 2 foot plates 2 screws on each). The unit comes complete with necessary tools too (thumbs up for that). It took approximately 8 mins to put together, check and slap my feet on the pedals for my first sitting work out F) The display can be turned so it can be read whilst sitting and perhaps whilst standing (since one has to 'turn around' to use the unit when standing on it; but I personally have no wish to look down whilst trying to keep my balance and would not recommend anyone else to do so). Cons A) I wanted an elliptical with an App to help with exercise routines. This unit boasts free access to muuv (which appears to be free anyway). However, the unit does NOT have bluetooth so one has to set the unit up manually on the app (it is listed so no problem there - of note so are the other coloured ones which do not show muuv on the amazon advert). HOWEVER once selected and using the default workout routine showed that they do not 'talk' to each other. This caused an issue for me in that when the coach says increase to, say, 100 steps per minute I have no way of knowing if I am actually pedaling at 100 cycles per minute unless I count for myself: OK I managed that one BUT when increasing to 140 steps per minute with a very short cycle step it was impossible to count accurately. The app also boasts playlists and radio music to choose to listen to whilst exercising - this did let me choose what I wanted to listen to but did not actually play anything - possibly this is only available in USA and not in the UK (which would have been nice to know to start with). [EDITED] Muuv did clarify that it does not hold a license to play music and podcasts in the UK, so if you like this type of think you need to set it up independently. However I can still use the coaching app to some extent which is helpful overall. This also means that muuv can be used with any compact elliptical if you wish, if your unit is not listed choose the stamina e1000 :) B) The calorie count on the stamina e1000 unit does not agree with the calorie count on the muuv app. Which is the more accurate? Anyone can take a guess on that one. The calorie counter is actually important to me since I want to blow 400 calories a day using this device. It may not be accurate on either the unit or the app but it is a measure I want to use as a baseline for my exercising. One slight disappointment I have to note is that the price dropped by nearly £20 a day or two after purchase (literally just after the unit was dispatched so I could not cancel then). I know I can send this unit back and order another at the new lower price but I will not since this was shipped directly from America and I honour my purchases as it were. All in all I am pleased with this unit and look forward to using it daily to help with not only my arthritic condition but a little bit of cardiovascular exercise as well (after a 26 minute workout going from 100 to 140 and back to 100 every minute my thighs were burning slightly, my brow was moist and my heart was exercised gently and I blew more than 400 calories according to the unit - all positives :)

Great quality, works really well and is much cheaper than its more advertised competitor.

I wondered if a small, scaled down exercise machine was worth anything. (I too have seen cast off equipment at garage sales) Working at home in a smallish apartment (10 steps from bed to office) made something like this necessary, both for my health and living space. I used to own and use a treadmill daily, and loved it... But nothing can match that, functionally. I compared some of the twist steppers and finally settled on this, because the steppers didn't seem to have a lot of range of motion or "fun" in the activity. (Yes I know, static exercise is only so much fun, but I consider ease of approachability, sustained use, simultaneous reading or TV while exercising, etc) I was surprised. This device is whisper quiet, works up a light sweat, and really smooth and comfortable to use. There is more range of motion than any stepper, and it gives your hips a bit of motion. You can use it sitting down or reclining if you are convalescing or just want to burn off some extra calories on the couch. When I say whisper quiet, I mean it. The rubber wheels are sound deadening, you make much more noise walking around. Your washer and dryer are dramatically louder than this. Your fridge is probably louder than this! I am very sensitive to making noise, and even though I live in an upstairs apartment, I would have no problem using this device at any hour day or night. The range of stride is definitely not as long as a full size elliptical, but you will get about 10" of motion out of each step. The resistance dial does not have a huge range but you don't need to set this device very high to get payback. Note that you might get friction-based squeal if you tighten it up, because it uses a belt to tension the drive wheel. Slightly annoying but still not as loud as you might think. The little computer is very basic, but as functional as you really need. It counts the steps, distance (in miles), time and estimated calories burned (I wouldn't give that last one much thought, it can't be calibrated to your weight or heart rate so it's a little bit of a guess). It's a nice motivator to do a little more (what? I can't stop at 930 steps! Let's make it an even 1000!) To my eye it appears the green, orange and black (that has a differ t number though, 55-1610) are identical devices. Get the cheapest one. The ONE con I have with this thing is that there's no handle on the top. For something like this that is fairly portable, yet that has a bit of weight to it, it should be easier to grab and shuffle from room to room.

Item is very useful & excellent