Horizon Treadmills: Top Picks for Walkers & Runners (2024)

Horizon treadmills are some of my favorites to review. After visiting their corporate showroom up in Cottage Grove, Wisconsin, I can see more clearly where the differences lie between they and their rivals. A part of the Johnson Health Tech corporate family along with the Matrix lineup, the company’s origins go back to 1975 when a young entrepreneurial engineer named Peter Lo founded Johnson Metals in Taiwan, naming it for a nearby mountain, Xueshan, which sounds like “Johnson” in English. The first fitness products made include weight plates for barbells, but by 1995 the company had acquired Trek Fitness and by 1998 Horizon Fitness was born, both of which focused on cardio machines. In 2001, the Matrix lineup came aboard.

From my time reviewing the Horizon machines, it’s clear that the emphasis is placed on the machine as opposed to the programming. This is a strategic level from the top. Whereas some treadmill manufacturers are launching their own proprietary workout apps and artificial intelligence programming which control the units, the Horizon lineup is designed to work independently with a number of different programs or none at all. Meanwhile, the commitment the company makes to its products is demonstrated by the lifetime warranties found on both its motors and frames. Meanwhile, I’ve noticed that the treadmills with larger high-definition screens that require proprietary apps not only require a monthly membership fee, but also come with warranties closer to the 10-year mark.

The biggest difference between the Horizon lineup and that of Matrix is in the price. Horizon offers two lineups of treadmills, the Go Series and the Studio Series, both of which are budget-friendly, but the latter is better suited for streaming programming as opposed to more simple usage. If you’re shopping for treadmills this season, be sure to read up on our Five Step Buying Guide for good information on what to check out. You’ll see the Horizon lineup stacks up well against the competition when it comes to decks and belts, and particularly with motors.

Our guides kicked off our trip with a complete tour of the Horizon treadmills facility, explaining their approach from research and development and proof of concept to marketing, customer service, and much more. Photo by: Jessica Jones / TreadmillReviews.net

Why You Should Trust Our Review Of The Horizon Brand

At TreadmillReviews.net, we bring you comprehensive reviews of treadmills so you can decide which one is right for you. Our staff thoroughly test all the treadmills we review. We install them, walk on them, run on them, and try out all of the features. We get to know each and every treadmill we review extremely well. Our reviewers log miles on the deck. We listen and record the sound of the motor, we test and measure the incline/decline, try out all aspects of the console and try the treadmill’s features, such as the apps.

Every treadmill we review undergoes the same rigorous process. That way we can compare and contrast them and give you an honest review of what we think.

Our reviewers are treadmill and fitness experts. Brian, the author of this review, is a competitive bodybuilder, and is a 7-time national qualifier in both men’s bodybuilding and classic physique within the NPC competitions. He has coached and been coached on cardiovascular training, HIIT, and nutrition, particularly as it pertains to weight loss for competitions. He is an expert at treadmills, has been on this treadmill, and you can trust his opinion on all of the treadmills he reviews.

TreadmillReviews.net editors Brian and Jessica assess products at Johnson Fitness. Photo by: Oleksandr Kosheliev / TreadmilReviews.net

Pros:

• Price Point: Horizon treadmills offer an affordable price point that most home-gym shoppers will appreciate. If you’re just starting your fitness journey, you probably don’t want to spend a small fortune on a machine. Horizon is the perfect place to start. The cheapest option, the T101, can be found on sale for just $699, and from there you can move up to the 7.8 AT model which is priced at $1,999 and offers a five-year warranty on parts and two years on labor.
• Rapid Sync Motor Tech: All of the Studio Series treadmills from Horizon use a new breed of electric motors Horizon has dubbed Rapid Sync. This allows the treadmill’s motor to speed up and slow down faster than the competition, which is great for high intensity interval training.
• Program Variety: Between the ability to connect to various training apps and the inclusion of a broad range of on-board training programs, it’s hard to get bored running on any of Horizon’s treadmills.
• Roomy Track Size: Roomy track size is important for runners, and Horizon does not disappoint in this regard. With their lengths ranging from 55 to 60-inches, there’s a machine to suit everyone. 
• Variable Response Suspension: This means that you’ll get varying levels of cushioning depending on where you are on the treadmill, which allows for the optimal overall shock absorption.
• Incline: Horizon offers power inclines on its treadmills between 10% and 15% depending on the model. This is great news for anyone hoping to burn more calories, tone their leg muscles, add cardio fitness, or enhance their resting metabolic rate.
• Folding Capabilities: Working out in a small space? Horizon has got you covered. You can easily fold up all of their treadmills for storage with the help of their FeatherLight hydraulic system, which makes moving the treadmill into its vertical position a breeze.
• High Weight Limits: These treadmills are able to support users up to 350 pounds, providing a sturdy build despite the light, easily-foldable design.
• Easy Media Access: Every Horizon treadmill in the current lineup comes with a tablet rack or multi-position tablet holder as well as built-in speakers (which are Bluetooth on some models), bringing a whole host of entertainment options to your workout. Many of the models across the range also offer USB charging ports..    
• Excellent Warranty Coverage: Warranty packages vary between models, but Horizon is generally quite generous when it comes to warranties and ensures their customers are taken care of.

Cons:

• Thin Decks: These machines have thin decks, so they aren’t the best at absorbing sound.
• Basic Consoles: Due to the choice of relying on third-party apps for streaming services, the consoles on Horizon treadmills are not the same slick touchscreen units seen on many other machines throughout the industry. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as simple tech still gets the job done, but it’s something to keep in mind.

What to Look for When Shopping for a Horizon Treadmill

Programming

Rather than going the route of creating their own interactive/streaming training programming, Horizon takes the brand-agnostic approach, meaning they provide users the opportunity to sync up with a variety of training apps including Studio, Peloton, Aaptiv, Daily Burn, and others.

It’s a clever move that not only saves them from hefty capital investment but also gives users more variety in terms of their available workout options. Great as Peloton, Echelon, and NordicTrack’s iFit capability is, everyone has their preferences when it comes to working out and instructor style, and this way, if you don’t like one app, you can easily cancel and move onto the next. Furthermore, Horizon isn’t scrapping built-in programming to make way for software the way we’ve been seeing from other brands, so you can simply just hop on and work out on these machines without an additional monthly subscription cost.

Cost to Value Ratio

Sale prices for Horizon treadmills range from $699 for the T101 to $1,999 for the 7.8 AT:

• T101
• T202
• T303
• 7.0 AT
• 7.4 AT 
• 7.8 AT

Walking vs. Running Horizon Options

All Horizon treadmills are foldable, and the entry level GO series treadmills are more geared towards walkers and joggers than runners. The 7.4 AT and 7.8 AT are the best models in the range for running, featuring extended tracks for comfortable running strides. To visually compare all the Horizon treadmills, see our comparison chart below for a quick overview of track dimensions, motor power, and other crucial specs.

Check out our Horizon Fitness Comparison Chart:

Our Verdict:

For buyers with small to medium budgets, Horizon treadmills offer good value for the money. The compact T101 in particular is one of our best buys for under $1000 since, although it saves on horsepower and track space, it benefits from other features not normally found in the price range.

Serious runners who train more regularly and intensely should look towards Horizon’s Studio Series. These machines are large and powerful enough to accommodate the everyday runner’s workout needs. These cardio machines won’t last as long as more expensive options on the market, but they will keep users happy over years of training sessions.

Recent Updates

• November 24, 2023: Updated specs
• July 13, 2021: Added some FAQs to the page.