Best cardio machine for weight loss at home

There are so many cardio machines to choose from when you are looking to lose weight: treadmill, stair climber, elliptical bikes, rowing machines. If you are looking to buy one, the choice seems even harder as you probably only get to use one for the foreseeable future – unless you’re building a full home gym, then you should be fine.

Either way, the question remains: what are the best cardio machines for fat loss? Max Posternak decided to share his wisdom on the matter.

Max Posternak is the founder of Gravity Transformation, a website focused on giving tips and training guidance for people looking to improve their fitness and lose weight. His YouTube channel has over 4 million subscribers.

Check out what he had to say about the best cardio machines for fat loss. He posed

Best Cardio Machines For Fat Loss

Sadly, there are not many studies that compared different cardio machines on the effects of fat loss, partially because cardio is not the only thing that affects fat loss.

One thing that is certain is that if you get your heart rate high for a long period of time during the workout, you will burn more calories per minute. One study that compared heart rate and total calories burned in 6 different cardio machines was published in the Journal of America Medical Association.

The machines they looked at were: an air dyne bike, cross-country skiing simulator, cycling bike, rowing machine, stair stepper and a treadmill.

When the levels of exertion are equal, it was found that the treadmill burned the most amount of calories. In second, very close, it was the stair climber, producing the second highest heart rate. Tied in 3rd place were the rowing machine and the skiing machine. Lastly, also tied, were the cycling bike and the air dyne bike.

Source: William Choquette on Pexels

When compared directly to cycling, the treadmill required 40 per cent more energy expenditure at the same intensity level.

Although the study says the treadmill is ranked one of the best cardio machines for fat loss, it is a personal choice in the end. Max Posternak poses 5 questions you should make yourself to discover what are the best cardio machines for fat loss for you.

1. Which cardio machine do you enjoy most? Or hate the least?
2. Of the ones you enjoy, which ones work the most muscles at the same time?
3. Do you want to strictly lose fat, or lose fat and grow muscle?
4. Which machine is best for your joints?
5. Which cardio can you handle at a high intensity?

Related: How to Combine HIIT and LISS to Lose Fat Faster

First and foremost, the cardio machine that you enjoy the most is likely going to be your best cardio machine for fat loss because it will be easier for you to stick to it. If you thoroughly enjoy cycling and running, then the machine that typically has you standing up (the treadmill in this case) will burn more calories as it uses more muscles at the same time.

Incorporating weight training into your workout, even if you are looking to only lose fat, is crucial because it will help you keep that unwanted fat away from your body.

If you have issues with your joints, you want to choose low-impact cardio machines such as cycling and rowing (if you have lower body joint issues).

Although that was a lot of information, in a nutshell, those are the best cardio machines for fat loss. Although the treadmill is the one that burns the most calories, if you cannot stick to it, chances are that is not the best option for you.

If you want to hear Max Posternak’s full arguments on the best cardio machines for fat loss, check out his video below.

Finding the best exercise machine to lose weight can be a tricky task. Not because there aren’t any to choose from; on the contrary, there is an abundance of options available. However, they all target fat loss differently and can provide different results depending on how you use them.

If you’re looking to simply burn calories, a treadmill will help you take a step in the right direction on your weight loss journey. But it’s understandable if you don’t have the space or budget or if you need a low-impact alternative to pounding the running belt.

Fortunately, there are a whole host of alternative exercise machines to choose from and a variety of different activities that will help you get fit from the comfort of your home (or garage). But first, as it’s still an investment, it’s worth finding the right tool for you.

We selected the best exercise machines to lose weight from these T3 buying guides: 

Best exercise machine to lose weight

(Image credit: Wolverson Fitness)

1. AssaultBike Elite

Best exercise machine to lose weight overall

Specifications

Display: Yes/LCD

Dimensions: 140 x 66 x 140cm

Performance tracking: Yes

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Reasons to buy

+

Gym-level construction

Reasons to avoid

-

Seat is not the most comfortable

In our AssaultBike Elite review, we praised this exercise machine for its excellent build quality and a superbly robust drivetrain. We also noted that it "oozes commercial gym quality" without looking too out of place tucked inside the home or in a dedicated workout area outside. 

While you can pick up an air bike for a fraction of the cost of the AssaultBike Elite – as evidenced in our best air bike round-up – you might be better placed to splash the cash for the added peace of mind that it’s not going to fall apart when you’re pushing yourself to your limits.

Aside from its gym-level build, the Elite has a number of great features. It allows for both a pronated overhand or bicep-centric grip and footpegs to enable you to focus solely on the upper body. Although its LCD screen is basic, you can sync up Bluetooth and ANT+ monitors to track your heart rate. It also doesn’t require mains power, so can be used anywhere.

(Image credit: Waterrower)

2. WaterRower Natural Rowing Machine

Water-based rower that increases resistance the harder you pull

Specifications

Display: Yes

Dimensions (LxWxH): 209 x 56 x 53 cm

Performance tracking: Yes

Max user weight: 315 kg

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Reasons to buy

+

Beautiful wooden construction

Reasons to avoid

-

Not as feature-packed as other set-ups

Exercise machines don’t have to be eyesores. Take the WaterRower as a prime example. Crafted in the US by hand from sustainably-sourced solid ash wood, this unique rowing machine brings a slice of style to your home but is also a fantastic way to get in shape. In terms of calorie burning, rowing is a full-body workout that engages nine different muscle groups and will leave you with a solid six-pack in no time at all.

The WaterRower’s water-based flywheel is different to chain- or fan-based resistance mechanisms in that it gets easier or harder depending on the effort you’re putting in. This mimics the real-life feel of rowing on the water and is noticeably smoother than alternative set-ups that we tested in our best rowing machines buying guide.

Read our full WaterRower Natural Series review

(Image credit: Jo Ebsworth)

3. Concept2 Ski Erg

A Nordic skiing experience for your home

Specifications

Display: Yes

Dimensions (LxWxH): 40 x 52 x 212 cm

Performance tracking: Yes

Max user weight: N/A

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Reasons to buy

+

Pocket-friendly full-body workout

Reasons to avoid

-

Not as engaging as other exercises

A SkiErg might get some strange looks, but it’s also one of the lowest impact methods of exercise around. Simulating the movement of Nordic skiing, it provides a full-body workout but focuses on the upper body more so than a rowing machine or an exercise bike. You don’t have to have skied in real life to get the most out of a workout, either, and it's quite easy to pick up compared to the likes of rowing.

The SkiErg from the well-known rowing machine brand Concept2 is a great piece of kit that adjusts its difficulty depending on how hard you pull the handles, but can also have its resistance tweaked to 10 different base settings. Its compact build has a smaller footprint than other alternatives, but its height and torture rack resemblance might be off-putting for some.

Read our full Concept2 SkiErg review

(Image credit: JTX Fitness)

4. JTX Sprint-5 Treadmill

Amazing and affordable home treadmill

Specifications

Display: Yes

Dimensions (LxWxH): 174 x 83 x 157 cm

Performance tracking: Yes

Max user weight: 140 kg

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Reasons to buy

+

Compact when not in use

Reasons to avoid

-

Small running surface

We’ve already seen above that running is tough to beat when it comes to calorie burning. But is it possible to invest in a home treadmill without also burning a hole in your pocket? The Sprint 5 from JTX was our favourite cheap running machine in our best treadmill round-up and manages to provide everything you could want from an indoor running experience without the professional-level price tag.

Its cushioned platform is kind to knees and dampens noise – ideal if your whole building doesn’t want to hear your exercise sessions. It also has a number of built-in HIIT workouts if you want to give some heart-pounding interval training a spin but don’t know where to start. Finally, its folding ability and short platform mean you don’t need to have acres of space to own one.

Read our full JTX Sprint-5 review

(Image credit: NordicTrack)

5. NordicTrack E11.5 Cross Trainer

Great (albeit chunky) elliptical trainer for home use

Specifications

Display: Yes

Dimensions (LxWxH): 204 x 67 x 166 cm

Performance tracking: Yes

Max user weight: 87 kg

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Reasons to buy

+

Great price

Reasons to avoid

-

Data screen is dated

Elliptical trainers (or cross trainers as they were previously known) are one of the least efficient exercise machines for burning calories, but their low-impact nature makes them ideal if you’re coming back from injury or have joints that need preserving.

The NordicTrack E11.5 might not be as aesthetically pleasing as some of our other picks in this list, but it does the job and does it well. Its 20 resistance levels and 30 different workouts are perfect regardless of fitness level, and the latter is split between three different focuses – calorie, performance and intensity. There’s no getting around the size of the machine, but at least it does fold in half if you want to store it somewhere when not in use.

Read our full NordicTrack E11.5 Elliptical Review

(Image credit: Peloton)

6. Peloton Bike+

Lose weight easier with Peloton's engaging classes

Specifications

Display: Yes

Dimensions (LxWxH): 40 x 52 x 212 cm

Performance tracking: Yes

Max user weight: N/A

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Reasons to buy

+

A premium experience from start to finish

Reasons to avoid

-

Display resolution could be higher

There’s a lot to consider when buying a Peloton bike: the initial price, the ongoing subscription costs, if you have space in your home, if you’ll use it regularly enough to justify a purchase, and so on. However, such concerns will likely melt away as soon as that bike lands on your doorstep (and is subsequently carried over the threshold by the delivery guys, of course).

Thanks to its super robust construction, beautiful design with attention to detail, ease of use and comfort, we dare anyone not to become instantly obsessed with the Peloton Bike+. The premium experience it delivers is kind of magical, and as a result, we’ve used it almost daily over the past few months. We can’t get enough.

There’s a reason why Peloton is happy to provide a 30-day free trial with free delivery for newbies: the brand knows that as soon as a Bike+ virgin places their bum on that saddle, there’s no going back. An epic piece of home fitness equipment with an immersive top-notch platform to back it up.

Read our full Peloton Bike+ review

How to choose the best exercise machine to lose weight for you

While there are a number of things to consider when buying an exercise machine, it’s important not to lose sight of your ultimate goal – losing weight. So what is the best exercise for burning calories?

Harvard University conducted research (opens in new tab) (links to Harward's site) that showed the calories you can expect to burn during a 30-minute session for a variety of exercises. The study found that the biggest calorie burner was running, with a 13st 3lb (roughly 84 kg) person running at 10mph for 30 minutes burning 671 calories. It’s worth noting that this is pretty fast, and the slower you go, the lower the total calories burned – the same person would burn 495 calories at a 30-minute 5K pace.

When compared with other activities (rowing vigorously, 440kcal; cycling vigorously on an exercise bike, 441kcal; SkiErg, 399kcal; elliptical, 378kcal), a treadmill is still the best bang for your buck but isn’t miles ahead of alternatives that might be better suited to your budget, underlying health conditions or space restrictions.

For a low-impact exercise machine that’s easy on your joints, anything but a treadmill is going to suit your needs, so it then simply comes down to space. Elliptical trainers and rowing machines have the biggest footprint, but it’s possible to buy fold-up versions of both. The most compact is an exercise bike, while a SkiErg is a similar dimension but requires tall ceilings.

Finally, it’s important to think about how much enjoyment you’re going to get out of the exercise machine – a fun exercise machine is one you’re more likely to use repeatedly rather than being an expensive decorative feature that just collects dust.

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