StaminaInmotion Compact Strider Foot Exercise Machine - Under Desk Elliptical - Standing or Seated Elliptical Fitness Equipment

This elliptical is easy to assemble, smooth, quiet, & doesn't take up much space. It's perfect to replace a walk or jog when it's raining out. Excellent way to build up & maintain both stamina & leg muscle! I love it so much that I've now bought 2 of them - left one at my sister's in Maine & have one here at home in Florida.

Like so many before me, I bought a piece of fitness equipment and I hardly use it. Sigh.That's part of the reason I didn't want to invest too much in my first in-home fitness equipment, so I'm glad I bought this for under $100.I've had it for many months, and I've got nothing against this machine. It works the way it's described, and when I do use it I really like it so I wouldn't sell it - I expect I'll use it again in the future.It really is just like an elliptical trainer minus the handles or console. The stride isn't as large as a gym's machine, so I don't think a very tall person would like this as much as I do (I'm 5'5").I've mostly used it standing up, and you can get yourself a bit dizzy if you're not used to it so I recommend you place it within arm's reach of a wall. Or you can plan to use it while holding on to something if you prefer. I like to touch the wall when getting on/off but I can use it easily without support otherwise.The seated style of using it - which is what I was most interested in since I sit at my home office desk all day - didn't work out for me. I can't lift my legs high enough when it's under my desk so for a while I kept it beside my desk so I could swivel in my chair towards it and use it unobstructed. After a couple of weeks I had to move it though. There's just not enough room in my office for a large machine on the floor next to my chair all day.If you're using it while seated be sure to familiarize yourself with the machine - read the manual - so you understand it has to face one way for standing and the opposite way for seated use. If you hope to fit it under a desk, you'll probably need a writing desk without any drawers or a keyhole desk with plenty of legroom. In other words, you need height to move your legs properly. If you just sit in a chair and use it (facing the right way) it'll be fine.It offers resistance control, but of course, this is hard to adjust since it's on the machine and I'm standing 5+ feet above it. So I found a setting that makes it challenging but not too much, and I just leave it there.I pay attention to the display to track time or number of strides. Again, it's far away and in the wrong lighting I can't really see it. But you can always just use a clock in the room or a watch to track your time using it.It's heavy for me so I wouldn't want to move it around on a daily basis. It's better if you find a good place to use to it regularly. But if you lift it by the T-bar handle support, it's not hard to move, especially if you're someone stronger than me.This is a sturdy quality machine for way less than a regular elliptical trainer would cost. And it takes up way less room too. I'd recommend this to someone buying their first piece of home fitness equipment, someone who has very little space or someone older or disabled who would use a seated machine anyway (like a recumbent bike) because you can save lots of space and money buying this instead. I think it would also make a fine addition to a home gym that already has a treadmill and weight bench and you want cardio variety but don't have room for another large machine. As another reviewer said, the lack of handles or console forces you to pay attention to your workout and engage your core.I don't know if a major gym rat would be impressed. I think it's better for the low-mid range fitness enthusiast, not the marathoners and weekend warriors. But I'm in the low group these days, so what do I know? ;)If/when I buy a new desk or rearrange my office I'll try it again as a seated trainer - moving your legs on this thing while seated has got to be better than sitting still, right? In the meantime, I'll try to get re-inspired to use it as a standing machine more often.

Update: This is the third one of these I have bought. Unfortunately, my previous one broke on New Year’s Day of this year and when I went to buy a new one, I had to get one that was “like new” since everybody purchased one as a New Year’s resolution. Just to let you know how long these last according to use, for 9 1/2 months I have done approx 6 miles four times a week on it. I’d say that is a pretty good lifespan for the money. I love that it’s light (25 pounds), I can easily pull it out and do my cardio while watching TV. I do put down a trash bag and place the machine on top of it, as it wears down grease flakes off and onto whatever’s underneath it. I noticed this one has a slightly different front plate from my other two. My first one’s pedal sheared off and the second one got so wobbly at the structure in the middle I worried I was going to fall over. They are easy to put together and I forgot how smooth and quiet they are new. These are intended for lighter use than I’m putting them through but I really like mine and I’m afraid to buy a more expensive brand and find that it won’t last as long as I know this one does.Original: I've had this for three months and was was holding off on writing a review to figure out what I thought of it. I do go to the gym regularly to actually get my cardio and had a treadmill at home for several years until it broke, prompting me to buy this for additional cardio. It certainly feels weird at first, like you are walking on the moon with little shallow steps and you will be convinced you are about to break your neck but you get used to it pretty quickly. I don't care what resistance you set this thing to (which is nice that it even offers that feature) you are not getting the same level of cardio you would with a treadmill or some other full sized equipment. That said, if otherwise you would just be sitting on your duff watching tv, this is certainly better than nothing. I would not use this as a primary form of cardio for most healthy people who are looking to stay in shape but it is good for getting additional cardio pretty painlessly.It is not something you can just slide under the couch to store but you can certainly shove it in a closet or an out of the way place. It's not that big, it weighs probably 25 or 30 pounds so it isn't too unwieldy to pull out when you need it. I just leave mine out since it isn't that obtrusive, way easier than dealing with a treadmill. I will use it about 30 minutes to an hour a couple times a week and it seems to be holding up. It's pretty quiet so you can watch tv easily. Because it is an unnatural movement I do get sort of numb in the bottom of my feet while I use it, this is not something I have ever had using an elliptical or a treadmill. I assume it is because my feet remain flat the whole time since I don't bend them to pick my foot back up. I don't consider it to be an issue though, I burn through it and everything is normal in the end but it lets you know that the movement isn't natural. It is low impact though which is good. There is a little step counter/timer device provided which may or may not be accurate, I use my fitbit because I stand while using and move my arms.If you are looking to just get some additional cardio and burn a few more calories while watching a boring show, this thing is a solid choice but if you actually need to train for something or are looking for a primary form of exercise, this would not be enough.