The best under-desk treadmills 2024: Up your step count with these walking pads
The best under-desk treadmills for work and home
1. The list in brief
2. Best overall
3. Best budget treadmill
4. Best for beginners
5. Best for storage
6. Best for runners
7. All specifications
8. How to choose
9. How we test
The best under-desk treadmills can change the way you work, watch TV and exercise. Finding the time to get your steps in can be a challenge, especially if you work in an office and are used to a largely sedentary home life. To fill this need, there are more under-desk treadmill options then ever before. These take the stand-up desk revolution to the next logical step – pardon the pun.
Of course, these treadmills don't have to be all about work: you may simply want to watch your streaming service of choice and put in some serious miles, rather than building up that guilt from all that lying on the sofa.
If you're here, you probably already know that we should be walking more. But you may not know the American Journal of Public Health suggests that sitting down an excessive amount – meaning more than eight hours a day – can increase the risk of premature death or the development of some chronic diseases by 10% to 20%.
So while the best office chairs and the best gaming chairs help support your back and posture, it's these treadmills that actively improve blood flow, strengthen what's weak and help to loosen what's tight for an all round better feeling of health.
Combine one of the treadmills on this list with one of the best standing desks and you could genuinely change your health, without investing any time in walking for the sake of it. We're in the process of reviewing a new tread to add to this guide: the Mobvoi Home Treadmill. The Mobvoi Home Treadmill SE, a version of the same treadmill with a fold-up running option, has just been added.
Our Fitness Editor Matt Evans has been writing about fitness and health tech online for years, which means he knows what to expect from a treadmill. From the width and cushioning of the belt to how its settings hold up against its contemporaries, Matt co-ordinates the entries in this buying guide.
The quick list
Want to get straight to the best under-desk treadmill for your needs? Use our quick round-up below to immediately find a treadmill that suits you – and you can read more about it by jumping to our full write-ups and explanations using the links.
The best under-desk treadmill for most people
The Lifespan TR1200 is heftily priced, but easy to control, can be wheeled away for storage, and is robust enough for heavier individuals. This all-rounder tops our list of the best under-desk treadmills.
The best cheap under-desk treadmill
At a much more wallet-friendly, affordable price for home users, the Fitness Task 2.0 from Bluefin is a much more attractive option if you just want something slim to walk on and store behind the sofa when not in use.
The best under-desk treadmill for beginners
The JTX Movelight is cheap, coming in at a touch more expensive than the Bluefin, and it's simple to use and easy to stash away. You could do far worse, although those over 100kg/220lbs are out of luck.
The best under-desk treadmill for tight spaces
The Kingsmith Walkingpad C2 isn't the best in terms of build quality or cushioning, but it folds up like a giant flip phone, making it by far the easiest to store.
The best under-desk treadmill for runners
Switch between running and walking with the Mobvoi, which has a fold-down 'walk mode' and, unlike a lot of the other purpose-built devices on this list, can fold up if you want to up the intensity with a run.
The best under-desk treadmill: Best overall
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
The Lifespan TR1200-DT3 Under Desk Treadmill is one of the most popular products from the Lifespan home working range, designed to support single users or small teams for sessions up to six hours. The TR1200-DT3 has six impact-absorbing shocks to help dampen noise while walking and has an automatic stop when you step off the device, providing both safety and a swiftly quiet environment for taking calls.
This walking treadmill is fully assembled out of the box and can fit under most standing desks. The control console is a little on the large side but enables the user to control the Lifespan TR1200-DT3 with a few button touches and will display all the ongoing fitness stats such as calories, steps and distance. Bluetooth connectivity is also available to upload results into the LifeSpan Active Track fitness app, and a port is located at the rear of the control console for charging devices such as phones.
The Lifespan TR1200-DT3 Under Desk Treadmill will support up to 350lbs in user weight. It also has two wheels located on the front of the device, which will allow the treadmill to be moved like a wheelbarrow.
Read our full Lifespan TR1200-DT3 review
Best budget treadmill
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
The Bluefin Fitness Task 2.0 is cheap, light and high quality, a great solution to getting your steps in at home. It's quick to assemble and easy to store, with a slender profile able to fit under beds and behind sofas. You can also fold the riser up to function as a bar, if you need to hold on while you walk. However, for most people, you'll be able to use it while in walk-pad mode.
In our full review, we mentioned how much we liked the belt: it’s long and wide enough to walk and perform gentle jogging. However, with a top speed of eight kilometers an hour, it’s not very practical for regular runners. You're more likely going to get some use out of it if you want a way to get more steps in at home, or walking with a stand-up desk while working.
IIf you're just keen on getting extra movement into your day, this is the cheap treadmill for you. It's getting hard to find right now, but Bluefin has released the Fitness Kick Lite, which is very similar specs-wise, and we'll be reviewing that in due course.
Read our full Bluefin Fitness Task 2.0 review
Best for beginners
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
If you're new to at-home treadmills, or walking on a treadmill more generally, then the JTX MoveLight is a great option for beginners because it's incredibly easy to set up. Simply plug it in with a single cord, and you’re ready to go once you press the remote.
We recommend the JTX MoveLight is you're looking for an under-desk treadmill because it's relatively compact and easy to slide out of the way – like underneath a sofa. However, it's worth mentioning that it might be a little too long for alcove desk spaces. What's more, its compact design does mean there's a weight limit of 100kg.
Although it has a weight limit, the build quality on offer is good and the JTX MoveLight is robust – even if it's a bit boring to look at. In our JTX MoveLight review we wrote that we returned to the treadmill regularly, even when the weather was good outside. A testament to the fun and smooth experience you get with this solid treadmill.
Read our full JTX MoveLight review
Best for storage
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
The Walkingpad C2 from Kingsmith, a division of Chinese electronics maker Xiaomi, is all about making the most out of limited space. Trapped in a small apartment? This folding treadmill is an ideal way to get your steps in and easily tucked away when not in use. The folding functions shorten the length of the machine, allowing you to stow it where other machines might be too long. Even flatter ones such as the Bluefin don't have this kind of space-saving capability.
The belt is made up of four layers of anti-skid, shock-cushioning and high-fiber material. The motor is fine for walking, although it's far from the most powerful treadmill we've ever used, being outshined by other treadmills higher up on this list.
It's far from a perfect machine, as it doesn't feel overly robust and the app isn't particularly user-friendly, but considering the price, it's a good little treadmill that might be an ideal way for you to increase your step count in meetings and in front of Netflix.
Read our full Walkingpad C2 review
Best for runners
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
The Mobvoi Home Treadmill SE is perfect for those who want to get more bang for their buck by grabbing a device with a running mode attached.
With the safety rail folded down, the device is in 'walking mode' in which you're able to walk up to a set speed of 3.7mph and use it with a standing desk to exercise while you work, chat in meetings, or just watching TV at home.
On the other hand, when folded up, you're able to jog up to 7.5mph, controlling your speed and settings with either the remote control or the attached console. There's no incline in running mode, the belt just moves faster, but during our tests we found it works just fine for gentle jogging, and the walking mode is quiet enough to not disturb your meetings or distract you from working. The best of both worlds.
Best under-desk treadmills: At a glance
Component | Bluefin Fitness Task 2.0 | Lifespan TR1200 | JTX Movelight | Walkingpad C2 | Mobvoi Home Treadmill SE |
Dimensions | 64 x 27 x 6 in. | 64 x 27 x 6 in. | 53 x 21 x 5 in. | 56.88 x 20.39 x 4.92 in. | 54 x 27 x 8.3 in. |
Weight | 71.5 lbs | 110 lbs | 65 lbs | 55 lbs | 42.99 lbs |
Tread belt size | 15.7-in W x 44.1-in L | 20-in W x 50-in L | 18-in W x 48-in L | 16.5-in W x 47-in L | 16-in W x 40-in L |
Max user weight | 264.6 lbs | 350 lbs | 220 lbs | 220 lbs | 265 lbs |
Max Speed | 5 mph | 4 mph | 6 3.7 mph | 3.7 mph | 7.5 mph |
How to choose the best under-desk treadmill for you
What to consider when choosing the best under-desk treadmill for you
One of the first considerations you need to consider when buying an under-desk treadmill is the space you have. If you have the capacity for a standing desk, especially in a large office space, you might consider a heavy-duty under-desk treadmill such as the iMovR Thermotread or one of the LifeSpan models.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for a slim treadmill to store behind the sofa when not in use, you might be better off looking at the Sunny Walkstation Slim or another model like the Xiaomi WalkingPad (not listed in this guide).
Your second consideration should be price, which is closely tied to space, how much you intend to use the machine, and even your weight. Generally speaking, the more expensive the machine, the more punishment it will take.
Looking to jump on it for an hour or so a day to increase your steps in the evening? Get a cheaper model. Will you be using it consistently, every day? It could be worth spending more and opting for a heavier-duty model such as the Lifespan entries, which are more durable and have higher weight capacities.
Does price matter when buying an under-desk treadmill?
Yes – and no. Because the best under-desk treadmills only need to go a few miles an hour, they're not necessarily 'high performance' machines in the same way other treadmills are. So, if you're just buying a walking pad for home use and you're an individual of light-to-average weight, the Bluefin model would most likely fit the bill.
However, its best to check the weight restrictions on cheap machines. More expensive ones tend to be heavier-duty, and some of the very cheap entries like the Kingsmill tend to have a slender weight limit of 220lbs, or 100kgs. Heavier individuals looking to increase their step count and lose weight would benefit from a sturdier machine, which will also handle more intense workouts and come with better features as a couple of added bonuses.
How we test the best under-desk treadmills
We’re walking (and running) on each treadmill for an extended period of time, testing it up to its top speed. We use both running shoes and flat-soled shoes to check comfort levels, as walking treadmills should have adequate cushioning for extended use with pretty much any footwear.
We’re checking the response of the safety key, ensuring the treadmill halts in a timely manner in case of an emergency. We look at how responsive the remote is, and rate how easy the treadmill is to control from your desk.
We also check out any other features it might purport to have, such as Bluetooth capabilities, functions of the console, and dedicated interval workouts. Read more about how we test here.
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Matt is TechRadar's expert on all things fitness, wellness and wearable tech. A former staffer at Men's Health, he holds a Master's Degree in journalism from Cardiff and has written for brands like Runner's World, Women's Health, Men's Fitness, LiveScience and Fit&Well on everything fitness tech, exercise, nutrition and mental wellbeing.
Matt's a keen runner, ex-kickboxer, not averse to the odd yoga flow, and insists everyone should stretch every morning. When he’s not training or writing about health and fitness, he can be found reading doorstop-thick fantasy books with lots of fictional maps in them.