Best cross trainer: 7 top elliptical machines for home workouts

Looking to buy yourself the best cross trainer? Whether you were an avid gym-goer before COVID-19 and would rather get fit from home in the current climate, or, perhaps you don't have the time to go to the gym? Either one is understandable. And, buying a cross trainer is a smart idea should you want to get in a full-body workout from home, with limited space. These machines don't just work your legs. but your arms and your abdomen, too. 

We've done a load of research and have listed the very best cross trainers in the UK, below. When choosing these products, we considered many things such as how many workout programmes each cross trainer has, each one's stride length, and whether it offers an incline mode, too. Keep scrolling for the best cross trainer under £500, the best cross trainer for toning and so much more.

Once you've bought the cross trainer best suited to your needs, find more of the best home gym equipment by reading our guide.

The best cross trainers

Designed to be both durable and stylish at the same time, the JLL CT300 Elliptical Cross Trainer can simulate climbing, walking or running, all without causing excessive pressure on your joints. It has a nine-function LCD display monitor that shows RPM, speed, distance, time, temperature, heart rate, calories, body fat and pulse; and its dual-action handlebars feature comfortable foam grips. It features eight levels of magnetic resistance and you can pedal forwards and backwards thanks to its 5.5kg flywheel. Our favourite part? It has a tablet holder for those who like to catch up on their favourite programme while exercising instead of looking at the number of calories they've burned, and it's on wheels so it can be easily moved around your home gym.

• Buy the JLL CT300 Elliptical Cross Trainer

If you've ever set foot in a gym, it's likely you've spied a Life Fitness machine or two, so you know that you're probably in good hands. The Life Fitness E1 Elliptical Cross Trainer as high tech as they come, and almost endlessly variable for every member of the family. As well as being able to save up to four distinct user profiles, the E1 is also smart stuff: the Track+ console connects to Android and Apple smart devices to create personalised workouts, track in real time and talk to your favourite fitness apps, allowing everyone to embark on their own personal fitness journey. The best cross trainer for those looking for a machine with lots of different modes, we think.

• Buy the Life Fitness E1 Elliptical Cross Trainer

For those who are building their very home gym, the NordicTrack FreeStride FS7i Elliptical 3-in-1 trainer could be the ideal piece of kit for your workouts. Not only is the machine feature-packed with 24 workout programmes and an adjustable stride, but it’s also perfect for multiple people to use even if they have different fitness levels. You might need a hand putting it together, but once it’s up it’s said to be easy to operate, and it has a sound system so you can motivate yourself with your favourite tunes during a workout. Other features include a fan and Bluetooth compatibility to your smart device to track your progress. Our pick of the best cross trainer for those who are after a 3-in-1 model.

• Buy NordicTrack FreeStride FS7i Elliptical

This is another great space-saving piece of equipment, but what the JTX Strider X7 lacks, the NordicTrack SpaceSaver makes up for. This is quite a technical machine, so for those who aren’t that tech-savvy you may find it tricky to make the most of it. The cross trainer can connect to your smartphone or tablet to track your progress and you can even connect to GPS and simulate real-life runs for a smarter, more interesting workout (you will need to get the iFit app though). It’s said to be super heavy and a bit of a mission to get it up the stairs but once it’s in it will slip into a small space without making the place look untidy.  

• Buy the NordicTrack SpaceSaver

Ideal for occasional use or for beginners who don't want to spend an arm and a leg on a high-tech, pricey machine, the Reebok ZR8 Cross Trainer features 19 programmes, 12 of which are pre-set workouts. Its 5.75in LCD control displays speed, distance, time, calories and pulse rate. The machine runs pretty quietly – ideal if the machine is in a spare bedroom – and smoothly. There's no incline function to simulate a hill, but you can increase the resistance to make your workout harder. For those who are conscious about it being on show in the middle of the living room, this cross trainer is on wheels, meaning it can be easily moved out of sight when not in use. And a big plus is its price tag. Perfect if you think it might spend more time under your discarded clothes than you.

• Buy the Reebok ZR8 Cross Trainer

If you’re thinking of investing in your first cross trainer and don’t want to spend too much money, then the JTX Strider-X7 Magnetic Cross Trainer could be the machine to help you get started. It boasts no-frills, but it’s a slim machine that can be folded away when not in use which is also great for those who lack the space for a bigger feature-packed machine. You’ll have a large console with 21 different workout programmes so you can still monitor your progress as you go, and it uses magnetic resistance which means you’ll still get the same smooth experience as with some of the other cross trainers on the list. The best cross trainer if you're a beginner.

• Buy the JTX Strider-X7 Magnetic Cross Trainer
• Pre-order this cross trainer from JTX now for £399

The Bowflex Max M5 set-stride elliptical trainer will force you to have a hard workout with its positioning designed to increase core and upper body toning by up to 80 per cent. You’ll have 16 different resistance levels and you can monitor your training on the LCD screen and sync it to the free Max Trainer app that is available on both iPhone and Android. The only downside is you can only register two users to this machine, which can be a little annoying if the whole family want to use it to track their goals. The machine itself is also said to be very sturdy and pretty compact.

• Buy the Bowflex Max M5 set-stride elliptical trainer

• Jump back to the top of the page

How to buy the best cross trainer

There are a few different types of cross trainer you can buy, and some things you’ll want to consider before choosing the right elliptical machine for you.

Electromagnet or belt resistance?
There are different types of resistance that can be used on these machines, the most common being electromagnetic, with some cheaper models having a belt resistance. 

Stride lengths
If you’re looking for a cross trainer that can be used by multiple members of the family, then make sure you pick a cross trainer with variable stride lengths. This will allow you to adjust the length of your strides depending on your size and what type of workout you want to do.

LCD monitor
If you'd like to track your progress and have access to pre-set workout programmes so you can make the most of your machine at home, then make sure the cross trainer you use has an LCD monitor to display this information.

Price
For some of the most high-end machines, you’ll be looking at setting yourself back up to £2,500, but if you’re on a budget or short of space, there are plenty of more basic options available for as little as under £200. Consider the type of training you want to invest in and then see what each of our choices has to offer…

• Find out how to create a home gym in our practical advice guide

Trying to get your hands on more gym equipment?

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• The best home spin bikes
• The best treadmills
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