Compact crosstrainers used to be built quite poorly. You used to have to sacrifice quality to get a compact design. And the cheaper the unit, the faster it would break down.

However the good news is that you have many different options today when looking for a compact home elliptical.

There are many different ways to save space with your elliptical - without buying a cheap, low quality unit.

This article will lay out your choices and where to look for the best compact home elliptical trainers.

Choice #1 - Buy A Folding Elliptical.

It used to be that treadmills were the only pieces of fitness equipment that folded. However folding ellipticals are now starting to trickle onto the market - and they're very popular.

The main brands that produce folding ellipticals are Proform and Nordic Track.

These usually are called SpaceSaver ellipticals and also come with some fun goodies like mp3 hookup and built in speakers, lots of workout programs, heart rate monitors and more.

Generally on folding ellipticals the base and pedals fold vertically and lock into place.

One drawback to a folding elliptical is that they tend to be economy grade machines (under $1000).

So if you're looking for a commercial machine, you might want to consider the 2 side flywheel design found on higher end ellipticals. (See below.)

Choice #2 - Choose A Compact Designed Elliptical.

If you have a bit more space but still want a fairly compact elliptical, there are some newer models out now that are designed to be quite narrow.

For example, Proform has introduced their Razor elliptical series that are about half as wide as traditional ellipticals.

They still run a similar length but at least you save a bit on the width and so they will slide into narrow exercise spaces.

Again however, many of these are economy machines. If you're looking for a higher end compact elliptical you might want to check out choice #3.

Choice #3 - Go With A 2 Side Flywheel Design.

You may have noticed this new design creeping into the commercial elliptical market. Instead of the traditional 1 large flywheel out front of the elliptical, there are 2 smaller flywheels on each side of the machine.

This brings the legs closer together and some people claim it gives a smoother feel. Some companies also claim that this puts the user into a more proper workout posture which optimizes their workout.

The other main advantage to this design is that it makes the elliptical much more compact - without compromising on stability or quality.

The elliptical is not as long as the traditional model - more square and boxy. However be aware that these machines can still be quite heavy to move.

So those are your 3 options when looking for a compact home elliptical. Remember that most ellipticals - even if they are not compact - also come with wheels on the bottom so you can move them around easily.

Regardless of what you choose to buy, remember to consider everyone who will using the elliptical, their height, weight and preferred stride length.