Life Fitness Elliptical Reviews and Ratings
Life Fitness has built a reputation over decades for producing some of the most durable and well-engineered cardio equipment on the market.
Their ellipticals are designed to feel smooth, stable and refined, with a strong emphasis on long-term reliability.

That level of quality comes at a higher price point, which raises an important question for home users — are these machines actually worth the investment, or are you paying more than you need to?
In this guide, I’ll break down the current Life Fitness elliptical lineup, compare the key models, and help you decide whether they make sense for your needs — or if there are better alternatives at a lower cost.
It’s also worth noting that Life Fitness keeps its lineup fairly tight, with only a handful of models available compared to most other brands.
That makes choosing easier — but it also means you’re working within a much narrower range of options.
Check current Life Fitness models and pricing here →
Life Fitness Ellipticals Compared: Quick Overview
| Model | Best For | Key Differences |
|---|---|---|
| E1 | Entry-level Life Fitness buyers | Lowest price, 20” fixed stride, simple premium home option |
| E3 | Most buyers / best overall | Quieter feel, lower step-up height, Coach Zone training |
| E5 | Premium home users | Adjustable 18”–24” stride, more customization |
| Club Series+ | Commercial-style training | Gym-quality durability, 25 resistance levels, larger footprint |
Best Life Fitness Elliptical For Home Use: E3
If you’re looking for the best balance of comfort, quality and price in the current Life Fitness lineup, the E3 is the one I would start with.
It keeps the same 20” stride length and console choices as the E1, but adds a heavier overall build, a lower step-up height and Coach Zone training, which makes it feel like the more refined home model.
The E5 does add adjustable stride capability, but for most buyers that upgrade comes at a much higher price than they really need to spend.
You can check current pricing on the Life Fitness E3 →
How Do Life Fitness Ellipticals Compare to Other Brands?
Compared to brands like Matrix, NordicTrack and Sole, Life Fitness focuses more on long-term durability and less on tech features or price competitiveness.
That makes them a strong option for certain buyers — but not necessarily the best fit for most home gyms.
Who Should Consider a Life Fitness Elliptical?
Life Fitness ellipticals are best suited for buyers who prioritize durability, build quality and long-term reliability over price.
If you’re setting up a high-end home gym and want equipment that feels closer to what you’d find in a fitness facility, these machines can make sense.
However, for most home users, there are alternatives that offer a similar workout experience with more features and better overall value.
The Current Life Fitness Elliptical Lineup
Life Fitness still offers a handful of ellipticals, but the lineup has become much more focused in recent years, with fewer models targeted specifically at home users.
The main options today include the E Series for home use and the Club Series+ for those looking for a true commercial-style machine. Older series like the X Series are largely discontinued but may still be available on the used market.
E Series
The E Series consists of the recently introduced E1, E3 and the top of the line E5.
The E Series has everything the recently discontinued X Series had, but adds an additional console option called Track Connect. The E3 gives you Coach Zone training like the X3, and E5 actually gives you an adjustable stride from 18-24 inches, rather than the fixed 20″ on all other models.
Note that the E Series also gives you higher 400 lb. max user weight capacity and better warranty coverage on the parts.
Club Series
At the top of the line you have the new Club Series Plus.
There were three other models in the series but they are no longer available: the base Club Series, the high end Platinum Club Series elliptical and the ultra expensive Platinum Club Flex Strider.
The Club Series is as close as it gets to the Life Fitness elliptical trainers you’d find at your health club. They’re built extra strong to stand up to heavier usage, and have features and capabilities not found on the other models.
Recently Discontinued Models
Older series like the X Series and FS models have largely been phased out and are no longer part of the current lineup. You may still come across them on the used market, but they are no longer actively sold or supported as primary models.
What do the experts say about the Life Fitness ellipticals?
Most industry experts and personal trainers like these machines a lot. Life Fitness is a great brand, which is why so many health clubs around the world feature their ellipticals and other gym equipment.
The experts like the variety of features, the resistance levels, programs and extra bells and whistles. The warranties are pretty good, but not much better than many of the other brands that cost a little less. They are very easy to use as well.
Even though they are high quality, advanced ellipticals you can get right on and within a short amount of time figure everything out. They are very user-friendly and the motion is smooth and fluid.
Of course, no business is perfect and Life Fitness ellipticals are not without their flaws. One thing most critics agree on is the fact that these machines are very pricey.
The cheapest model, the E1 elliptical, starts just under $3000 and it goes all the way up to $6000 or higher depending on the different options you have. You can get a very good machine with all of the features you really need for around $2500 or so from companies like NordicTrack & Sole.
However, if you have the budget for it, you certainly won’t be disappointed.
One thing that has been improving is their customer service. In the past some customers have complained about not being able to get the assistance they require. But this has always been an industry wide problem unfortunately.
Even the biggest manufacturer of ellipticals, ICON Fitness, has been known to have real issues with customer service. But given the quality of the Life Fitness machines, customer service shouldn’t be something you have to worry about anyway.
Are Life Fitness Ellipticals Worth It?
There’s no question that Life Fitness builds extremely durable, high-quality machines. These are ellipticals designed to last for years and handle heavy, consistent use.
However, that level of build quality comes at a price — and for many home users, it may be more than necessary.
If your goal is to get a smooth, comfortable workout at home, brands like Matrix, NordicTrack and Sole often offer a better balance of features, price and usability.
That said, if you want a true premium machine and don’t mind paying for it, Life Fitness is still one of the most reliable choices available.
Bottom line: Life Fitness ellipticals are excellent machines, but for most home users, there are more practical options that deliver similar performance for less money.


This is currently one of the top selling ellipticals at NordicTrack. And with these features and this price it's no surprise why.
