Best for Home Use
Best for Serious Runners
Best for Walkers
Best for Seniors
ProForm SMART Pro 5000 Review
Brian is a regular competitor and national qualifier in the National Physique Committee events of bodybuilding and classic physique. A veteran writer and editor of more than 24 years, he's published numerous articles on fitness, health, and exercise.
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Jessica is a NASM-certified personal trainer, nutrition coach, and behaviour change specialist. From teens to older adults, she is experienced in addressing unique fitness considerations associated with all age groups.
Read full bio >A luxury-laden trainer for runners and power walkers, the ProForm SMART Pro 5000 Treadmill is built for widespread appeal. This treadmill for the whole family combines fun high-tech features with essentials that meet the standards of serious athletes: a long track, high top speed, great impact deflection, wireless pulse monitoring and so forth. It even has power incline and decline to simulate outdoor training and add to the physical challenge. This Pro Series treadmill comes with a high-definition 10″ touchscreen control panel. The comes into play as the unit is enabled for the iFit Coach fitness platform and comes with a one-year family membership.
The new Pro 5000 treadmill can be a bargain at the online sale price of $1,699 or less. It’s probably not a bad deal at full price either considering the long warranty: 10 years on the frame, two years for the parts, and one year for labor. But before you make a purchase, we encourage you to compare the Pro 5000 treadmill with a nearly identical model from NordicTrack: the Commercial 1750 ($1,799 or less on sale). NordicTrack’s Commercial 1750 seems to have a slight edge over ProForm’s Pro 5000 in terms of reliability, plus it provides a bit more horsepower and even more workout programs.
What We Like:
- High Capacity Motor: The SMART Pro 5000 treadmill has a 3.75 CHP Mach Z Commercial Pro motor. Its power is more than adequate for the typical family’s training needs.
- HD Display: The console’s 10″ touchscreen gives access to workout data. Additionally you can easily bring your own apps along; the console has a bracket for securely attaching your tablet computer.
- iFit Enabled: The Pro 5000 is enabled for iFit Coach, a popular all-in-one fitness app. The many features of iFit Coach include an excellent video workout library; simulated outdoor hiking on your treadmill with any Google Maps route; customized personal training plans that adapt to your activity log; automated data logging; and lots more. The new high-definition screen on the new Pro 5000 is a great match for certain iFit features, particularly the HD exercise videos and Google Maps workouts with interactive Street Views. iFit Coach can add big value to the treadmill and your fitness/health in general. New members get a wearable device called the Vue to use for heart rate monitoring, counting steps, tracking calorie burn and sending yourself health-related reminders.
- Audio Auxiliary Port: Equipped with dual 3″ Bluetooth Speakers, runners can interact with live trainers or listen to music while running.
- Incline and Decline: The automated ramp has an impressive range of -3% to 15% decline and incline. We see plenty of treadmills with power inclines, but declines aren’t yet common. The ramp is a helpful tool for boosting your metabolic rate and training your muscles in different ways, plus it makes exercise more interesting.
- Oversized Track: The Pro 5000’s track measures 60″ long x 22″ wide, which is wider than most and offers enough room for almost any runner. This model is also equipped with a maintenance-free tread belt.
- Running Comfort: The treadmill is equipped with a CoolAire Fan to help runners stay fresh during long sessions.
- Heart Rate Monitoring: The Pro 5000 arrives EKG Grip Pulse Rate Sensor on its handlebars.
- Folding Design: This cardio trainer makes it easy to reclaim floor space after workout time. If you push on the treadmill’s deck, it will fold upward with shock-assist technology called EasyLift Assist.
- Warranty: Customers get a 10-year warranty on the Pro 5000’s frame, two years on parts, and one year of service.
ProForm SMART Pro 5000 Treadmill - Key Specs:
| Star Rating: | 4.5-stars |
|---|---|
| Motor: | 3.75 HP |
| Incline: | -3 to 15% |
| Running Area: | 22" x 60" |
| Folding: | Yes |
| Top Speed: | 12 MPH |
| Weight Capacity: | 300 LBS |
| Dimensions: | 79" L x 39.15" W x 71.4" H |
| Built-In Programs: | 34 |
- Customer Service: The manufacturer’s customer service frequently gets poor reviews. Waiting times can be long on the phone, and replacement parts can take awhile to arrive.
- Return Policy: ProForm offers a money-back guarantee but the customer could still end up paying for return shipping and a 10 percent restocking fee.
See ProForm’s Video on the PRO 5000
Our Verdict:
When sold at a discount, the ProForm SMART Pro 5000 is a top choice for those with $1,700 treadmill budgets. It’s powerful enough to support seasoned runners but provides tailored training for less experienced users too. The new HD touchscreen (plus a sound system and tablet holder) help make it a motivating presence in home gyms. A small hesitation is that not every customer receives a perfect machine, and then customer service can be slow.
We recommend considering a popular alternative with a similar (or lower) sale price: the nearly identical Commercial 1750 from NordicTrack. NordicTrack and ProForm have the same parent company, and if you compare their machines part-by-part you’ll see lots of overlap. The Commercial 1750 gives you everything that the Pro 5000 does and a bit more. Most importantly, NordicTrack treadmills have a better reputation for arriving in perfect condition.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is this treadmill's noise level?
Our experience, as well as that of other reviewers, is that this treadmill is relatively quiet. The unit shouldn't interfere with roommates or other family members while in operation.
Is this treadmill easy to assemble/disassemble?
It is a heavy unit and having two people to assemble would be helpful. That said, the instructions are quite clear and not particularly complicated.
How is ProForm's customer service?
In fairness, since the global quarantine was issued due to COVID-19, customer service has been problematic for all manufactures whether exercise related or not. Customer reviews have not been positive to for anyone's service. That said, our experience is that ProForm is a good brand and is doing the best they can, as are their peers.