buying treadmill

I am pre-surgery but want to buy a treadmill for exercise.  I am on a tight budget.  I have seen them priced low to high.  What did you look for when buying one?  Are there any features that are a must have?

I'm not sure how much help I'll be because I go to a gym and have access to the really good ones, but I'll give it a go. One thing that is very important (and I'm pretty sure most all of them have it) is an emergency stop.  Another thing I think would be good to have is the ability to do some incline.  You will want a good quality one that has a good warranty and doesn't have a reputation of breaking down or need repairing.  I also like them to be easily able to maintain their speed.  Some don't do as well as others.  If I were you, I'd actually get on a few and see what you like about them.  You might even look into places that sell the really expensive ones so you can feel the difference and see what features you really like. If you are adamantly against joining a gym, I understand, but a lot of gyms have people of all different ages, shapes, and sizes who are really very supportive.  I love the social aspect of the gym I belong to.  Then there are always classes you can attend when you get bored with what you're doing.  I do spin classes all the time and have done some yoga and Tai Chi Chih and have recently begun using the pool. I don't know if I was any help, but that's how I feel about it. Linn

I put a lot of time and effort into figuring out what kind of treadmill I wanted to get.  I had one before that was cheap and was worse than not having one.  The belt slipped and the platform was unstable. I know you said you were on a budget but I have to be honest and tell you that I found that you get what you pay for when dealing with treadmills.  Payment plans are an option.  Checking the for sale papers for a used one is also a good option. I bought a precor. Yes it was outrageously expensive.  I took a side job a few years back just long enough to pay it and the extra taxes incurred by the job.  I wanted the treadmill.  LOL Here is why I ended up with the treadmill that I did: *I weighed in around 350 at the time and the max weight was an issue.  Some cheaper treadmills only have a max weight to 275. *I didn't want a portable one because you give up stability. *I got a non-floating one for stability and security as I walked. *I got the auto stop device in case I went flying--I did this once at a gym without the autostop device.  I was not the most graceful creature preop. *I looked at maintenance and consumer satisfaction.  I had one previously that had to be adjusted every time I used it.  I have had this one for 4 years and not had to adjust one thing on it. *I looked into the future (me being more fit) and got one that could incline and monitor but the monitors really aren't that important because you can always buy a heart rate monitor elsewhere. *I got an electric one because when I started the manual kind was just too hard to do and hurt me.  Now I am glad I have it for all the adjustments I can make using the incline and programs.  I live on the coast and hills are hard to find.  I like to hike and head to Colorado when I can.  It helps me train and not have to suck wind from all the climbing. I recommend haunting the fitness shops that stock them and trying them all out no matter how long it takes.  Ask which ones sell the most.  Ask about repairs and service.  They expect you to try them out.   Hope this helps. Katy B