Elliptical Reviews and Ratings 2012 » Precor Ellipticals Review

Precor EFX 556i Elliptical Review

vladimiro — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 19:30:52 +0000

The Precor EFX 556i Elliptical is a commercial grade elliptical trainer that is usually sold to gyms and health clubs. You can find some of these for sale as reconditioned models, the quality depends much on the elliptical in case, so it is always better if you are planning to buy a reconditioned elliptical to check and double check all the components. If you find one in good state, then it is a good buy.

You can expect the same health club workout quality from a reconditioned Precor EFX 556i as from a brand new. These are recommended for anyone who is serious about his trainings and fitness goals. The combination of the 25 degrees incline and great workout programs will take you to your fitness limits and motivate you to go further.

Precor EFX 556i Elliptical Specifications

Cross Ramp technology
20 levels of resistance
8 pre-set programs
18” stride
Warranty: Lifetime frame, 10 yrs. parts, 1 yr. labor
25° incline
Dimensions: 64″ H x 30″ W x 78″ D

Great Option among Reconditioned Elliptical Trainers

The Precor EFX 556i Elliptical was built to last a lifetime in a health club environment, if you look for a reconditioned Precor EFX 556i you will see that they still have the same feel as a brand new model, of course with new parts and serviced, but nonetheless just like new.

The performance is virtually silent, it is smooth and effective. The fact that the motion can be put or reverse only increases the benefits and the range of muscles that you can perfect with this machine. It has an inclination ramp of 25 degrees, too bad that it is fixed and can’t be changed, but it still gives the full benefit of the inclination while burning calories.

This elliptical allows you to have the whole full experience of health club quality elliptical trainer in your house and save a lot of money. It is a risky choice to buy a reconditioned elliptical, with the Precor EFX 556i Elliptical you may be safe, there are no bad reviews from customers and the quality of the elliptical stands after the reconditioning,

Precor EFX 556i Elliptical at a Glance…

Pros:

Health Club Quality
Long Stride Length
25 Degree Incline Ramp

Cons:

Only Available Reconditioned

The Precor EFX 556i Elliptical is a great choice among reconditioned elliptical. It has a smooth and quiet operation, all the quality of health club elliptical for less money. It is a bargain to get one of these elliptical, they are built to take the pounding of a health club being under stress everyday and under lots of users, to be in your house will be easy and it will last forever in your hands.

Precor EFX 556i Elliptical Review is a post from: Elliptical Reviews

Precor EFX 5.17i Elliptical Review

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 17:37:03 +0000

Precor is well known for their quality and craftsmanship that you will see in their entire elliptical line of product. Even though the Precor EFX 5.17i Elliptical Fitness Crosstrainer is the cheapest among the line of elliptical for Precor, the craftsmanship and quality that is native to Precor is very much evident on this machine. This only proves that this company does not design and manufacture without their seal of quality in it.

Precor EFX 5.17i Elliptical Specification:

· Adjustable incline from 12-25 degrees
· 20 resistance levels
· 4 pre-set programs
· LED Console with color graphics
· Reverse motion
· Child safety features
· Optional chest-strap heart monitor
· 10 year warranty on parts, 1 year on labor

The Precor EFX 5.17i elliptical machine offers a smooth and quiet ride. In fact you will find out that this machine operates in a nearly silent operation which is something that is hard to find in exercise machines. The fluid movement of this machine is another reason why many health buffs recommends this machine for home use. Not to mention the seal of quality that Precor promises and guarantees. You will not be surprised if you walk into a store and many would recommend the brand Precor because of the high quality that they work so hard to maintain in every machine.

One of the things that caught my attention is the child safety features included in its specifications. It’s not so often that you see that feature on other exercise machines. I will give Precor two thumbs up on this because almost every household has a child and safety for their child is the number one consideration for many health conscious parents. It’s a good thing that they were able to think of such feature especially if you have a toddler who is prone to accidents.

I was very eager to test the Precor EFX 5.17i because of the reputable brand of Precor. Well, I was not disappointed with it. The console was easy enough to understand and is very user friendly. I found the 19” stride to be extremely comfortable and it feels so natural that I forgot that I was in an exercise machine. When you use a cheap elliptical machine, you will notice at a certain point that there is that bouncy feeling which is not at all present in this machine. This elliptical also offers an excellent feature for interval training. This can be done by cranking up the angle of the ramp resulting for your heart to start pounding fast. This is what Precor call as CrossRamp technology.

The downside of this elliptical is that it does not offer a total body workout because it lacks handlebars that promotes upper body workout. It also does not have a heart rate monitor which you will pay extra if you want to have one. I find this a little bit discouraging since you would expect to have it packaged with its price. There is also the issue of assembly and the lack of exercise program.

Pros:

Superior Quality
Low Maintenance
Quiet and natural feel operation
Comfortable
Child safety features
User friendly console
CrossRamp technology

Cons:

No Heart rate monitor
Price
Lacks upper body workout
Assembly
Lack of exercise program

The brand Precor is very reliable and they make sure that it is found on every elliptical that they produce. The Precor EFX 5.17i Elliptical is not the best machine for the Precor line of elliptical but is still considered a good buy considering the quality of this brand.

Precor EFX 5.17i Elliptical Review is a post from: Elliptical Reviews

Precor EFX 544 Elliptical Review

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 17:34:44 +0000

The Precor EFX544 Elliptical that was launched approximately 1995 is still one of the most sought after elliptical machine even after ten years of existence. Precor is famous for its durability and high standard quality and this was proven with the EFX 544 model. It stood the test of time and still continues to satisfy its owners.

Precor EFX 544 Elliptical Product Specification:

Programs: 8 Pre-programmed courses
Overall Weight: 210 lbs.
User Weight Capacity: 400 lbs.
Stride Length: 18″
Power Options: 110 Volt / 220 Volt
Resistance: 20 levels of intensity
HR Monitoring: Polar® YES
Heart Rate Control: Yes (optional upgrade available)
Dimensions: 81″L x 20″W x 59″H
Product Weight: 220 lbs.

The Precor EFX 544 elliptical crosstrainer was the original crosstrainer of Precor. Standing the test of time, this product is proven to be so durable that some machines that were purchased for more than a decade ago still exist and still in good condition.

This unit is considered to be the grandpa of all the Precor elliptical but still outdoing other elliptical machines in the market. It revolutionized the fitness industry and had set the standards for many exercise machines.

This machine is perfect for home use but feels like that of the one on your local health or gym club. Like the ones you find in your gym, this model has the almost unbreakable design, features intended to take a beating and programs and monitors that are specially made for serious fitness buffs.

You would not be surprised if some local gyms use this model on their gym even if it is for home use. You can try it if your gym have one and get to find out for yourself why many fell in love with this machine.

It is a well built elliptical trainer that is so easy to use. This machine is so easy to use that it is considered to be perfect for beginners. With the 8 pre-programmed choices you have on this machine, you don’t have to be a beginner to love this product because it also offers a rigorous workout routine for advanced users. The versatility of this equipment is what many gym owners love about it.

It’s also worth mentioning that the EFX 544 model requires very low maintenance and can perform for years without the hassles of it breaking down. It’s very seldom that you will hear reports about this unit getting repaired even if the unit is more than a decade old and re-modeled. Again this only proves the quality and craftsmanship that Precor promises to its owners.

Since this is one of the older models, you can expect it to be bulky which makes it hard to store. It is also heavy and can be hard to assemble. You may need to have a professional to have it installed. Even though it’s one of the older models, the price can still hurt your pocket. It also does not offer an upper body work-out because it lacks handle bars but you can still expect the CrossRamp technology in this model.

Pros:

Durable
High quality
Well built
Easy to use
Versatile
Low maintenance
Has CrossRamp Technology

Cons:

Price
Bulky
Hard to store
Assembly
Does not offer upper body work-out

All in all the Precor EFX544 is still recommended by many because of its durability and reliability. But if you can spend a little bit more then we suggest that you get newer and upgraded models from Precor that also promises durability and reliability.

Precor EFX 544 Elliptical Review is a post from: Elliptical Reviews

Precor EFX 5.23 Cross Trainer Review

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 17:32:22 +0000

It’s not hard to explain why many love the Precor EFX 5.23 Elliptical Fitness Crosstrainer. With the high quality and superior quality of this machine, you will not be surprised to find many loyal owners of Precor. They would not trade this machine for any other elliptical on the market even if it is expensive.

Precor EFX 5.23 Cross Trainer Product Specification:

Magnetic resistance
Eddy current brakes
14 pre-set programs
2 user ID’s
20 resistance settings
18” stride
LED display console with graphics
Adjustable incline from 13-35 degrees
Warranty: 10 yrs. parts, 1 yr. labor

If you’re in the market for a truly powerful lower body and cardiovascular workout then the Precor EFX 5.23 might be the elliptical for you. Many would agree when I say that this is one of the best high quality elliptical machines that are available in the market. This will not come as a surprise because Precor is a reputable brand that is well known for their superior quality and excellent craftsmanship on their elliptical.

With the 8 pre-set programs and 16 levels of resistance, this elliptical gives you the flexibility and the challenge that you are looking for an exercise routine. You may be a beginner or an advanced user but this machine will still give you that sweat and keep your fats burning. It is also a solid machine with a maximum user weight limit of 300 lb.

The machine also comes with the patented CrossRamp technology that is only native to Precor products. What it does is it allows you to incline the level from 15-25 degrees which results for you to be able to work out different muscles. Although some would say that the 8 pre-set programs is pretty basic and does not give enough choice for exercise routines.

This elliptical trainer also allows you to go in a forward and backward motion. While going through the motions, the machine will still be able to maintain the resistance level that you had chosen. This feature provides you with even more variety and is also great in toning all of the lower body muscles. So if our target is your lower body work outs then don’t hesitate on checking out this machine. The drawback is that it does not offer upper body work out which is lacking in almost all Precor elliptical machine.

The Precor EFX 5.23 elliptical cross trainer is expensive and some critique would say that for its price it should offer more work out options as well as upper body work out. But the reason why you would consider buying this machine is because there aren’t very many elliptical trainers that are really up to the challenge of commercial grade. It conveniently combines the stamina and a quiet ride of what they call as high quality gym equipment. You get all of that plus the sleek design and elegance on a home elliptical trainer with EFX 5.23.

Pros:

Gives a powerful lower body and cardiovascular workout
Superior craftsmanship and high quality
Durability
Solid machine
Gives flexibility and variety on workout
Passes commercial grade standard
Quiet
Sleek design and elegance

Cons:

Lacks upper body workout
Lacks workout programs and features
Price

With the price of the Precor EFX 5.23 Cross Trainer, you will expect for it have a total body work out and more features but sadly, it is lacking in this machine. However, if you really want a durable and high quality machine that can last decades and give you more value for your money then this is one of the best buy for you.

Precor EFX 5.23 Cross Trainer Review is a post from: Elliptical Reviews