How do you find top rated treadmills? There are several ways to choose and this article will give you the 3 easiest ways to find the best rated treadmill - for you.

#1 Know the Key Ingredients To A High Quality Treadmill

Treadmills offer lots of features however there are 4 key features that make up a high quality unit. These are motor power, cushioning, stability and warranty.

The motor is the heart of your machine and usually the most expensive part to fix. You want a high-powered, well-built motor. Try to find at least a motor power of 2.0 Continuous Duty HP, preferably higher. Don't be fooled by peak duty ratings which many cheaper treadmills try to list instead of continuous duty power.

Think of it this way - a 1.5 HP motor has to work twice as hard as a 3.0 HP motor - so it will burn out long before the 3.0 HP motor, all other things being equal.

Good cushioning is essential - especially for runners and frequent exercisers. A proper cushioning system protects your joints and ligaments. A bad cushioning system can cause physical injuries and even put you out of commission for a while.

Stability, according to Runner's World, is the most important feature of a treadmill. You don't want it to shake or wobble when you pick up your pace. Heavier treadmills tend to be more stable. Also look for higher user weight capacities (over 300 pounds) for indications of higher stability.

Your warranty is an excellent indication of the quality of parts used in construction. A long warranty (especially on the motor and parts) often indicates a top treadmill.

#2 Read Expert Reviews

There are several expert reviews you can read to find the best rated treadmills. Examples of expert ratings include Runner's World, Consumer Reports and Consumer Guide.

Keep in mind however that each of these reviewers may give more weight to various features - so they won't all agree. Also, they often review different brands which again can give different results. Reading expert ratings will also give you an idea of which brands tend to rate highly over and over again.

#3 Choose a High Quality Brand With A Good Reputation

Just as Schwinn has one of the best reputations for building exercise bikes, there are certain manufacturers that produce top rated treadmills as well. Just as important, there are other brands that you'll want to avoid who don't have a great track record.

When reading reviews (both expert and consumer), try to get a sense of which brands usually have positive reviews. I say usually because every brand sometimes makes a dud - and those people are often the ones that post reviews, not the people who had great experiences.

Also, some review sites allow anyone to post reviews and you really don't know who is posting - a real person or someone working for the competition. But by researching, you will start to get a sense of which brands rate well in general, and which brands do not.

So those are 3 easy ways to find the best-rated treadmills.

Keep in mind that even if a treadmill is top-rated, you should also consider your own personal workout needs when buying.

For example, while a commercial grade Landice may get high expert ratings, it also starts at $3000 and may be way more than you need to spend. On the other hand, if you're a frequent runner, a good cushioning system is a must to protect your ankles, knees, and back - so an $800 department store treadmill just isn't going to cut it.

While buying a treadmill may seem confusing at first - it's really not hard. By keeping the above 3 things in mind when buying, you'll easily find the best rated treadmill - for you!