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| Product: | Proform 590T Treadmill |
| Star Rating: |  |
Proform makes budget treadmills and their 590T is one such. In fact Proform has another model at the exact same price that the 590 T retails for right now. Of course you may wonder why Proform would want to do this. Well it’s just that there’s one minor difference between the two models.
In fact the 590T was selling at a couple of hundred more before their prices were dropped. The regular sales that Proform comes out with is the best time to get your machines because that’s when you can get really good deals, and the 590T is one such.
Click here to buy the Proform 590 T Treadmill
Now let’s find out exactly what the difference is between the 590T and the Performance 400 which costs the same now.
A Comparison Between The 590T And Performance 400 Treadmills
If you take Proform, they basically offer one standard machine for most of their models. This means that apart from the length of the deck and the motor, the only difference is in the number of programs and in their iFit Live option. They however don’t skimp on their software, after all there’s no additional cost to them to include a couple of programs more.
In their lower cost options, most of the machines are the same. This is because although you get the same base machine, there are a number of cost cutting features. So for example although the iFit Live function is loaded into the machine as standard, you still need to get the wireless adapter extra before you can use it. The adapter may not be too much of an extra, but it’s still an extra cost.
And you get only a 55 inch surface. Although this may seem like enough, keep this in mind. When you run, you really stretch out. Even a slow jog, will have you easily covering twice your shoulder width. And although in a treadmill the surface comes towards you and so you may not need so much space, you easily need at least 10 – 15 inches more than your shoulder width. This means that anything under 60 inches is barely adequate as for the average male, you need at least 48 inches just to walk.
You get only a 2.25 HP motor, which is really not powerful enough for anything more than pushing you along at walking speed. Even if Proform does offer you 25 yrs warranty on the motor, it just doesn’t have enough juice for anything more.
If this seems too much on the negative, and you’re wondering why we’re listing out what seems to be only faults on the Proform, it’s not like that. At this price range, you really don’t get anything else, and you’ll be hard put to find another manufacturer who gives you more.
The good thing about Proform though is that you also get a few extras. For example, getting a heart rate monitor is really surprising at this range. Even if it is only a handgrip one, you don’t even get this with other models. And then the iFit Live system. Even if you do need a wireless adapter it is still an 
option that you can use if you want to.
Now all these specifications are ditto the Performance 400. What makes the 590 T good though is their cushioning system. When compared to other makes, Proform offer a very basic suspension system. It works, and does not cause any reliability issues, but as we said, it’s still very basic. On the 590T the cushioning system is a little more advanced, and is called the ProTech cushioning system. It’s still mechanical, but it gives you a better feel than walking on springs which is how their other models feel.
This was probably the reason for the increased price, but considering that you’re getting it at the same price as a lower end model, it’s still a good deal. You cannot get anything better anywhere else in the market.
Our Recommendation
Bear in mind that the 590T is not for a serious runner. In fact anything more than a fast walk is totally out of the question. Not only don’t you have space enough for it, the motor won’t stand up to this treatment for long.
It’s only what it says it is, a very basic model that gives you some extra features to make life a little comfortable for you. There are many of us who really don’t want a machine on which we can train for the marathon, and the 590T is good enough for us.
We give it a 4 star rating because as we said, it’s a basic model, and although it’s the best that you can get in the market, you really can’t do much with it. Also the warranty is a let down with only 1 yr for parts and labor, although the labor is an in house one.
Don’t get us wrong, it’s quite a good machine for the price, and you’ll not find a better. It’s just that it’s a little difficult to give 5 stars for a machine that is as limited in its scope as this one is.
Click here to buy the Proform 590 T Treadmill
Jenny Allan is the webmaster at TreadmillCritic.com where she provides treadmill, running and fitness advice. If you enjoyed this article you can get FREE updates by RSS. |
