Weslo Elliptical Reviews & Recommendations

The Weslo elliptical is an affordable, entry-level cardio machine for those looking for a basic machine for home use. Weslo, Inc. was founded in 1977 by Scott Watterson and Gary Stevenson, friends and business majors at Utah State University.

It began as an importing business but quickly expanded into the home health and fitness industry when that area began to boom in the 1980’s. Now, it is under the umbrella of ICON Health & Fitness, Inc., the company that also sells top brands in the fitness equipment arena including NordicTrack and ProForm.

While it has expanded to include a wide range of commercial grade fitness equipment, it has maintained the Weslo brand as the main source of basic, inexpensive home equipment. Weslo is geared toward the individual fitness enthusiast who wants to get a quality workout in the comfort of his own home. It includes a full range of ellipticals, treadmills, exercise bikes and accessories to meet all home gym needs.

The Current Weslo Elliptical Lineup

The Weslo elliptical line seems to change by the month, and you can find anywhere from 1-5 models for sale on the company site. As of our 2018 review, only the Momentum G 3.2 remains on the Weslo site. You might find the Momentum G 3.4 and the R 4.2 on other fitness sites as well as Amazon.

The Weslo name has become synonymous with bargain basement prices but that doesn’t mean that Weslo skimps on quality. All of its equipment comes with a number of features, including adjustable seats, easy to read LCD displays and the ability to track and record calories, distance and time. And like all of ICON Health & Fitness’ products, they also include the patented Space Saver folding feature for easy storage.

In general, the Weslo elliptical and other cardio machines are under $500, making them some of the most affordable exercise equipment on the market today. As expected at that price level, they are lightweight, easy to move and, of course, easy to fold away and store. This makes them ideal for home fitness enthusiasts who may not have a lot of space to devote to a home gym.

One feature user reviews note is the Easy Pulse Heart Rate Monitor that lets you track your heart rate so that you know exactly when to speed up or slow down your workout to get the maximum benefit. This is something that more expensive models also provide but you can get it from Weslo without having to tax your wallet, something that the average fitness enthusiast appreciates.

Critics like…

Although these certainly aren’t the best machines on the market, Weslo ellipticals do serve a purpose as they offer a solution for those on a strict budget who want to give exercise a try. All three Weslo Momentum (their lastest models) elliptical machines are under $200, offer heart rate capability and an upper arm workout, among other features. Experts agree that it’s really not a bad choice at that price level.

Critics Don’t Like:

As with most machines under $500, there isn’t too much to excite critics either. Expert reviews note that the quality isn’t great, so workouts can be noisy and shaky. They also won’t support heavier or taller users, with a max of 250 lbs and a 12 inch stride. Even those who aren’t particularly tall will likely not appreciate the short stride.

Of course, with pricing so far on the low end of the spectrum, it’s not surprising that the Weslo ellliptical trainers are known for their quality issues. The company’s cardio machines tend to be cheaper in quality than more expensive models, leading them to both be quite a bit noisier and also to break down much easier. But if cost is an issue for you, then they might still be well worth your consideration.

The Bottom Line on Weslo Elliptical Trainers

The Elliptical Review Guru doesn’t really recommend any elliptical machine under $500 simply because the quality is just not there. However, if you are just looking for an entry-level machine that you can use from time to time for quick workouts, Weslo ellipticals are not a terrible choice.

At around $200 it’s not a big expense at all, and if it doesn’t last very long you won’t be that upset about it. If budget is an issue, go right ahead and buy one of these machines. If you can afford to spend a bit more, you’ll definitely be happier with the quality of your workout.

UPDATE: As of our latest review there don’t seem to be any new ellipticals for sale on the Weslo website. There are a few models available currently at Amazon that you can check out, all under $300.