Do you have a need for speed? Do you love pushing yourself as fast as you can go on your own two feet? If you’re a runner, speedwork is an important part of developing an excellent running base and improving your own skill. Even if you’re not specifically a runner, some of us live for sprinting rather than leisurely jogging.
Which is why we’re comparing the best fast treadmills today. Most treadmills are capped at 12 mph, which is ideal for those who want to train for a marathon, do a quick recovery run, or just burn some calories at the end of the day.
But when you want to do HIIT or sprint training, those won’t do. So here are the best fast treadmills you should be considering if you’re looking for one to supercharge your training. Keep in mind that the fastest treadmills are not always the most affordable treadmills… But they’re worth every penny if you want that speed!
Jump to:
- In A Hurry? Here’s Our Best Picks
- Why Trust BoxLife?
- Who Is This Article For?
- How We Chose the Best Fast Treadmills
- How We Tested Them
- The Best Fast Treadmills – Our Top Picks
- Star Trac 8TR Series Treadmill – Best Overall
- Lifespan TR6000i – Runner-Up
- LifeSpan Fitness TR5500iM – Best Built-In Programs
- Assault Runner Pro – Best Manual Treadmill
- Star Trac 4 Series 4TR Treadmill with 10″ LCD – Best Deck
- Matrix T7xe – Best for HIIT
- Precor TRM 835 with P30 Console – Best Discontinued Treadmill
- Buyer’s Guide: What to Look For In a Fast Treadmill
In A Hurry? Here’s Our Best Picks
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Why Trust BoxLife?
All of us at BoxLife have spent an extensive amount of time pounding away on the deck of a treadmill. Across the board, we’ve spent more hours on treadmills than on any other piece of cardio equipment, so it’s safe to know we know the machine!
But we’re also fastidious about maximizing performance while minimizing injury, so we look at cardio equipment a little differently to most other people. We look deeper than just the shell of the machine—we consider how the motor’s power affects its speed, how the cushioning system protects your joints, and how the built-in features can contribute to your workout.
BoxLife’s mission is to bring you informed, up-to-date information so you can make your own informed choices. Our experience, knowledge, and research… Your gain!
Who Is This Article For?
Not everyone thinks about the top speed of a treadmill. Most people hop on, set it to somewhere in the middle, and do their thing. But then there are those who want more. More power. More movement. And more speed!
If sprint training is an important part of your life, or you enjoy doing HIIT workouts on the treadmill, this guide is for you. We’ve gone out of our way to find the best fast treadmills that outstrip those average-speed machines you find in the gym.
How We Chose the Best Fast Treadmills
Not all of the BoxLife team are speed freaks, but some of us definitely enjoy a bit of a higher pace on the treadmill. We came together and discussed our favorite fast treadmills, and once we had a list, we turned to the internet to fill it out.
We checked Amazon reviews. We read full-on debates on Reddit and treadmill fans arguing on Quora. We searched through retail stores and online sellers to find real-person reviews that were valuable.
This information helped us to grow our list of fast treadmills. From there, we tested them to narrow them down to the 7 you see on this list.
How We Tested Them
We tested treadmill after treadmill side by side, focusing on and comparing the following 7 features:
- Maximum Speed
- Motor CHP
- Weight Capacity
- Incline/Decline
- Deck Size
- Built-In Programs
- Foldability
While maximum speed is the most important factor here, every other feature we tested adds value to the treadmill and is especially useful for those who are serious about their training.
The Best Fast Treadmills – Our Top Picks
Star Trac 8TR Series Treadmill – Best Overall
A well-rounded treadmill that offers everything a fast runner would need.
- Top speed of 14 mph should be enough for most runners
- 15% incline helps to simulate real-world running conditions
- Not foldable
- Quite pricey
This unique-looking treadmill isn’t one that’s regularly found on lists. But with its great top speed and additional features, it comes first on ours!
Why We Like It
In terms of speed, the Star Trac 8TR has a maximum speed of 14 mph. That’s 2 mph more than the average treadmill—which might not sound like much, but it’s quite significant when you’re running at a speed for an extended period of time.
To keep your joints safer at both a light jog and higher speeds, the deck uses a Soft Trac triple-cell cushioning system, which effectively absorbs shock as your feet hit the surface.
An impressive 5 HP AC motor provides great performance and can also handle users of up to 500 lbs, making it an amazing choice for runners of all fitness levels. To better simulate real-world running conditions, there’s an incline of up to 15%.
You can choose between a few different sized OpenHub consoles to suit your own needs. These consoles offer fitness tracking and entertainment options, plus you can set them up to include the features you really want and need.
The consoles also connect directly to the Samsung Galaxy watches and Apple watches, so you can sync your workout with your smartwatch for ease. Whichever console you choose, they’re Bluetooth and ANT+ compatible, so you should be able to sync up to other devices without too much trouble as well.
With around 14 built-in programs, a USB port, a fan, multiple bottle/accessory holders, and a service light, there’s not much missing from this treadmill.
The one thing to be aware of before you buy is that it doesn’t fold. If you’re short on space, you may want to consider one of the foldable options on this list!
Pros
- Top speed of 14 mph should be enough for most runners
- 15% incline helps to simulate real-world running conditions
- Triple cell cushioning system provides shock absorption for users up to 500 lbs
- OpenHub console allows you to choose the features you want
Cons
- Not foldable
- Quite pricey
Key Specs
| Maximum Speed | 14 mph |
| Motor CHP | 5 HP AC motor |
| Weight Capacity | 500 lbs |
| Incline/Decline | 15% incline |
| Deck Size | 60 x 21.5 inches |
| Built-In Programs | 14+ pre-set programs |
| Foldability | Not foldable |
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a treadmill that allows you to run faster than the average commercial machine and has a good amount of extras, the Star Trac 8TR Series Treadmill is a great choice. The only potential issue is the lack of foldability, so it’s best for those who have a dedicated space to leave it up all the time.
Lifespan TR6000i – Runner-Up
Great machine, great price.
- Top speed of 13.5 mph
- Incline and decline options
- Doesn’t fold
- Unclear if warranty covers residential as well as commercial
The Lifespan TR6000i is a fantastic treadmill for home use. A higher-than-average speed, multiple handy features, and a nice price make it a good choice if you’re looking for something a little better than the average machine.
Why We Like It
This is a robust treadmill, featuring a steel frame and a powerful 3.5 HP Continuous Duty AC motor. Both are covered by a lifetime warranty, which gets a bit thumbs-up from us.
While technically this is a commercial-grade treadmill, its price is more home-friendly. Within that price range, it’s unusual to find treadmills that go faster than 12 mph, so it was a pleasant surprise to find that the TR6000i can hit 13.5 mph.
In addition, there’s a 13% incline, which is a little shorter than most. But you’ll also find a 3% decline, which is unusual but much appreciated by those who want the option for a real-life-like a run as possible.
Your joints are decently protected by the 8 shock absorbers built into the 1-inch, heat-resistant deck, which runs on 3” and 2” rollers.
We also like that the deck is a little wider than average, at 22 inches in width and 60 inches in length, so you can run freely without feeling cramped.
The weight capacity of 350 lbs is tight in the middle of the range. You can find treadmills that hold more, but the general capacity for home treadmills is 300 lbs, so we’re still pretty happy with it.
It includes 19 built-in programs, 2 custom programs, 2 heart rate programs, and 2 fitness tests—the Rockport Fitness Test and the Navy Fitness Test.
The only possible downside is that it’s not foldable, but it does include wheels for easy moving around if you need to.
Pros
- Top speed of 13.5 mph allows you to run faster than most commercial machines
- Incline and decline options make you feel like you’re running on the road or trail
- Excellent array of built-in programs to choose from
- Extra-wide deck makes it feel spacious and comfortable to run on
Cons
- Doesn’t fold
- Unclear if warranty covers residential as well as commercial
Key Specs
| Maximum Speed | 13.5 mph |
| Motor CHP | 3.5 HP Continuous Duty AC |
| Weight Capacity | 350 lbs |
| Incline/Decline | 13 levels of incline, 3 levels of decline |
| Deck Size | 60 x 22 inches |
| Built-In Programs | 19 preset programs (5 weight management, 5 healthy living, 7 sports training, warm up, cool down), 2 heart rate programs, and 2 customized user program |
| Foldability | Not foldable |
Final Thoughts
An excellent machine with a good top speed and multiple built-in programs to suit anyone’s training needs. We love that it includes a decline option and that the dek is a little wider than average for spacious running.
LifeSpan Fitness TR5500iM – Best Built-In Programs
